 |
|
When it comes to apportioning large budgets to Online Marketing, it tends to only be done by larger businesses. In contrast, most SMEs stick to the conventional advertising routes, such as leaflets, Yellow Pages adverts and magazine advertising. This is despite the fact Online Marketing is very cost effective when compared to offline alternatives. Cost isn't the only advantage of Online Marketing though, its also far easier to measure results, with far greater detail too. The process of advertising online is also considerably quicker to implement. In many cases then, for the majority of SMEs, it would be wiser to allocate their marketing budget mainly to Online Marketing, not offline. Taking a look at Webtacular's own Online Marketing services, we have separated out the advantages of these three advertising mediums: Search Engine OptimisationSince the advent of broadband internet connections, the use of the web for research and shopping has been explosive in growth. Studies show that in the region of 85% of consumers have bought products online. Research from Nielson showed that figure had increased by 40% in just 2 years! The key for any website is to rank highly in search engines, as this ensures maximum exposure when people type in keyword phrases. It's especially important for websites to rank well in Google who dominate the search engine market, being the most visited website in the UK. By ranking highly, websites can receive thousands of visitors a day. Exposure is far higher than other well used marketing streams, such as newspapers or magazines. Rankings are normally established far longer than an offline advertisement too. One of the biggest benefits brought by Search Engine Optimisation is that ranking well in search engines allows organisations to market themselves well outside of their typical geographical areas. By utilising e-commerce technology to sell online, businesses can effectively make money whilst they sleep. Pay Per Click AdvertisingUtilising a Pay Per Click service such as Google AdWords is a great way of promoting your website quickly. In fact, it can take as little as half an hour to get advertising on most Pay Per Click systems. You can target people according to exactly what they are typing into search engines, making any clicks you receive highly targeted. What if you want to change your marketing tact? You can change your ads at any stage depending on what ads are most successful. Unlike offline advertising where you may have to pay for a period of time regardless of results, with Pay Per Click advertising you can pause and restart ads at any time. You can even choose the most effective time of day to run them! E-Mail MarketingE-Mail Marketing is an alternative to postal marketing without the environmental impact. All the benefits remain too, where you can choose certain target audiences to receive your email. The success of an email campaign can be improved by using an 'opt in' service. This is where people have to specifically opt to receive emails, so there is greater chance your email will be read. Email Marketing is also far cheaper when you want to be more targeted, perhaps aiming an email at hundreds opposed to thousands of people.. Its also great for research purposes, as consumers can give you valuable feedback easily. What advantages does Online Marketing have over Offline Marketing?The facts show that people have made the transition to the web already. The reason why companies invest more in Online Marketing is more and more individuals use the internet for finding news, financial information and business services. For example, research from Bazaarvoice showed that almost half (49%) of shoppers in the UK intended to do their holiday shopping online versus in-store for the year 2008. Another 67% of consumers in the UK researched products online before buying them in-store. The internet is great for consumers because they have the ability to research products and services in-depth. They can gather far more information over a printed brochure, so why would they waste time reading one? Price is a determining factor for many businesses. However, many are prepared to pay £5,000 for a regional newspaper advert when any of the above Online Marketing techniques can be far less! They're also much more targeted, so will be far more likely to give a return.
You may also be interested in reading....
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Articles to your inbox
Discover more about Search Engine Optimisation, Pay Per Click advertising and Email Marketing by getting our articles when they're published.
Just put your e-mail address in the box below.
Latest Articles
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|