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David A. West

Senior Internet Consultant & Professional Speaker

Canadian Social Media Advisor & Search Engine Strategist

403-774-7403

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A Winning Internet Marketing Plan – Part II – Why is Online Marketing Such a Big Deal?

Monday, January 31st, 2011

Part 2 of 6
Why is Online Marketing Such a Big Deal?

Despite the fact that the Internet has become such a big part of most people’s day-to-day lives, there are still a handful of business owners out there who think that it doesn’t necessarily change the way they do business, or that putting up a simple website is as far as they need to go. That mindset is understandable, but it could leave you missing the forest for the trees. Consider the following:

  • Amazon.com, the biggest online retailer, is thought to average more than 250,000 transactions every day
  • Google, the world’s largest search engine, currently registers more than 2 billion hits per day
  • Of those searches, the company estimates that 20% have some geographical indicator… meaning that more customers are going online to find local vendors and retailers
  • Investment banking giant Morgan Stanley predicts that, by the year 2015, more people will be accessing the Internet via mobile devices (like iPhones and Droids) than “traditional” computers
  • Facebook recently crossed the 500 million member mark, and other social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn are quickly gaining ground with 150 million and 50 million members of their own, respectively
Of course, we could go on and on and on. The point, however, is well made in the statistics above – the Internet isn’t going away as a business medium anytime soon, and if you aren’t taking advantage, then you’re already losing customers to a competitor who is.

One of the biggest reasons this will continue to be true in the future has nothing to do with you or any other company down the block. The fact of the matter is that customers love doing business online. Not only is it often more convenient for them to shop from home, or the office (or at least get the information they need before they actually go out to make a purchase), but by shopping over the Internet, they can take advantage of lower prices, more choices, and a wealth of buying information and advice.

So in that sense, it only makes sense to keep working your online marketing plan when it’s what most of your buyers want, but it’s not just the best thing for them. Take a look at just a few of the things the right Internet marketing plan can bring your company:

More customers. The ability to reach buyers, regardless of what county or country they live in, 24 hours a day has been an important part of the Internet’s marketing appeal from the start.
Laser focus. Why waste your time and money trying to reach everyone, when it’s actually easier to find your perfect customer online?

More efficient. Fewer wasted marketing dollars means a much higher return on investment, and profits that can be saved or reinvested.

Better off-line results. While a lot of business owners and marketing managers might not realize it, a strong online campaign can often complement what they are doing elsewhere.

The biggest reason Internet marketing is such a big deal is because it works. If you are interested in reaching more customers, having more control over who you are paying to market to, and increasing the overall profitability of your business – and what business owner doesn’t want these things? – then it’s time to take online marketing very seriously. Review your website design, Search Engine Optimization and social media marketing plan today.

Next: Part III –

Building an Online Marketing Plan From the Ground up

Starting – and Executing – a Winning Internet Marketing Plan from the Ground Up

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Part 1 of 6

Introduction

When the Internet, and especially ecommerce, was still up-and-coming, it was easy to distinguish between businesses that were “online” and those that weren’t. The ones that were had websites, dot-com names, and things like digital shopping carts; those that didn’t worked hard to keep up their print, radio, and television advertisements, drawing customers into retail locations, or relying on a dedicated sales staff to reach new customers.

It’s amazing how quickly all of that has changed.

These days, there’s not really such a thing as a business that doesn’t have a website… at least not if they plan on staying in business. Nor has online marketing remained something that matters only to businesses online: from florists to accountants, restaurants to travel agents, being found on the Internet has become an increasingly-important way to draw in new customers – whether they’re across the ocean or down the street.

But, even with this explosion in Internet marketing, or maybe because of it, lots of business owners and managers have found themselves faced with some tough questions. What does online marketing entail, really, and how much of it is right for your particular business? And how do you know the time and money you spend trying to find more customers online is really paying off?

The best way to answer those questions, of course, is to sit down with a team of online marketing experts and find out how these issues pertain to your particular business and industry. We realize, however, that might not be an option right now, or you might be in the beginning or planning stages. Maybe you have been planning a new website design for your company, or have one but don’t know if you’re getting as many bottom-line benefits as you could be. Or, it could be that your competitors are leaving you behind on the Internet, or even that you’re just looking for new ways to grow.

Regardless of your reason, we are going to do our best to help answer these and other questions for you. Despite all the complicated terms, acronyms, and ideas that seem to come up when talking about Internet business strategies, the ideas concerned are actually pretty simple: it’s all about finding the best way to introduce more potential customers to your company. Everything else is built around that goal.

Remember that as you read through this report or meet with an online marketing specialist. The Web is bringing more business opportunities than ever before – Internet marketing is simply about taking advantage of them.

Next: Part II – Why is Online Marketing Such a Big Deal?

Why You Should Care About Universal Search

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Over the past couple of years, Google and the other major search engines have made waves by beginning to integrate what those of us in the industry call “universal search.” Basically, it just means that in addition to webpages, results are starting to show other content as well, like videos, audio clips, pictures, and so on.

You might think that, since you don’t work in the Calgary web design or search engine optimization markets for a living, that this trend doesn’t matter to you all that much. And you would be wrong.

It’s no longer enough to simply optimize your pages

That’s because, by adding more weight to other types of content than they did in the past, the search engines are changing the game in fundamental ways. It’s no longer enough to simply optimize your pages, write a few articles, and watch the web visits come in; now you have to use, and be on the lookout for, all kinds of content that could attract your customer’s eye.

So how will this impact your business online? In two ways: first, it’s going to force business owners like you to pay more attention to where they are showing up in the search results for different terms. But more importantly, it means that all new content that you put online is going to have to be treated a little bit like raw chicken.

Just as you wouldn’t eat a chicken breast or wing that hadn’t been cooked through enough to kill off anything that can hurt you, neither should you upload any piece of content – whether it’s an article, video, e-book, or even a simple blog post – without being sure that you have fully optimized title, keywords, and so on.

Universal search means there’s not any such thing as “non-optimized” business content anymore. Get in the habit of paying attention to everything you add to your company’s website and social media pages, because these days, it all matters.

Search engine optimization is an important part of any online marketing plan. Let me and my team help you bring more buyers to your website.

Some of David's Clients

  • Cir Realty
  • Canada Mortgage Network
  • Canasa
  • Calgary Residential