After the temporary glitch (dot com bust) there is no looking back for the Internet. The speed by which it has transformed business since then is amazing and continues at mach speed.
Businesses of any size cannot afford to ignore the power of the Internet to boost their sales, specifically, the power of Search Engine Optimization – SEO. Other than fulfilling the role as a source of knowledge, a way of communication, and a platform for socialization, the Internet has emerged as an important market place. From applying for a mortgage on-line to buying shirts – almost everything can be done on the Internet now. Nearly 50 million adults now bank online. There is a lot of business being conducted on the Internet, otherwise what could explain the 150 million users registered with PayPal, an online financial transaction organization. The flea market has gone to the Internet in the form of eBay.
The advertising trend is veering away from TV and the print media. The focus is now on the Internet. In 2011 the spending on Internet advertisements will amount to $61.98 billion, eclipsing print and TV advertising. This is a clear indication how businesses view the Internet as a medium to influence buyer’s decisions and sales.
Expediency of Search Engine Optimization
Today, many businesses have their web sites hosted on the Internet. But that doesn’t automatically result in more people visiting their site or producing more sales and profits. There are millions of web sites on the Internet and a web site remaining unnoticed is not a difficult task. The trick is to be more visible on the Internet, especially on the major search engines, Google, Yahoo and Bing (GYM).
Research shows that when somebody is looking for information about a product or service with the help of a search engine on the Internet, the decision to buy a particular brand is made within the first two pages of search results. Businesses should therefore strive to appear in the first two pages to get a chance to be picked.
This means web sites of businesses need to be get picked by the search engine spiders and ranked high up in the web search results. And the technique to improve search engine visibility has come to be known as search engine optimization (SEO). Professionals well versed with this technique are regarded as SEO experts. Their endeavor is to make web sites stand out against competition in the search results of old search engines like, Google, Yahoo, Bing, (GYM) as well as the “new kids on the block”: Hakia, Enetez, and True Knowledge.
SEO for Small and Big Business
Businesses that have typically smaller marketing budgets compared with the big corporations need SEO desperately. Their channels of marketing are limited and manpower at their disposal is less. The potential customers of these businesses surf the Internet. By using the Internet and search engine optimization techniques and technologies businesses can capture a sizable part of their market. Having a web site therefore is an easy option for them as a web site can be created and hosted for a few hundred dollars. Sending free e-news letters, informing clients about your products and services, speaking about your business goals, and facilitating of placing orders on-line, and receiving payment online, business owners find a well optimized web site to be a solid tool for their business.
As mentioned earlier, creating and hosting a business web site is only a part of a successful Internet marketing program and strategy. It becomes meaningful only when potential customers start hitting the business web site in growing numbers. Search engine optimization takes care of this problem by making the web site more prominent. Again search engine optimization isn’t overly expensive. Small businesses will find that employing SEO techniques is affordable and effective. Moreover, the money spent on SEO yields returns equal to or greater than the initial SEO investment, so there should not be a second thought about the SEO venture. The only thing required to be taken care of is the choice of a proven search engine optimization expert. The Internet is a great leveler and the size of a business doesn’t matter here. With the help of SEO as an effective marketing tool, a small business can not only stand out in its own class but can take on the big giants as well.
Big corporation and businesses targeting global audiences find the Internet as the cheapest way to reach customers. They employ sophisticated search engine optimization methods using the latest Web 2.0 and social media optimization technologies.
Customers all over the world looking for better products and services. It is unfair to hide when your customers are looking for you.