Search Engine Optimization in an eCommerce World

Before one can fully understand the importance and necessity of implementing a search engine optimization program into their marketing mix, it is important to look first at the phenomenal statistics regarding Internet use. For example:

• There are 7 new people on the Internet every second.

• Every 4th person online is buying something right now.

• One billion dollars in e-commerce transactions will be conducted this month.

• Over one trillion dollars in e-commerce business will be generated this year.

• 1 out of 8 dollars spent by consumers is spent on online transactions.

  (Source: ACCUTIPS.com, December 2003)

Furthermore, according to glreach.com, there were 649 million Internet users online worldwide in March 2003---a 14 percent increase in just one year! That comes out to be about 88 million new users in that year alone.

There can be no question that the Internet is continuing to grow at an amazing pace. While the fact that so many consumers are online is important, it is even more crucial to understand what these consumers are doing while online. The two most outstanding reasons people use the Internet is to communicate (e-mail) and to research (using search engines).

Again, here are a few statistics regarding how people spend their time online (for more statistics and a list of sources, visit http://www.10xmarketing.com/information.asp):

• 88% of all Internet users use search engines

• 37% of online shoppers used Google to search for online retailers. Search was used by 25 percent of consumers searching the Web for holiday purchases

• For car buying decisions, search engine advertising proved itself a stronger influencer (26 percent) than TV ads (17 percent)

• Virtually all affluent adult shoppers (HHI $100K+) use the Web to make or research their purchases. For automobile, computer and travel purchases, Internet use is extraordinarily high (over 90 percent of those surveyed)

When consumers go to the Internet, they use search engines because they are able to find the products they want, reviews, descriptions, consumer ratings, and the best price possible. Consumers are less concerned with where they buy their products as much as they are concerned with how much product they can get for their dollar.

Thus, each day millions of people use search engines to look for items they want to buy on the Internet. Those businesses that appear on the first page of these searches are getting 50% to 70% of the business from these customers. There is little doubt that potential customers are currently using search engines to search for the products and services your company sells. The only real question is, What are you doing to help them find you, instead of your competitors?

There are two ways to have your web site to appear on the first page of any search. The first is to engage in a pay-per-click campaign. The second is to appear on the first page due to free or natural search results. Getting high, natural rankings in major search engines is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to market and sell your products on the Internet.

Search engines use complex, mathematical algorithms to determine which web sites are ranked high and which are not. If your web site matches the criteria, youre ranked high. If it doesnt, then youre not. Its that simple.

Search engine optimization, then, is designing your website and all of your eCommerce actions so that when consumers search for keywords that are central to your company, your website will appear at the top of the search results.

For example, if your company sells running shoes (a keyword that receives 127,575 searches per month), it would be very beneficial to be one of the top websites on the search engine. If you received only a small percentage of new visitors each month from that top ranking, it would still result in a significant source of revenue.

It might help to think of it this way: At least 10 million Internet searches are performed every month within each major business category. If only 1% of those searches found your website, you would have over 100,000 new visitors to your site each month. If only 1% of those visitors purchased your products or services, you would be making more than 1,000 new sales per month. (The worldwide average is 2.5%, making these conservative estimates.)

The scope of this article is not to look at the methods behind search engine optimization. Instead, it is to look at the importance the Internet is playing in business development today and in the future. The traditional marketing schemes of the past still have their place, but advertising dollars must be allocated to Internet marketing.

As Bruce Carlisle, CEO of SFInteractive said, If you arent putting money into search engines you are letting business walk out the door.

About The Author

This article was written by Mike Barton, of 10x Marketing. 10x Marketing provides companies with Internet marketing solutions that will increase consumer visits on a regular basis, thus increasing potential sales and revenue. Contact 10x Marketing today for more information about your companies Internet potential.

(link to: http://www.10xmarketing.com/res/internet-marketing-technique.asp)

mike@10xmarketing.com

---

The Power of Link Exchanges

Let's face it. Getting webmasters to link to your site... Read More

Website Promotion: 10 Nitty-Gritty Tactics To Increase Your Orders

If you master these nitty-gritty website promotion tactics, you'll be... Read More

Profitable Target Marketing: 6 Lessons from Major League Baseball

Does your business struggle with profitable online marketing? If so,... Read More

Complete Novice Builds Business Using Press Releases on the Internet

My name is Barbara Mascio. I am the founder of... Read More

How to Test a Keyword for Success!

Finding the successful keywords is crucial in order to get... Read More

The 7 Habits of a Successful Web-Marketing Plan

What is web-marketing? Why does your business need it?The best... Read More

DIY SEO Part 3, Advertising

We have dealt with the tags so the search engines... Read More

8 Killer Ways to Improve the Effect of Testimonials on Your Customers!

Every web business should be using testimonials. Testimonials are extremely... Read More

Web Advertising: Hold An Online Contest Or Sweepstakes And Make Your Website Magnetic To Visitors

Contests and Sweepstakes.They are web advertising magnets that draw huge... Read More

Promote Your Website: Search Tools

Many companies after spending a substantial amount of money on... Read More

How to Set Up Your Own Free Ad-Tracking Links and 7 Reasons Why You Want To!

Any time you use a URL in an Article, Web... Read More

Search Engine Friendly Ways to Build Link Popularity

Acquiring relevant backlinks to your website is one of the... Read More

Effective Affordable Website Promotion Can Be Achieved

Seeking effective affordable website promotion should begin with listing your... Read More

Free Online Advertising: 10 Dynamic Secrets To Make Your Ad Stand Out And Ignite Sales

No matter what you're marketing or promoting, if your Ad... Read More

Avoid Search Engine Blacklisting

The best way to avoid being blacklisted by the search... Read More

Ten Day Plan to Online Sales

Recently one of my students asked a great question: We... Read More

How To Acquire One Way Inbound Links

How can one get a good ranking in the major... Read More

5 Successful Tips For Marketing Your Website

This could be the most amazing article to ever be... Read More

12 Ways To Promote Your Website Offline

So you have your website and you've done everything right... Read More

How To Use Banner Ads Effectively

It's no big secret that banner ads have become less... Read More

Specialty or Niche Directory Submissions

You are an attorney or other service or product provider.... Read More

Power Linking 2005 Redefines Web Site Promotion

Web site owners are realizing Jack Humphrey's Power Linking isn't... Read More

Drive People to Your Site to Buy Your Products

Bring those visitors back for more, applauding you and saying... Read More

5 Cheap Ways to Promote Your Website Offline

We get so caught up with internet marketing and "web... Read More

How To Turn Visitors Into Posters

So your having a hard time turning your visitors into... Read More

Get Listed at DMOZ

When you are deciding on the major search engine directories... Read More

Marketing Your Business: Our Top Eight Tips

How to market your business? It needs your continual effort.... Read More

How To Get Free Advertising By Giving Away Online Content

Giving away content is a powerful way to get free... Read More

How To Get Valuable Feedback From Your Customers

You can learn many things you didn't know about your... Read More

Fight For Online Visibility

Would you like to prevent Internet users from visiting your... Read More

Promoting Your Site Off-Line

The internet is a wonderful source of information and full... Read More

The Ultimate Search Engine Strategy

Search engine optimisation is big business. Ezines and websites litter... Read More

How To Stop Your Site Disappearing Into The Void

Repetition is the key to getting your adverts and promotion... Read More