Featured article from the August 2005 issue of WebVisibility
Lead Generation: an Understated BenefitA big myth surrounding search engine marketing is that a company that does not sell its products or services online cannot benefit from search engine optimization. That couldn’t be more incorrect. The truth is that any business can benefit from increased Internet exposure. Beyond Tracking
One of the benefits of Internet marketing over other, more traditional marketing techniques is that it is extremely trackable. Programs like SiteCatalyst™ allow us to track every move of our website’s visitors—that is, every move they make online. Once they leave the Web, however, we lose track of what they are doing. It is often difficult to know whether the people who leave your website do so because they don’t want what you have or because they’re out the door, on their way to your nearest store location or calling the phone number on your site for more information. Our natural inclination is often to be pessimistic, assuming that everybody who leaves your site has no intention of ever purchasing your products or services, but there is reason to believe otherwise. In fact, there may be more people who do intend to buy, but offline, than we know.
Trends of Search Engine Users
In a study of search engine usage in North America, 425 search engine users were tracked through their online search process in response to several given scenarios. The purpose was to determine trends of search engine users and the results were astounding. While more than two-thirds of the participants indicated that they would use a search engine during the research phase of the buying process, only 41% would actually purchase an item online. Most would go offline to actually make the purchase.¹
In October 2004, reported that “online product research conducted by consumers the past year was responsible for driving $180.7 billion in offline spending, compared to $106.5 billion in direct online consumer spending.” What’s the point? Many people use search engines as a research tool, but still prefer to make their purchases offline or talk to someone in person before making a purchase. People Are Buying
The important part is that people buying and that they find out what and where to buy by going to the Internet. With search engine marketing costing only about $.45 per lead—which is much less than other direct marketing methods (see Figure 1)—you couldn’t ask for a better lead generating technique.
Figure 1.
¹ Search Engine Trends in North America. Enquiro Search Solutions, April 2004.
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