One of
trendiest takes on Internet marketing these days seems to be this notion that securing top search engine rankings “no longer works.” Where it started, I have no idea. But rarely does a week go by when I don’t see one or more Internet marketing “experts” claiming that search engine positioning is largely a waste of time and should not be a primary focus of web site owners.Well…as saying goes, “there are two sides to every story.”
But let’s not make this article about my side, or your side, or anyone else’s side. Let’s forget about my opinion and other “experts” opinions and stick to indisputable facts, as reported by highly credible 3rd party sources:
=> According to a Forrester Research Media Field Study, getting a loyal audience in first place is best done by Search Engine Placement.
=> According to a GVU Users Survey, 84.8% of Internet users use Search Engines to find websites.
=> In a study released by ActivMedia Research in September 1999, Search Engine Positioning was ranked as #1 website promotional method used by eCommerce sites.
=> And look what I just found in April 2000 issue of Target Marketing Magazine. (Source: IMT Strategies - imtstrategies.com)
"Top Ways Websites are Discovered"
Banner ads: 1%
Targeted email: 1.2%
TV spots: 1.4%
"By accident": 2.1%
Magazine ads: 4.4%
Word-of-mouth: 20%
Random Surfing: 20%
Search Engines: 46%
You’ve now seen numbers and know that search engine promotion is very much alive and kicking. But let’s take this a step further. Let’s talk about *quality* of prospects coming to your web site through search engines as opposed to other advertising mediums.
Every time your potential customers use search engines, they qualify themselves as *hot prospects* by conducting searches on keywords that are directly related to your product or service. Their choice of keywords is proof that they have a genuine interest in what you offer. These people spend their valuable time exploring search engines for your type of product or service.
