As a small or medium business, its hard enough to stay on top of everyday business needs let alone keep up with all the new jargon and the “latest and greatest” must-do’s. How does one separate hype from truth?
Especially when it comes to things Internet-related, it may seem that right after one new thing comes along, another is sprouting in its place. From blogs to YouTube to MySpace, a company's Web presence often consists of more than just a simple billboard website and a storefront. Does a company need “Search Engine Optimization” (SEO) or “Search Engine Marketing” (SEM) as well? Here are a couple of points to ponder:
Why spend money on a site no one will see? Chances are, if you’re serious about your online presence, you’ve invested some money in building your website. It's like publishing a novel without thinking about how to distribute it to bookstores. The second half of the equation is as important (if not more important) as the first half.
The Internet is not what it was ten years, five years or even a year ago. More competition, more websites, more information, more whiz bang, has given birth to the need for more efficiency and creativity in being heard above the crowd. SEO and SEM fulfill that need.
Your customers may not be the same as they were ten years, five years or a year ago. Face it, most likely your customers are more tech savvy, more prone to research, and more likely to be dedicated to saving their own time and money when utilizing the web. Simply having a website is not impressive anymore, and that’s if they can even find you. SEO and SEM fine-tune your ability to reach your specific set of customers while ensuring that you provide them with what they need online.
To read more on why and how check out these links:
Success Magazine’s article on “Why Search Engine Marketing is Your Most Effective Marketing Tool”
Promotion World’s "10 Reasons Why You Should Pay for Search Engine Optimization"
SEO and Blogging Success Story from Search Engine Journal
