Top 10 Reasons to Focus on Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

10. If you are not tapping into the online market, you’re losing customers

On an average day, about 72 million American adults go online. — PEW Internet & American Life Project, November-December 2003

9. Search engines are the most widely used vehicles for generating website traffic

According to Georgia Institute of Technology, Internet search engines currently account for over 85% of all new visitors to a website.

8. Simply submitting your website to search engines and directories is not enough

Countless companies that have left search engine marketing to their IT departments are realizing that this doesn't work and can even deter search results. Simply submitting your site to search engines and directories will not deliver the results you need.

7. Consumers are buying online

The number of people who made purchases online grew from 41 million to 67 million (a 63% increase) since 2000. —PEW Internet & American Life Project, June 2003

6. SEM makes it easy for your prospects to find you

Your customers are looking for you; make sure they can find you. Search engine marketing will enhance your website’s positioning in the search results and enable your customers to locate you on the Internet.

5. Pay-per-click advertising is based purely on ROI

Pay-per-click advertising is the only advertising medium where you just pay for results—you pay only when a consumer clicks on your ad listing. What other marketing method enables clients to pay only when qualified prospects react positively to their ads?

4. SEM can help you increase local business

Jupiter Research reports an amazing 36% of all Internet searches are for local merchants in a specific region or geographic location. Now that it’s possible to target consumers by city, even down to zip code, more businesses than ever are using the Web to reach local markets. Those businesses that don't are going to be left behind.

3. Search Engine Marketing is the most cost-effective form of direct-marketing

Search engine marketing is the most cost-effective direct-marketing method. The average cost per lead from search is 29 cents, far less than email (50 cents), the Yellow Pages ($1.18), banner ads ($2.00) and direct mail ($9.94). — Safa Rashtchy, Sr. Analyst, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc.

2. The search industry is in a state of constant change

Search engines change their algorithms on a regular basis. Different search engines and directories use results from others. Search engine features and submission guidelines are unique and change frequently. New search engines and directories continue to be established and new competitors and partnerships continue to evolve. You need a long-term search engine strategy to keep up with the changes and achieve ongoing results.

And the number 1 reason to focus on Search Engine Marketing, is…

1. Search engine marketing will help you increase your bottom line

Search engine marketing will help you generate new leads, increase brand awareness and recognition, cross-sell and up-sell to existing customers, promote events, market products and services, improve customer relationships, enhance customer education and support and increase sales.

Search engine marketing will increase your website’s ROI and your company revenues by improving your search engine rankings, driving more qualified prospects to your site and converting your web traffic into sales.

Learn more about Strategic Ranking and our search engine marketing solutions!

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