Why Do You Need to be in the SERPS?

Why does your business need to be in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS)?

Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing both have the same goal, which is to help visitors find your website. Ten years ago there was probably nobody searching online for your product or service. Five years ago, there may have been a couple of dozen people looking for it in any given week or month. Today, in 2005, you can be sure that there are many people actively seeking your products or services each and every day through the search engines. Can they find you there?

According to a Fall 2004 report by http://www.comscore.com/ nearly 40% of all internet connections in the United States are now broadband, "always on", high speed internet access. As this becomes the norm, there is also a steady merging or "convergence" going on between our computers, our cel phones, and even our television sets. Pretty soon, we'll all have access to worldwide information in the palm of our hands at any given moment. Do you think that might affect how customers are going to look for you?

It's never been more important to be listed in the Internet search engines and directories than it is right now. I see websites that have been around for years and never even been submitted to any search engines. (I've also seen sites get penalized by the search engines for improper or "over submission", so don't rush out and do it!).

Yet some of these same businesses will pour hundreds or thousands of dollars each month into local Yellow page advertising because they believe it to be the most effective form of advertising. Well, phone book use has been steadily declining over the past 10 years, and it's not bouncing back any time soon.

Why would anyone open up a big heavy book, when they can just click and type "West Los Angeles plumber" and find immediate phone numbers? Online, they can also find maps, hours, prices, and even sound clips and informational videos. With high speed Internet now available in most metropolitan areas on cel phones, you can forget about it!

For some businesses, being on page one of the SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages) will be more valuable than having a full page ad in the Yellow Pages ever was. Those thick phone books are going the way of the dinosaur, I guarantee it. Ten years from now, how cost effective will it be to publish, print and distribute these books when nobody uses them or wants to advertise in them anymore?

Your business probably has a website already, and that's a good start. But are you ahead of the curve in your industry nationally? How about locally? If you're selling Rolex watches or male potency pills, you're admittedly behind the 8 ball, but if you're a local business person, take stock in your future today. Make some time to check out your competition. Go to Google or Yahoo and search for your product or service in your city or state. How many total results come up, and are you or your competition in the SERPS?

Compare those well ranked websites with the largest most expensive listings in the Qwest Dex (or your local) Yellow pages. Are the same companies at the top of the search results that have the largest print ads? I'll bet they're not. You might be surprised that some of the biggest industry names in your city are practically nowhere to be found in the search results. Of course this isn't true for all industries, but it still is for most of them. This opens a huge window of opportunity for the savvy business owner. Diversifying your marketing dollars to include your website will simply have the best ROI (Return On Investment) for your company's future.

Scott Hendison is living in Oregon, and is the owner of Portland Technology Consultants. He is a computer and internet consultant, and has been in the industry since 1995. For over 75 other articles, visit his website at http://www.pdxtc.com



Deceptive Marketing and Procrastination

Procrastination is every marketers worst nightmare.This applies on three fronts.Firstly... Read More

Marketing Hesitation Costs Dearly

Timing is everything. Hate to be late? The early bird... Read More

No One Gives A Damn About Your Business. Unless You Give em A Reason To

The good news is that there are thousands of people... Read More

The Key to Success

Good business is about communication... not just what you say... Read More

Direct Marketing Puts Information In The Buyer?s Hands

Direct marketing is advertising from a manufacturer or front-end supplier... Read More

Where to Look for New Donors for Your Fundraising Letter Appeals

Have you ever studied your best donors and wished you... Read More

Supply And Demand And Marketing

According to Dough McCormick, Chariman and CEO of iVillage, Inc,... Read More

Website Marketing: 10 Uncommon Bonuses That Will Help Make Your Product Hotly In Demand

Giving away free bonuses is an important website marketing secret... Read More

Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas

Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas1. Create a directory of web sites... Read More

Telemarketers Dont Like Them? Heres An Idea For Ya!

Telemarketers... ooohhh... I'll bet we've all got a nice story... Read More

Postcard Marketing Done Right

Say it with a post card. A well designed, colorful,... Read More

How to Write a Fundraising Thank-you Letter for Example (Includes a Free Sample)

Thank-you letters are one of the most important letters that... Read More

Are You Playing Checkers or Chess?

When you think about how to attract more clients for... Read More

What Can Star Wars Teach You About Creating a Buzz for Your Business?

Many people think marketing is some type of mystery that... Read More

Hold Onto What Youve Got

You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More

Marketing as a Spiritual Practice II: Unearthing Your Potential

Marketing as we know it is over. Done. Finito.People the... Read More

Design Direct Mail Postcards Back-to-Front to Boost Response Rates

Conventional wisdom says that the front of a direct mail... Read More

Take It To The Customer

In the past, purchasing ad space was the solution to... Read More

Dont Let Your Business Cards End Up in the Trash

Business cards are such wonderfully creative little marketing products. Most... Read More

What Does Marketing Mean?

You can have the best little business ever with wonderful... Read More

11 Ways to Turnaround a Cash-Strapped Business or Practice

This past weekend I received a disturbing message from a... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - How to Write a Mortgage Marketing Sales Letter That Gets Results!

Have you ever sat down to write a sales letter... Read More

When Designing Postcards, Aim for Refrigerator Door Mindshare

If you want to design effective marketing postcards, then aim... Read More

Guerrilla Marketing in Action

Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market... Read More

Ready, Aim, Fire...Oops...Wheres The Target?

Everywhere you go on the Internet you find the words,... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: