Search
Engine Submission & Web Site Optimization Services
The subject of search engine submission and
web site optimization can stir some pretty passionate views
and opinions among both service provider and consumer alike.
It's important first, to remember that web site optimization
can vary dramatically by provider so it's
important to educate yourself prior to taking on submission
and optimization services.
For instance, search engine submission is not
necessarily an important part of getting noticed by the search
engines. Many will tell you that you must submit your site
to the SE's, but what they neglect to tell you is that it's
strictly optional and does nothing to enhance your chances
of being listed faster or higher. Don't be fooled by advertisments
that promote submission to thousands of search engines. Here's
why:
The SE's, specifically Google, won't even
recognize you until you have at least 1 inbound link, whether
you've submitted your site to them or not. So instead of
wasting your time and money submitting your site to various
engines, simply work on a linking strategy. Directories
are the best place to start as most engines' crawlers use
links within directories for finding and indexing web pages.
There are only 8 or 10 top search engines
worth worrying about. Submitting to thousands of sites doesn't
necessarily mean you'll recieve more traffic as most of
those sites do not recieve much traffic themselves. You'll
have better results focusing on the top 3, Google, Yahoo
and MSN.
Most importantly, most of the search engines
these advertisements promise to submit your site to are
merely sites setup to collect your personal information,
like name and email address, to be used to send you advertisements
later.
More Than Good Design
It's not enough to simply have a web site. The
exponential growth of the Internet has made it necessary for
businesses to not only create a functional, interactive, and
aesthetically pleasing online experience, but to also implement
some type of marketing program to promote your site.
Statistically we know that:
Online search is the most widely used method
for driving traffic to a web site.
Jupiter Research reports that 82% of online
shoppers know exactly what they want when they log onto
the Internet and almost half of them use search engines
to find it.
Research confirms that most online searches
end within the first two pages of results.
Of course, all web sites should be designed
and written primarily with the target audience in mind, but
your target audience will probably be using the search engines
to find the products, services, and information offered on
your site.
Why do so many
rely on search engine optimization?
Because organic search engine traffic is highly targeted.
Potential buyers who find your site through search engines
are looking for your products and services on their own. They
are predisposed to hearing your marketing message and you
can’t find a more qualified lead
than that.
What distinguishes search engine optimization
from other types of advertising?
It's Non-Intrusive.
SEO is a non-intrusive marketing tool. Most advertising,
both on and offline, interrupts consumer behavior. Go to
just about any website and you'll find an intrusive ad.
Even real news articles are dominated by ads that force
copy to be continued on another page. With search engine
optimization, the user is actively seeking your products,
services, and information. They want to be driven to your
site.
It's Voluntary.
SEO is the result of user-originated behavior. Visitors
from search engines and directories have voluntarily clicked
your listing and are motivated to explore your offerings.
The Role of Search in Business to
Business Buying Decisions
Recently, Enquiro,
a search engine marketing firm researching consumer search
engine behavior, reported the results of their survey on the
role of search engines in Business to Business transactions.
B2B transactions differ from most consumer transactions
because the buying decision requires coordination between
a number of different personnel before the final transaction
is made. Therefore, the process requires a period of time
between researching the product and placing the order.
The
Role of Search in Business to Business Buying Decisions
is a well-designed study of approximately 1500 participants
responding to a 40-question survey that
was validated with pre-testing before implementation. The
study is very infomative, but has too many details to cover
here. Some interesting points reported include:
When participants were asked to indicate
how they would go about making a B2B purchase, 93.2% said
they would research the purchase online.
When asked if they would use a search engine
at some point in this task, 95.5% of participants indicated
that they would.
When asked where they would start their search
for information, 63.9% of participants chose a search engine
over consumer review sites, e-commerce sites, manufacturer’s
sites, and industry portals.
When taking budget into consideration, manufacturer’s
sites and industry portals were the chosen starting place
as budgets increased. However, 86.9% of participants said
they would visit a search engine after visiting those sites.
Interesting Conclusions:
Search engines play a dominant role in B2B
purchases.
Search engines are used in the early or mid
research phase in the buying cycle.
Organic SEO gets over 70% of the clicks.
Position is a factor, with over 60% clicking
on the top 3 listings.
Most users decide which listing to click
on in seconds upon scanning the page.
