The specialist in Search Engine Optimisation, Pay-Per-Click and Web Analytics
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Jeremy Nelson-Smith
Fact sheet -
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Why read this Fact Sheet?
Understanding the shift in importance from ‘Outbound’ to ‘Inbound’ marketing will allow you to understand why Search Engine Optimisation is so important to all companies with a web site.
The basics of Search Engine Optimisation: ‘Outbound’ and ‘Inbound Marketing’
Overview
Only a few years ago most consumers found out about products and services by watching
TV commercials, reading newspaper ads, receiving direct mail and listening to radio
advertising. Then email arrived and we were all inundated by (mostly) unwanted email
messages clamouring for a response (and usually not getting one -
This is what’s called ‘outbound marketing’ , where messages are ‘pushed’ to consumers in the hope they will react positively and eventually buy the product or service offered. This form of advertising depends on ‘interrupting’ a consumer’s activity (e.g. driving the car, reading a newspaper, watching the TV) and getting their attention.
Why Outbound Marketing is becoming less and less effective
With the incredibly rapid growth of the Internet all that has changed and outbound marketing is becoming less and less effective. Consumers are now able to filter or block out altogether the messages they are not interested in receiving.
Most consumers nowadays begin their buying process by searching the Internet for comparable products and prices. They may of course end up buying from a high street store but the choice of which store to buy from is most often made online (just think how many times you’ve actually done this yourself).
Why Inbound Marketing is becoming more and more important
Today’s business environment is ever more competitive, especially given the ‘squeeze’ on consumer spending brought about by the credit crunch. Given the changes in consumers’ buying behaviour outlined above a company’s web site has become one of the most important (in many cases the most important) tool for attracting new customers and selling products and services.
It makes good commercial sense therefore to ensure that your web site is working as hard as possible and delivering maximum return on investment. If a web site is not being ‘found’ by consumers it stands little or no chance of delivering maximum ROI.
Why Search Engine Optimisation, one key element of Inbound Marketing, is so crucial
Search Engine Optimisation, when professionally executed and treated not as a ‘one off’ exercise, but as a crucial part of a company’s business plan, will get a web site ‘found’ by achieving higher page rank results on search engines like Google, Ask and MSN. This will lead to attracting more customers, more sales and in turn a greater return on investment.
Key ‘takeaway’ from this fact sheet: Search Engine Optimisation should be regarded as an ongoing part of your overall business and marketing plans.
Outbound Marketing = TV / Radio / Print advertising, Unsolicited emails, Direct mail
Inbound Marketing =
Search Engine Optimisation, Search Engine Advertising, Blogging, Social Media
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