Q3 2009 data published by eMarketer and WebVisible shows that online search advertising is growing rapidly amongst small businesses. Average spending by small businesses in paid search advertising was up 91 percent vs. a year ago.
Overall, about 1/3 of search clicks in Q3 2009 resulted in some "conversion" action on the web site of the small business. The fastest-growing conversion action was video viewing, with 16.9% watching a video in Q3 2009, up from less than 1% a year earlier.
These trends match up perfectly with what we are are seeing amongst the small businesses that we work with. Being found and engaging customers via social media continues to be the top marketing priority amongst small businesses, but it must be seen in context. As I've posted about before, the future is social AND search, not one or the other.
Our recommendations for how small businesses should balance their online efforts remains the same:
- Get online and keep it simple with a conversational hub that you own so that you're not bouncing around and being inconsistent.
- Be human and authentically talk about what you are passionate about. That is what will make you remarkable.
- Connect where your audience is - don't make it hard for them to reach you however they want to. Be where your customers are rather than forcing them to come to you.
- LISTEN and RESPOND and SERVE consistently using tools that help you to focus on the people and conversations that matter most.
CloudProfile will remain focused on the holistic trifecta of top marketing priorities for small businesses - social media, e-mail, and search marketing in a tightly integrated and easy to use package.
Links:
- Facebook is NOT the Future of Search
- Small Business Has a Big Appetite for Digital and Social Media Marketing
- 4.5 Ways To Tame The Noise and Boost Natural and Social Discovery
- eMarketer - Small Businesses Raise Search Spend
Tags:
- Search Engine Optimization
- small business
- paid-search advertising
- social media