[ad#468x60]
As the economy pushes more businesses to pull back on their conventional marketing budgets and put some of it into Internet marketing, some are wondering where to spend their money. The two major categories of Internet marketing making a splash today (and into tomorrow) are search engine optimization and social media marketing.
The question is” “Which is better?”
The answer is: “Usually both.”
Usually.
Just about any business that has a presence on the Internet could use search engine optimization to drive relevant traffic to their site. Unlike search engine PPC marketing, SEO is less transparent and the results cannot be guaranteed. Still, not getting optimization can be disastrous as the search engines are where people go when they want information. Specifically, the organic results are where people click – 75% of searchers do not click on the sponsored results.
Most businesses can use social media marketing, but it’s even less transparent than SEO. The results of a successful SMM campaign may take days, weeks, or even months to become visible. On the other hand, sometimes the results are instantaneous and dramatic.
With SMM, the real benefits are traffic and branding. Because people are often not currently in the market for whatever service or product it is that the business offers, the conversion ratios are normally low at first. The key is how SMM works in the long term. Even though the traffic spikes can be unbelievable, it often does not translate into direct sales immediately.
Don’t let that dissuade you, though. In the long term, a proper batch of social media marketing campaigns can take an Internet business to the next level. Showing your brand and your products to tens of thousands of people who normally would not have known you can have huge benefits now and in the future.
With all of that said, the question remains the same. Which? The REAL answer is that it depends on your situation. For example, a website selling used cars in New Hampshire or Dallas cosmetic dentists will receive less benefit from world-wide social media marketing, while a company selling a less-known product like walkin bathtubs may get more out of SMM than SEO. Of course, those who can rank organically in search engines AND have a successful SMM campaign can have the best of both world.
A company like Soccer Shop can optimize and still have great success with a viral marketing campaign.
For most businesses, a good combination of the two is wise.
* * *
Read more about Internet Marketing on this blog.[ad#336x280]
{ 2 comments }
This is really fantastic advice, appreciate it.
Thank you for posting this great read. See mine!