Search engines are fast replacing the yellow pages as a place for consumers to find businesses. People Google everything – from a business name to find the phone number, to product names to find companies that sell a certain model, to types of services to find companies offering them. But when you're not selling online and you don't have locations across the country, does it make sense to be found in search engines like Google? Let's look at offline buying and how location matters.

Search Engines Influence Offline Behavior

There is an opportunity for companies that sell offline. comScore, a global information consultancy, reported in March 2006 that 25% of searchers purchased an item (either online or offline) related to their search. Measuring across six product categories, comScore discovered that 37% of searchers purchased online, and an amazing 63% purchased offline at store locations. The lesson here – You don't need to sell and fulfill orders online to generate sales from your web site.

Search engines are the ultimate pull marketing channel. Consumers are looking for you and are using the search engines for a variety of reasons depending on where they are in their buying process: reaching out for general information, researching a specific product or service, making a purchase, etc. Being one of the companies they find during this process puts you in the running to make the sale.

Use Location to Your Advantage

Some products can be bought online, shipped, and the transaction is complete. But other products and services are location dependent. Take, for example, lawn care. Hiring a company in another state doesn't make sense. Type “lawn care service” into Google, and results will include products you can buy for your lawn, tips on how to find a lawn care service, and national companies. If they want their lawn mowed, searchers will quickly modify their search to include their location – be it their state or the nearest city.

The good news for marketers is that on a local level, the competition in the search engines is generally less.

Should You Invest in Search Engine Optimization?

This comes down to a simple matter of return on investment. If yours is a type of business that can initiate the selling process online, and if there is sufficient search traffic on terms related to your business to justify the effort, then the answer is yes. 

A great place to start exploring the potential of search engine marketing is Google's keyword tool at:

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

If you become serious about the possibility of dedicating marketing resources to driving search engine traffic to your site, you will likely benefit from hiring a professional search marketing firm to conduct an opportunity assessment for you.

In our E-Book we look more closely at how to select the words you may want to target and how to maximize your odds of producing a positive return on investment from search engine optimization. You can request it via our online Contact Form

Internet Marketing Tips >>

Should Your Company Be Found In the Search Engines?

Search engines are fast replacing the yellow pages as a place for consumers to find businesses. People Google everything – from a business name to find the phone number, to product names to find companies that sell a certain model, to types of services to find companies offering them.

Good Website Design and Search Engine Optimization, Is It Possible?

At Area Labs™ we come across the debate of Search Engine Optimization versus good design. We feel both can be achieved if the company working on your site understands both.

Why has Google banned my website?

Your sales are down, no one visits anymore? Could Google have banned your site? If so, why? There are a few options on what to do if you are banned. Contact us for a free consultation.

SEO and Google Indexing - Why It Requires A Complex Blend of Skills

Getting the top listing in any of the major search engines (Google, Yahoo and MSN) requires more than just optimizing your site. It requires the ability to design, develop, write and market: four things that Area Labs™ does in-house. Our competition usually must outsource one or more of these skills. Just one of the reasons you should choose Area Labs™ for all of your web needs.

Can You Guarantee My Search Engine Rankings?

Can we or anyone guarantee your ranking within Google, Yahoo!, MSN or any other search engine? The answer is no, but read to find out why.

Local businesses profit from search engine optimization and Internet Marketing

Local customers know where to find local businesses...the Internet. Through search engines and directories, the Internet provides a quick and easy place to choose a local merchant or business.

What is "organic" search and how can it help your company's Internet Marketing?

Organic describes a search that returns results based on content and keyword relevancy. This is in contrast to listings based on who paid the most money to appear at the top. Sometimes this is called "pure" or "natural search" as it is supposed to be "untainted" by payments or bids

Are searchers loyal to their search engine?

Learning more about the behavior patterns of searchers can help you make decisions about search engine optimization.

Search Engine Marketing Glossary

SEO? SEM? SERP? Let us help you understand all the acronyms and definitions associated with search engine optimization. Contact us today and request our Optimization E-book. A must have for anyone considering entering Online Marketing.

What is Black Hat SEO (Search Engine Optimization gone bad)

Black hat practitioners tend to see search engine optimization as a war, and search engines as the enemy to be beaten by all means fair or foul. White hatters tend to view search engines as allies, who can help drive business to their clients' sites.

Top Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Myths

There are many SEO myths and rumors we hear and read about everyday. While there are SEO tricks that work for a time, but inevitably come back to haunt the website using them, most of SEO is knowledge and work or research and time, if you prefer. We have listed some of the more popular Search Engine Optimization Myths in our E-Book so please request it today and let the truth about SEO be revealed.