Keywords for Consistent Success

Why does everyone seem to ignore them? Perhaps it's just ignorance. Even the large companies are not immune as we examine here.

From driving your research into your target market through your PPC campaigns keyword research is at the heart of SEO and website success and is one of the reasons we harp on about it so much.

If you wanted to buy low cost groceries or small electrical appliances where would you go?

Chances are for low cost groceries you would say Pick 'N Pay. This is an important real world slogan for this large company. If you wanted to buy small electrical appliances off line where would you go to? Maybe Makro and for ladies Spring fashions perhaps Woolworths.

We all know this and the stores mentioned also know this. So why is it that you can not find these stores when you go to the internet and search for the same terms? Try it - search for small electrical appliances on Ananzi.

If you have read Arthur Goldstuck's latest report about "Online Retail On The Internet 2004" you will have noticed from Arthur's work that these stores are very prominent when it comes to web retailing in South Africa. Arthur ran long frank interviews with very senior managers responsible for internet marketing efforts and you know something - not one of them mentioned the importance of search engines as a source of website traffic. This is why none of these stores get found when important search phrases are used to find relevant goods and services. These senior managers have virtually no web experience and all their real world experience is worth little in this new medium.

And am I grateful because it allows me to compete with them and beat them in their own markets at virtually no cost - if I choose to do so.

Large companies like Pick 'N Pay, Woolworths, and Makro know less about using internet marketing to attract visitors to their websites than most readers of this newsletter, yet they spend vast amounts of money trying to sell on the internet. They do sell but the cost of a sale is enormous because they ignore the power of the internet and treat the consumer as an extension of their own company. They even admit to losing money on their web efforts. I was told by one close source that one of these stores stated their brand is so strong they do not need to do anything else to succeed on the web. This is like saying we can shut down our stores 2 days a week because the customers will come shopping on one of the other 5 days.

These companies do seem to believe that their store or company name is all that counts when it comes to Internet marketing (and of course the proof that this is nonsense is there for all to see). On the web the value of a brand is far less than in the bricks and mortar world.

There are some important opportunities here, the most important of which is to recognize the importance of WII-FM (what's in it for me) as all those people, who have been to the seminars will appreciate. It matters not one jot if you are Makro and I am using Ananzi to search for "pool tables on special" because I will never find Makro even though such a product was highlighted as a special on the home page of their website. What a price to pay for company-centricity.

I know from my own websites that some 50% of all visitors to my web sites came directly from a search engine (and I know exactly which one and what search phrase was used), and a large chunk of the other 50% came indirectly via a search engine.

Individual and small company Internet marketers are taking market share away form all large companies worldwide. This trend will grow at an ever increasing pace for the simple reason that these self same individuals and small companies have recognized that the size of the traditional off-line company is actually working against large companies on the Internet. Speed of reaction and flexibility are the hallmarks of successful Internet marketing once the basics of search engine optimization are understood and implemented. And something else, margins are being driven way down too.

Ask yourself a question? Are you also a Makro, Woolworths or Pick 'N Pay in terms of your Internet marketing efforts? Can you be found by real live people searching for real live products or information using real search terms?

Of course getting found is not the total story so don't let me even suggest that this is the case because it is not. There is also no point in being number 1 on a search engine if the website is not appealing to the reader and presenting a product or information in a way that will convince the searcher to dig deeper into the site and ultimately buy ... here are some other pre-requisites:

Good website/web page copy with appropriate (to the searcher not the seller) information in the headlines

Highly targeted relevant text within the body of the web page

Easily navigable structures

A compelling sales case at the sales landing page - avoid selling on the home page. Few searchers are looking to buy at this point. Why should they? They don't yet "know you" nor do they "trust you" and for good reason.

Strong and meaningful guarantees

Timing or seasonal considerations

Look to build trust first and hopefully a sale later - give something like a free download, a product review, a free chapter or access to valuable information. Let the searcher know that you are knowledgeable and worth dealing with. Give them a reason to visit again. Collect the email address in the process with permission to email them with "specials" or a newsletter for example. Work hard to differentiate yourself or company.