FAQ
Why is it important to market your business online?
The Internet has completely revolutionized how businesses market and sell their products and services, and it is absolutely critical that small business owners leverage the Internet to gain a competitive advantage and stronger economic footing.
What are the benefits of online marketing?
Online marketing can benefit YOUR business by allowing you to focus entirely on people who are ACTIVELY looking for your particular products or services. Reduced costs, faster reaction time, competing more effectively and generating more profits are just a few reasons businesses should be online. Marketing online is also very cost effective and efficient because it only targets the people you want
to target.
What are the different ways businesses reach potential customers online?
• Business Web site
• Listings on search engines
• Banner (or sometimes called Display) ads
• Email blast campaigns
How search works
What is Natural Search vs. Search Engine Marketing/Paid Search?
When you enter a keyword at a search engine like Google®, you get back two types of results - natural or
“organic” listings and paid ads or “sponsored listings”.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of making enhancements to your Web site to influence its rankings in search engines and is the best way for search engines such as Google® and Yahoo!® to find your site. Getting your Web site to rank as high as possible on the natural
search listings is accomplished through search engine optimization (SEO), and though it takes time to achieve results, improving your natural search results is necessary to bring more traffic to your site.
What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a form of online marketing that drives targeted leads to your Web site.
• SEM involves creating and placing ads in the prominent positions on search engine result pages. Internet viewers see your ad when they type in a search word or phrase related to your business.
• SEM advertising is ideal for Web sites that want more immediate and qualified traffic, but is more costly than natural search.
Why do you need Search Engine Marketing?
• Search Engine Marketing offers a quick, easy, affordable and effective way to bring customers to your Web site and manage your return on investment. Customers looking for products and services online are motivated to find you. They click on your ad and are directed to the most important page on your Web site that urges them to take action, such as making a purchase online or calling
your toll-free number. It is important to add SEM to your online campaigns because Search Engine Optimization can take up to 3 months before your Web site is found by
search engines which determine where your site ranks in search results.
Why do both Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization?
• Search Engine Marketing and azcentral.com Digital Solutions go beyond traditional online advertising.
We incorporate both SEO and SEM together in each customizable package to bring you the most
comprehensive advertising package for your business.
Other packages also include banner advertising and/or email blasts on azcentral.com.
What are banner ads?
Banner (or Display) ads appear online within a Web site, and can be targeted on azcentral.com’s content pages.
Banner ads provide the unique benefit of immediate click-through to your Web site or Unique Landing Page.
Advertisers on azcentral.com receive valid clicks and impressions (exposures to your ad) from those who are interested in seeing your product or service in the ad. You can create and serve ads that are suited to your target audience’s interests.
What are the benefits of adding banner ads to your marketing mix?
• Banner ads are effective for branding a new or existing business or product and for increasing your
businesses share of voice. Online banners increase brand,engagement and sales with the product.
• Online display advertising as part of the media mix can increase brand awareness when integrated with
advertising in other media (cross-media optimization).
Why use banners along with search marketing?
• Recent studies have proven that when combining search & display, response is lifted significantly*.
What are the benefits of email marketing?
• Email can help you achieve your business goals such as more customers, more leads and more sales.
• Providing relevant information via email can help you develop and maintain a relationship with customers, or lessen the impact of problems elsewhere in your business.
• Email is much cheaper, more measurable and can be better targeted than traditional direct marketing.
Sending out the right messages at the right time can also help you retain customers – retention is much
cheaper than acquisition.
• Email is great for providing customer intelligence. Email marketing is highly measurable and each campaign gives you the chance to analyze customer feedback to see which offers and products individual customers are interested in.
• Email also provides improved overall online marketing. Data retrieved from email campaigns can help you improve the effectiveness of your other online marketing activities. Email marketing is also a good chance to develop and update your in-house customer database. Using e-mail allows your customers to immediately click-through and/or print your offer to increase traffic to your store.
Sources: networksolutions.com, azcentral.com
*Microsoft Study – “Better Together”
