Small Business Website Marketing Information

Here are some interesting statistics that have been provided by Media Post.

According to research from Webvisible and Nielsen, reported by Marketing Charts, though 63% of consumers and small business owners turn to the Internet first for information about local companies and 82% use search engines to do so, only 44% of small businesses have a website and half spend less than 10% of their marketing budget online.

The research finds an accelerating trend toward online media for local search. However, the report says the study uncovers a significant disconnect between the way small business owners act as consumers vs. the way they market their businesses online.

The survey found that search engines are the most popular source for finding local information:

• 82% use search engines
• 57% use Yellow Pages directories.
• 53% use local newspapers
• 49% use Internet Yellow Pages
• 49% use TV
• 38% use direct mail
• 32% White Pages directories

Of those surveyed, 50% said search engines were the first place they looked when seeking a local business, while 24% chose the Yellow Pages directories.

92% of searchers say they are happy with the results they get when using search engines, though 39% report frequently not being able to locate a particular known business. This means, says the report, searchers don’t may choose to contact a similar business with a stronger online presence.

Though less than half of small businesses do have a website, the ones that do are not happy overall with their online marketing. Among those small businesses that have a website:

• 51% believe both the quality and ability of their site to acquire new customers is only “fair” or “poor”
• 30% of business owners feel that they typically do a better job of marketing than a close competitor
• 78% believe they advertise in the same places as their competitors
• Only 7% of small business owners say their primary marketing goal is to get more visitors to their website
• 61% spend less than three hours a week marketing their website
• 99% of small business owners are directly involved in the marketing
• 65% believe it is very important to know where their customers come from
• Only 9% are satisfied with their online marketing efforts
• 78% of small business owners dedicate 10% or less of their budget to marketing Of those, 30% do no Internet advertising

Click here to read the rest of the article.

What to take away if you are a small business owner…

The simple answer is, you need to start marketing online. People are using the Internet all the time and it’s not going away. Every day people of all ages are becoming more and more connected to the world around them, both immediate and global. If your small business won’t to not only survive but thrive in this economic landscape you need to be able to provide your customers what they want when they want it. The easiest most cost effective way to do this is via the Internet. If your interested in taking some proactive steps to creating your own website or improving the site you already have send me an email or fill out my online project request form.

Good luck with your online marketing in 2009! And special thanks to Media Post for compiling all of this great information on small business internet marketing.

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