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Search Engine Optimization
Although Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is generally accepted as offering the lowest cost-per-conversion when compared to other online and offline demand generation options, SEO takes time. Once an optimized website is launched, it can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to reap the full benefits of your work.
Search Engine Optimization is the process of altering a website so that it does well in the organic listings in search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN and more. In other words, SEO is an online marketing initiative that attempts to increase the chances that a website will rank at or near the top of the search engines when someone types in desired keywords. For example, an owner of a web hosting firm offering dedicated hosting like VIA USA would want his or her website to be found whenever a potential customer searches for "dedicated hosting." Similarly, an online sock outlet targeting diabetics, such as Socks4Life, would want to be found when someone searches for "diabetic socks."
Moreover, many projects require "off the page" Search Engine Optimization which can take even more time. "Off the page" SEO usually consists of link building, online PR, content generation and more in an effort to increase the amount of quality links pointing back to a website.
Banner advertising
Banner advertising is generally considered an expensive enterprise in terms of cost-per-conversion when compared to SEO, PPC and multi-channel ecommerce. However, the return on investment (ROI) is largely contingent on the clickthrough rate (CTR) you get from your ads and the conversion rate you get from your landing pages.
Hence, creating an integrated online ad campaign with compelling creative and conversion-likely landing pages takes time. If banner advertising is an area you want to explore, make sure you set aside enough time in your project plan to thoroughly investigate your target media buy, create compelling creative and perform simple A/B testing.
SEO PR
Search Engine Optimization Public Relations (SEO PR) is a very effective way to create online shelf space, ensuring your web properties, or news about your firm, is at the top of the search engines for specific keywords.
SEO PR is a blend of search engine visibility and traditional public relations that disperses a company's message across the internet by way of online media outlets and search engines. SEO PR not only helps disseminate an organization's messages, but it also incorporates search engine-friendly communication through techniques such as optimizing copy in online content like press releases, articles, whitepapers, blogs, RSS feeds and websites. For example, a firm like Tidwell DeWitt would want their site and/or their press releases, articles, et cetera. to come up when web searchers look for SAS 70-related terms in the major search engines, or when they are searching news online.
As you can tell from the definition above, SEO PR takes time and energy. These efforts not only take time to execute, but the success of each activity is often best measured over time. Once again, SEO PR is something to strongly consider adding to your marketing budget, but it isn't likely to have an impact this holiday season.
Conclusion
In summary, much can still be done to increase your online shelf space and to ramp sales this holiday season. Your choices are limited, but initiatives such as PPC advertising, multi-channel ecommerce and optimized press release creation and distribution can give you that much needed edge. Other highly recommended campaigns cannot be implemented given the time constraints this season, but nothing is stopping you from incorporating them for next year and beyond. Additional ideas to increase your online shelf space are on our interactive marketing blog and other online marketing media outlets such as iMedia Connection, Promotion World, Search Engine Watch and more.
Brian Easter is the CEO of NeboWeb. Read full bio.
