Small Business Marketing: Crossing the "Google Gap"

Online marketing such as Search Engine Optimization and Social Media have come a long way since the days of the first tech boom. In the beginning, "Web 1.0" business models were all about driving traffic. "Eyeballs" were coveted and created outlandish evaluations for companies that did not make money. That bubble burst rather quickly.

Then Web 2.0 was born and companies like Youtube, Facebook and Google made their marks. It was now about users creating their own content and networks to create demographic hubs that advertisers wanted to reach. Probably the greatest advance in this area was the ability to target desired users using cost-per-click and a bidding system that no longer rewarded companies with the biggest budgets. Even the smallest player with the right strategic ad could compete in cyberspace.

Yet still, for various reasons, the entire economy is struggling.

The industry as a whole is evolving again. Online media companies are searching for new business models where both consumers and advertisers provide revenue sources in innovative ways. Google is the most dominant player, yet many complain the search engine giant has gotten so big that smaller companies are being lost in the shuffle. Yet one cannot deny that if Google and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are not a part of an overall strategy for any business, then failure is not just inevitable, but imminent.

So what does a small business need to do to cross the "Google Gap?"

Well first, all small business and entrepreneurs must understand their options.

There are two types of search engine marketing. The kind you pay for and the "organic" kind that is free. In paid search engine advertising, you set the terms. You determine how much to pay for each click and where and how many times you want your ad to show up. Of course all Pay-Per-Click ads are recognized as such and some online users simply filter and ignore them.

Organic search is free but much harder to master. Search engine "spiders" crawl the internet reading each page using a specific algorithm to determine search engine ranking. An important fact here is you cannot trick the spiders. Google changes their algorithm every few weeks to make search engine rankings as fair as possible.

There is a lot of information out there on effective paid and organic search engine marketing. The problem is everybody has access to it, and in cyberspace, the number of your competition makes a quantum global leap.

But there are ways for small business and entrepreneurs to win the battle.

The trick to crossing the Google Gap is not just to use Google.

Google has made it so easy to set up campaigns and walk away that many make the mistake of overlooking other methods. This is a critical error. This is the equivalent of only advertising in the phone book clumped in with all your competitors who have similar ads.

Marketing on the internet today is all about setting up small streams of traffic to flow and combine for one source of revenue for you. To do this, companies must now use all types of media to generate traffic such as: Youtube, Facebook, Blogs, Twitter and Classified Ad websites like Kijiji. The best part is all these companies for the most part are free. The only cost to you is some mental energy and commitment of time.

Marketing companies that promise clients that they can generate mountains of traffic just using search engine optimization are to be questioned. You should always ask specifically what kind of traffic they are talking about because anybody today can generate millions of impressions and visitors. The real question should be: is it qualified traffic and will it lead to business? There is a difference.

If you run a small business or are an entrepreneur, consider an integrated media strategy that takes into account every point of contact with your prospect audience. This includes your business process itself. Ask yourself:

- Can you put up a video on Youtube and link it to your website?

- Can you create a Facebook page and invite people you know to support your business?

- Will your current consumers subscribe to new from your company through Twitter?

- Can you publish a helpful blog or articles on other websites with links to you?

These are just some questions you should be asking. But most importantly, take a look at what other companies are doing successfully. You will see that it isn't just about their own websites anymore. That is not enough. The smartest companies are using every piece of media to their advantage.

So how much should you be paying for Google ads? The simple answer is, whatever your budget calls for because you only pay when people click. Just make sure your website is ready to convert those clicks into actual revenue. It makes no sense to drive the traffic to an empty lot and strand them there with nowhere else to go.

If you are interested in finding out more about specifically how My Perfect Economy integrates Search Engines and Social Media to grow its clients, please click here >

*