June 22, 2010 in Blog by Patrick McNulty

Growth in Yellow Page Usage Signals Economic Recovery

Growth in the reach and frequency of Yellow Pages usage between the first and second half of 2009 signals broader economic recovery as a greater number of consumers search for local businesses, according to a new study released today.

The findings are part of two studies, conducted by comScore and Burke and released by the Yellow Pages Association (YPA), that study consumer usage of Yellow Pages and other sources to find local businesses.

“Historically, we know that Yellow Pages usage is a strong indicator of overall economic confidence,” said Yellow Pages Association President Neg Norton. “We are greatly encouraged by growth in Yellow Pages usage between the first and second half of 2009, and think this indicates that local businesses can expect increased sales on a path to recovery in 2010.”

June 14, 2010 in Blog by Patrick McNulty

SEM v SEO – Page Ranking and New Leads

As Search Engine Results Pages (SERP’s) become more and more localized and personalized with organic, paid, local search and video content… they also become more convoluted with blogs and social media results like blogs, twitter and facebook. In a recent blog post from 21st Century Investor Relations based on an interview from Webmarketing123, they analyze how SEO is evolving, and what your business needs to do NOW to keep internet leads coming in.

Your business needs to be on the first page of Google if you want to be successful in todays world - So what if your site isn’t on the first page of Google? The quickest way to immediately see an influx of new internet leads in through Paid Search.

While the Marketing123 interview for SEO is great advice for getting higher organic rankings, it’s also a strong argument for why your business needs Online Advertising.

As I have stated before, Google makes at least one change per day to their search algorithm.  If you haven’t updated your site in over 5 years, thats nearly 2000 times when your online presence may have been affected by major restructuring in how search engines rank your website.  That also means if you competition is updating their website on a regular basis, they are solidifying their presence with Google, Yahoo & Bing.

SEO takes a lot of time and energy to see real results.  If your website ranks organically on the 3rd, 5th, or even 10th page, you need a new website – there’s no question.  But it will take a while for you to start ranking on the 1st page organically.  A great tactic for you to immediately get new leads almost instantly is SEM.

Given that page ranking normally correlates to traffic, you will get new leads simply being on the first page of major search engines.  As I demonstrate in the graph, a balanced online marketing campaign includes both SEO & SEM because while your site is gradually becoming more relevant in search engines (ranking higher for relevant search terms, garnering more traffic) it also is smart to have an aggressive online advertising package to actively promote your products and services.

It is also important to have a balanced portfolio of SEO and SEM because consumers use internet mediums differently.

Local Search (map section) is generally used by mobile users and those looking to compare local products or services, geographically to their own proximity.

Organic Search is also used when buyers are comparing products and services, but at a more in-depth level – more research than a buying mode.

Paid Search Listings are used when buyers are used when buyers have already done their homework and/or they need a product/service now – at their moment of relevance.

To be successful locally, your business needs a balanced marketing mix in the following medium: Print and Internet Yellow Pages, a strong website with video content and a search marketing campaign to actively get new customers.  If you aren’t covering the most basic elements of local marketing, someone else will undoubtedly get that new lead ahead of you because they have seen that value of investing in marketing.