Many companies don't consider that it is in their best interests to cast their advertising net as wide as they can, assuming that a professionally-developed website and results on the first page of searches is all they need. This simply isn't the case.
I regularly discuss alternative marketing options with clients, and always recommend that they utilize real world advertising methods such as print, radio, and TV in addition to online marketing such as SEO and banner ads.
There are many reasons for this strategy. Not only does it promote brand reinforcement and name repetition, it also enables businesses to reach different sets of potential customers.
Online, even if you get first page search results, the fact is that you are still only presenting yourself to someone with an immediate need who is searching for products or services that you provide.
As I mentioned in my recent column on the perils of Pay-Per-Click advertising, even once a person has searched and visited your site, there is still a chance that you may lose them to comparison shopping when they visit any of your competitors sites who also showed up in the search results.
Mixing the online and offline
advertising together, if someone
recognizes your name, such as they
regularly see your print ad, they are
more likely to click on your site, even if
you are lower on the first page of results.
Offline advertising can reach not only those same people when they need you, but also puts you on the radar of people who know they will need your services soon. Furthermore, this advertising can single you out from the crowd, unlike search results.
Mixing online and offline advertising together, if someone recognizes your name - whether they regularly see your print ad or hear your radio ad on the way to work - they are more likely to click on your site, even if you are lower on the first page of results.
Unfortunately, as I have written before, companies often end up having to resort to Pay-Per-Click advertising because their websites cannot be found online organically.
These businesses soon face a catch-22 situation of increasing PPC fees just to be seen at all. We are regularly contacted by companies who are using their entire advertising budget in PPC alone, leaving them nothing for other advertising methods.
If you have concerns with your web presence reaching your widest customer base, now is the perfect time to look into our WebUpdate system sites, which take advantage of advanced SEO, social, and responsive features to give your business the best competitive edge online.
Terry Young is the founder and CEO of Internet Marketing and Design. Since 1997,
his computer programming and graphic design knowledge have kept his company
at the forefront of the latest technology in web development.
