Seriously, the web is the key to success

Written on the 9th of February 2009 by Laura Cencigh-Albulario (Daily Telegraph)

With more consumers turning towards the internet, not having a website is becoming virtual business suicide. But it’s not a case of “build it and they will come”.

“If it’s not on Google, the business doesn’t exist,” says business marketing expert Caroline Stafford.

According to Ms Stafford, unless the creation of the website is followed up by website marketing, “it’s like printing thousands of brochures and locking them away in a cupboard”.

After many years of promoting her small business marketing company’s site through reciprocal links with other businesses, building content and sending out e-newsletters with links to her site, Ms Stafford attained the crown jewel of website marketing: having her site appear first on the results list when “small business marketing” is Googled.

After all, today’s time-poor consumers won’t walk far for what they want - even when they’re walking in the virtual world. Of the 10 million Australian internet users who search Google every month, few venture beyond the first page of hits, although they may conduct multiple searches until they find what they’re after.

“You can’t pay to be in the organic Google results, but there are certain things you can do to make sure Google can find your site,” says Google head of online for Australia and New Zealand, Julia Persaud.

Googling “increase Google hits” will bring up some of these tips. However, for those unsuccessful in mastering the complex algorithm which governs the order of Google hits, bidding for a sponsored link is a surer option.

Companies pay for these links (which appear on the right hand side of the Google results page) only when they’re clicked, and bid for top billing based on how much they’re willing to pay for each click-through.

“It’s permission-based marketing that’s relevant to the user as it specifically appears when people are looking for that product or service,” Mr Persaud says.”There are millions of websites out there. To get a return on the investment that goes into building that site, it needs to be in front of people.” Michael Wilcocks, owner of Sydney-based mobile coffee business Café in a Box, is one Google devotee who believes a good macchiato won’t go far without sound website marketing behind it.

With no website marketing for the first two years after setting up his website, he primarily relied on word-of-mouth references to the site.

However, since recently placing his site on Google as a sponsored link to improve the chances of it appearing in relevant searches, he has seen his customer base grow by 85%: “For every $1 I spent on Google AdWords, I’ve received at least $50 in sales,” Mr Wilcocks says.

But according to Ms Stafford, there’s no point in marketing a website if it’s not particularly impressive. Static homepages with brief company blurbs and contact number, or what she dubs “Online Brochures” don’t quite cut it. From sole practice law firms to the local plumber, even some of the smallest businesses are starting to offer forums, articles and informative links through their sites, as well as YouTube clips, MySpace links and podcasts.

“The website should be seen as a trusted source of information in your business area with industry resource links and rich, regularly updated content,” Ms Stafford says.

Henry Gresson, business development manager for Sydney-based small business website development company, Online Now, agrees:”The websites of a few years ago are starting to look pretty old now. The next line of web development is heading away from simple holding pages and allowing clients to interact with the website, serving them with relevant information.” Another trend is random serving – programming various promotions into the site to appear at specific times of the year to suit current events such as the Melbourne Cup and Christmas.

However, a large number of Australia’s small businesses are yet to venture beyond phone books and print advertising.

According to July’s Sensis e-Business Report, almost all small to medium businesses have embraced email and use the internet as a reference point, but almost half still don’t have a website.

“A lot of businesses still don’t relise the huge potential to be found on the internet,” Ms Stafford says.

“A good website is an indication of the professionalism of a business. If a business doesn’t have a website, it’s saying that it isn’t serious about being in business.”

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