Many of Utahís top 100 private companies arenít utilizing one of the most powerful Internet marketing tools available: the search engines. Of the top 100 private companies listed in the May 2005 Utah Business Magazine, 71 percent were not listed for their main keywords in Google, according to research released by Web Targeted. Sixty-two percent of the companies did not appear for their keywords in any of the top three search engines, Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Fifteen percent of companies didnít even show up when searched directly by company name.
Researchers from Web Targeted searched for each of the companies on the three largest search engines, which account for approximately 93 percent of all Internet searches. The top three search engines account for an estimated 600 million searches every day.
Specializing in search engine optimization (SEO), Web Targeted conducted this study to determine how well Utah companies are using search engines as a marketing channel.
ìSearch engine marketing is largely ignored by many companies. They donít realize the power of search engine marketing or the opportunity they are missing by not showing up in the search engines,î said Dave Bascom, president of Web Targeted.
Many companies invest heavily in web design, thinking that their Internet marketing is covered. However, placement on search engines is key to the success of the website and ultimately the success of the business. According to the Pew Internet study, 84 percent of American Internet users use search engines. Locally-focused companies should also pay attention to search engine marketing, because 74 percent of search engine users also use search engines to find local businesses.
ìPeople usually only click on the first several listings in the search engines, they donít dig down to find what theyíre looking for. They figure if itís good enough for Google, itís good enough for them. However, that also means that if they donít find your website at the top of the list, they wonít know your company exists,î Bascom said.
There are two ways to show up at the top of the search engine listings. One way is to purchase sponsored keyword links that show up at the top or side of search listings. Search engines offer these paid listings through an auction-based system, which allows companies to bid on how much they are willing to pay for a particular keyword. The second way to improve a companyís listing in the search engine is through a process called search engine optimization. Search engine optimization is a more complex process that involves keyword research, adding keywords to website content, and obtaining links on other websites. Search engine optimization is a service that some companies perform in-house, while many others prefer to hire a specialized firm like Web Targeted to handle both the paid search and search optimization.
Web Targeted is a Utah-based company offering customized search engine optimization and marketing services around the world. Their focus is on helping businesses succeed online through effective marketing.
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Majority of Utah Businesses are Not Listed on Internet Search Engines
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