e-Retail - SEO and e-tail

Search engine merchandising is a huge opportunity for any company with an online presence. Offline retail stores too can find themselves receiving substantial in-store sales from creating a presence in the top search engines. If you don't have e-commerce capability, don't give up on the idea of capturing sales via your Web site and via search engines. Most shoppers prefer to buy offline.

Consider how targeted search engine users are. Their search is about acquiring a desired product or service and you have the power to lead them directly to it. No fuss, no muss.

They are aware and have a certain degree of desire for your product. Some may be comfortable about buying online while others may want to buy at a retail store in their city. Generally speaking, a Web site creates 2 offline sales for every online sale. So even if you don't have e-commerce capability, you can still drive twice as many sales to your retail store as competitors are to their online stores.

So, if you can make 2 to 6 sales for every one hundred visitors, why aren't you using search engine optimization?

Getting e-tail Right - e-tail tips

1. Consider search engine optimization and positioning needs before you build it. Otherwise, you will have to pay dearly to get the same exposure through other advertising media.
2. Optimize your site for many different keyword phrases so that consumers can get directly to what they're looking for.
3. Use keywords in your home page.
4. Colorful graphics to grab and direct attention.
5. Make each page viewed a special page.
6. Top in-demand products readily seen on home page.
7. Fast loading pages.
8. Multiple navigation paths based on how customers search.
9. Don't ask for personal information until the visitor has had an opportunity to search for what they need.
10. Articles and information related to the use of the product.
11. State fast shipping service times and costs and have a customer service number handy.

e-Retail Facts to Consider

70% of consumers do pre-purchase research on the Web - Forrester Research

Consumers spend $5 offline for every $1 they spend online - Forrester Research.

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Need Some Tips?

Study shows online ad spending will rise strongly to 2011.

3rd Quarter online retail jumps by 27%.

CNet news reports that E-tail sales rose to $13.3 billion from $10.5B in 2002. Although online commerce only accounted for 1.5% of the total retail sales, it has huge potential for growth.

The report quotes a Jupiter analyst; "Consumers are making a subtle shift from exclusively purchasing from brick-and-mortar retail stores to making a few of their purchases online. Three or four years ago the online shopper was just dipping a toe in the water. But we're increasingly seeing the Internet become an important channel during the season."

Case Study - Shopping Search Engines : Kelcoo.co.uk.

e-Commerce Not Necessarily Needed

You don't need an e-commerce enabled Web site to use search engines to drive customers to your business. There are unique strategies for online and offline businesses and this is not well understood by web site marketing firms.

Offline businesses can still generate conversions by offering coupons, good road maps to provide driving directions to your store or a downloadable document they can easily print out and which will offer hard copy reminders. You can enhance your site with good graphics including your products and of your store inside and out. Just think about what customers like to see and envision, and they will march a path to your retail store.

Online promotion is very important now, especially as search engines begin local search services.

Spark Internet Marketing provides Internet Marketing Services Toronto including web design, PPC Campaigns, and sales conversion techniques.