Google Small Business Online Marketing Guide - Manual (Page 4)

4
DID YOU KNOW?
The good news for your business is that online marketing doesn’t have to be
complicated, time-consuming or expensive. Consider that:
• Online outreach often costs less than offline efforts.
• Launching new campaigns can be lightning fast – meaning that potential
customers will see your campaign quickly.
• Changes and updates can be made instantly, usually at minimal cost.
• Measurement tools quickly show what’s working and what’s not.
Why Your Business Needs to Market Online
AdWords
* Source: 2010 Compete Online Shopper Intelligence Study
Did you know that 94% of consumers research products
online before buying? Or that three out of five people use
search engines as a go-to shopping resource?*
There is no longer any doubt that buyers go online
to research and purchase products and services.
Companies that have websites and market online can
reap the rewards of connecting with these shoppers.
The hardest part of doing anything can be getting
started, so create your game plan now to start getting
the payback from marketing online. Here’s how:
Set your goal
Online marketing can do many things for your business.
Choose one or two objectives for starters. For example,
do you want to drive visitors to your website, generate
more foot traffic to your store or restaurant, or gather
emails for a newsletter?
Identify your target
Be clear about the buyers you want to reach. What do
they care about most? What are their problems? Have
they purchased from you before? Are they currently
buying from a competitor? Also consider their gender,
hobbies, location and other specifics; these can all help
you determine the best ways to reach them, as well as
the messages that will work best.
HOT TIP
See the Key
Terms section for
an explanation
of online
advertising
terminology.