The Internet: Bigger Than You Think And More Business Potential Than You Realize

If improved productivity and competitiveness are major priorities for your
organization, adopting an inventive web marketing plan will be the key to your success. A modern, easy-to-use and informative website has now become not only an essential marketing strategy, but also a resource clients expect you to have. Many professionals do not realize that web visitors are "silent" prospective clients. If your site is not well presented, user friendly and up to date, or if you don't have a website, you will lose business. Across Canada, the Internet has become the most powerful resource for consumers.

Share Unlimited Information

Internet users can choose how much information they want to view and when they want to view it. This is an advantage that other media - television, radio and print - cannot provide. With a traditional yellow page ad, potential clients never get a full sense of what you are offering. With a website they can. Your challenge is to design and create a website that both meets your current clients' needs and attracts new business.

Create An Easy To Navigate Website

A well planned and marketed website is now the most cost-effective means of raising your profile and increasing your client base. However, a poorly designed site can actually do more harm than good. If your website frustrates your customers, it will tarnish your company's image. A positive user experience is the most important design goal for an effective website. The key is your site's architecture and your navigation plan. If people can't find the information they are looking for, both quickly and intuitively, you risk losing potential clients.

Update Content Frequently

The web has grown exponentially in recent years. Internet usage is being fuelled by lower prices for unlimited access and faster connections. As the number of high-speed surfers grows, websites need to adapt, update and enhance their content to retain their visitors and encourage new ones.

Market Your Website

While technological changes have made website development easier, the
marketing challenge has become greater as more organizations have recognized the importance of web marketing. Unfortunately, many businesses expend significant resources building their websites only to ignore the most important aspect - marketing their site. The Canadian Tourism Commission is one example of an organization that understands what's at stake: they have announced they will be spending over 50% of their total advertising budget on Internet marketing and positioning in 2006.

Search Engine Optimize Your Website

Nowadays, no organization can afford to dismiss the power of "local" search engine marketing. Search engines like Google, Yahoo! and MSN offer the ability to search for and find businesses and organizations in a user's local geographic area. Webmasters can help by ensuring that individual web pages, and especially the home page, have "local" information that helps the search engines identify them appropriately. Local search opens up real opportunities for your business, provided you take the necessary steps to maximize your website performance.

Include Your Website Link On Your Business Card

Many people feel they significantly increase traffic to their websites by having their URL on their business cards, letterhead or the side of a truck. While this does help, it is only responsible for 1% to 5% of most businesses' overall potential web traffic. Optimizing your website for search engine results is the true key to drawing clients. A well designed site with appropriately tailored keywords, titles and content will rank highly in online searches for your type of business, thereby directing prospective clients to your website.

Canada - World Leader In Internet Usage

Canada is one of the world leaders in terms of Internet usage. As of December 2003, there were 20,450,000 Internet users in Canada - 63.8% of the population. Canadians are using the Internet at home, in the workplace, at school, in the library and at many other locations. The biggest consumers of Internet content are 25 to 44 year olds, and 18 to 30 year olds are most comfortable searching online and using the web to communicate.

Keep Up With Your Consumers

For children, the Internet has become a vital extension of their lives. The
younger generation is being brought up in an Internet-enriched environment, and they will carry their habits and attitudes into the future. Because these children will be the next generation to buy products and services, smart business owners will have to increase their technological productivity and competitiveness to keep up with them.

Some Facts About the Internet:

1. 20,450,000 Canadians were hooked up to the Internet in 2003 - 63.8% of the population.
2. 5,200,000 Canadians were broadband subscribers as of December 2004.
3. The number of people with high-speed Internet access has risen by 60% over the past year.
4. In homes with broadband, 40% say they spend less time watching TV in favour of the Internet.
5. Broadband is predicted to grow from 19% to 37% of households by 2009.
6. The volume of Internet traffic generated by end users worldwide will nearly double annually over the next five years.
7. 95% of households earning over $100,000 own at least one computer and 92% are online.
8. 94% of young people access the Internet from home, with those as young as 10 beginning to rely on the Internet to explore social roles, stay connected with friends and develop their social networks.
9. By 2007, consumers will account for 60% of all Internet traffic.
10. 19% of Internet users shop online once per week, and this number is expected to continue to grow. 
11. 63% of people who shop online are women.
12. People with children are more likely to shop online.
13. Canadian Households spent just over $3.0 billion shopping on the Internet in 2003.
14. An estimated 3.2 million Canadian households actively participated in ecommerce in 2003. In total, they placed 21.1 million orders.
15. In Canada, $519 million will be spent on online advertising this year, or 4% of ad media, vs. 8% in the US.
16. How Canadians use the Internet at home:
    a. 34% spend an average of 21 to 30 minutes online per session.
    b.21% spend an average of more than 40 minutes online per session.
    c.60% spend more than 21 hours per month online.
17. 17.Why Canadians access the Internet at home:
    a.78% use the Internet for e-mail.
    b.74% access the Internet for news and sports information.
    c.71% search for subject specific information.
    d.31% access company or career information.
    e.14% use the Internet for financial or investment information.

Marketing Breakthroughs Inc., is a breakthrough marketing, branding and advertising company specializing in helping businesses grow and succeed. Learn how the Internet can make you money by expanding your market potential. Phone Ottawa's web marketing planning and search engine positioning experts at 877-721-3335.

We offer a wide variety of web marketing and SEO services. Request a meeting with us to learn more.

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