There’s an alternate name for this article – ‘Why it doesn’t make sense to blow all of your marketing budget on redesigning an already dysfunctional website‘
If you have a spare hour this week, and I advise you to make time to, check out Matt Cutt’s Online Session – straight from the horses mouth – how Google views and interprets your website
The beauty of online advertising, in comparison with more traditional means, is that you can monitor every penny you spend – and each single one can make a difference! You can cull marketing campaigns that are proving ineffective with the click of the button and rewrite your “marketing message” whenever and however you wish. There’s no harm in reinventing your offering until you see the necessary conversions which yield and drive success.
So, with this in mind, why do companies spend £x thousands on a new website and then sit back hoping that visitors will be attracted by their new pretty website and buy their products or enlist there services?!!?? Working the content of your website rather than working the look and feel of your website can pay dividends and allow you to develop successful online campaigns rather than reinventing your website…for the 4th time in 10 years.
Understanding your own business model, your margins and your capacity allows you to build an online marketing campaign at a fraction of the cost you may anticipate. More importantly, driving an ROI focused campaign will allow you to develop your marketing expense with the comfortable knowledge that it‟s driving further business for you.
Before you spend your next penny online make sure at the very least you have the necessary analytics in place to track each individual campaigns success. Each Paid Search campaign you administer must provide the opportunity to monitor successful sales or leads from each individual keyword you purchase. Flying blind without this information will create traffic leakage and see your campaigns faltering as money is spent unwisely and ultimately, increase your costs.
Paid Search requires careful planning and procedure. Since the introduction of the Google “Quality Score” in late 2008, your advertising is ranked on the relevance of the advertisement, not just on the bid you place on each keyword. You have to think smart and act smart to ensure your campaigns are maximised.
Similarly, in order to see web presence within organic search results you have to carefully manage a procedure to ensure your site is optimised to its full and true potential. If you do not have the ability, understanding and knowledge to run this campaign in-house you will need to set aside budget for a recommended Search Engine specialist to devise your action plan. Again, every penny spent can be monitored and accordingly justified to ensure you receive the necessary levels of traffic, leads and conversions to make your online marketing click.
The key to successful budgeting of your online marketing is management – of your expenses, of your campaigns and most importantly, of the campaign results. Being able to isolate and maximise the most cost-effective routes to market for your business takes time and dedication, whether it be Paid Search, Organic Search, Email, Affiliate Marketing or simple site mechanics. Make sure you have the systems in place and advice from tried and trusted associates before moving forward.
Online marketing works. It provides many businesses with the most cost-effective and controlled route to driving business forward even in the toughest economic climate. Keep your online budget flexible enough to allow maximum business rewards. Treat your budget within your P&L as a fractional cost of the actual net revenue generated. Know how much you can spend on acquiring new business… and spend less.
