Search-Werks

Search-Werks Interviewed in BusinessWeek

rebecca — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:03:59 +0000

Kurt Krake, Search-Werks founder, shares ideas to attract visitors to your online store in the November 7, 2008 BusinessWeek article, Determining Where to Sell Online.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, though e-commerce experts tend to agree it’s worth listing on multiple sites. The e-commerce market is huge, with $60 billion worth of goods traded on eBay alone in 2007, according to the company. More than 85,000 businesses primarily operated as electronic or mail-order retailers in 2006, according to the latest U.S. Census data, and 77,000 of them had no employees. Finding the best platforms for your company depends on what you sell…

What platforms sellers use is less important than how many people they reach, says Kurt Krake, founder of e-commerce consulting firm Search-Werks in Glendale, Ariz. “At the end of the day…it’s how many eyeballs get there and how much it costs you to get the eyeballs there, and whether they’re good, qualified traffic,” he says… - Determining Where to Sell Online - BusinessWeek - Nov 7, 2008

Contact Search-Werks for complete e-commerce support, including building and executing a comprehensive and personalized strategy to increase traffic and sales on your e-commerce website.

Search Engine Marketing: Trouble Growing for Traditional Media

kkrake — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:40:54 +0000

Its no surprise that online advertising is eating away market share from the traditional media channels like newspaper, radio, and even television. The demand for more accountability in advertising spend is driving this change. As companies understand how web analytics capabilities (from a Google Analytics or an Omniture for instance) can enhance their return measurements on online advertising, it becomes an easier and easier decision to move budgets online. This shift is inevitable and it is a competitive imperative for companies of all sizes to figure out how to take advantage of this shift. Search Engine Marketing is still the most accountable and targeted advertising method online to a niche audience and we expect a continued increase in search marketing spending across every line of business in the marketplace in 2008.

Contact Search-Werks for optimization ideas and experience in online budget allocations.

E-Commerce: Website security is still a major obstacle

kkrake — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:26:57 +0000

November 22, 2007 - According to a recent Harris Interactive poll, “45% of U.S. adults shop online, but that security remains a big concern for those who stick to buying in stores. Among those who do not shop online, 60% cited as a reason not wanting to give out personal information online.” Many websites in the middle and smaller markets tend to overlook security, reliability, and brand recognition. These are major factors in the success or lack of success of many new e-commerce efforts. Search-Werks recommends that every e-commerce endeavour include on its launch checklist acquiring a service such as a “HackerSafe” certification by ScanAlert which tests site security daily and renders a badge on your site when tests are passed. There will be a large segment of the population who will always feel more comfortable conducting business offline. But for those who are looking for a reason to trust your site, give them comfort by acquiring and displaying on your site security certifications from companies such as ScanAlert, Verisign, or Thawte.

As always, please feel free to contact Search-Werks for a free strategic evaluation of your e-commerce initiatives.

Web Analytics: Omniture Acquires Visual Sciences

rebecca — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:24:21 +0000

Web analytics company, Omniture, announced on October 26 an agreement to acquire Visual Sciences, formerly known as WebSideStory, for a total value of $394 million.

Along with other recent acquisitions, including the purchase of optimization company Offermatica, the acquisition of Visual Sciences will enable Omniture to strengthen its technology, consolidate offerings and increase market share, according to Josh James, CEO and Co-Founder of Omniture.

The acquisition follows a trend of web analytics company mergers, and raises the question of industry experts, is further major industry consolidation in web analytics imminent?

Read the complete article, Omniture to Buy Visual Sciences, Furthering Consolidation at ClickZ

E-Commerce: Product Reviews and the “Social Researcher”

rebecca — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:14:14 +0000

A recent study by the E-tailing Group found that 65% of respondents (”Social Researchers”) use an online review always or most of the time when making an online buying decision. The “Social Shopping Study 2007″ surveyed 1,200 respondents who shopped online at least 4 times a year, spending at least $500.

The survey found that 86% of Social Researchers find product reviews extremely or very important. More significant is that 82% of respondents said that an online review is more helpful than speaking with an in-store associate, and 93% are likely to start their shopping on a site that offers product reviews.

Read more about the study at Multi-Channel Merchant.

E-Commerce: Alternative Payment Methods

rebecca — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:46:29 +0000

According to Sucharita Mulpuru, a senior e-commerce analyst for Forrester Research, people shop online mainly for three reasons: convenience, selection and cost. As consumers become more familiar with alternative payment methods online, retailers have an opportunity to reach new customers previously hesitant to shopping online.

Research has shown that 28% of internet users will not shop online because of security concerns. Alternative payment methods are gaining popularity with consumers who have these concerns, opening up retailers to new segments of consumers. In addition to bringing in new customers, adding alternative pay methods to a site has shown to increase a site?s overall average order size.

Read the full article, ?How Do I Pay Thee? Let Me Count the Ways?, at ecommerce-guide.com.

Web Analytics: Understanding Online Media Measurements

rebecca — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 02:06:38 +0000

A Fortune Magazine article from August 2007 explains the difficulties advertisers face in measuring online advertising. Internet advertisers have long billed the internet as one of the most accountable advertising mediums, however, discrepancies in reporting among major ratings and research firms suggest advertisers should be discerning in using web measurement company metrics to support advertising decisions.

Given the constant change in internet user behavior, combined with the addition of new technology available to users, discrepancies in internet data is inevitable. With the lack of standards in measurement, Randall Rothenberg, CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, recently called for an audit and accreditation process for web measurement companies. Until the time of standardizing comes, it is important for online advertisers to use multiple sources when making media buying choices and to understand that it is still less than an exact-science.

Read the full article, The Online Numbers Game, at CNNMoney.com

Search Engine Marketing: Synchronizing Offline and Online Advertising

rebecca — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:03:11 +0000

A study by iProspect released in August 2007 found that 67% of online searchers are influenced to search by offline advertising. More significant is that 39% of these online searchers reported eventually making a purchase with that merchant via one of their channels.

This report concludes that there is an extremely synergistic relationship between online search and offline advertising. The study found that branded keywords were most likely to be searched over any other messaging, highlighting the importance of paid search integration in marketing strategies. After introduction to a company via an offline medium, 44% of online searchers used all or part of the company name in their search. Further, 24% of online searchers were found to use product or service keywords in their online search query following exposure to an offline ad.

With a 39% conversion rate of online searchers to purchase, developing an online strategy that is supportive of offline advertising can contribute to the efficiency of advertising in traditional media. Providing relevant search results on keywords that represent an offline campaign can supplement offline efforts and drive incremental revenue.

Read details of the study in the MediaPost article, Offline Influence on Online Search Yields 39% Conversion

Search Engine Marketing: Expanding Your Local Business Advertising Strategy

rebecca — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:00:06 +0000

Most small businesses don?t think twice about their yellow pages directory listings, spending $12.4 billion nationwide advertising in local yellow pages, as reported from Universal McCann. Internet yellow pages (IYPs) exist to serve as an online parallel to printed directories, however studies suggest that online behavior when searching for local listings does not follow suit with that of printed directories. Where a person looking in a printed directory would browse the book by category, online someone would use search engines.

In July 2006, The Wall Street Journal estimated that only 14% of print directory advertisers were purchasing online listings as well. By 2010 that number is expected to reach 30%. Given low adoption rates, a competitive advantage exists for businesses who strategically integrate online listings into their marketing plan.

Another study shows local advertisers have even more hesitation when integrating local paid search advertising into their strategy. While some IYPs offer listings that blend both directory listings and paid search listings, a Jupiter Research report from June 2006, “Local Advertising: Blending Categories to Compete Effectively”, found that while 59% of local advertisers buy print directory ads and 45% buy IYP ads, only 26% are engaging in paid search.

With reports showing that people looking online for local businesses and services are using search engines more than IYPs, small business should be prepared for increasing competition in local online search markets. Getting involved now can give your business an advantage over your non-adopting competitors, putting your products and services in front of customers specifically looking for what you offer.

Developing an integrated strategy that blends local paid search and online directory advertising with printed yellow pages of the past will undoubtedly reach more qualified customers searching for your products or service in your area.

Read the eMarketer article, Online Yellow Pages to Pump Local Ads?

E-Commerce: Building Lifetime Value to Support Online Growth

rebecca — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:02:21 +0000

Experts say that internet growth over the next 5 to 10 years will likely come from customers who are already comfortable purchasing online, according to an article published September 2007. Customers currently sitting on the sidelines of internet purchasing will remain here, making sales growth more challenging in the years to come.

Forrester Research estimates that by 2011, only 9% of retail spending will be online. Companies that will continue to experience growth online will be those who work to improve their online strategies, including improving customer shopping experience online. Given the trend of consumer product research online and with the slowing of online spending in the next 5 to 10 years, merchants who use their website as a strategic tool will also likely experience growth in their offline channels.

With analysts finding that customers who are currently shopping online will be those who contribute to sales growth in the future, it is important for retailers to optimize their brand?s web experience to build the lifetime value of their existing customers. By improving the customer shopping experience online, including improving product listings and images, retailers will be able to sustain positive growth in their online channels despite the slowing of online retail spending expected in the future.

Using web analytics to determine usability challenges can help to identify areas where retailers can increase customer loyalty and build lifetime value. In addition to protecting future sales growth, making positive changes to user experience can have immediate effect on conversions.

Read the full article, Online shopping growth to slow in next decade, at MSNBC.com.