Product category:
Search marketing
News Release from: Clicks2Customers | Subject: SEM in a recession
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 13 June 2008
Search marketing - how to survive a
recession
With fears of the impending recession rife, talks of budget cuts and conserving resources are on boardroom agendas. Clicks2Customers offers tips on how to survive.
Where does search marketing fit in, an activity owned by sales and marketing departments online, and how can marketers be prepared for the worse case scenario? It is possible to survive, and even flourish during a recession Many are of the opinion that online marketing will be positively affected for the following reasons
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 19 Jun 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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* Clients and other large companies will spend more on online marketing and cut back on offline marketing spend.
* A recession often sees more spending from larger companies and less from smaller companies, which in turn creates opportunity; for many, it is the bottom line results that matter, not branding efforts.
* It has been well documented over the years an increase in advertising spend during an economic downturn, as competitors tighten budgets, can improve market share and ROI at a lower cost than when the economy is more buoyant.
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* In the last recession, direct marketing spend increased as it was the most trackable form of marketing.
Today, this is search engine marketing (SEM); in fact, it would not be surprising to see a dramatic increase in SEM spending.
It's the old adage - "you pay for what you get, and you get what you pay for".
Others are obviously worried that with cuts, marketing budgets will be the first to go.
So how do you make sure your clients keep their money in search and what key issues must you point out? Marketing efforts must be measurable: with PPC every pound is accounted for so ROI proven.
PPC has the ability to be both direct marketing and a brand vehicle.
In a recession, people want to invest where they generate revenue.
Building your brand is important, but in an economic crisis it's more about money and looking out for new opportunities.
It is important to be astute in knowing what people will spend money on, even in hard times.
This will make all the difference.
Improving conversions becomes paramount as there is less money to burn.
Stress you will be getting the most out of every click.
When budgets are tight, you get fewer leads so optimising the leads you do get is crucial.
Online retailing is still rapidly growing, while offline is stagnant.
This is possibly due to convenience, better user experiences and even the cost of fuel.
Whatever the reason, this is a sign of strength, and marketers should not be cutting back spending in this area.
Stress market share: in areas where growth prospects are strong, companies are in a battle for market share and sometimes even survival.
When planning their marketing strategies for 2008/09 companies should know their cost structure.
This ensures any cuts or consolidation initiatives will save the most money with minimum customer impact.
For more information on how to get the most out of your online marketing campaign in an impending recession, please contact Ivan Izikowitz at Clicks2Customers.
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