March 27, 2008 — HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO — Whether it’s referred to as a “slowing economy,” a “period of uncertainty” or an outright recession, there’s no question that the economic tide has turned in recent months. In times such as these, when purse strings appear to be tightening and business is sluggish among nearly every company affiliated with home construction, many businesses are asking themselves if they should scale back their Internet marketing and search engine optimization efforts until the economic outlook improves.
“The answer is no,” said Sinai Marketing Founder and President Ali Husayni, a search engine positioning expert, “and I’m not just saying that because I specialize in Internet marketing.”
If financial times are tough and a business can afford just one form of marketing, it should be Internet marketing, Husayni said. Internet marketing continues to increase in popularity due to the Internet’s popularity and accessibility, and it is cheaper than traditional marketing efforts. That makes it easier for smaller companies to compete with larger competitors.
“The Internet has become the great equalizer because it levels the playing field,” Husayni said.
Continuing an Internet marketing and specifically a SEO campaign during tough economic times actually provides a chance for companies to become leaders in their industries, Husayni said. There often appears to be a common mentality among key decision makers in businesses that during slow times, money spent on advertising and marketing efforts offers no return on investment.
“Your competition may or may not stop marketing on the Internet, so if you want a competitive advantage, this is a great time,” Husayni said.
In the case of search engine optimization, great emphasis is placed on one-way, inbound links to boost a Web page’s ranking on search engine results, he said. When other companies are scaling back their Internet marketing efforts, it is a golden opportunity for competitors to improve their SEO results by continuing their campaign. The more quality inbound links there are to a Web site, the better the chances of appearing within the first two pages of search engine results.
Advertising through times of economic slowing isn’t a new concept. Examples of it occurring throughout history are well-documented.
“Research has revealed that companies maintaining or increasing advertising during periods of economic slow-down will boost market share,” wrote Robert Wilson in a September 2001 column that appeared on the Newspaper Association of America Web site. “Some companies will even see an increase in sales over their competitors who decrease advertising.”
Wilson went on to identify leading companies who increased their marketing budgets during the 2001 recession. For example, Coca-Cola increased its advertising budget by $500 million.
“The benefit is clear, when fewer competitors are advertising, the ones that continue or increase their advertising become more visible to the consumer,” Wilson’s column stated.
Although Internet marketing has been around for some time, it is still considered “new media” by many, Husayni said. Judging by history, that spells good news during slow times. New media shows fewer recessionary effects than traditional media.
Researchers established this trend when tracking the growth of television advertising during recessions in the 1950s and 1960s, and the growth of cable advertising in the 1990s.
Internet marketing tips
Still scared of what a slowing economy might do to your business? Don’t be. Here are some things you can do to ensure you’re getting the most out of your Internet marketing dollar.
·When it comes to your Web site, think like a search engine positioning expert. That means make sure that your site’s content is great- not just good- and make sure your keywords are on your site’s pages.
·Content is king. Make sure you have the right content on your site that effectively tells a visitor who you are and what you’re selling.
·Start a blog. This is one of the best ways to ensure that your site appears to search engine spiders be a viable, living and breathing site.
Sinai Marketing offers many services including content development, Web-site optimization, link building campaigns, pay-per-click advertising and more at competitive prices.
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about Internet marketing and search engine optimization, or you would like a free analysis performed to see how a search engine positioning expert might assist you in marketing your Web site, call Sinai Marketing toll free: 877-932-6559, or (303)-932-6559 for international callers. Or visit the Sinai Marketing Web site: www.sinaimarketing.com.
About Sinai Marketing
Sinai Marketing is a search engine positioning firm that utilizes knowledge of the Internet market and ongoing research to develop and implement search engine positioning strategies for its clients. Ali Husayni created the Sinai Marketing firm, based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., in 2004. Husayni serves as the firm’s chief executive officer and search engine positioning expert.
