The media would have us believe that the Internet is the new marketplace, Online Marketing companies and sellers of Search Engine Placement services market on the basis that without a web presence that is optimised and evident on page one of all search engine first pages there is no point in being in business. There is of course an opposite idea, and one that is based on incorporating website marketing into an overall approach and using an expert Website Optimization Company to add to conventional sales methods.

I can visualise at this point the Online Marketing fraternity would ask, what is the point in being on the Internet if no-one knows you’re there? Very true, but then my argument is that there are established sales techniques that will raise your company’s visibility on the Internet and feed Internet business whilst making sure that the invoice from your chosen Website Optimization Company is at the lowest.

Indicative trading figures for the UK this Christmas period (2009) show that less than 10 percent of all retail sales were made via the internet. What makes this figure even more unexpected is that there were a number of issues that should have made the Internet a much more attractive option. The UK was in the midst of the worst winter for 30 years and also still in the depths of a downturn. Added to this, there has never been more quality internet firms available and delivery issues caused by the postal strikes had been overcome by the majority of web based traders.

So why are the Internet trading stats not a much more considerable part of the retails sales figures just published?

There are certain products that sell well on the Internet and there are those that do not. Electrical and digital items (DVD’s, music etc) plus hardware and gadgets sell with ease. The vast majority of items do not – food, clothing etc. I would even go so far as to say that no matter what you invest in Search Engine Placement the vast bulk of services ( as opposed to products) do not sell well.

Why is it so? With website design methods which allow interactivity and visual experiences improving all the time one would expect any item to sell. Not so. It comes down to habits and human nature. The practice of browsing in the real world and purchasing in the virtual is as common as ever ( although interestingly not as well publicised as it used to be), buyer behaviour hasn’t changed for ages and the vast majority of retail sales are made by women (genetically built to browse, touch and feel before making a decision). The Internet shopping experience just isn’t satisfying enough for us.

Is the answer therefore, for those goods and services (which are in the majority), a high street marketplace position? With conventional brand development through promotion and a website that supports the high street. As the brand develops then organic searching requirements will become minimal (I suspect very few people key in “trains to London on the West Coast” now that Virgin Rail is so well known).

Get a spot on the high street I say.

Tags: Marketing, online marketing, Search Engine Optimization, seo, web site marketing