SearchPath Blog: 76% of SMEs Investing in Search Marketing Campaigns See an Increase in Sales

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

76% of SMEs Investing in Search Marketing Campaigns See an Increase in Sales

So says an independent report commissioned by the PPC arm of Microsoft, AdCenter. The report, released in November last year, also highlights the fact that British businesses are wasting over £3 billion on websites hidden from customers. It describes how although some 2.79 million small businesses have an online presence, a staggering 62% are not investing in search marketing campaigns to help potential customers find them online; the equivalent of owning a shop hidden down a side street and not advertising its whereabouts.

The research, which questioned 400 UK SMEs, reveals 44% of SMEs not doing search marketing think it is too time consuming; 56% think it is too expensive; and 33% too complicated. However, 76% of SMBs promoting their website on search engines see an immediate increase in sales. We at SearchPath see this time and time again: how PPC campagns, when managed by us, provide quality, targated leads consistently for our customers.

Peter Scargill, IT Chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses said: “A well-known website can allow a small business to compete on an equal footing with larger competitors. But that only works if the site can be found by potential customers. Having an online presence is something that more and more small businesses are using to drive growth in the future but they will be wasting their money if they don’t make people aware of it.”

SearchPath specialise in PPC campaign management, and we aim to maximise the revenue from each marketing pound. Call 01285 643496 for more information.