How Internet Marketing Affects Small Business
- By Rich Reese
- Published 02/17/2011
- Search Engines
- Unrated
Many small businesses have still not realized the impact that internet marketing is having in their world. This is because a small business doesn't necessarily need to be engaged in their own internet marketing in order to have it affecting them on some level. If competitors of a small business are engaging in internet marketing training and putting that knowledge to good use, they could quickly find themselves falling behind the competition without even knowing why.
Internet marketing is affecting small business in a very real way, because an ever increasing portion of a company's sales are coming through leads that were obtained online. This can include products that are sold directly through a company's website, but it also includes leads that come into a business based on finding them on the internet. If a business allows their competition to do this, but don't engage in the practice themselves, they will quickly find their market share shrinking.
By the same token, if a company is willing to engage themselves in the practice of internet marketing, they can create growth in their business. This is true even of companies that have nothing to sell online. The simple act of having a strong online profile that can guide people to their physical store or services can be a powerful means of recruiting customers.
Internet marketing affects small businesses so strongly because the internet is what most people turn to when they are
looking for a product or service. Even if someone needs a plumber in that can come to their home, they are more likely to turn to the internet and do a search for plumbers in their area than they are to open a phone book.
Google Maps and Google Places are a large reason that local small businesses are being impacted to such a large degree by internet marketing. When someone does a search in Google now, the search engine can tell where they are by their IP address, unless this option has been disabled. If they are looking for a service that falls into a category of businesses that exist in that area, Google will provide a list of search results with icons on a map and links before it provides even its general search results.
Internet marketing also affects small businesses greatly because of the financial difference between advertising online and advertising in the real world. If a company were to take half of its marketing budget from offline marketing and put it into internet marketing, the number of people they could potentially reach online is much higher. Internet marketing is a very affordable way to market a company. This is important for a small business to realize, because their limited marketing budgets are often viewed as one of the things that hold them back in their growth. If they turn to the internet instead, those same barriers are no longer there, and they can instead try to grow their company and brand. Whatever reason incites them to do it, the truth is that all small businesses need to at least start considering the potential of the internet.
Internet marketing is affecting small business in a very real way, because an ever increasing portion of a company's sales are coming through leads that were obtained online. This can include products that are sold directly through a company's website, but it also includes leads that come into a business based on finding them on the internet. If a business allows their competition to do this, but don't engage in the practice themselves, they will quickly find their market share shrinking.
By the same token, if a company is willing to engage themselves in the practice of internet marketing, they can create growth in their business. This is true even of companies that have nothing to sell online. The simple act of having a strong online profile that can guide people to their physical store or services can be a powerful means of recruiting customers.
Internet marketing affects small businesses so strongly because the internet is what most people turn to when they are
Google Maps and Google Places are a large reason that local small businesses are being impacted to such a large degree by internet marketing. When someone does a search in Google now, the search engine can tell where they are by their IP address, unless this option has been disabled. If they are looking for a service that falls into a category of businesses that exist in that area, Google will provide a list of search results with icons on a map and links before it provides even its general search results.
Internet marketing also affects small businesses greatly because of the financial difference between advertising online and advertising in the real world. If a company were to take half of its marketing budget from offline marketing and put it into internet marketing, the number of people they could potentially reach online is much higher. Internet marketing is a very affordable way to market a company. This is important for a small business to realize, because their limited marketing budgets are often viewed as one of the things that hold them back in their growth. If they turn to the internet instead, those same barriers are no longer there, and they can instead try to grow their company and brand. Whatever reason incites them to do it, the truth is that all small businesses need to at least start considering the potential of the internet.
Rich Reese
Rich Reese is a consultant for an internet marketing training company and has expert knowledge of selling online marketing.
View all articles by Rich Reese