If you seriously have to ask why search marketing is important for businesses, you might as well ask why electricity and telephones may be of value to your businesses.

Actually, that question was asked when phones were first invented. It’s one of my all-time favorite “bad prediction quotes.”

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” Western Union internal memo, 1876.

Although you could argue Western Union has done well to still be around 120+ years later, it should be a larger telecommunications company than Verizon and AT&T put together, instead of the niche money wiring company it now is. When telephones first came out Western Union was the leading telegraphy provider in the United States and was ideally positioned to transfer from telegrams to telephones. Western Union did dabble a little in telephones but soon lost interest in the newfangled contraption.

If your company is not already investing aggressively in search marketing, here are some reasons why you should consider it.

Most Internet Traffic Comes from a Search Engine

Search marketing focuses on improving the visibility of your business when consumers search for keywords related to your business in search engines and social media sites. This can be done in two main ways, by ensuring your business appears close to the top on search engine results or by paying search engines and other websites to sneak you to the top of the line. As a 2013 study by Conductor indicates, these are effective methods of driving potential customers to your website. The study found that over 50% of all website visits originates from natural search traffic and 6% comes from paid visits.

However, search engines only work for you if you’re good at search marketing. A June 2013 study by Chitika showed that the top ranking listing on Google’s results page received 33% of the traffic. The second result received 18% and the 10th result only got 2.5%.

Internet Users Are Too Large A Demographic to Ignore

According to a 2014 survey by the Pew Research Internet Project (http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/health-fact-sheet/), 87% of American adults use the internet. In the United States alone, there are over 500 million internet connected devices.

Ignoring minorities, such as left-handed people (10% of population) or the color blind (11%) may be mean, but it’s not necessarily bad business. Businesses require a critical mass of potential clients before they can justify the investment cost of entering into a new demographic.

Ignoring internet users, however, would be more like turning away all right-handed customers or focusing your entire marketing budget exclusively on the color-blind.

The increase in internet use is not only an American trend. The 2013 edition of Internet Trends (http://www.kpcb.com/file/kpcb-internet-trends-2013) indicated there are now 2.4 billion Internet users around the world. That represents around 30% of the world’s population (7.2 billion in 2013 according to the United States Census Bureau).

It’s Bigger Than TV, Radio and Print

People now spend more time online watching and listening to their smartphones, desktops and tablets than watching TV. A 2013 survey by eMarketer, reported that we spend 5 hours and 9 minutes a day on digital devices and 4 hours and 31 minutes watching TV. Although radio and print are still relevant – we spend 1 hour and 26 minutes a day listening to it and 32 minutes reading newspapers and magazines, the attention they receive from consumers is dropping dramatically.

If you believe advertising is an important tool for your business (duhh!) and you want to reach as many people as possible (double duhh!) then online search marketing should be your first priority.

Even People Who Don’t Buy Online Research Your Business Online

Even if you feel your clients are unlikely to buy your product or services online, the chances are they will check your website or read reviews of your business before committing to making a purchase. According to a report on “Consumers in the Americas” by Euromonitor, 84% of shoppers in North and South America now use smartphones as a tool to compare prices or to respond to queries rather than talking to an employee.

This trend of researching online when buying products and services is even more dramatic in the United States. A study by NPD Group revealed that 97% of consumers in the U.S. research online before they make a purchase.

Ensuring you have a solid online brand and that your clients get the information they are looking for when they google your business is no longer a cute gimmick. It’s as basic as putting a sign on your storefront or having a business card. In fact people are much more likely to see the information about your business online than by walking past your office or reading a business card.

Most Internet Traffic Comes from a Search Engine

Search marketing focuses on improving the visibility of your business when consumers search for keywords related to your business. This can be done in two main ways, by ensuring your business appears close to the top on search engine results or by paying search engines to sneak you to the top of the line. As a 2013 study by Conductor indicates, this is an effective method of driving visits to your website. The study found that over 50% of all website visits originates from natural search traffic and 6% comes from paid visits.

However, search engines only work for you if you’re good at search marketing. A June 2013 study by Chitika showed that the top ranking listing on Google’s results page received 33% of the traffic. The second result received 18% and the 10th result only got 2.5%.

My Business Is “Just For Locals” Is No Longer An Excuse

One misconception that has prevented many businesses from looking into search marketing is the idea that it only makes sense for large national and international corporations and that local businesses are better off investing in tried-and-tested traditional marketing methods. The actual data on this issue paints a much different picture.

According to a May 2007 report by Google, 73% of all internet activity is related to local content. Another study by the Kelsey Group and ConStat found that 70% of American households use the internet to shop for local products and services. This is not just a few passionate techies driving up the numbers. A study published by Moz, a leading search engine optimization consulting company, shows that 86% of internet users have used the web to search for a local business.

In fact, search marketing is more important than listing your business in the phone book. A survey by comScore revealed that 54% of all searchers (online and offline) have given up on phone books altogether.
If anything, local businesses – particularly smaller businesses – have more to gain from investing in search marketing targeted to local users.

In a Nutshell

Whether you own a quaint mom and pop shop or you’re the CEO of a multinational corporation, you will benefit from a well-implemented search marketing campaign. It’s not just that search marketing opens your business to more clients; it also provides much higher quality leads than traditional advertising methods.

Search marketing allows businesses to target only consumers who are specifically looking for their products and services. Search engines have turned marketing on its head. Instead of businesses spending money to tell consumers what they need; now it’s consumers who search for the services and products they want and companies who compete for their business. Businesses have a choice. They can either sulk and complain about the new state of affairs or adapt and use search marketing to elbow their way to the front of the line.