The invention of the Internet is possibly the most significant event in the history of mankind. Admittedly, there have been other major events from history which have been deemed the greatest, particularly in the period of time directly after their invention. As an example, the Romans have been lauded for centuries for their ingenuity in road-building, sanitation and numerous other life-changing inventions, the benefits of which have lasted to the present day and will continue to do so in the future.
These inventions and numerous others such as the wheel, electricity and communication technology to name merely a few, have obviously aided the development of the commercial sector over the centuries. Nevertheless, many people will argue that the internet has had as much effect in decades as other inventions have had in centuries. In thepast the advantage gained from the advent of straight, well-built roads resulted in wider markets for the local industries which made up the early business communities. Being able to deliver goods and services to larger catchment areas saw the birth of what we recognise today as Marketing.
As with most business functions, marketing had been developing slowly from those early days until the introduction of commercial television. Immediate access to an expanding captive audience transformed the world of advertising which became the most popular marketing tool by far. Indeed, in the early days of television the large American manufacturers of household goods, such as Procter & Gamble the global market leader in soap powders, produced whole programmes and created the phrase “soap opera”. However, the costs associated with making the soap operas ultimately became too large and advertisers reverted to buying advertising space during and between programmes. In the 1960s and ’70s the increasing size of TV audiences resulted in a corresponding rise in the cost of advertising time, especially during the most popular programmes. It is reported that a mere 30-second slot during the American Football Superbowl game can cost about $3million.
The creation of the internet and the pace with which it produced new means of communication and interaction has changed the way that companies, both large and small, offer and sell their products to their customers. Online shopping has escalated since the turn of the century and is the result of Online Marketing. Websites have developed to the point where companies can display thousands of products for sale, take orders and receive payments, all instantaneously.
In business there is always a necessity to be ahead of the competition and this is no less true in the area of Online Marketing. When potential customers initiate their online search for a particular company’s products, that company wants to make sure that its website is going to be offered for viewing. The search engines are constantly assessing each website and they decide the position of each website on the search results pages. While an optimum position on the first results page can be purchased, it is very expensive. A viable alternative is to use a Search Engine Optimization Company which uses ethical methods of promotion to achieve an improved Search Engine Placementfor their clients’ websites. An ethical, professional Search Engine Optimization Company may suggest changes to the content, text or coding of their client’s website but will also carry out supporting internet activity which will progressively improve a website’s Search Engine Placement. While a fixed fee will be involved for some of the initial work on the website it is possible to find a SEO Company which offers a payment structure which involves payment only when the website achieves a Search Engine Placement on the first results page. The process will probably be self-financing as the position on the first results page will attract many new potential customers - and additional orders.
