Business owners know that advertising is crucial to the growth of their business. However, keeping up to date with the latest trends is a daunting task. A recent study shows that traditional forms of advertising such as radio,newspaper and yellow book ads are losing their effectiveness. This can also be verified due to the large amount of media companies in these niches going out of business.
New technologies such as XM satellite radio and the internet are aiding in this big shift. According to a recently released statistic, 71% of consumers now go to the internet to research a product or service prior to making a purchase. Also, the same study showed that 54% of people no longer use a yellow book directory to find a local business. Instead, they turn to Google or other major search engines to locate what or who they are looking for.
So how do business owners get in front of this shift in consumer behavior? They must take advantage of the internet and market their business online. Learning how to cost efficiently advertise online is a very difficult task. Most business owners do not have a good understanding on the skills and know how to do this.
Most business owners understand that advertising online is not their expertise. Their time is more valuable and the risks involved are high if you do not know what you are doing. This is why the majority of small to medium size businesses have turned to outsourcing their online advertising needs. If you have been looking to start an online advertising campaign but didn't know where to start this might be your answer.
Below are a few things you need to know before hiring a third party advertising agency:
*Make sure you establish a budget. Knowing how much you can spend is crucial to your businesses bottom line. Advertising online is an investment and you need to know what you are willing to risk before you start.
*Tracking your results is important. Never choose a company that does not allow you to see results. Most advertising methods allow you to track the views or impressions your ad receives. If an ad is clicked on these are called clicks, which are also accounted for.
*No Contracts is preferred. Never sign up with a company for any long term contract. Often companies over-promise and under-deliver. You don't want to be locked into something that is not getting you results.
*Pay-Per-Click ads are expensive but do work. If a company does not take advantage of this advertising method do not use them. Also, make sure that the ad links directly to your website or their online directory. Many big name advertising agencies link back to their directory where you along with all of your competitors are listed. Make sure that when someone clicks on your ad they are sent to your business and not just a list of businesses to choose from. This will increase your effectiveness exponentially.
*Read the small print. Make sure you read the terms and conditions and understand what you are getting.
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