Market Online Research

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To make your online business most productive, you must rely on an effective set of tools and extensive research to ensure that you understand your business, the demand for your services and the competition. The objectives of online market research are the same as traditional market research. These objectives always include:

1. Target Market Identification
2. Target Market Needs / Wants Analysis
3. Size and Demography of the Target Market
4. Competition Analysis
5. Value Proposition and Advantages you offer

The difference online is that you have much more at your disposal to actually do these things and do them in an infinitely more accountable way. Everything online is measurable. All things that can be measured can be measured with online tools, many of which are free.

Within the grand space of Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) stands tall in the area of Market Online Research because it embodies all of the processes necessary to provide the data necessary to satisfy the 5 objectives listed above.

The primary foundation of any SEO program ...
... is research. Optimization, which includes any process aimed at increasing the overall ranking of a website, begins and ends with online research.

Keyword Research

Keywords are the words and phrases used by searchers to find what they are looking for. Google has achieved market dominance through its ability to provide the most relevant search results. So, keyword research to identify your “universe” of relevant, targeted words and phrases is a critical element; in fact, keyword research is the cornerstone of all Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. In addition, because trends change all of the time, keyword research is a necessary continual process, particularly to identify and target niche terms and markets. You can forecast demand for a specific product or service as well as creating a data driven strategy to execute a new online project. All this data is accessible through online research tools.

Content Research

Content is probably the least emphasized, yet the single most important component necessary to successfully compete for high search engine rankings. I suspect this is the case because it requires the most commitment, the hardest to do consistently and over a long period of time and it requires the SEM (Search Engine Marketing) to “level” with the potential client about the plain truth about SEM; no matter how much or little you are paying your Internet Marketing Company, it will be completely wasted if you don’t have a strong commitment to regular additions of unique (non-duplicate), highly relevant content. If the company you are interviewing do not stress this, or even mention it, head for the hills!

The web is essentially a content-based environment. People primarily go online to find information. For a website to attract more visitors and potential clients, it must therefore provide timely, up to date, and relevant information that people can use. Once your website has established a certain level of trust in the eyes of a lot of users, your business will benefit not only from the increased traffic and sales generated, you will also have established a solid and loyal customer base as well. Content does not always have to be too formal or technical either. Constant updates can serve you well in terms of informing visitors of new trends or products you plan to offer. This way, people will have something to look forward to that gets them to keep on coming back to your website.

Analytics

Analytical Software, such as Google Analytics, Google Webmaster Tools and Keyword Tool are critical to market research performed online. For existing websites there are countless things you need to know about your visitors, how they arrived, where did they engage or not engage, the path they took on the site, conversion data, abandonment data, etc. For new websites, you need to know ALL keywords / phrases, not the ones you think you know. Throughout the research phase and execution phase the Google Webmaster Tools are invaluable and should be close at hand. Google really tells you what you need to know to be successful. The only question is whether you can / will do these things. Everyone says they want to be on page 1, however, very few are actually willing to do the real work to actually achieve the desired results.

Market Online Research is all about planning for success by understanding the length and breadth of the processes and strategy involved towards achieving your objectives. In almost all cases, you should seriously seek an Internet Marketing Company with specific expertise in SEO that can document a cohesive plan and can actually execute that plan supported by live results and existing clients that can support the plan’s criteria.

Do you need market online research? Do you need a company to execute? Contact us for a no-obligation initial consultation.