Content or Audience? New Study Finds the Answer

A recent study may put to rest the Internet marketing version of the chicken and the egg debate once and for all. Should we as ecommerce marketers be targeting online content, or should we be going after the audience?

Now, new findings from the Online Publishers Association suggest that content is king: Ads on branded-content websites are more effective than non-branded sites and outpace industry norms in nearly every category.

The study, entitled "Improving Ad Performance Online: The Impact of Advertising on Branded Content Sites," gives credit to viewer trust and brand name recognition for the statistics it found.

What do your customers want?

When it comes to selling yourself on the Internet - and let’s face it, before you can sell a product or service you have to sell the customer on you - there are a few key points that can tip the scales in your favor with online customers. Here are a few Internet marketing tips to kick start your online business:

Getting To Know You

By taking the time to add personality to your online content, your customers feel as though they have a vested interest in the company whose web site they are visiting and as such will be more likely to make purchases there and recommend the web site to others. Cold information-only content is a dinosaur. Online consumers want speed, but they also want a personal experience.

Tell Me Why

You can have the best widget in the world, but if the purchasing community doesn’t understand why they need to own one (or a dozen), they aren’t going to buy. Your online content needs to consistently and strongly explain the product as well as its benefits to the consumer.

Searching Leave You Feeling Empty?

Your search box should never - I repeat NEVER - yield an empty result. A simple programming trick can redirect empty search results to a page that displays your most popular items. Think like your customer for a minute or two.

Studies Show the Importance of SEO

According to a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the number of Internet users who use search engines on a daily basis as been steadily rising over the past six years.

A similar study by the group in 2002 reported that about one third of users visited search engine sites daily, but that number has increased to an impressive 49% this year making the importance of search engine placement and visibility even more evident to those doing business online. This only goes to substantiate what ecommerce website development experts have been saying for years now.

The same group authored a study last year that reported on average that 8 out of 10 Americans use the Internet to explore and educate themselves on their hobbies and interests. This information can easily be translated into dollar signs for online businesses that take the initiative to cater their copy and content to focus on niche interest groups such as these.

There are a few additional statistics that may do more to capture your attention as well. For example, 66% of college graduates use a search engine daily, as opposed to 32% of those with a high school diploma (or less).

When it comes to income, more is more. The higher the income, the more likely they are to use search engines daily:

• 62% of people making $75,000 or more annually
• 56% of people making $50,000 – 74,999
• 34% of people making $30,000 – 49,999
• 35% of people making less than $30,000

What about the ages of these potential customers? This is how the same study breaks down on age lines:

• 55% of 18 – 29 year olds
• 54% of 30 – 49 year olds
• 40% of 50 – 64 year olds
• 27% of 65 years and older

As for the gender debate, the study has a lot to say as well:

Data collected since 2002 show that men who use the internet have consistently been more likely than women to integrate search into their daily lives. The percentage of online men who search on a typical day has risen steadily from 33% in 2002 to 53% currently. The percentage of women has also risen, increasing from 25% in 2002 to 45%.