It’s taken us a while to get used to the idea of buying products over the internet. Even last year, a survey conducted by online marketing firm PoLR showed that 53 per cent of us might, after doing all our research online, still opt to go into a store to buy a product rather than battle with the online checkout; apparently we find shipping costs off-putting, and we like to actually see the item at close quarters before buying – not to mention the delight of interaction with real human beings.
But online shopping is booming despite the recession: British consumers spent £3.8bn online in August – some 16 per cent higher than the same month last year – and our new-found inseparability from our iPhones, Blackberrys and Android phones is opening up another avenue of online shopping in the run up to Christmas.
With companies introducing catalogues and online stores in the form of smartphone apps, with mobile coupons being increasingly used to lure customers, and a swathe of barcode-reading apps to better inform us where bargains are to be found, the smartphone is on the verge of becoming a perfect shopping companion – not least because it’ll never complain about its feet hurting.
Online shopping is growing at alarming rates, and with internet searches being conducted on new smart phones, it is now more important than ever to have clear and legible website. These searches on the go demonstrate perfectly how our culture centres around fast paced technology. People want to get information quickly, so it is crucial that any company that is serious about competing in their market is seen first – on the first page of search engines like Google. This is where a search marketing agency can help out.
Investing in search engine optimisation (SEO) and natural search marketing is vital in this technological age. A search marketing agency can help firms get high rankings which will show their credibility and trustworthiness, instead of getting left behind in the frenzy of Christmas shopping.
We accredit The Independent with the inspiration for this article.
