The Interweb, Google and that Facebook thing Making sense of it all

Quick Introduction Iain Valentine - Creative Director Sarah McGowan - SEM Specialist

Whitespace A creative agency working online and off…

What Do We Do? Blend strategic, creative and technical skills

Who For? The Scottish Government NHS Health Scotland HBOS Russell Europe

The Interweb, Google and that Facebook thing Making sense of it all

The Digital Market … is changing as we speak

72% of the UK population are internet users

It has never been easier to get online…

Online Spend Majority is Search Display ads getting richer Video Ad’s Interactive/games

Push vs Pull Pull - driving traffic to destination sites Push - pushing content out to users

Integrated Solutions Content pushed out across media - Branded You Tube Channels - STV ad funded channels - Channel 4 B&Q page

Rise of Video Online to be entertained Increasingly part of the online experience

Mobile 70million active mobile connections

Branded utility The age of dialogue

72% of the UK population are internet users Creating an Online Conversion Machine (with a little help from search engines)

91% of internet users use search engines

£££ Google $5bn last year. Google - £327m vs ITV £317m Advertisers – Great ROI Site Owners - Adsense

SEM = SEO + PPC

SEO – Optimising site for natural results

PPC – ‘Pay Per Click Ads’

Paid Inclusion – Paid for listing in ‘natural’ results

SEM and Conversions Search data helps inform: - Website design & build - Website content - Strategies for conversions

All Sites Have a Conversion Conversions consist of: - Purchase - Contact - Information

Simple Steps to Conversion 1. Match what user looking for 2. Support with relevant content 3. Design user-paths to increase conversions 4. Measure effectiveness

A Site for Search Design decisions based on search volume and search data: - Section structure and user-paths changed - Products given understandable labels - Clear route to sales

Listings! Site for search rank well more traffic = more conversions.

The Conversion Machine Conversion process starts before user enters site Design site based on what users want

72% of the UK population are internet users Social Media and the conversion machine

Social Media is … Blogs Social Networks Podcasts Wikis User Generated Content Mobile

New Marketing Rules New ways to engage with customers In 5 years… - 57% companies spend more on conversational marketing than traditional

Social Networking

Social Networking Usage 69% all web users US 37% adults, 70% teens New users leveling off US &UK 68% increase Africa & Middle East

Social Networking Ad Spend Linked In launched new advertising platform Ad spend projections curbed MySpace not hit 08 revenue targets

Engage with Customers Opening doors in branding Welcoming customers in Time spent with brand Business gain

Branded Utility Branded ‘Value Add’ APIs Branded Widgets - STA Travel widgets

eWOM Tracking Unsought discussion on Brand Reliance on Buzz tracking & eWOM Google Alerts

The Social Web and Search Social media has a strong role in determining search results: - Link building - Word of mouth - Recommendations - General online ‘presence’ - Changing content

The Social Web and Search However there’s no real control: - Search results are shared with positive or negative listings - e.g. Farrow & Ball

Maximise Brand Search Results ‘Take over’ of SERP for brand search Engage in social media & conversational Marketing - You Tube - Facebook Page - Blog Entries Optimise social media efforts

No Search Volume? Then create some! – e.g. Flogos Brand new product – no search volume Took off in social media Picked up by mainstream media Search volume now exists

Social Media Helps Conversions 70% of online shoppers read product reviews Reviews within site can increase conversions 20-30% (e.g, Net shops, 26%) Case studies can help convey information