WSI Retail Buzz

Search Engines and Social Media Channels Compete
...but finding common ground can help customer engagement and conversion

  With increased awareness about search engine optimization (SEO) and easier access to information, business owners are more willing to invest in making their websites rank higher on search engines. Simultaneously, the explosive growth of social media is spurring businesses to consider making social media an integral part of their overall marketing efforts. This does pose somewhat of a dilemma because the objective of search engines and social media channels is quite the opposite of each other.

While search engines aim to help consumers find the information they are looking for and direct them specifically to the most relevant (top ranking) websites, social channels facilitate online conversations on third-party forums like Facebook, Twitter, Mashable and so on. Savvy Internet marketers have realized that instead of making the difficult choice of one over the other, it is wise to find common ground between search and social and rake in the benefits of both.

The biggest advantage of social media is that it generates consumer-speak - honest feedback about a product, service or brand. Social media users are already on a heightened level of "engagement" when they are discussing a product, service or issue. If your company launches a social media campaign, you can look for the prominent and frequently appearing keywords that users include in their social conversations. Using these keywords on your website can yield good results because they are likely to be relevant search terms that prospective customers will use when searching for your product or service on Google, Yahoo!, etc. You could be losing potential opportunities if you ran a social media campaign without a solid SEO strategy in place to support it. Your business needs the collaborative impact of search and social marketing.

Users Search, and then Socialize to Validate their Findings
...relevant content can boost your visibility across both platforms  

Internet users are growing more demanding - they want relevant information, easily and quickly. They are no longer content with surfing and searching for information on search engines. They also now look to confirm their online findings by interacting with other folks using social media. For instance, the latest interactive multimedia game may show up on the first page of search engines but the person searching will most likely proceed to blogs, forums and Twitter type of channels to hear what people are saying about the game.

As a company, you can take the critical step to ensure that the information you provide about your business or brand is put across in a user-friendly and relevant manner - not just on your website but also via blog articles, blog posts, Tweets, a Facebook page, perhaps even a video presentation on YouTube. If "content is king" was true in the past, it just got further reinforced!

The important thing to remember is that while you may know best about your business, you may not always figure out the best way to communicate it to your target audience. Your best bet is to employ the services of a professional web copywriter or Internet marketing consultant who offers expert help with search marketing content. Compelling, persuasive copy with clear calls to action can effect higher conversions from your search marketing and social media campaigns. Content that drives results can mean the difference between whether your audience surfs your online space or turfs it.

Your WSI Retail Group Consultant is trained in both, search and social media marketing and can help you discover that critical common ground between these two advanced Internet marketing fields. Contact us at www.wsiretailgroup.com to set up a free, no obligation consultation.

Welcome to our newly launched WSI Retail Group site and our first blog post.

The WSI Retail Group site was created specifically for Retail Council of Canada members to provide a wealth of information and services regarding all facets of Internet Marketing. WSI Retail Group site is a must visit for Canadian retailers at any point in their online journey. For those retailers who are looking to create an online web presence to an established website with an Internet marketing strategy, the site contains leading edge information as well as tools to get you started or determine your current performance. Keeping in-line with the RCC’s commitment in bringing value to it’s members, free access to valuable tools, downloads, best practices, video’s and on-going education is within a few simple clicks. For those that require further consultation and services, WSI Retail Group is excited to discuss member priced solutions aimed at driving more online traffic and better conversion for your retail business.   

"Who is WSI?"

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, WSI (We Simplify the Internet) is a global Internet solutions provider with more than 1500 local offices in 87 countries. In Canada alone, WSI has over 100 offices specializing in the small and medium-sized market space. WSI provides Internet related marketing services and technologies that deliver maximum return on investment for businesses the world over.

WSI Retail Group is committed to improving the profitability of Canadian retailers through the use of leading-edge Internet marketing and technologies, delivered by knowledgeable, service-oriented Certified Internet Consultants. As more retail businesses realize the importance of the Internet to their continued success and growth, WSI Retail Group is ready to serve their needs with real e-business solutions.

What is an Internet Consultant?

Our Internet Consultants are specially trained and certified Internet business experts. Just like the many other business professionals and advisors you've come to depend on (such as your lawyer, your accountant, your stock broker, etc.) a WSI Retail Group Internet Consultant is in your local community to ensure your retail business realizes the full profit potential offered by the Internet. That potential goes far beyond just selling products and services online with a website; our Internet Consultants have a wide range of specialized tools at their disposal and can offer you a variety of solutions tailored specifically for your retail business. These Internet solutions can include technologies that make your day-to-day processes more efficient, save you money on operational expenses as well as Internet marketing services to better sales and customer management.

WSI Retail Group Internet Consultants may not be what you've come to expect when you think of Internet "experts", particularly if you've been approached by other Web Developers in the past. Our Internet Consultants focus on delivering true business solutions while leveraging our best of kind websites. Another difference that sets Internet Consultants apart from Web Design professionals is their goal of creating an ongoing business relationship with you. It's almost common practice in this industry for a firm to design a website for a retailer and then move on to new business, never looking back. This may work well for the Web Design firm, but it certainly doesn't work well for you. In reality, websites are only the beginning - our Internet Consultant's services will deliver far more value to your retail business and help you to achieve a real return on your website investment as you build a profitable long-term partnership.

For more information please contact WSI Retail Group today.