A report from BIA/Kelsey found that 27 percent of businesses are using a third-party service to monitor their web presence, and these companies believe their relationship will positively impact their performance during Cyber Monday and through the holiday shopping season.
As more consumers extensively research products online before making a purchase, effective news content marketing and social media campaigns can help businesses improve their reputation. Brafton reported last week that the average consumer researches at least 10 sources before deciding upon a purchase.
The data from BIA/Kelsey suggests that outsourcing web marketing to agencies that offer custom content, social media marketing and other web services can help businesses improve the overall effectiveness of their website. While 69 percent of respondents said they make an adjustment to their web presence at least once per month, the use of a third-party can help companies make sure their websites are updated frequently. Brafton has reported that 90 percent of marketers who gain customers through their blogs post fresh content multiple times per day.
“The data indicate SMBs are getting smarter in their use of digital and online media,” Steve Marshall, director of research for BIA/Kelsey, said in a release. “They’re focused on strengthening and enhancing their digital presence, engaging customers with social media and empirically measuring the performance of their online advertising initiatives.”
With a strong web presence comes improved online lead generation and conversion. For B2C marketers, ecommerce is becoming a vitally important element of business. Even on Black Friday, traditionally one of the busiest in-store shopping days of the year, American consumers spent more than $800 million on ecommerce purchases, Brafton reported.
