Social media advertising, as well as website and landing page designs sit at the top of the list when it comes to the type of media for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) will invest in this
year. Paid search lands near the bottom.
In BrandMuscle’s survey, “State of Local Marketing” report, about 1,000 SMBs admit they no longer consider paid search a top priority when it comes to their overall media buys.
Survey participants were from franchisees,
dealers, retailers and channel partners. It’s important to note that 73% have one location and 50% had fewer than five employees because Google and Bing executives have been vocal about their
respective paid-search platforms as being a platform for small businesses.
Paid search came in at No. 9 on the list in the report, way down at the bottom of the list behind social media,
website and landing pages, events, email, direct mail, TV and radio, promos and point-of-sale, and traditional print. Online display ads and mobile targeted display ads are the only two media on the
list that SMD consider less of a priority than paid search.
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Only 4% consider paid search a priority, about 5% call the media a second priority, and another 5% consider paid search a third
priority.
Social media advertising is the top priority for SMBs at 17% for first, second and third priorities, but when the data is broken down into percentages, website and landing
pages top the list at 18% as the first priority. About 17% calls websites and landing pages their second priority, and about 9% say this category is their third priority.
Search engine
optimization did not appear on the chart as a priority. The lack of technical knowledge and expertise seems to be the issue around paid search and SEO.
“SEO, paid search and programmatic
display are gaining traction,” according to the study, “but require additional partnership, education, and/or funding at the local level to improve utilization.”
Another
interesting part of the study is the area of measurement and management. The data shows a lack of the ability to perceive and understand return on investments for marketing efforts. Too many marketers
still make “gut” decisions.
While the majority of knowledgeable partners can calculate ROI for at least some of the tactics they use, many are still making gut decisions on the
success of techniques. Your partners want better tools to help them understand smarter targeting and better results analysis. Help them find ways to measure their success.