SEARCH ENGINES

While search engines are far outstripped by
direct referrals, they can still prove useful
for attracting customers if you are in a very
price sensitive market or you provide a
niche product.
Over 90% of all referrals to e-commerce sites
come from the four largest search engines:
Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL1. Competition
for a high ranking on these sites is intense
because only 10% of web users look beyond
the second page of results2.
If you are expecting your website to generate
significant commercial returns it may well be
worth spending the extra to engage the
services of a professional search engine
placement agency. If you are a small
company with a limited budget, and your
website is just one of several channels to
market, you may be better off with a DIY
approach. If things go well you can always
revisit your search engine placement
strategy at a later date.
Different search engines rank websites in
different ways – some by a site’s popularity,
some by relevance and some by quality.
Many also offer the option of paying for a
place on the first page.