Web Influences Half of Retail Sales
In 2011, more than $1.1 trillion in retail sales could be attributed to “web-influenced” purchases (offline retail sales influenced by online research),according to [download page] a white paper released in October 2011 by Group M Search and Compete. Data from “Search’s Role in the New Retail Shopper Profile” indicates that combined with measured online sales, 48% of all retail sales are either online purchases or Web-influenced purchases.
This trend is expected to continue. By 2014, the percentage of all retail sales that are web-influenced is forecast to increase to 53%, or $1.4 trillion. In addition, 93% of buyers use search in the in-store shopping process.
Generic Queries Dominate Buyer Search Behavior
Buyers are much more likely to search on generic terms than branded, as 86% of buyers conduct generic, as opposed to branded, queries. In studying the referrals from search engines to brand and third-party sites, research also shows that more visitors arrive from generic searches, indicating early stage searching at the top of the purchase funnel.
Buyers show a greater propensity to click on a generic link, at a rate of 144% more than the general shopper conducting searches in the related category.
Non-branded Queries Drive 73% of Referrals
Almost three-quarters (73%) of referrals come from non-branded queries. The only instance where the gap in these numbers starts to close is during the holiday period, when other paid media spends increase enough to push branded searches. Up to 34% of branded searches during this time. Of all clicks happening on a search result page, 92% come from organic, with only 8% from paid, referral.
Organic Listings Drive Buyer Behavior
Buyers consistently click on the organic links of a search engine results page (SERP) more often than paid. For branded queries it is just as pronounced, with buyers clicking 64% of the time, broken out by 94% on organic links, compared to 6% percent paid. This new data is even more of a tilted reality than the universally stated 80-20 rule of organic compared to paid traffic traditionally espoused. In fact, a broader view utilizing Compete’s US Top 100 retailer data and eliminating the holiday period puts the ratio of organic to paid clicks closer to 85-15.
e-tailing group: 1 in 3 Online Consumers Perform Mobile Research
Approximately one in three online US consumers have performed one of several mobile shopping research activities in the past three months, according to [pdf] a study from the e-tailing group and PowerReviews. Data from “The 2011 Social Shopping Study” indicates that a leading 33% of online consumers have both checked for sales and specials and looked up store information such as hours, location and maps via mobile device in the past three months
Note From Dan
1) The web has become increasingly dynamic and advances in new directions in what seems to be a daily basis, right or wrong?
2) Dominant web tools such as Google Webmaster Tools clearly identify what direction to drive in, what path to focus on and how to reach our goals, but who has time for that!
3) Consumer statistics such as above back up Google’s never-ending updates, but the problem that underlies is by the time we arrive at planet “thank god we made it” Google has already programmed new direction, right or wrong?
Business owners are typically great at doing what they love the most, managing their business!
*I’d be willing to be the surf shop owner didn’t really dream on becoming an Internet Marketer when he grew up, he didn’t want to waste countless hours a day in front of his MAC! I believe he wanted to own a business doing (exactly) what he loves to do, but that dream has been spoiled and he now must sink or swim with the online sharks circling his store!! HOW FAIR IS THAT? Not very, but it’s a reality and business has advanced to “Digital Marketing” so if you’re not swimming in Digital Advancement Technology (and no expect you to be) that truly supports and pushes todays marketing era then you have no choice but to find a team that eats, breathes and lives for new technology and stays current in today’s cutting edge technology before your neighbor who’s opened up shop down the street “who also sells surf boards” claims your Online Real-Estate!”
DAN WEIK / President & CEO
BUSINESS RATER, LLC.
BUSINESSRATER.COM
5694 Mission Center Rd #141
San Diego, CA. 92108
[T] 619.800.4692
[F] 619.684.1538
Skype: danweik
A general description of Business Rater for your understanding:
Business Rater is a Review and Rating System that is custom-built for businesses to allow them to moderate their own reviews on the web after collecting approx. 99% of their sold customer’s reviews and ratings using our improved sales process. We then market those positive results to Google, Yahoo, Bing increasing SEO/SEM on relative search phrases to the dealer, ultimately driving more traffic to the dealers website and rooftop.
With (BR) integrated survey system our clients receive detailed statistic analytics of their sold customers to optimize their current marketing and advertising campaigns and strategies. Business Rater not only improves their online reputation, but trumps other 3rd party companies and competitors competing for their page on relative search phrases like City/Year/Make/Model, service department services searches, employee searches, business franchise and marque name searches
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