I just finished reading the AdAge Digital article entitled: “Why Search May 
Not Click for Retailers by Abbey Klaassen.
” According to the article, retailers are inclined to throw lots of money into search for this upcoming holiday season, but the truth is, the search trends are showing this may not be such a great idea.
Less than 10% of online retailers’ web traffic, on average, comes from search engines, according to an analysis by Nielsen Co.’s Online division.Nielsen found the majority of retailers’ web traffic (61%, on average) comes from people going directly to a retail site — consumers typing, say, Amazon.com into a browser address bar.
The article also claims that a bulk of the search traffic is attributed to “navigational searches” i.e. typing the name of the brand in the search bar as opposed to a product category.
So what does this all mean?
First of all, I do not think search engine optimization should be ignored. On the contrary, it is of extreme importance.
However, search is unlikely to be effective without a solid brand. This research and article is a prime example of how past customer experiences and branding are of utmost importance. As a retailer, if your brand is not solid and your past customer experiences are lacking, your success in outward marketing efforts in general (not just search) will be wasted.
This holiday season, what can retailers (and other businesses that hinge upon customer experiences) do to ensure your brand stays ahead? Check out the following helpful links on branding and customer experience to get started.
- Attention Consumer-Based Businesses: Your Brand Represents 50%-80% of Your Value!
- Better Communication = Satisfied Customers
- Once your Advertising Has Done it’s Job, Positive Customer Experience Must Follow Through
- Sniffing for Market Share
- The Power of Words
Feel free to post other helpful blogs and articles!
