Marketing goes Internet

Internet search engine marketing is a growth market. Here in Switzerland, too, the focus is on professionalization and higher budgets. In Switzerland, search engine marketing is not yet as established as in the USA, the UK or Germany. However, the results of the first market study on search engine marketing in Switzerland show a market on the move. Interest is growing and many companies are using search engine marketing at a relatively high level of expertise and investment. The study "Search engine marketing in Switzerland" was commissioned by Angelink yourposition and conducted online by Dr. Pascal Sieber & Partner between May and July 2006. 122 companies took part in the study. But even if it can be assumed that the affinity of the study participants to the topic is higher than the average, the study nevertheless provides trends and indications that correspond to reality. "Many of the responses confirmed our experience. We assume that the study describes reality relatively well," says Lukas Stuber, Co-Managing Director of Angelink yourposition, commenting on the results.
Marked differences in useOnly a small proportion of respondents do not use search engine marketing, mainly due to a lack of knowledge (73%), a lack of time (59%) or a focus on traditional marketing (55%). Most study participants use one or more search engine marketing tools: Website submission to search engines, keyword advertising and website search engine optimization.
The study participants are divided into five categories accordingly: Complexity "Inexperienced" (18%), who do not use search engine marketing or are only planning to do so, "Applicants" (18%), "Optimizers" (24%), "Keyword advertisers" (10%) and "Combiners" (30%). This behavior is reflected in the budgets: registrants spend an average of CHF 4,500 per year, optimizers spend three times as much, keyword advertisers invest CHF 30,000 and combiners invest an average of CHF 50,000. Budgets are also increasing: 70 percent of those surveyed expect higher budgets for search engine marketing in the next three years.

Goals and goal achievementMost respondents are clear about what they want to achieve with search engine marketing. The focus is on quantitative goals: 82% are aiming for a better ranking, 66% want more traffic, 62% want to generate sales and 60% are interested in leads.
However, it is less clear how the desired success can be measured. Measurements tend to be rudimentary and the return on investment is rarely measured. Surveys are often delegated to technology: 68% of respondents use log file analysis, 58% use ranking checks and 36% use tracking software. Nevertheless, 31% monitor sales figures, 30% conduct customer conversations, 24% evaluate customer reactions such as from online competitions and 19% rely on customer surveys.
Experienced participants in particular use combined performance measurement - and also achieve their goals. Outstanding: The combiners. They attach the greatest importance to the Internet, use all instruments, deploy the largest budget, use combined performance measurement and achieve their goals best. In contrast, the applicants are far behind: Only in the ranking is there a "sufficient".
The study also reveals an existing know-how deficit and optimization potential, but also a rapidly progressing professionalization. The more intensively this is pursued, the better search engine marketing performs in the assessment of the study participants. The objection of some of the study participants - the lack of contact quality - therefore appears to be based less on the marketing method itself than on the intensity of its use.
Kathrin Fischer