Online advertising rules for US SMBs
December 22, 2008 2 Comments
The Ad-ology Small Business Marketing Outlook survey, found that small business is cautiously optimistic going into 2009 despite recessionary data and conversation. SMBs are clearly getting smarter in where and how they advertise.
When broken down by media type, over half of small business advertisers plan to spend the same or more on the following: Online advertising (69 percent), Yellow Pages (54 percent), newspapers (51 percent), and direct mail (51 percent).
More than half of respondents plan to spend the same or more time and money on their Web sites and email marketing in 2009. Within the online mix, 23% are already using online video and 17% are podcasting and 18% are using mobile.
SMBs in the US, like here in New Zealand, are adopting faster, online and new techniques and channels within the broad online definiation, than many ‘major’ brands and advertisers. These stats suggest 23% are using video right now on their websites, that is effectively one in four. Here in New Zealand we are running nearer one in eight. In both cases this exceeds the use of video online by major brands.
SMBs run and own their business. Every dollar out is measured closely, there is no corporate waste or decision layers. Time and time again we have seen SMBs (SMEs) run with ideas and make them work – classifieds, directories, email and now video, mobile and podcasts. It is this embracement that will help create leading companies and the green shoots of economic recovery. Encouraging research.
The Small Business Marketing Survey was conducted in October 2008 by Ad-ology Research to study the attitudes of small business owners.
Ad-ology Research analyses key marketing and advertising trends in over 370 industries and what motivates end-customers. The company’s research is used by over 2,000 advertising agencies, media properties and product marketing departments across the United States. Ad-ology Research is a division of Sales Development Services (SDS), Inc., a Westerville, Ohio firm. View more at www.ad-ology.net
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While it is true that small businesses are fast to adopt, it is also true that most of the online techniques take a lot of time and patience before they convert to revenue (except may be advertising). Consequently most small businesses also give up faster than we think because they are tied up in myriad activities.
Indeed small businesses are often overwhelmed with marketing options and business issues, particularly given current economic pressures where small business is working harder with less or the same resource.
In my experience the difference is made by strong sales and customer service (effectively consultancy) operations from start-ups and media companies showing the value (KPIs) of the online marketing solution that the business owner is receving and building on that success.