Research 'is key' to online marketing

15:00 19th March 2010

Carrying out research into their client base can help businesses to understand what their customers require from them online, it has been stated.

According to online marketing expert Debra Northart, although research can be intimidating at first because of the sheer amount of data available, there are numerous benefits to dipping into resources.

Writing for Search Engine Land, she explained that researching will give business owners the opportunity to learn more about the needs of their customers.

"While a business owner may have a good idea of customers' needs and how to reach them, there is nothing like data to support anecdotal evidence," she commented.

Ms Northart stated that focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, polls and surveys are all methods that can be used in order to carry out research into a client base.

She added that businesses that are already online can use their websites to gather information about their customers.

"Businesses with websites can use an online analytics tool to gain info as well," she commented.

Carrying out research could be a good way to establish what is required from a search engine optimisation (SEO) campaign.

However, according to Fran Howarth, SEO campaigns can be "complex" and "time-consuming", reports IT Pro Portal.

Small businesses may therefore wish to employ the services of a digital marketing consultancy in order to carry out the SEO campaign on their behalf.