Ad Tracking Increases Your Profits
As the internet has become increasingly more popular, it's also become increasingly more difficult to attempt marketing online without success. Businesses are unable to compete with their competitors who use adverts and search engines as a major tool of their revenue.
Most websites take for granted that if someone clicks on an advert, they will buy what is being advertised, but how long does this assumption last? With ad tracking, businesses can ensure that each click is worth something and therefore turned into profit.
Ad tracking enables businesses to know how many people are clicking on their adverts, how many of these clicks turn into customers, and how much profit these customers bring you. This information is invaluable for businesses and can ensure that the money spent on adverts can be increased in order to increase profits.
All it takes is a small investment in software to ensure that you know exactly what is happening with your adverts. This software can track where your users are coming from and how many of them are clicking on your links which will tell you exactly how effective your marketing strategies are.
Ad tracking will allow you to see where your customers come from and what they do when they see your adverts. With this information, you will be able to make sure that the money you spend on adverts is worth it and give you an insight into exactly how effective marketing strategies are for your business.
Search engines also track your website's activity which can prove quite useful to businesses as the information can be used to determine changes in online habits and any new trends that could impact future marketing strategies.
There are a number of different types of software which enables businesses to effectively use ad tracking, but either way, the benefits are clear and it's only a matter of finding software that fits into your budget and works for you.
title: The e-Commerce Revolution
Millennials are the largest market for new businesses, with approximately three million joining the workforce each year. These new workers have little use for traditional marketing approaches, opting instead to research products on their desktop before making a purchase. Even when someone does buy, they still only make one or two purchases a year.
All this has led to a rise in Internet sales, which now accounts for nearly half of total retail sales in the US. Internet retail sales are expected to reach $99 billion this year compared to $7 billion in 1994. Online sales continue to grow, with the largest growth coming from e-commerce purchases.
By 2014, over half of all US households will be making at least one purchase every week through the Internet.
On average, consumers spend 25% more on their first Internet purchase compared to those made offline. In a recent survey of 1,000 US consumers over age 18 conducted in March by Forrester Research, 54 percent reported they had bought something at least once during their lifetime via the Internet and 50 percent said they expect to make a purchase via the web before year's end.
These findings highlight that there are around 40 million American consumers who have purchased items online at least once.
Due to the fact that consumers are becoming more and more accustomed to conducting their business online, these shoppers can feel comfortable about purchasing items from a company with which they may have no previous experience. The Internet provides a sense of security for buyers and a means for companies to prove their credibility.
In an age of information overload, the Internet has become an excellent resource for consumers looking for unbiased opinions on products and services. There are numerous websites dedicated to product reviews from actual consumers that review products in everything from computers and cars to cosmetics and personal care items.
The Internet is also making it easier than ever before for small businesses to gain market share, with many successful start-ups building their businesses almost exclusively online.
However, there are still huge benefits to be gained from traditional marketing methods. Online sales represent roughly 7 percent of total retail sales, but online purchases outnumber those conducted through brick and mortar establishments by a margin of 2-to-1.
In an April 2008 study conducted by the National Retail Federation, approximately 40 percent of consumers stated it was helpful to have a list of product reviews from other customers regarding a product they considered buying. Nearly 20 percent said they would be more likely to buy from a company they knew had received economic support from their government. Additionally, nearly 70 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product that was sold by a company receiving support from their employer or union.
Despite all of the positives regarding traditional marketing methods, the Internet provides a level of anonymity that was simply not possible with stores and catalogs. Rather than providing a valuable service to consumers, many companies are now manipulating Internet traffic with the help of PPC ads and search engine optimization (SEO).
Trust is an important element in any successful business relationship, so it's important for marketers to be very clear on how they're going to communicate with their customers. In order to create trust, it's important for companies to be honest about their products and services as well as how each interaction will benefit the consumer.
Shoppers are increasingly becoming more conscious about the products they purchase and how their money is being spent. Knowing that companies are not necessarily the real entity is only going to encourage shoppers to choose their own local businesses or a competitor instead.
Many consumers are ditching shopping malls for store loyalty cards in an attempt to save money and receive discounts from local businesses. For example, sales volume at Mervyns stores has been cut in half since they began using a digital coupon book program. Mervyns stores are among hundreds of retailers across the country that recently began offering Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards or coupon books in an effort to lure customers back to brick-and-mortar stores.
An RFID card uses radio frequency technology and is embedded with a computer chip. Shoppers present the card at a store's checkout register, and it automatically debits the appropriate amount from their account.
Shoppers can now be presented with offers while they are making purchases online and when they are checking out in physical stores. Quite often, consumers may think that they're only receiving discounts online, but actually some of the best deals can be found in your local store.
Conclusion
The Internet is a powerful tool for consumers and businesses alike, but this power needs to be used wisely. It's important for businesses to realize that the Internet is not the only place where customers can find their product or service.
Companies will also need to build on their existing relationships by offering competitive prices and quality products in order to attract consumers who are shopping around. These shoppers will not only have more options available online, but they're also likely to be more willing to spend time with a company because they've already been present in a physical location.
Marketers should also realize that Internet shoppers are likely to shop around when it comes time to make a purchase.