Search Engine Optimisation and the Importance of Google

Our mission is to help UK SME  businesses grow...after all we are an SME business ourselves!

The advent of Google is transforming the way businesses buy from one another. A few years ago a client of ours was telling us about a problem they had with their fridge at home. It was a built in unit and the bottom parcel tray broke. Our client was not too happy about the prospect of replacing the unit (cost as well as removing the existing unit). They happened to notice a long number on the bottom; they opened up Google; typed in the number and the make of the fridge and, low and behold, there was a company in Devon that stocked such a part. After parting with £50 (yes £50!) for a piece of plastic; their problem had been solved.

What is the lesson of this story. For businesses that provide a specialist niche product; traditional forms of marketing just do not work. How can you be sure that the leaflet you send out, the advert you place, will find a decision maker, with a budget who wants to buy something from you? Nigh on impossible.

The point of the story above is that the company down in Devon did not know about my client, they did not know he needed to make a purchase; the only time they knew about it was when the client made their purchasing decision and was looking for a company to provide the service...and this was all done via Google.

One of our existing clients is actively pursuing a Search Engine Optimisation Strategy (sometimes called SEO; which is 'business speech' for making sure they appear on the first page of Google for their defined keywords!) and is starting to pay dividends.

Although channels4profit do not proclaim to be experts in SEO; there are a number of basic rules that company's need to follow. For detail on the do's and don'ts please either refer to your web site provider or, if still unsure; please contact us about Search Engine Optimisation. However one thing we have learned (and has certainly reaped benefits for the client concerned) is the importance of the web site address (again this really applies for companies that provide a niche product/service in to niche markets). In February 2008, channels4profit registered www.zcorpprinters.co.uk on behalf of Fripp Design Limited. Within a month, www.zcorpprinters.co.uk was on page 1 of Google based on keyword searches such as '3D Colour Printer'. channels4profit has a number of other domains available should a client require it.