Web Visibility

Utilizing the strengths of the Web in your marketing and publicity has never been easier, and at the same time has never been so challenging. The whole online marketplace has continued to change at a rapid rate into the new century. In this increasingly crowded global market place achieving visibility among your target market is obviously of huge importance. Evidence of the shifting business environment can be seen all around, for example:

The interconnectivity which originally provided a new dimension to the search for information now provides the framework for much greater and faster interactivity. In the mainstream media such as TV, interactivity, viewer engagement, and viewer loyalty are all connected make up a part of many prime-time entertainment shows such as the X-Factor. This need for ‘engagement’ is equally if not more necessary and attainable on the Web, since the Internet is essentially a less passive and more interactive medium.

The main players in the search engine world e.g. Google are taking account of and catering for their customer needs and behaviour in their search engine technology. Delivering fast, relevant, important, and up to date search engine results are at the heart of many of Google’s recent innovations e.g. Google Caffeine, Google Instant, Google Instant Preview, and Google “Petit Fours” links. Google for example appears to be aiming to become a highly advanced real time search engine that can also tailor its results to individual needs e.g. where the individual is searching from.

Web users are interacting much more immediately, frequently and easily with each other through a combination of means including advanced mobile devices, and extensive use of social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. As a result of people becoming more engaged with these platforms as part of their normal online life, they are relying more on them to provide for more of their needs e.g. marketing, promotional activity of all kinds.

The online versions of the main UK newspapers appear to be finally making the switch to charging us to view online. Sales of physical newspapers have suffered anyway from alternative high quality news sources being freely and conveniently available on the Web e.g. the BBC website.

Implications for Visibility

SEO activity is still important for achieving visibility through natural search engine listings (and PPC). Ranking highly for your chosen key phrases in the search engine results still means lots of all important traffic. Finding and making the most of niche opportunities, and successfully finding ways to get high quality incoming links are vitally important.

Having web pages which are visible and accessible to, and easily navigated using mobile devices are increasingly important.

Producing lots of fresh, engaging and up to date content is also highly important for all aspects of your web presence e.g. your website(s) and your blog(s).

Having at the very least a foothold / presence in the main Social Networking platforms e.g. Twitter and Facebook can mean that you can not only track and get ideas from competitor activity, but you may be able to generate traffic and good links for your website, and promote your products and service through free interactive marketing. Facebook and Twitter have vast numbers of users, and there are many high quality niche opportunities and opportunities for target audience engagement within them e.g. joining Facebook groups or building up your own Facebook page.

Using a mix and a combination of online platforms and opportunities together can help engagement of your audience e.g. Web pages and blogs, YouTube Videos, social networking sites etc.

Generating your own online Public Relations can help the word to get out quickly and relatively cheaply. The web now provides a fast and direct route to opinion leaders who may publish information to large audiences interested in aspects of your products or services. The right newsworthy Press Release in the inbox of the right online blogger or journalist could generate traffic and high quality links at the very least, and some valuable, measurable and sometimes long lasting visibility on the web. Being able to pick up on current topics and trends can make visibility more likely e.g. by piggybacking a hot topic.