Search engine marketing 'is an important tool in the recession'

11:57 2nd April 2009

Firms could find that employing effective search engine marketing strategies during the recession could help them perform better, it has been suggested.

According to Internet Retailer, paid search and natural search optimisation are being utilised by a number of companies.

Some 41.9 per cent of retailers responded to a survey by saying that paid search advertising has outperformed all other forms of marketing.

Daniel Yonts, president of internet marketing firm PayingAttention.net, said: "This recession has forced many retailers to be more efficient with search and its integration with other online activities.

"This provides a partial explanation of why 42 per cent say they're getting better results with paid search."

A further 35.6 per cent said paid searches are at least performing as well as they did before September 2008.

Mr Yonts said this could be seen as a victory in the current economic climate.

The survey also found that more retailers are opting to invest in search engine optimisation (SEO) to achieve better natural search results.

More than 55 per cent said they will be spending more on SEO, while 35 per cent claimed they would keep it the same.

This comes after Kevin Gibbons, director of search at SEOptimise, said companies who raise their online profile on search engines could lure customers looking for a bargain, reports E-Consultancy.