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Home | News | Research confirms effectiveness of SEO
Research confirms effectiveness of SEO
Thursday, 3 March 2005Sites that appear high in online search results can see dramatic increases in online traffic, a new survey claims, touting the benefits of search engine optimization (SEO).
The survey of 30 clients examined a variety of online retail sites across a range of industry sectors. It found that during the first month a site appeared on Google traffic increased five times from the previous month, while in the second month, traffic was nine times greater. Before optimization these sites were virtually invisible on Google searches, ranking far lower in search results and therefore much less likely to be visited by Google users. Almost all Google users only scan the first three pages of results, according to figures from Nielsen/NetRatings. A survey by the market research firm suggested that around 97 per cent of searchers use only the first 30 results, while around 40 per cent of shoppers use Google to locate stores and shop comparatively. The study also showed that the number of unique visitors tripled when a company moved up from page two to page one, and in the second month doubled again to more than six times the traffic it received before breaking the top ten. A correlating impact on sales has also been discovered, with firms on average reporting 42 per cent more traffic in the first month, and nearly double in the second month.
In one example, Eastwood, a niche seller of automotive refurbishing tools, saw online sales increase to 44 per cent of total sales within five years of revamping its website to be more search engine-friendly. The company had relatively low web traffic before search engine optimization and now estimates that some 13 per cent of its traffic comes from search engines, with a further 12 per cent from pay-per-click advertising. Currently, Eastwood utilizes 267 words or phrases related to auto refurbishing in Google's top ten, and 421 related keywords in the top 30 of all search engines
The survey of 30 clients examined a variety of online retail sites across a range of industry sectors. It found that during the first month a site appeared on Google traffic increased five times from the previous month, while in the second month, traffic was nine times greater. Before optimization these sites were virtually invisible on Google searches, ranking far lower in search results and therefore much less likely to be visited by Google users. Almost all Google users only scan the first three pages of results, according to figures from Nielsen/NetRatings. A survey by the market research firm suggested that around 97 per cent of searchers use only the first 30 results, while around 40 per cent of shoppers use Google to locate stores and shop comparatively. The study also showed that the number of unique visitors tripled when a company moved up from page two to page one, and in the second month doubled again to more than six times the traffic it received before breaking the top ten. A correlating impact on sales has also been discovered, with firms on average reporting 42 per cent more traffic in the first month, and nearly double in the second month.
In one example, Eastwood, a niche seller of automotive refurbishing tools, saw online sales increase to 44 per cent of total sales within five years of revamping its website to be more search engine-friendly. The company had relatively low web traffic before search engine optimization and now estimates that some 13 per cent of its traffic comes from search engines, with a further 12 per cent from pay-per-click advertising. Currently, Eastwood utilizes 267 words or phrases related to auto refurbishing in Google's top ten, and 421 related keywords in the top 30 of all search engines