Two new studies have sparked interest within the world of search engine marketing this week. The first comes from Nielsen and shows that consumer trust in online advertising is on the rise; the second was conducted by Google and Ipsos and shows how that trust translates into calls, and how calls translate into sales.
Ever since it first developed, the internet has had to compete with other media to win the trust of users. Initially people who put a lot of trust in adverts they saw on television or in magazines were suspicious of the new medium; it has taken time for this to change, with trust growing as the internet has come to feel like a normal part of life. Now the new survey shows that 48% of users trust the adverts they see in search engine results, with trust in adverts on top-branded websites as high as 69%. This makes internet advertising the second most likely way to win customers, outdone only by word of mouth recommendations from people’s friends and families.
The study was based on a poll of 29,000 internet users in 58 countries. It also shows that 42% of users trust the banner ads they see online and that trust in ads on mobile devices is increasing.
This latter piece of information is all the more important in light of the Google survey, which looked at 3,000 mobile device users who recently bought goods or services online. It suggests that an impressive 70% use the click to call buttons in its search results, with 61% ready to buy. Figures varied across different business categories, with the best results being in local services.
In addition, one-third of survey participants said that if no phone number is present in an advert they feel frustrated and are likely to switch to another brand. Overall, the message to advertisers is clear –failure to include a phone number costs business. It is particularly important for businesses dependent on local trade to make sure that their numbers are available.
Further to this, the survey shows that a well-developed internet marketing campaign is now the best investment the average business can make if it wants to reach out to customers – better than anything in the press, on radio or on television. To find out more about how to develop a successful campaign for your business, contact Xcellimark at (888) 318-3950 ext.211.
