B2B Web Strategy Blog - eMagine

The true state of B2B Search Engine Marketing

October 24th, 2007 Posted by: Bill Gadless

We’ve recently taken a lot of interest in determining the viability of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click Marketing (PPC) among B2B and technology marketers.

See, there seems to be a great disparity between the amount of interest marketers have in search engine marketing and the amount of effort or budget being applied to it.

I recently had an opportunity to speak at a large business expo held in Hartford, CT.  My presentation was “B2B Web Strategy”, which would encompass everything from SEO to PPC, web design, usability, lead generation, e-mail marketing, analytics and more.  I learned within minutes that the SEO/PPC portion of this presentation was all anyone cared about.  I barely mentioned the acronyms before hands were raising and the questions begun.  The interest in these topics by the “typical” marketer (i.e. not one who has attended multiple Search Engine Strategies conferences, subscribes to and reads every MarketingSherpa study, etc.) is astounding. 

In B2B, we still see the kind of curiosity and lack of basic understanding regarding Search Engine Marketing that we did when we started talking about the subject 6-7 years ago.  In short, everyone’s intrigued; but very few are yet investing much of their budget with the help of a professional SEO firm.

According to MarketingSherpa Search Marketing Benchmark Guide 2008, “Small B-to-B marketing organizations are spending a bit more than one-fifth of their (marketing) budgets online, with one-third of that going to paid search and less than 10% of it going to SEO”

To further substantiate the fact that small B2B marketers have still not “bought in” to outsourcing SEO and PPC, eMagine recently conducted a poll during a Search Engine Marketing webinar we held.  Although the number of participants is relatively small (roughly 50), the results were compelling. 

• 13% have outsourced SEO to date
• 15% have outsourced PPC to date

However, when participants were asked why they felt they’ve yet to find success with SEO or PPC, “lack of budget” was not as common of an answer as:

• Lack of metrics (35% of participants)
• Poor strategy (30% of participants)

The runners-up were:

• Not enough budget (20%)
• Just not an appropriate marketing tactic for their business (10%)
• Lack of senior management buy-in (5%)

The lack of attention SEO and PPC are receiving from B2B marketers is troubling.  Searchers are typically exceptional prospects, often times less than 30 days out from making a buying decision (even for products or services worth tens of thousands of dollars). 

So, why are B2B marketers not yet on board?  And what can be done to show them the money? 

Stay tuned…

Entry Filed under: B2B Web Strategy, Driving Traffic, PPC