Well it seems everyone is after small business. Big companies are clamouring to target.. well… you guys! And it’s no wonder, as there are approximately 1.9 million small businesses in Australia, representing over 95 percent of all business.
In the space of a week, search engine giants Google and Yahoo! both announced search marketing initiatives directly targeted to Australian small business. It seems they are fighting it out for your attention, with the purpose of helping you create an effective online presence through search marketing techniques.
The case could not be clearer. It is time for small businesses to move with the times, innovate and utilise the enormous potential of the web. A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the vast number of small businesses who don’t have an online presence and got some great responses. I put the case to the small business community, that if you don’t move with the times… you will fall behind.
The feedback I received was mixed. While some were already in the online space and reaping the benefits, others were quite reluctant, believing that a lot of time and effort goes into creating an online presence, (not to mention money) and that they simply did not have the resources, and could not see the value in it. So they put it in the “too hard basket.”
Well Google and Yahoo! are making it easy for you. They want to help you to see the value in creating an effective online presence.
Yahoo! Search Marketing today announced a BIG BANG search marketing initiative for Australian small business offering a free three-month search engine advertising campaign, along with assigning a Yahoo! certified local specialist to help businesses set up and manage each campaign at no cost. It is designed to be simple and easy to execute for any small business. (You can read the full story here).
In a similar vein Google Australia have unveiled a free $75 search marketing campaign for small business. (Find out more).
Now it doesn’t matter who copied who here and who has the better offer. What is important is that Google and Yahoo! can see the value of investing in small business search marketing techniques, to target customers, drive sales and improve the bottom line. So, can you?
As entrepreneur and founder of Nudie, Tim Pethick said, you don’t have any excuse not to go online!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Will you be taking Google or Yahoo! up on their offers?
