For any organisation now, SEO (search engine optimisation) and a very strong web presence is nearly 60% of the battle to securing business.

When a potential client hears about you or finds your website on a search engine they need to immediately know what you do, what services you offer, if you are a reasonable price and your terms of sale, without trawling your website for a small link to your prices, mission statement etc.. A functional, easy to navigate, and visually appealing website is a companies best asset in business currently.

Web users have varied trends and you as a business (as ever) need to be aware who your market are. Understanding their use of the web and what it is they search ’Google’ or any other search engine for, so you can be top of their search. In my experience users very rarely go for a service provider that has a ’home made’ website, and is willing to hold out until they find the reasurance they need from a professional looking website, even if it is slightly more expensive. There is an security in paying that little bit more. Few people pay base rate when looking for a product/service for fear of not receiving a high quality product/service

As technology changes enabling web users to search faster, from anywhere in the world, using mobile devises; keeping up with the internet will only get harder and more costly. The desision to not have a website is not an option most if not all companies anymore, they simply need a presence and it has to project a professional, dynamic, forward thinking company at it’s heart.

The other 40% of advertising and marketing, is profile raising (Internet viral ads,flyers strategically placed in business hangouts), networking groups, associations and affiliations and possibly awards recognition. Nothing better than saying we beat oposition and are now number 1 in our field!

That is my take on current thinking in advertising and marketing, it may be simplified somewhat but it seems to be the case.