Increased Web Site Traffic Via Web 2.0, as 'Paid Search' Takes a Mauling

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 22, 2009 -- London, England. (PRWeb) May 22nd 2009:-

Increased web site traffic and improved conversion rate are the 'golden fleece' for online marketers when times are good, and businesses throw vast sums of money at paid advertising that shows a healthy and consistent Return on Investment. But in the current climate, with corporate not to mention personal budgets taking such a hit, it's no wonder that Web 2.0 or Social Media is exploding in popularity among home business owners and multinationals alike. Reaching target audiences without resorting to expensive advertising is now both doable and highly desirable, with sites such as http://Web20Gold.com offering a blueprint of how to harness the power of Web 2.0.

Recent statistics from Hitwise are very significant: In the four weeks preceding May 9th 2009, 7.25% of search engine traffic across all categories was from paid clicks - eg, the listings you see on the right hand side of Google results, as well as other paid methods. This figure compares with 9.84% during the exact same period in 2008. This represents a 26% drop in the share of paid clicks. The only one of the main 17 categories to buck this trend is 'Education'.

Three examples of categories that have mirrored this trend are:-

Travel Agencies - paid clicks down 25% in the year
Retail 500 - " " down 20%
Insurance - " " down 22%

This doesn't necessarily mean the 'death knell' of Pay per click, banner or e-zine advertising. But it does mean that marketers who don't embrace Web 2.0 techniques and tools for increased web site traffic will be competing at a financial disadvantage against those who do. Web 2.0 doesn't have to cost anything at all, and it 'speaks' to an audience in a way that breaks down the natural sales resistance that always accompanies paid, 'above the line' advertising.

There has also been a shift in the type of customers who can be accessed online. Purchasing online is no longer 'geek-only' territory, and Web 20 sites are easy to use and intuitive - as demanded by this ever-broadening audience.

The major search engines have gobbled up several of the Web 2.0 players, knowing that the 'paid search' model is bound to suffer for a while. For example, the founder of de.icio. us, Joshua Schachter, built the site from nothing and sold it two years later to Yahoo! for over $15 million. (Source http://www.Web20Gold.com).

Likewise, Google snapped up YouTube as an investment in the exponentially increased web site traffic it enjoys with the advent of 'vlogging' (blogging by video), humourous clips and using short 'to camera' pieces to be used on squeeze pages - inviting visitors into autoresponder mailing campaigns in return for free quality content.

It's not just the search engines who are seizing the moment with Web 2.0 strategy. Major traditional offline retailers are adopting Web20 techniques to achieve increased web site traffic 'under the radar. Both Wal-Mart and General Mills in the US are now using bloggers to use their products and blog about them on Social Media sites.

A recent study by Forrester Research on behalf of Shop.com has found that companies whose current growth is exceeding their targets are significantly more likely to be deploying Web 2.0 strategies than their less successful counterparts. Also, among the retailers that planned to cut their online marketing business this year, only 24% are planning to cut their Web 2.0 activity.

If the measurability of Paid Search is too much to resist, that shouldn't mean spurning the enormous opportunity of Web 2.0 marketing - as taught within sites such as http://www.Web20Gold.com. With free marketing, which nearly all Web 2.0 is, profits fall straight to the bottom line. Returns from Paid Search are by definition 'net returns'.

So if global players are chasing increased web site traffic by throwing themselves into Blogging, Social Bookmarking, Facebook, Twitter and all the other vehicles which will surely follow, then everyone down to the small home business owner ought to feel confident that studying and deploying Web 2.0 strategies could be their best option in these troubled times.

More information can be found online at http://www.Web20Gold.com

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