The Importance of Web-Based Marketing for Businesses in Today’s Environment

Today’s customers use search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing to learn about products or services prior to purchasing them. With a few clicks of the mouse, customers can gain enough information to make their final purchase decision. This trend is increasingly fast and customers expect every business to have a website. Research has shown that 95% of customers who use search engines only contact those businesses that are listed in the top 10. This means businesses that already have a website but have not utilized search engine optimization (SEO) to push their websites into top 10 ranking are losing an edge to their competitors. Imagine, without a website, how any business can stay competitive in today’s market.

In the past, just by looking through your windows, you could tell whether your local competitors were wooing away your customers. Nowadays, it is harder because many customers use Internet to compare products and services prior to making any purchases. With that being said, if you want to gain and retain customers, here are 5 things you need to make priorities in your business marketing campaign.

First, search for websites that provide products and services similar to your business to see how they present themselves online. Then select 2 to 3 of these websites that you like the most.

Second, request quotes from multiple web design firms and compare web design costs among different providers. Try not to go for the cheapest quote, but for the most reasonable one. Many times, this will land you at mid-range prices and that is what you need because it keeps you away from overcharged providers and under-performed snatchers. Also, make sure you ask all the potential providers whether they can custom-design your future website to have a unique look and good functions as the websites you like in part one above.

Third, make sure the web design company that you select will prepare a contract for you. The contract should state that you own the copyrights to your custom website design and includes everything they promised to you.

Fourth, make sure your selected provider agrees to coach you on how to manage your website after they build it. This will save you lots of money in the long run for the things that you can easily do on your own such as editing your website’s contents and pictures.

Fifth, find an Internet marketing firm that can help rank your business website on Google’s top 10 listing. SEO campaign is where you get the most return on your investment if done correctly.

New consumer requirements and rapid growth of online traffic are among the forces that signal the need for repositioning your business marketing strategies toward web-based. The five tips above are important steps to help you find a qualified web design firm and SEO provider to position your business professionally and effectively on the Internet.

Cotton is higher on USDA s/d report.

Cotton futures were steady ahead of today’s USDA supply/demand report. The report is slightly friendly to cotton prices in that USDA made small reduction to world ending stocks and to US ending stocks.

USDA reduced world beginning stocks by 450,000 bales on a revision to Turkey’s balance sheet. They increased world production by 70,000 bales on increases in Africa. Increased world consumption by 150,000 bales and reduced world ending stocks by 630,000 bales.

For the US, they left beginning stocks unchanged, reduced production to 17.26 million bales, down 190,000 bales. Left domestic use unchanged and increased exports to 11.8 million bales, up 200,000 bales. This reduced US ending stocks by 400,000 bales.

• The US Dollar Index is down 22 points at 80.25.
• Crude oil is up 67 cents at $86.23.
• January soybeans are up 5 cents at $14.79 ¾. The USDA report for soybeans was neutral.
• March corn is down 1 ½ cents at $7.28. The report for corn was slightly bearish.
• March wheat is down 7 ¾ cents at $8.41. Wheat’s report was bearish.

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Source: futuresknowledge.com