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Getting Buy-In for SEO

By Amanda Bastock, Senior Account Executive

As a marketer, you already know the value of digital marketing but sometimes the final decision is up to someone else.

Larger organizational structure typically means more departments and people you have to coordinate with to get the job done. Adding one more task to their plates may seem like a lot to ask of people who barely have time as it is. Proving value with high-level numbers and showing everyone how they can be the star is the first and foremost strategy. Here are some additional surefire tactics to getting buy-in for your Internet marketing campaign.

Getting Executive Buy-In: Show Me the Money!

• When preparing your 2011 budget, include the cost of online marketing efforts. Then, prepare high-level statistics that demonstrate your current market share, opportunity for growth, and what your competition is doing. Always tie this into revenue. For example, implementing SEO can increase traffic 15%, which means a possible $11,000 growth in revenue per month compared to last year. Total projected online e-commerce sales are expected to hit more than $191 billion in 2011, according to Forrester Research. Why shouldn't your company have a piece of that pie?

Brand Managers & Product Development: Sell More Products!

• Everyone looks good when sales are up. Encourage your Brand Managers and Product Development team that gaining online visibility will enhance sales and brand awareness. Again, everyone likes numbers, so show them the potential sales their products could reach! Forrester Research projects that up to 48% of 2011 in-store retail purchases will be Web-influenced. This means that people are researching and determining what they want to buy online before going to the store to purchase.

Business Development: Get More Leads!

• Sales is a challenging field. Internet marketing including SEO, PPC, email marketing, and video are all ways to attract qualified leads. Reduce cold calling and increase your sales with more qualified leads from customers who want to learn more about what your company has to offer. Conversion optimization can also help you qualify prospects and leads more quickly. Show them the money as well. Illustrate how implementing Internet marketing initiatives can bring in more leads for them to close, which makes everyone look good!

Always begin and end with numbers. Make sure everyone understands what Internet marketing efforts mean for the bottom line before explaining the SEO or PPC. Partnering with an Internet marketing firm that makes ROI a priority will only make your job easier. Eighty-four percent of Americans are accessing the Internet. Doesn't your company deserve a share in that opportunity?

Harness the true power of all your online marketing channels: contact Fathom today.