From the ROI Bookshelf

Shop Talk Q&A

Q: "Currently I'm putting a significant amount of cash into my Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing programs, but I'm wondering if a good search engine optimization program would give me a better ROI. Thoughts?"
— Catherine Kelly, director of e-commerce at Affliction Clothing

A: Great question. Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising programs, backed by sound strategy and analytics, are powerful digital marketing channels for driving traffic and sales. In your case — with a digital storefront, five flagship locations and multiple retailers that sell your products on and offline — balance is the key to maximizing return on investment.

SEO is important for both branding and sales, and it's changing rapidly with the integration of social media. While it may take longer initially to reach desired performance metrics with SEO vs. PPC, it's a critical component as the expectations and behaviors of consumers evolve. Today, comparison shopping, trend spotting and prepurcahse research happen online.

In fact, eMarketer reported that in the U.S., out of 162 people who will research products online this year, 82 percent of them will become online buyers. Couple a website that's optimized for search engines with optimized social media content, and you'll be capturing new customers in no time. SEO, when managed correctly, provides consistent results, which in the e-commerce sector often helps bridge the gap between seasonal highs and lows.

Studies show that as people researching products move closer to purchasing decisions, their search behavior changes. Search queries made up of branded terms indicate purchase intent — which is where a strong PPC campaign, coupled with well-optimized landing pages, can deliver tremendous impact to your bottom line.

As a popular consumer brand, using paid search will deliver the immediacy that you're looking for. In addition, it offers precision targeting, which allows you to reach out to niche consumer groups and drive sales efficiently. It's also one of the most efficient ways to deliver time-sensitive offers.

Incorporating SEO into your strategy will help drive more awareness and traffic to your products, convert a browsing audience into buyers, and maximize ROI. — Lisa Wehr (info@oneupweb.com, @LisaWehr) is CEO and founder of Oneupweb, a digital marketing agency.

For an interesting look at the inner workings of the customer service industry, try Emily Yellin's "Your Call Is (not that) Important to Us," which takes readers into the underbelly of the customer service world to get the skinny on the estimated 43 billion customer service calls made each year. Her verdict? At most companies, "customer service is not treated as an afterthought or necessary evil. The call center is viewed as a strategic information hub and vital cultural pacesetter for the company." — Melissa Campanelli

Shop Talk: From the ROI Bookshelf