donni: July 2008 Archives

Utilizing online marketing as a strategy in boosting sales performance is not as simple as one might think. The accessibility of internet tools used in website optimization makes online marketing highly competitive and dynamic. Hence, if one is engaged in endorsing products and services in the web, then, keeping oneself updated with the latest tools and techniques is a must.

An effective online marketing campaign does not solely rely on a single SEO campaign, rather, it calls for an arsenal of various optimization techniques and link building strategies in order to be at the edge of the competition. To shed light on this matter, here are general tips to insure quality traffic and, eventually, sales increase in every online marketing campaign:

1.)    A flourishing Internet marketing campaign may drive organic traffic to web pages, but it may also include the use of paid advertising on search engines and other pages. This may imply an additional cost on the part of the company but it can definitely maximize the optimization process.

2.)    Creating excellent web pages to engage and persuade visitors is an optimization in itself. The functionality and interactivity of a site keep viewers attention on the page which increases the possibility of an eventual service and product purchase. This would further mean that the site must be catchy without sacrificing its content and interactive features.

3.)    Resolve technical problems that may block search engines from crawling and indexing those sites. Successful websites are SEO-friendly. This would mean a number of considerations like avoiding animations based on java, writing informative content, an organized sitemap planning, and an appropriate IP address, among others.

4.)    Create "analytics" programs in order for site owners to measure their successes, and to enhance the site's conversion rate. Evaluating an optimized website is necessary as this will inform the owners and the developers on the site's strengths and weaknesses, making them prepared for the next SEO and link building campaign.

Seomoz.org, a top-ranked SEO blog site, reports that: "Search marketers, in a twist of parody, receive only the slightest share of traffic from search engines." This would mean that their major sources of traffic are inbound links from other websites.

Undeniably, SEO can generate returns on investment. However, search engines are not compensated for organic search traffic, their algorithms are constantly reconfigured, and there is no assurance of continuous referrals. Due to this uncertainty, businesses that rely greatly on search engine traffic can bear major losses if search engines ceased to send visitors. Hence, it is believed to be a wise business practice for website operators to free themselves from total reliance on search engine traffic and venture on discovering fresh means to significantly drive traffic to their websites.

As Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) continues to thrive in the Philippines, various sectors become increasingly responsive to the needs of this industry. In fact, the education sector and the government are adopting measures to support Philippine outsourcing by developing initiatives and design curriculums meant to equip graduates with sufficient competencies essential for the continued success of the industry.

          A case in point is the creation of a talent working-group meant to offer insights on labor and employment market trends, issues and directions, and plays "applicants' advocate" role during the design and testing of talents. CHED, DepEd, TESDA, and the umbrella association of outsourcing firms in the country, BPA/P (Business Processing Association of the Philippines) spearhead the campaign in preparing students to be ready for possible employment once they graduate.

        Aside from these, there are also partnerships between companies and universities in the pursuit of modernizing the curriculum to be more industry relevant. One school in Makati is currently strengthening its use of the English language by transforming the call center English program into a required English conversation class. Another school responded by way of providing a call center elective to graduating students wherein those who pass are guaranteed with call center jobs after graduation.

The various government agencies and educational institutions initiated the said activities the moment they found out that graduates are actually not equipped enough for them to qualify for employment in BPOs. Research studies show that out of the 400,000 fresh college graduates every year, only a quarter are proficient in the command of the English language, and are eligible to work in call centers and various BPOs. There is a glaring discrepancy between the jobs the industry can provide and the pool of workforce produced every year by college institutions. The industry can provide 600,000 new jobs by 2010. This can never be filled up by the few qualified graduates at hand.

For the mean time, various efforts are being adopted in order to improve the employability of graduates. The outsourcing industry provides a remarkable number of opportunities. Therefore, it is worthwhile to know that the government and the concerned sectors are finding ways in order to meet the said demand. After all, those efforts are for the benefit of all; on the part of the firms who are seeking assistance, and on the side of a nation where unemployment remains a pressing issue.