I was just reading a recent research article on the idea that nearly 80% of adults have purchased something online [pdf of report] in the last 6 months. I at first questioned the idea that I was in the group of people they refer to, no not because I am not adult, although that has been questioned on occasion, but because I actually rarely purchase anything that is not right at my fingertips at the local grocery or superstore. Yes, I am that Walmart, Costco or other stores’ dream. Then I thought of a recent purchase I made online for a product that I actually went out did some research and finally found. I too am in that 80% of online consumers.
How did I go about researching and buying the product? I went to the same place every consumer goes, I went to Google. Like I have been saying from the beginning and telling all of our clients, “We live in a Google World.” We don’t research a purchase, find our way across town, or order Chinese food without first consulting Google.
Where are you in the Google world? If I wanted to find you, are your services or products findable? If not your business is doomed. Your company will be on the side of that milk carton and the world will not know where you are. You will be one of a million other businesses online but nowhere to be found.
Social Media and the use of those tools can make you findable. It can allow the search engines like Google to seek you out and make you available to their customers, the people typing their queries into that little box hoping to find the perfect widget your company sells or wanting to research and find the company that can provide them with the service that can solve their problem. My bloggers understand the importance of this concept and if you own a business you should be on top of the notion that unless you are findable, your business is dead.
The product I searched for and purchased? An on-the-counter stainless steel compost container, with charcoal filters. A $40 purchase.
[Photo via Striatic]
[Research Paper via Nielsen-Online]
