Microsoft-Yahoo - Search Ads & SEO

Would Microsoft-Yahoo! Mean More Competition?

FEBRUARY 5, 2008

On the surface, Microsoft's $44 billion offer to acquire Yahoo! seems to simplify the US search market share race.

The combined firm would be second in online ad revenues to No.1 Google, and ahead of AOL. In 2007, Google rang up nearly $6 billion, while Yahoo! had about $3.4 billion and MSN had $1.4 billion net revenues.

The top four portals totaled $12.2 billion in online ad revenue for the year.
eMarketer's projections put this at more than half of the $21.4 billion market total.

For search ads in particular, Microsoft-Yahoo! would have roughly 18% market share of the search-based ad market, compared with 75% for Google, according to Sandeep Aggarwal, analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., as cited in a Wired article.

eMarketer put search advertising spending at more than $8.6 billion in 2007.

Read more in full article from eMarketer: Click Here

Regardless of the outcome no one can argue that even with Microsoft and Yahoo losing share 30% of the search market is nothing to frown about. Google's 65% of the search market drives much of the SEO (Search Engine Optimzation) and online advertising. According to eMarketer search ads will comprise 40% of the online advertising market for the next several years. Moreover, online advertising has been a bright spot of growth in an otherwise lackluster ad market.

How does this effect you? This doesn't mean run out and empty your marketing budget, but if you haven't yet thought about marketing your business online there is no better time to get your feet wet!

Gas Prices & Internet Shoppping

Gas Prices Affect Consumer Behavior!

Forty-nine percent of US consumers are reducing their spending to compensate for rising gas prices, according to the Center for Media Research and Nielsen Research. The article reports 70% of consumers are combining shopping trips and errands, 41% are eating out less and 39% are staying home more often.

“Our research shows a jump in consumers shopping on the Internet as a way to deal with high gas prices…a wake-up call for manufacturers and retailers alike to step up their ‘direct-to-consumer’ efforts to utilize the Internet to communicate directly with consumers in 2008…”

Now more than ever consumers are looking to the Internet as a convenient, economical alternative to using fuel. What does this mean for the small to medium size business? You can earn customers and generate online sales with an e-commerce website.

Learn what questions to ask your web developer before getting started in the book, "Website 411: Business Survival in an Internet Economy" by Tom Elliott or call WebDrafter.com today for a free consulation.

WeDrafter.com Wins World Wide Web Award: Gold Award 2008

The Gold Award recognizes clean and organized design, user friendliness, quality content and informative information for website visitors.

WebDrafter.com, Incorporated has won the World Wide Web Awards Gold Award. The World Wide Web Awards is dedicated to recognizing website design excellence. To qualify for a gold award, a website must have, “…at least 95 percent of original content and creativity and provide outstanding design and layout of website. Its content is something that will interest any and all visitors who visit their site.”

The WebDrafter.com website has been recently updated to streamline its navigation, create a more intuitive interface, and add more information to educate site visitors about its services.

WebDrafter’s consistent adherence to high design character, combined with an unwavering focus on customer satisfaction contributed to their meeting the strict standards of excellence for this award. The award-winning ethics exemplified by this company are represented in the book, Website 411: Business Survival in an Internet Economy (ISBN 0-7414-4455-0 available through Amazon.com). WebDrafter.com was previously the recipient of the 2007 World Wide Web Silver Award. A leading Web solution provider, WebDrafter is also a member of the International Webmasters Association, HTML Writers Guild, and remains a member of the Better Business Bureau Reliability program with a spotless record. For more information or to inquire about Website design, Search Engine Optimization and Marketing (SEO / SEM), and ecommerce solutions, call 1-866-421-3723 or visit www.WebDrafter.com online today.

Online Internet Purchases Increasing

According to The Nielsen Company, more than 85% of the world’s online population has used the Internet to make a purchase. That’s a 40% increase over the past two years.

Nielsen reports that globally, more than half of Internet users have made purchases online in the past month.

Nielsen’s International President Jonathan Carson said, “The Internet is no longer a niche technology—it is mass media and an utterly integral part of modern life. Almost no aspect of life remains untouched by online media. As our lives become more fractured and cluttered, it isn’t surprising that consumers turn to the unrivaled convenience of the Internet when it comes to researching and buying products.”

Nielsen’s research further proves that the Internet opens a literal world of possibilities for business owners looking to expand their market. As a business owner that equates to the possiblity of 875 million pairs of eyes searching for your site…you can’t get that kind of exposure anywhere but the Internet!

Not sure if you are ready to advertise or do business online? Learn more by reading newly published book "Website 411: Business Survival in an Internet Economy" by Tom Elliott available online at www.website411book.com.

Website Redesign for Galler Law by WebDrafter.com

WebDrafter.com announces the revamped website for Galler Law Firm in Atlanta GA. Galler Law Firm focuses on Bankruptcy, Personal Injury & Workers Compensation. Visit www.gallerlaw.com, www.georgiabankruptcyattorney.net or www.atlanta-bankruptcy-attorney.blogspot.com.