Home  »  Checkit Onderzoek  »  Top 100 Online Vindbaarheid  » Top 100 online findability 2006

Top 100 online findability

Findability websites large advertisers leaves much to be desired

Search Engine Mediabureau Checkit has in cooperation with Tilburg University conducted research on the online findability for search engines of the 100 largest advertisers in the Netherlands: 68% of the websites cannot be easily found by search engines. An article about this study appeared in the April issue of the Dutch marketing magazine Tijdschrift voor Marketing.

It takes a while before marketing budgets follow a hype. In a difficult period of recession, online marketing has developed into a platform for interesting possibilities. Consumers spend 25% of their time online while only 3% of the media budget is spent on online marketing (source: IAB (.pdf). Search Engine Marketing has developed fast, following in the tracks of the popularity of search engines on the internet. From the National Search Engine Monitor study, which is conducted by Checkit and RM Interactive twice a year, shows that 98% of the internet users nowadays use a search engine and that 68% comes into contact with a new provider through search engines. Search is according to the European Interactive Advertising Association (.pdf) the most frequently used function on the internet and that is why a successful online campaign starts with 'being findable for the internet user'. Some even claim that you do not exist for the internet user when you cannot be found by search engines. Search Engine Marketing meets the needs of the marketers to reach their target group online. Search Engine Mediabureau Checkit has in cooperation with Tilburg University conducted research on the online findability for search engines of the 100 largest advertisers in the Netherlands.

The results are remarkable: no less than 68 of the 100 organizations achieved a findability score of less than 50%. It can be concluded that, on the basis of these results, a large part of the sites tested in this study are insufficiently optimized and not easy to find for search engines. Developing and applying an effective Search Engine Marketing strategy for a company could generate more qualitative visitors for these websites and, as a result, also increase sales.

Paul Aelen, Checkit's CCO: "There is much work for us to do. Organizations can improve tremendously, especially in the field of organic search marketing. This study creates awareness and makes organizations realize that they still have a long way to go. Our advice model, which has proven to be effective in practice, will ensure that websites will be found faster and better. Search Engine Ranking is a specialist field which makes transfer of knowledge vital."

The amount of media budget proves not to affect the findability of websites for search engines. It is not automatically the case that companies which have a large media budget will be better findable by search engines than companies which have a smaller media budget. However, the branch to which an organization belongs proved to be a better indicator.

The branch in which an organization is operating tends to be a better predictor of findability. The branch 'Finance' is a good example of this. The average media costs of organizations from this branch are relatively high and the branch had a high score in the findability test for search engines.

Just like 'Finance', the 'Food' branch showed a high average media budget but, in contrast to 'Finance', the findability for the branch was not good.

A possible explanation for the differences in branches is the difference in direct commercial dependence on the internet. The orientation and purchase of products occurs more often in the 'Finance' branch than in the 'Food' branch. It is remarkable to see that the branches 'Travel' and 'Retail', which achieve large online sales, have disappointing results in the Findability Top 100.

We have looked at the way the 100 largest advertisers, which have been incorporated in this study, deal with online publicity. The costs of an online publication are low and it will give your brand much positive publicity. Moreover, linking from a press release to your website will often generate more qualitative visitors. Both your link popularity as well as your findability will benefit from this. As much as 40% of the organizations tested appeared not to have a press release page and another 15% had very little information on this page. This is a missed opportunity.

There were 11 factors which determined the position in the Findability Top 100. The criteria applied in the study have been selected from more than one hundred variables which can influence a website's findability for search engines. This study gives a reliable indication of the findability by search engines. The 11 factors are presented below as useful tips. The images represent the test results.

Paul Aelen, Checkit's CCO: "The eleven tips we give here will contribute to the findability of your website but the underlying idea is that marketers need to realize that internet users do not surf the internet on a brand level but on a service level. Make sure that a search engine does not only index your site on your brand name but also on general and more specific product names such as flat screen tv or mp3 player."

The websites of the 100 largest advertisers (source: Nielsen Media Research) have been analyzed using 11 of the most important findability criteria. For every organization and every branch we have examined four pages of every website, including the homepage, which were selected on important user motives. For the largest advertisers from the 'Automotive' branch we have chosen pages about 'leasing' and 'used cars': two important pages that attract visitors. These pages have been judged on their findability. The results of the individual organizations based on the 11 findability criteria have been arranged from high to low and compared with the size of the media budget. This list eventually resulted in the Findability Top 100.

This study was conducted by Ralph Ruyters, master-student business communication & Digital Media at Tilburg University.

Editors are allowed to use the text and images of this page provided that the text: Checkit http://www.checkit.nl is mentioned.

Dit artikel is ook beschikbaar in het Nederlands: Top 100 online vindbaarheid.

Source: Search Engine Mediabureau Checkit

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•