Top 100 online findability 2008


Consumers spend more time online, searching for suppliers of services and products. The question is whether advertisers react effectively and if they are maximally findable for the target group. Search Engine Mediabureau Checkit has, like previous years, examined the online findability of the 100 largest advertisers (source: Nielsen Media Research).


Improvement findability of the larger advertisers

In 2008 64% of the advertisers is sufficiently findable on the internet. This is an increase of 8% in comparison to 2007 and of 32% in comparison to 2006. There is an upward trend in online findability. Despite the improvement in findability it is surprising to see that still 36% of the larger advertisers is insufficiently findability on the internet.

Findability score200620072008
80% or higher2%8%15%
50% or higher32%58%64%
lower than 50%68%42%36%

This article will provide the most important results of the online findability study of the 100 largest advertisers. The following aspects will be discussed:


Research set-up

For every organization and every branch we have examined and selected four pages on the most important user motives. For the largest advertisers from the 'Automotive' branch, for example, we have chosen pages about 'leasing' and 'used cars'. These pages were rated on their findability in search engines by using 11 findability criteria. This study provides the situation of the websites at a given moment in July 2008.

The scores of the 4 pages were weighed differently because for visitors as well as search engines the homepage is more important than a specific product page for instance. The weighing of the four pages is as follows:
1.Homepage45%
2.Product page (overview)25%
3.Specific product page15%
4.Press release page15%

The websites of the 100 largest advertisers were analyzed according to these 11 findability criteria:
1.Is a sitemap present on the homepage?
2.Are there different page titles per page?
3.Is there a meta tag description present?
4.Are meta tag keywords present?
5.Is the page built without frames?
6.Is a <h1>-tag used?
7.Is there sufficient content (more than 150 words) present?
8.Is the text on the page free of flash?
9.How many website pages have been indexed by Google?
10.What is the link popularity of the website at Yahoo!?
11What is the PageRank of the website?

The 11 findability criteria were selected from hundreds of variables which influence the online findability. The goal of this study is to provide an indication of the online findability of the 100 organizations.


Top 100 online findability 2008

In the schedule below the findability of the 100 largest advertisers (source: Nielsen Media Research) is reported. This year there are fourteen new organizations in the Nielsen top 100. The websites which have been studied this year show better results than last year: 64% of the organizations reach an online findability score of 50% or higher. 15% scores well (findability score of 80% or more).

Top 100 online findability 2008:
Nr?*AdvertiserHomepageBranch2007
score:		2008
score:		Difference
**
1100DSB Bankwww.dsbbank.nlFinancials91NEW
272Samsung Electronics Beneluxwww.samsung.com/nlConsumer Prod. (elektr.)5390 +37
322ABN AMRO Bankwww.abnamro.nlFinancials4988 +39
471Chellomediawww.film1.nlMedia87NEW
542Campina Nederlandwww.campina.nlFood & Beverages5686 +30
655Telfortwww.telfort.nlTelecom86NEW
72KPNwww.kpn.nlTelecom9586 -9
815Kruidvat Retailwww.kruidvat.nlRetail7684 +8
929Jambawww.jamba.nlTelecom9483 -11
1094Microsoftwww.microsoft.nlICT3883 +45
119Kraswww.kras.nlTravelling7682 +6
1291Kellogg's Nederlandwww.kelloggs.nlFood & Beverages82NEW
1348Min. van Verkeer & Waterstaat www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nlGovernment6081 +21
1495The Phone House Netherlandswww.phonehouse.nlRetail80NEW
1544Nederlandse Spoorwegenwww.ns.nlTransport6280 +18
1679ANWBwww.anwb.nlTransport6079 +19
1765Min.Binnenl.Zaken en Koninkr.www.minbzk.nlGovernment8579 -6
1862Essent Energie Verkoop Ned.www.essent.nlEnergy5376 +23
1939Nationale Postcode Loterijwww.postcodeloterij.nlGame of Chances8376 -7
2025Vodafonewww.vodafone.nlTelecom7876 -2
2161Nuonwww.nuon.nlEnergy5576 +21
2227T-Mobile Netherlandswww.t-mobile.nlTelecom9075 -15
2323Ministerie van Defensiewww.mindef.nlGovernment7874 -4
2436Sperwer Nationaalwww.plussupermarkt.nlSupermarkets7473 -1
2553Ziggowww.ziggo.nlICT71NEW
2670BCC Elektro-Speciaalzakenwww.bcc.nlConsumer Prod. (elektr.)5571 +16
2730LU General Biscuits Nederlandwww.liga.nlFood & Beverages2870 +42
2877Aldi Culemborgwww.aldi.nlSupermarkets1669 +53
2996Frisia Financieringenwww.frisia.nlFinancials69NEW
3054Fortis ASRwww.fortisbank.nlFinancials7068 -2
317Beiersdorfwww.nivea.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)2668 +42
3218Super de Boer (was Laurus)www.superdeboer.nlSupermarkets6568 +3
3341Postbankwww.postbank.nlFinancials6566 +1
3435Louwman & Parquiwww.toyota.nlAutomotive5766 +9
3586Monster Worldwide Ned.www.monsterboard.nlICT65NEW
3626Renault Nissan Nederlandwww.renault.nlAutomotive5165 +14
3778Eneco Energiewww.eneco.nlEnergy6665 -1
3882Becam/Becam Intermediairwww.becam.nlFinancials6965 -4
3975Lenen.nlwww.lenen.nlFinancials6964 -5
4033Douwe Egberts Nederlandwww.de.nlFood & Beverages5064 +14
4151Centraal Beheer Achmeawww.centraalbeheer.nlFinancials6064 +4
4297Sunweb Vakantieswww.sunweb.nlTravelling63NEW
4373Vroom & Dreesmannwww.vd.nlRetail4363 +20
4484St.Nationale Sporttotalisatorwww.lotto.nlGame of Chances6462 -2
4585Etoswww.etos.nlRetail7662 -14
4664UPC Nederlandwww.upc.nlTelecom4962 +13
476Albert Heijnwww.ah.nlSupermarkets7561 -14
4832Praxis Groepwww.praxis.nlDo-it-yourself3261 +29
4993Sanoma Uitgeverswww.libelle.nlPublisher6661 -5
5057Citroen Nederlandwww.citroen.nlAutomotive6260 -2
5111Rabobank Nederlandwww.rabobank.nlFinancials5559 +4
5267Philips Consumer Electronicswww.philips.nlConsumer Prod. (elektr.)58NEW
5334Tele2 Versatelwww.tele2.nlTelecom4558 +13
5450L'Oreal Divisie Luxe Prod.www.lancome.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)5057 +7
5574Hemawww.hema.nlRetail4757 +10
5637Pon's Automobielhandelwww.volkswagen.nlAutomotive4857 +9
5745ING Bankwww.ingbank.nlFinancials5957 -2
5869Robecowww.robeco.nlFinancials57NEW
5999PCM Landelijke Dagbladenwww.volkskrant.nlPublisher56NEW
6046Karwei Holland Nationaalwww.karwei.nlDo-it-yourself4650 +4
6181DaimlerChrysler Nederlandwww.mercedes.nlAutomotive7250 -22
6280C & A Nederlandwww.c-en-a.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)6950 -19
6313Lidl Nederlandwww.lidl.nlSupermarkets5150 -1
648Reckitt Benckiser Nederlandwww.veet.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)6449 -15
6528McDonald's Nederlandwww.mcdonalds.nlFood & Beverages5149 -2
6663Coty Beneluxwww.rimmellondon.comConsumer Prod. (H&C)49NEW
6787Seats & Sofaswww.seatsandsofas.nlRetail4848SAME
6883Holland Casinowww.hollandcasino.nlGame of Chances5147 -4
6910Mars Nederlandwww.mars.nlFood & Beverages2646 +20
7090Dirk van den Broekwww.dirkvandenbroek.nlSupermarkets6246 -16
7168Blokkerwww.blokker.nlRetail3646 +10
7216Schuitemawww.c1000.nlSupermarkets4944 -5
734Procter & Gamble Ned.www.dreft.infoConsumer Prod. (H&C)3844 +6
7440Peugeot Nederlandwww.peugeot.nlAutomotive4644 -2
755L'Oreal Nederlandwww.lorealparis.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)5143 -8
7689Ford Nederlandwww.ford.nlAutomotive4542 -3
7724Media Markt Saturn Nederlandwww.mediamarkt.nlConsumer Prod. (elektr.)6340 -23
781Unilever Foods Nederlandwww.bertolli.nlFood & Beverages4039 -1
7988Bayerwww.aleve.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)38NEW
8031Artiq Mobilewww.celldorado.nlTelecom4436 -8
813Unilever Home & Personal Carewww.andrelon.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)3335 +2
8212Gillette Groep Nederlandwww.braun.com/nlConsumer Prod. (elektr.)5933 -26
8317Gamma Nederlandwww.gamma.comDo-it-yourself4233 -9
8421Heineken Nederlandwww.heineken.nlFood & Beverages2832 +4
8519St.Expl.Ned.Staatsloterijwww.staatsloterij.nlGame of Chances5032 -18
8658H.J.Heinz Nederlandwww.roosvicee.nlFood & Beverages2432 +8
8792Belcompanywww.belcompany.nlRetail3331 -2
8849General Motors Nederlandwww.opel.nlAutomotive3028 -2
8947Oetker Nederlandwww.oetker.nlFood & Beverages3325 -8
9020Coca Cola Nederlandwww.cocacola.nlFood & Beverages2823 -5
9160Nestle Nederlandwww.nescafe.nlFood & Beverages2721 -6
9214Danone Nederlandwww.vitalinea.nlFood & Beverages1720 +3
9343Henkel Nederlandwww.juniorpowerstyling.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)4319 -24
9459Unilever Ice Creamwww.hertogijs.nlFood & Beverages2018 -2
9566Vrumonawww.pepsi.nlFood & Beverages1415 +1
9652Friesland Foodswww.dubbelfrisss.nlFood & Beverages6213 -49
9776Perfetti van Mellewww.klene.nlFood & Beverages13NEW
9838Sara Lee Household & Body Carewww.ambipur.nlConsumer Prod. (H&C)137 -6
9956Orange***
10098Casema Telecom***
* In this column are the positions of the organizations in reference to the media spend in 2007. Number 1 has the highest budget, number 100 the lowest.
** The difference in score in the Top 100 online findability between 2007 and 2008.
*** As well Orange as Casema Telecom do not exist in this form. Orange has become a part of T-Mobile (position 22); Casema Telecom has become Ziggo (position 25).


Media budget versus findability

What could be concluded in the previous years and still holds true today is that the spend media budget does not influence the findability of organizations. It is not the case that organizations which have a large media budget are necessarily better findable in search engines than organization with less media budget.


Press releases

From each organization 4 pages have been examined, including the press release page. A well-structered press release page is interesting for both users and search engines. This page should be regularly updated for it contains important words (keywords) and other (relevant) websites will link to this page.

Many advertisers miss important opportunities here. As much as 47% of the organizations do not have a press release page on their website. It can therefore be stated that there is insufficient attention for press release pages. It can be assumed that press releases interest the target audience and are relevant and topical. That is why it is advisable to include publication of press releases in an (online) marketing strategy.


Findability criteria

There are eleven variables which determined the position of the organizations in the Checkit Top 100 online findability. These criteria were selected from more than one hundred variables which could influence the findability of a website for search engines. This study provides an indication of the online findability.

1. Sitemap
The sitemap is a kind of table of contents of the website. Every subject is mentioned here so that visitors will not have to search long. It contains a logical table of contents and by creating a text link to the sitemap on the homepage it easy for search engines to index you link structure. This year, the number of websites in this study which applied this variable has risen to 54%.

2. Title
A separate title for each page which is representative for the content on the page. This will increase the value search engines attribute to the information. Result: your website will be ranked higher in the list of search results. This variable has a high score; as much as 93% of the larger advertisers provided a unique title per page.

3. Meta tag description
The meta tag description is a short description of the subject of a webpage with a number of relevant keywords included. When you add a well-chosen meta tag description to every page on your site it will increase the importance a search engine attaches to the keywords and improves the presentation in the search results. Unfortunately only 11% uses a meta tag description on all four pages.

4. Meta tag keywords
These are combinations of keywords which are used on the webpage. Merely 15% of the advertisers apply these keyword combinations

5. No frames
Avoid frames on your website; this will improve indexation by search engines of the information on the pages. Many advertisers have discovered this; 93% does not use frames on the four pages.

6. <h1> tags
Search engines value a page higher when the content contains headers such as <h1>-tags, if they contain relevant keywords. Only 12% of the advertisers uses headers on each of the four pages.

7. Minimally 150 words
Provide relevant content on each page and aim to write at least 150 words of qualitative, relevant information. This is applied by only 15% of the advertisers.

8. No Flash
Texts made in Flash are not or barely indexed by search engines. If Flash does not have a clear added value for your site it is advised not to use Flash. Movies and other interactive parts can be made in Flash as long as the text is not included. The study shows a large increase: 88% of the advertisers avoids the use of Flash.

9. Number of pages indexed
It is important that as many pages as possible can be indexed. You will increase the chance to be findable with those pages in the search results. There is room for much improvement in this area: maximally 1.000 pages have been indexed for 58% of the websites.

10. Link popularity
When you can convince many other sites (with relevant content!) to place a link to your site, the chance that visitors of that site click to your site will increase. Link popularity is also one of the factors with which search engines determine your position the in search results. The link popularity has improved: 81% has more than 1.000 links (Yahoo!).

11. PageRank
The PageRank is a measurement which Google uses to rate the popularity of your site compared to the popularity of other sites. A high PageRank means that many relevant websites have placed links to your website. This is an important indicator for search engines. On average the PageRank lies between four and six.


Conclusion

There is no doubt that the online findability of the largest advertisers in the Netherlands improves. In the past three years the number of organizations with an online findability score of more than 50% has risen to 64%.

In the trend analysis by Indenty (2008) one of the trends is the growing awareness with advertisers of the strategic role of search engine marketing within their organization. In the "Grote Marketing Enquête" 2008 (marketing inquiry) marketeers also state that they see the integration of online with offline and the combination of old and new media as their biggest challenge at this moment (Trendbox, 2008).

In de trendanalyse van Indenty (2008) wordt als een van de trends aangemerkt dat adverteerders zich steeds bewuster worden van de strategische rol van zoekmachinemarketing binnen hun organisatie. Ook in de Grote Marketing Enquête 2008 stellen marketeers dat zij de integratie van online en offline en de combinatie van oude en nieuwe media als de grootste uitdaging van dit moment zien (Trendbox, 2008).


Paul Aelen, one of the founders of Checkit, gives his view on the results of the Top 100 online findability 2008:
"The biggest challenge for the next few years will be integrating search engine marketing in the media mix. Especially for large advertisers a complete approach of different disciplines will be the central point. Search remains an essential link: (push)media investment creates online search behavior."


About this study

This study was conducted by Eline de Bruijn (Marketing employee Checkit) and Judith Nissen (Marketing communications advisor Checkit).


Use of text and images

The results of the Top 100 online findability are available on:
Text and images can be used only under the condition of mentioning: Checkit www.checkit.nl


Questions

For more information about the contents of the document or Checkit and the services we offer please contact Judith Nissen - (T: 024-359 37 70 or judith@checkit.nl).

Source: Search Engine Mediabureau Checkit





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