2012 On-Line Marketing Survey Results

From 181 Respondents in Northeast & North-Central Arkansas

In early December 2012 subscribers to the ASU SBTDC Constant Contact Email list received a survey consisting of: 15 Questions about their use of Online Marketing

Tools 4 Questions about the respondent’s demographics 1 Question to determine location of business.

In all 181 individuals responded to the survey Data used to determine appropriate marketing

related workshops for 2013

Online Marketing Survey 2012

3 Questions were related to Local Search Tools (whether had claimed Google Places, updated their Google Places or were subscribed to review sites)

2 Questions related to Online Brand Reputation Management (had Googled business, had Alerts in place)

5 Questions related to Websites (knew what keywords were, understood SEO, could manage their website, etc.)

4 Questions related to Social Media and other Online marketing tools (how to use social media, whether business had a blog, whether business used Email )

Survey Topics

Finally the last question was:“Whether they had a WRITTEN Marketing Plan”

Demographic questions were intended to be used to cross reference to determine if there was any correlation between responses and certain demographic factors…unfortunately questions were not set up in Constant Contact Survey tool correctly and cannot perform correlation review

Error with Demographics

24.3%

28.1%

38.1%

9.3%

YES NODon't Know How Not Applicable

Have YOU Claimed Google Places for Local Search?

Follow On Questions Local Search

I Update Google Places Page Regularly

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

23.4%

32.9%

36.3%

11.1%

YES

I Have Claimed my Business on Relevant

Review Sites

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

18.2%

35.3%35.3%

9.3%

YES

Additional workshops about Local Search, Claiming Local Sites, etc. should include a section on not just “Googling yourself” but what to do once you are there!

• See what websites appear on the search:• Follow them to see what is

said,• See if Correct,• How to Correct Incorrect

sites.

I have “Googled” myself, my business, my competitors AND followed links to any websites that mention me or my business

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%

64.0%

28.1%

3.3%

2.2%

Does Not Apply Don't Know HowNO YES

Relatively few small businesses in the survey are aware of these free tools, how to set them up, or what to do with them.

Key piece to include in either:

Local Search workshops,

Website Marketing and Design

A special workshop on Google Tools

I use Google Alerts

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

18.7%

45.8%

29.8%

3.3% 2.2%

YES NODon't Know How Does Not ApplyNo Response

49.1%

28.7%

8.2%

12.7%1.1%

Have a Website THAT I Can Update Myself

YES NO Don't Know HowDon't Have Website No Response

Website Information

More on Website Management

I Own my URL I Know all PasswordsI Know My Hosting

Company

50.8%

23.2%

8.8%

16.5%

YES NO don’t Know HowDon't Have Website

I Know How to Add New Content to my Website

and Do So Regularly

53.0%

22.6%

9.3%

14.3%

YES NODon’t Know How Don’t Have Website

Basic SEO KnowledgeI Know KEYWORD Phrases potential customers use

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%40.3%

35.9%

18.2%

4.4%

1.1%

YES NODon't Know How Does Not Apply

Understand SEO and Optimization

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

29.2%

32.0%

25.9%

11.6%

YESNODon't Know Howdon’t' Have Website

May indicate opportunity to offer seminars on fundamentals of blogging or at least why blogging should be part of the overall marketing mix

I Have a Blog on my website and understand HOW TO use it to connect with Customers

17.6%

49.7%

8.2%

23.2%

1.1%

YES NOWhat is Blog? Don't Have a BlogNo Response

Continued need to provide workshops on fundamentals of Email marketing as part of overall online marketing strategy

I use EMAIL Marketing with an Email Marketing Service

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

24.3%

56.9%

10.4%7.1% 1.1%

YES NODon't Know How Don't Use EmailNo Response

61.3%

24.3%

6.0%7.7%

YES NO Don't Know How Don't Use Social

I Use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.)

I know the platforms preferred by Target Market

Respondents overall were more likely to answer “YES” to survey questions concerning social media which may mean:

1. Less emphasis needed on basics,

2. Opportunity to provide “advanced” social media workshops, especially those that center on Content Creation, Tools, Analytics, etc.

Social Media Skill Set

51.9%

25.4%

16.5%

4.9%

YES

NO

Don't Know What Skills I Need

Don't Use Social Media

I have the necessary SKILLS to use social media platforms efficiently (Tools, Analytics, etc.)

In a recent online survey 78% of small business owners said Good Marketing was CRITICAL to success… yet… in our survey of 181 area businesses..73%

had NO PLAN!

I have a WRITTEN Marketing Plan that helps me execute my Online Marketing Strategies

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

22.0%

62.4%

11.0% 3.8%

YESNODon't Know HowDon't Use Online Marketing

MALE 75 or 41.4%

FEMALE 96 OR 53%

Prefered not to respond 10 or 5.4%

Gender of Respondents

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

524

4553

3511

8

no reponse65 or older 55-6445-5435-4425-3418-24Under 18

Age Range of Respondents