As the Economy Slows, Click Optimize Grows

Jan. 9, 2009 - PRLog -- On November 28, 2008 the National Bureau of Economic Research confirmed what many economists had been saying since late 2007: The United States is in a recession that had begun in December 2007 when economic activity had peaked following a period of growth that had started in November 2001. This fact has forced companies to closely assess their budgets and find ways to stretch marketing dollars diminished by decreasing revenue. Click Optimize has worked hand in hand with clients throughout the Southeast over the past year to analyze their marketing strategies and formulate plans to increase their return on investment.

Click Optimize designed 42 Websites in 2008. This was approximately a 50% increase over last year. Thousands of companies have yet to take the initial step onto the Web, but with barriers to entry dropping every year, Click Optimize sees growth continuing in this service area. One problem with the volume of sites being created daily is finding a way to help a Web destination stand out from the crowd.

Progressive Plumbing and Piping distinguished itself from competitors by working with Click Optimize to insure that its name was prominently featured in various online directories and increased its standings in organic searches through sites like Google and Yahoo. Search engine marketing proved to be a powerful solution for Progressive Plumbing and Piping and led to a 334% increase in visits to its site. “By utilizing the services of Click Optimize, we continued to see growth through 2008 despite bleak economic predictions,” commented Progressive Plumbing and Piping General Manager Chad Woodall.  

Clients with established Web presences have forged into new areas such as Web video and social media. The continued popularity of sites like MySpace and YouTube combined with expanding services such as LinkedIn, Twitter, FriendFeed and Facebook have encouraged companies to seek out interactive Web 2.0 solutions. Twitter experienced 422% growth from August 1, 2007 through August 1, 2008, according to Adam Ostrow of Mashable.com. Ostrow also estimates that LinkedIn expanded its unique users to 10.8 million over the past year. InsideFacebook.com calculates that Facebook is growing by 600,000 - 700,000 users per day. “Compared to traditional media, social media actually engages consumers in dialogue,” notes Mike Jones, Web Operations Project Manager at Click Optimize. “By using social media as a marketing vehicle, advertisers not only get an unfiltered glimpse of consumer opinion in real time, but they also are able to build brand loyalty and cultivate new fans in a viral, quantifiable way.”

Looking ahead, Click Optimize owner Tim Payne sees growth opportunities in 2009 in the field of Internet Relationship Management. “As Web 2.0 and user-generated content continues to evolve, business owners must manage their online reputation just as diligently as they manage their offline reputation,” Payne said. Another important evolution is assisting customers in the process of content creation. This allows corporations the power to keep their social media assets fresh and relevant. It is an opportunity to steer the direction of a brand while keeping closely in touch with customers. Mobile media was in focus in 2008 with the launch of the iPhone 3G and other competitors like Samsung, Nokia and Asus making strides against Apple’s popular device. These new handhelds create an opportunity to reach a mobile consumer with information about products/services and establishes a need in 2009 for sites that are optimized for viewing on these new devices.

The importance of Internet marketing has been intensified given the decrease in effectiveness from traditional media and a sagging economy. The success of Click Optimize in 2008 has been tied to making each dollar work harder, and with forecasts showing a gloomy 2009, it is important to focus on innovation and maximizing efficiency in the coming year.

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Click Optimize is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based Internet marketing agency serving the Southeast United States. The business continues to move forward at a rapid pace in this highly evolving industry. Through a combination of client devotion, mix of skills and experience, all combined with the latest Internet technologies available, Click Optimize has become one of the premier Internet Marketing Agencies in the nation.