Did you know that marketers in Canada will spend $164 million in 2005 on online advertising?
With Canada’s current online population at 18.4 million and expected to grow to 19.5 million in 2007, the opportunity for local businesses to really establish their online marketing efforts before their competition do has never been better.
The Internet has always been a powerful direct response tool. Search engines, email marketing, the growth of Yellow Pages directories have forged relationships with consumers that put content and product information right on their desktops.
However, with the proliferation of high-speed Internet access in Canada, the Internet is expected to be a great brand building tool – the one-two punch everyone thought it could be.
What really separates the Internet from other media experiences? The answer is; the consumer is in control and it is impossible for marketers to ignore that. The advertising industry is being held to greater levels of accountability and rightfully so. Gone are the days of placing ads in mediums and getting the slick sales presentation on why you ad did not work; it was not big enough, there was not enough information, in order for it to work you need to spend more. Although there is still plenty of responsibility for ads not working on the business owner, more than ever, account executives need to provide real data to substantiate their claims.
What is the opportunity for local businesses?
The fact that your competitors are still caught in the traditional world of newspapers and print directories is the opportunity. Imagine if your business was given the opportunity to have exclusivity of your product line or message in a local newspaper? If you were given exclusive access to 1/4 million consumers everyday in Calgary, without the clutter and fight with your competitors, how easy would it be generate more business?
This opportunity exists in Calgary today. The Internet in Calgary consists of little clutter, it is the largest of all the mass mediums, and is a golden opportunity to brand your message well before your competitors even know what is happening. The question to be asked; is my business ready the results it can bring?