Tag Archives: internet

The Name is the Game!

Do you have an advertiser who is infatuated with their digital “expert” or agency?
        
Here is a question you can suggest they ask their digital consultant or advisor, “What is the most common word internet searchers use to find your business?”
        
If they’re honest, the answer won’t be a keyword or other SEO tactic. They’ll have to admit that the most common word used for consumers to find them through search is their name or their business name.             
                 
Digital experts, at least honest digital experts, will tell you that 70% of people doing an online search will click on a name they are familiar with. Only 7% will click on the biggest or first ad they see, and 23% will click on both.
 
Your business name IS the most powerful tool they have when it comes to SEO!
        
You can bet that until they were asked, they did not tell your advertisers about the role of branding & creating pre-search name awareness in driving more online traffic.
        
There is no substitute for name recognition when consumers search for a business online. And there is no disputing the intrusive power of broadcast advertising in creating top-of-mind awareness and name recognition.
 
Digital and Social are big, no question about it, but they cannot create TOMA (Top-of-Mind Awareness) like intrusive broadcast media.
        
That’s not to say there is no value to some of the online tactics implemented to capture more leads. But if the advertiser’s marketing has been effective, nothing will trump name recognition and nothing builds name recognition like RADIO!
        
Our local TOMA (Top-of-Mind Awareness) Surveys consistently validate the power of broadcast advertising to create top-of-mind awareness and drive more online traffic, leads, and sales.  
        
Click here to arrange an online meeting to discuss how conducting a TOMA study in your market will increase your local revenues.

The Story of Bob’s Tire Store

TOMA/Branding is still King!

Let’s pretend that you walked out to your vehicle this morning and noticed you had a flat tire!  *$#*@!#&!! … And, it’s not just flat, it’s ruined!

If you’re like most people, your next step would be to go to the internet and search one of two things; 1) Tire stores in (your city) or 2) a specific name of a tire store you are familiar with, like Bob’s Tire Store.

Our ENS Media TOMA surveys, conducted in over 260 markets, continue to prove a couple things;

  1. Approximately 64-75% of people will click on a business they are FAMILIAR WITH before clicking on a business at the top of the page they are NOT FAMILIAR WITH (only 3%).

  2. Approximately 72% of people are very likely to use those businesses which come to mind first.

Internet marketing guru Seth Godin says, “It’s better to be sought than found”.  In other words, if you’re Bob, you’re hoping that people search specifically for “Bob’s Tire Store”, but, if they search “tire stores in (your city)”, your hope is that people know you and have an emotional connection with you so you have a greater chance of getting their business.  If not, the business is up for grabs.  Kind of sounds like the old Yellow Pages, or as we refer to it, the “Directory of Ineffective Advertisers”.

The need to have a strong brand name, or TOMA, isn’t going away. In fact, as the internet, smart speakers, voice-activated searches and purchases become more popular, the need to have TOMA will become even more important.  “Alexa, connect me with a tire store”, or “Alexa, call Bob’s Tire Store”.

Do you think the businesses you work with need to continue to build TOMA?   Siri, Cortana, and Alexa think so!

If you would like to learn more about our TOMA Surveys and Seminars and how they can help grow your local direct revenue in 2019 and beyond, contact me or give me a call and let’s talk!