Starting as simple and helpful tools for searching the Internet, search engines rapidly evolved as major players in the digital revolution, and today there are no less than 1.1 billion searches every day on the web (Pipper Jaffrey, 2006). As among the most visited sites on the planet, and among the principal welcome pages on the Net, it is pertinent for all heads of enterprises or marketing directors to ask themselves the following questions.


 What can these sites do for my product?

 Is my product sufficiently visible on these sites?

Indexing
In terms of marketing, the key to the correct use of search engines and to providing optimal visibility can be found in one word: indexing. Even though this term is quite often used, many people do not yet realize its implications for their company. In concrete terms, indexing means making one’s website visible on search engine pages in instances when there is a connection between the requested search and the company or its products. While today most brands are already found on the main search engines, what more can they still obtain, and above all, what competitive advantages can they draw from good indexing? Here are a few concrete examples.

The importance of the top 10
Visibility on the Internet begins by having the most favourable positions on the pages of the search engine. When searching for a brand or a product, many Internet users do not go past the third page of results. A recent study conducted in April 2006 by the company, iProspect, in the United States, showed that 62 percent of web users never go beyond even the first page of results (compared to 48 percent in 2002). According to the same study, 90 percent will never see a website if it is not present in the first three pages of results. Before creating the most wonderful site on the web, it is therefore necessary to ensure that it has good visibility on search engines.

An extension of the brand’s image
The positioning on search engines pages is often perceived by Internet users as a guarantee of the brand’s health, reputation, and importance in its market. A brand that shows up in the first few results will often be thought of as a leader in its category. By following the same reasoning, a prospective viewer searching for information on a brand that he has previously identified as a ‘leader’ will expect to see his opinion confirmed by finding that brand listed among the first ten search results.
Finally, it is not enough to be in the top ten results; the brand must appear in a consistent, clear, and precise manner. In the same way that a presentation brochure must be a reflection of the brand, its registration in search engines must be clear, precise, and faithfully reflect the image that the brand gives through its communication strategy.

Curbing the grey market
According to a study by the enterprise, DoubleClick, conducted in 2005, 50 percent of buyers search the Internet before making an online purchase, and 77 percent of offline buyers of electronics items search the Internet before making their in-store purchase (CEA 2006). Even though luxury sector websites do not gener-ally offer online purchasing, favourable positioning on search engine pages allows them to indirectly, and noticeably, increase market share.
Too often today, non-authorized resellers, unauthorized e-commerce sites, and counterfeit sellers monopolize the first results in searches. This can entail a loss in orientation for the consumer, as well as a greater risk that the customer may buy, consciously or not, a counterfeit item. In spite of current educational campaigns about this type of activity and risk, the global market for counterfeit goods in 2006 was worth 450 billion euros, or 10 percent of total global commerce (Economie Matin, March 2006). The risks tied to the growing emergence of counterfeiting on the Internet are thus quite real, and represent therefore more chances that a consumer will associate the brand with a bad buying experience.
Optimal positioning on the first page of search engine results and a clear positioning of the brand and the official character of its site are enough to curb this phenomenon, while also letting the brand differentiate itself from the competition. To sum up, occupying the digital terrain is one way to pull the rug out from under the feet of counterfeiters.

How to succeed in indexing?
At the current time, and in light of continual changes in technology, indexing is an art form with important consequences. There are no less than 100 different criteria that define the classification of a website in search engines today. In order to guarantee a minimum of obstacles in the optimization of your site’s visibility, you should plan it as a function of its indexing from the moment of its creation, with a complete preliminary analysis of the online demand for your product and your brand. You should position your brand based on the precise words and expressions typed in by your prospective viewers.
If you decide to embark on the race for visibility, it is better to seek some advice and help. Many companies offer this type of service, and can help you avoid the classic pitfalls of indexing by taking into consideration the technical problems tied to it such as changes in algorithms or indexing in languages such as Chinese, Russian, or Korean. Importantly as well, professionals often have the latest tools, which allow you to precisely follow the evolution of your brand on the major search engines. Most importantly, it is advisable to find a reliable partner, preferably one with indexing experience in your sector of activity, a partner who can accompany you and listen to your concerns during this long journey.


Source: Europa Star June-July 2007 Magazine Issue