I’ve had numerous discussions with small business owners who insist that they’ve got to constantly strive to be on the first page of Google.

My response is always the same “Sure, page one is great, but if you can’t get to page one, page two is not too shabby either.”

There are all sorts of statistics that claim that some very high percentage of people click on the first four (or three or five) results on the first page of Google.  I have several counter-thoughts to this…

1.  Many people who click on the first couple of results will then subsequently click the back button and click on another link (or two or three or six) until they find what they’re looking for (or don’t find it and change their search criteria).

2.  I’m probably not all that abnormal or unusual a person, and I often go to page two of the search results if I’m not happy with what I saw on page one.  Occasionally I’ll even go to page three.

3.  The claim that many SEO firms make that they can get you to the first page of Google is a complete farce. Nobody can guarantee first page Google results.  However, if your company name is unique you can probably get to the first page for your company name (Just Google “Avarra Solutions.”)  But you don’t need a shady internet marketing company to do this for you.

4.  A recent article in Website Magazine (July 2011) called “More Discerning Searches?” describes some new stats published by advertising network Chitika.  They found that iPad users are more likely to immediately scroll down (scanning perhaps?) when they get their initial search results.  In other words they are LESS likely to click on the first few results.  In addition, they are more willing to go to pages two and three of the search results to get to what they are looking for.  What this means is that if your target audience is likely to be searching for your products and services with an iPad, that getting on the bottom of page one, or even page two, is a major accomplishment and could still net you a lot of traffic.

If you’re in a highly competitive field, getting to the first page of Google is almost a part-time job in itself.  That’s great if you’ve got the time (or the money) but most of us small business owners are lacking in both of those areas.

Getting to page two is actually pretty great. Even a little blip on the chart of millions of searches can still mean a lot of traffic for you.

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Check out my new free eBook, “The 3 Secrets of Online Marketing Success” on FreeWebMarketingEbook.com.

I am constantly running into people who tell me that what I’m doing is on the cusp of a revolution.  You know, I just don’t feel it because it seems like I’ve been doing it forever.

But most of you haven’t.  Most of you have just started to discover the power of the Internet as a tool to market your business.

You are not behind the curve, trust me.  This stuff is new, and it changes every day.  The last ten years during which I have been doing business on the Internet have been slow and plodding and sometimes downright painful.

But the tide is turning.  2010 was the year everything changed.

1.  Mark Zuckerberg was named Man of the Year.  Zuckerberg, a 26-year old nerd who dropped out of Harvard, was so named because he somehow managed to turn an incredible genius vision into the most revolutionary communications model of all time.

2.  Businesses have seen the economy starting to turn around.  By sheer will and determination, we struggled and held on for dear life as this huge ship slowly, slowly, slowly changed course and started heading for calmer waters.  The worst is behind us.  The healing has begun.

3.  The iPad exploded onto the scene.  A device that, like the iPhone, has started a new way of being everywhere in real time all the time.  It’s elegant and genius and beautiful, despite it’s single-tasking handicap.  The copycats have started (competition is good for the economy) and 2011 will see the tablet wars in full glory, just as we saw the touch-screen smart phones battle it out last year.

Do not scoff or turn away, all you small business owners.  You are now duly warned.  If you do not take this bull by the horns THIS YEAR, you will get left in the dust by your competitors.

This is the year.  Are you ready?

I am.  Come with me.

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