Marketing outsourcing recommended for small firms

13th August 2008

Small businesses new to internet marketing may benefit from outsourcing complicated procedures to a third party, according to Alibaba.com chief executive David Wei.

The expert said in an article for Livemint.com that while it is ideal for small companies to keep their online marketing strategies simple, more complex activities may be best dealt with by a marketing agency.

He said: "The most important criteria in making the selection should be ease of use, return on investment and manageability."

Graham Charlton of E-consultancy made similar comments last month, suggesting that those unsure of where to begin when it comes to search engine optimisation consult an agency.

Mr Wei also noted that small businesses may want to keep an eye on pay-per-click marketing costs as these can run higher than expected.

Those undertaking search engine marketing are likely have the goals of direct sales and higher brand awareness in mind, according to a study carried out by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organisation earlier this year.