If you are new to using SEO as a way of attracting new customers and clients, and have been relying on print related advertising, a new study by Edelman, the biggest public relations firm in the world, indicates that your advertising dollars are better spent online than with traditional media sources.

The findings are the results from a study the agency conducted at the end of 2014. After polling over 27,000, college-educated, high-earning individuals, the results revealed that 64% of respondents said they trust online search engine results for information rather than traditional media outlets.

Why is this relevant to your company’s online marketing efforts? Read on:

Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents refuse to buy products and services from a company they do not trust, while 58 percent will criticize them to a friend or colleague. Conversely, 80 percent chose to buy products from companies they trusted, with 68 percent recommending those companies to a friend.

What this means is that consumers buy from companies they trust, at much higher levels than other companies. So if your business does not have a top presence online–now the most trusted source for information–you lack a key factor in attracting new and repeat clients.

Likewise, search engines like Google remain the most common outlet for consumers looking for business information.

What does all this mean for your company? If you are not aggressively pursuing a higher rank online in search engines you are losing customers who will find your competitors websites instead. Our search engine optimization agency understands Jacksonville and the greater Jacksonville Florida area, and we can help position your company so that more people can find you online.