| It’s 2010 – the year that South Africans have | | | | that this is where many companies or website owners |
| been breathlessly anticipating since 2004. We’ve | | | | decide to abandon their online marketing campaigns. A |
| had six years to prepare, and now, with a few months | | | | solid foundation has been laid for the site, and it’s |
| to go until the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup, South | | | | attracting more visitors than ever before. So why |
| Africans are white-knuckled with excitement at the | | | | continue with the campaign, is what many of them ask. |
| prospect. | | | | Because, just like a car or a building or a city, an online |
| What a lot of people aren’t thinking about, though, is | | | | marketing campaign needs to be maintained, even |
| what’ll happen once the games are over. South | | | | after it has achieved its initial goal. SEO is an ongoing |
| Africa has spent all this time and money on | | | | process that, once implemented, needs to be tweaked |
| infrastructure for the games – and it’s sure to | | | | and adjusted from time to time to ensure its continued |
| be a phenomenal event – but, once the matches | | | | efficiency. There will always be competitors optimising |
| are over and the sporting glitterati have returned to | | | | their sites, improving their online visibility and attempting |
| their Spanish villas, what’ll become of our massive | | | | to eclipse your brand. It’s only through committed |
| stadiums and luxury hotels? It’s all well and good to | | | | SEM initiatives that you’ll continue to attract visitors |
| pour so much effort into a grand event, but it’s also | | | | and generate revenue through your site. If you |
| important to keep the momentum going once it’s | | | | don’t maintain it, it’ll fall to ruin and your visitors |
| over. That’s the only way to keep attracting | | | | will go elsewhere. |
| visitors to the country and to continue to boost | | | | Essentially, an online marketing campaign is an |
| tourism-generated revenue in South Africa. | | | | investment that needs to be managed over time. After |
| In a way, it’s much the same with an SEM | | | | the initial energy and finances are invested in it, it needs |
| campaign. For most websites that haven’t been | | | | to be monitored and maintained to ensure continuous |
| optimised, significant work is required at the start of the | | | | returns. Although it requires less time and money once |
| project. The site structure is often overhauled, | | | | the right foundations have been laid, it still needs |
| extensive optimisation is undertaken, and usability is | | | | ongoing attention in order to offer rewards over the |
| improved. Following these initial changes, the optimised | | | | long-term. |
| site begins to improve its position on the search engine | | | | So, whether you’re a mayor or a webmaster, the |
| results pages. It starts to attract more visitors, and it | | | | directive’s the same: Create a solid infrastructure |
| generates higher revenue. It looks great. The SEM | | | | to attract visitors, and keep it maintained to ensure that |
| campaign is doing exactly what it said it would. | | | | it stays foremost in their minds – and their search |
| Fantastic! | | | | results. |
| Sure, these results are fantastic. But the problem is | | | | |