For more than a decade, sales strategists have been advising businesses to take their marketing online. Forward-looking companies have heeded this message.

However, many businesses still prefer traditional media such as TV, radio and newsprint. So while typical consumers might spend 25% of their media time surfing the Web, these companies might only be investing 5% or so of their marketing budgets on websites and other online promotions.

These businesses need to get with the times and accelerate their investments on the Internet, especially during the downturn. Here are a few good reasons why.

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Forrester Research recently noted that making the leap from technology-centric architecture to business-centric architecture might be enterprise architects’ biggest challenge yet.

“Business architecture is not simply another enterprise architecture view,” reported the research company’s Jeff Scott. “It is an entirely different way to think about architecture with its own set of goals, processes, and deliverables. Though the shift to business technology will be difficult, the rewards will be great.”

He went on to state business architecture will provide the major vehicle for aligning IT capabilities with business outcomes. For instance, a well-defined business architecture will provide new business insights, uncover unseen opportunities, and guide business investments to where they deliver the most value.

Scott suggested CIOs should direct their enterprise architects to sharpen their business skills, increase their business interactions, and develop their business architecture road map.

Our take is the architecture of an enterprise exists, regardless if it’s documented in detail. However, architecture must go beyond technology and the business. To lead the way, companies must embrace a customer-centric focus, along with effectively integrated systems.

Despite the perception of so many business owners, search engine optimization is not about tricking search engines to get anyone and everyone to your website.

It’s about building an effective online marketing strategy that delivers a flow of highly targeted prospects who are seeking what you offer.

Yet, so many business owners think more traffic — any traffic — is the key to their success on the Web. Sure, it looks impressive when reviewing Google Analytics. But the wrong traffic will do little for a company’s bottom line.

For more insight, read Good Traffic, Bad Traffic.

When it comes to web content, many business owners believe they can accomplish everything a professional web copywriter can — and more. However, when business owners attempt to write their own web copy, it often leads to frustration, lost time and missed opportunities.

In fact, many businesses come to Webcopyplus looking for a web copywriter after struggling to complete their web content for weeks, sometimes months. In the interim, they get their web designers to upload their old web content, or just put the project on hold. Regardless, the final outcome is usually substandard.

Since web copy development often causes designers major hassles and delays, it’s baffling to find web designers who simply don’t grasp and appreciate the value a well-versed web copywriter can bring to a project.

An article written by a Maine web designer was recently brought to my attention, in which she stated (verbatim):

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More is not enough. People want more than others, suggests a new study on how money motivates.

University of Bonn researchers used brain scanning to show how much people take others’ earnings to measure our own success. Economists and brain scientists tested male subjects in pairs, asking them to perform simple tasks and promising payments for success. Using magnetic resonance tomographs, the researchers examined the volunteers’ brain activities.

Participants who got more money than their co-players showed much stronger activation in the brain’s “reward center” than when both players received the same amount. So it’s not what we have that matters most, but rather what we have in relation to others.

It’s an odd trait, to be sure. “Keeping up with the Joneses” robs us of being grateful for what we have, and living blissfully in the present.

As far as marketing goes, “get ahead of your peers” proves to be a powerful motivator, and marketing and sales types will likely exploit this on an increasing level.

Leave the Joneses in the dust might appear on billboards and websites near you.

The Internet has entrenched itself within the landscape of business in a big way.

While the phenomenon made many entrepreneurs incredibly wealthy, many traditional industries were too slow to adapt, resulting in vast casualties.

Here’s a neat, quick read about six industries and businesses that were too slow — or perhaps too afraid or arrogant — to catch the powerful wave of the Web: Six industries / businesses the Web changed forever.

Why should prospects invest in your product or service? If you can make a strong claim and support it on your website, you’ve got a winning brand.

Are you the biggest? Provide the widest selection? Offer patented technology? Feature convenient locations? Or are you young and small, allowing you to churn out customized solutions swiftly, unlike your much larger and slower competitors?

Define your strengths and leverage them. And be sure you get them right because they are key to your short- and long-term success.

Paint a picture that clearly demonstrates how your prospect’s world will be easier, more lucrative, healthier, happier, etc. with you in the picture. The overall messaging can then be continually reinforced not just in your web content, but also your print materials, advertising, tradeshow presentations, press releases and so on.

Remember, web designers aren’t the only ones with the ability to shape your brand. Well-versed web copywriters can also build your brand with words.

A prospect this week asked us “what’s really the difference” between an optimized website and a non-optimized website. He figured it was a bunch of ‘cyber hype’.

I explained the difference is between the two is actively promoting and just existing.

Optimized Websites

A search engine optimized website is a virtual ambassador that promotes organizations 24/7/365. It works tirelessly without the need for breaks or benefits. And considering approximately 85% of all new traffic to websites arrive via search engines (namely Google), an optimized website is likely to be your most productive and valuable salesperson.

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Personalized Internet marketing equals profits. Online shoppers are drawn to ads that relate to them, according to a new study released by ChoiceStream.

Up to 58% of frequent web shoppers are more likely to click on a customer-centric ad, and the more they spend online—the more interested they are in personalization.

Results from a webinar panel survey released by ChoiceStream last year indicate approximately 90% of ecommerce professionals believe personalization can increase sales, This information gives business owners a compelling reason to rethink their online content.

Web content has the ability to deliver a message to prospects at the right moment — precisely when they’re looking for a product or service. Unfortunately, the right message is rarely delivered.

Self-centric copywriters and business owners are to blame.

Some copywriters believe it’s more important to win awards than for clients to win new customers. They write for themselves, disregarding key business objectives.

Meanwhile, numerous micromanaging business owners insist prospects are interested in their mission statements and corporate values. Employees have a hard time getting excited about these things, so why would consumers care?

So what engages visitors and turns them into customers? Read Web writing: The Good, Bad and Ugly.