WebProNews

The overwhelming majority (90%) of U.S. retailers rank site search, search engine optimization (SEO) and email marketing as the most important ecommerce tools helping to promote their online businesses, according to a survey from SLI Systems.

Forty-percent of retailers ranked social media tools, such as blogs and podcasts, as gaining importance, and 38 percent said that user-generated content is increasing in popularity.

Almost all retailers (87%) are currently using site search, SEO and email marketing strategies. Many expect to try new technologies such as social media tools (47%) and online video (32%) in the next 12 months.

Most retailers believe that the effectiveness of site search (82%) and SEO (93%) will increase over the next three years, while many cited they are expecting email marketing (52%), user-generated content (76%), social media tools (72%), mobile technologies (68%) and online video (69%) to have a greater impact on their marketing goals in the near future.

Retailers that are reducing marketing spend because of current economic conditions are not likely to cut their core marketing programs, but would rater decrease spending on tactics that are less results-driven such as podcasts (38%), static display ads (38%) and online video (24%).

"Adopting proven technologies that can guide shoppers to a merchant's site in the bustling world of e-commerce will enable retailers to deliver a better customer experience and ensure the holidays are fruitful," said Shaun Ryan, SLI System's CEO.

"Because retailers utilize a number of technologies to help promote their products and services on the Web, the ability to share data across applications can make for a more streamlined effort."