You know a market is on fire when a trade show covering that market closes at 5 and at 6:30 organizers are still chasing attendees & exhibitors out. Ad-Tech London was not just about the UK market, but also about the European market in general. On the exhibitor side, there were a lot of SEO companies & affiliate networks. On the attendee side, there were mostly UK and European advertisers. Interestingly, not many US companies were represented, either on the exhibitor or attendee side. I found it a bit surprising but challenges such as currency difference & fluctuation, distance, time difference etc… might discourage US companies from entering the UK/European market.
But one thing is sure: globalization is happening fast, faster than with any other advertising medium because the Internet in itself is global. Internet users are already global. It’s online businesses that aren’t. Most US sites are already getting traffic from Europe but don’t really know how to monetize it. And some US businesses would love to tap into the European consumer market but don’t know where to start to promote their services there.
There are 2 options: (1) the do-it-yourself approach or (2) to work with a US advertising network or agency that is global and can handle all the challenges that arise when working internationally. The second solution is obviously the easiest and the best fit if you are looking to expand globally and generate revenue from International markets without it being your primary focus.
Here is a snapshot of the European market:
| # of Home Internet Users in Feb 2005 |
| France |
15,837,988 |
| Germany |
29,864,949 |
| Spain |
8,824,941 |
| Sweden |
4,492,010 |
| Switzerland |
3,349,881 |
| UK |
24,800,954 |
| Total |
87,170,723 |
While US consumers wrap up their days and prepare for the night, European consumers are starting their day, ready to browse. That means customers around the clock! That’s the beauty of our industry: there is no time limit (open 24hrs/24hrs) or geographical limit.
US marketers, when planning for next year’s strategy, don’t forget to include Europe in your mix: you will be amazed by the huge growth opportunities & the additional revenue you can generate.
Are you global? Whether you are looking to reach European consumers or looking to monetize your European traffic, I will be happy to help.
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