I was talking to Rand about this and he suggested I post this here for SEO community feedback. This is not a shameless plug, but a request for people to help us understand our value equation to SEM professionals.
We recently launched a website (greenshipping.com) that gives businesses and individuals a way to measure and offset the carbon footprint of their UPS, FedEx, and USPS shipments.
If a business joins the program, they agree to offset all their shipments at a cost that averages around $0.04 per shipment. In exchange, the business can display the GreenShipper logo on their site and can integrate what we call the iTrack module. The iTrack is an iframe that businesses can drop into their website to offer a map-based tracking tool to their customers. That way, they can send their customers to their website to track their packages instead of to UPS, etc.
Here is an example of the iTrack: http://tinyurl.com/pg5mhb
The idea is that by sending customers back to the retailer site, it is creating an opportunity for them to buy something else. And, because the visitor is a qualified lead (former customer) and knowing what they purchased in the past, the chances of converting them seem higher than off-the-street PPC. With a little land page optimization and ad targeting, we’re hoping businesses can create a profit center while also doing something good for the environment. We’ve found that green-leaning businesses are receptive to the service.
So here is my question to the community: For an average of $0.04 per click, is the value equation strong enough to sell the service as a green extension to a company’s SEM/PPC campaign? Is it an easy sell or a tough one? Or should we forget about the financial aspect and maintain our focus on environmentally leaning businesses? If there is a strong enough value equation, what is the best way to get the word out about it to PPC advertisers?
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. I’ve got thick skin, so lay it on me!
Ken Whiteman
