Whether the economy is on the verge of recovery or a double-dip recession is on the horizon, now is the time for businesses to invest in their online marketing strategies, it has been suggested.

Kevin Gibbons, director of search at search engine marketing agency SEOptimise, predicts that "a much more careful consumer base" will emerge after the recession and advises organisations to adapt their online presence accordingly.

"People will be hunting bargains instead of thoughtlessly spending. That means they're more likely to look online than on the high street," he comments on digital marketing and ecommerce portal Econsultancy.

"So, make sure you're ready to be found. Undertake work that will boost your pages' positions in the search engine results pages and make sure potential customers find you first when they're hunting down decent deals."

Pay-per-click advertising is one method he advocates for driving relevant, interested traffic to a website straightaway, while a successful viral campaign "works brilliantly" by encouraging people to share content with their friends and colleagues.

Gibbons also recommends that online work take priority over other marketing efforts as it is "the most efficient way" to reach consumers.