In today’s business world, online marketing is not only effective; is essential
At one time, business essentials were limited to business cards, yellow page ads, and brochures. Newspapers, radio, and television were used by cutting-edge businesses of yesteryear and still reap huge benefits for big business today. Mass media is generally not profitable for most local businesses. In the 21st century, it is clear that the impact of these tools is diminished by the world wide web. We search for products and services online from our desktops, laptops, and cell phones. However, most local business owners do not take advantage of the affordability and profits available through online marketing.
Like a business plan and budget, an Internet marketing strategy is essential to the success of today’s small business. While a website provides a good starting point, online marketing requires more than a couple of static web pages. Instead, a successful approach to the Internet requires a dynamic and comprehensive web presence that builds relationships as well as sales, fans as well as customers.
A comprehensive internet marketing strategy replaces newspaper ads with banner ads, yellow pages with search engines, postal mail with email, public squares with social media, and sales letters with personalized content. Technology is as evolutionary as it is revolutionary, and smart companies are taking advantage of the current environment to defeat their competition.
Tools and technology aside, there are dozens of reasons to be active and often in Internet marketing. Here are some of the most persuasive:
1. When they need information, modern consumers go online; your successful internet marketing program will ensure that they find you when they are buying your product or service.
2. Online marketing has tremendous research potential; At the very least, businesses should engage in online marketing research to collect data on their customers, prospects, and competitors.
3. Through Internet marketing, companies can reach a very specific audience; What’s more, they can reach you quickly, intimately, and more cost-effectively online than traditional marketing approaches.
4. Online marketing lends itself to instant conversions. Customers can quickly and easily find what they want and immediately click to buy it.
5. Compared to many traditional marketing vehicles, Internet marketing services are more affordable and more effective.
6. Internet marketing provides marketing power to local business owners; By marketing online, your business can enjoy big business marketing exposure with a local marketing budget.
Action steps. Some contacts and resources to help you get started with your online marketing:
Search engine marketing strengthens your online marketing strategy.
Once you have a website, Internet marketing through search engines will help your customers find it. Consider search engine optimization, which will improve your search engine rankings, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, which markets your business through targeted and relevant search engine queries.
ACTION: Before creating a website, use Wordtracker’s free keyword suggestion tool to choose keywords; use those keywords in your descriptions and meta tags, PPC advertising through Google AdWords and Yahoo! Sponsored search to generate search engine traffic.
Select the right display advertising and take advantage of online marketing tools
Display advertising, including banner ads, is a basic form of online marketing. Because you’ll pay for impressions (banner ads are typically priced at CPM, or cost per thousand impressions), make sure you only place ads on websites that your target markets visit.
ACTION: Yahoo! Advertising provides Internet marketing services to design, purchase and place your advertisements on the Internet.
Public Relations Promotes Your Online Marketing Image
Internet marketing includes more than advertising; It’s also about public relations. Generate online advertising and continually monitor, build and maintain your online reputation.
ACTION: Include Google Alerts in your online marketing strategy. Use them to control mentions of your name, your company and your products online; search Technorati for mentions on blogs and social networks. And when you write press releases, distribute them through a news service like PRWeb, which allows you to tag your release for posting on social bookmarking sites like Digg and Del.iciou.us.
Use email marketing to reach your online market
Promotional emails, including targeted messages and regular email newsletters, are powerful optional tools for one-to-one marketing. Send news or send coupons, but whatever you do, don’t spam.
ACTION: VerticalResponse is a popular email marketing provider that can help you develop and execute a personalized marketing strategy; Browse their resources page for email marketing research, tips and advice.
Pursue affiliate marketing to leverage online marketing relationships
A collaborative approach to internet marketing, affiliate marketing involves advertisements on other people’s websites. When a customer clicks on the ads and visits your website, your affiliate receives a small commission. You can also reverse the process and make a profit by promoting other vendors’ products.
ACTION: LinkShare and ClickBank are examples of companies that provide affiliate-focused internet marketing services, AffiliateScout.com and AffiliatePrograms.com are directories where you can search for affiliate networks based on location, industry, etc.
Make blogging an integral part of your internet marketing strategy
Blogging offers business owners an affordable and enjoyable way to connect with customers online. Blogging about your business, your industry, and your life positions you as an expert, an advocate, and most importantly, a real person.
ACTION: For a low monthly fee, you can publish your own blog through sites like TypePad and Movable Type; Blogger and WordPress, meanwhile, are free. Don’t forget to market your blog through RSS feeds; While most blogging software will create RSS feeds for you, online marketing companies like SimpleFeed can help too.
Get involved in social media to expand your reach online
Social media is the networking component of your online marketing strategy today; Giving your business a presence on popular social networks especially engages younger consumers and turns them into brand evangelists.
ACTION: While MySpace, Friendster, and Facebook tend to be the most attractive social networks for businesses that market on the Internet, other sites, such as Second Life and Twitter, are becoming major players. Other sites, like LinkedIn, are proving to be important playing fields for B2B marketers.
Photos and video add impact to your online marketing
Use images of your business, staff, and customers everywhere you can. Images touch us emotionally and quickly convey messages. Remember that surfers have short attention spans.
ACTION – Start taking pictures of the world of your business right now, post them on your website and social sites like your Facebook page.
Launch viral marketing to spread your marketing message online
Whether you’re sending a viral email, producing a viral video, or building a viral website, internet marketing of the viral variety spreads quickly, allowing you to start small and end big.
ACTION: Consider uploading branded media to sites like YouTube, Revver, or Flickr. A video or photo that goes viral can attract tons of new business.
Generate word of mouth online with consumer-driven internet marketing efforts
Internet marketing is all about interactivity. Give your customers a platform to express and share their opinions online to build excitement and goodwill.
ACTION: Customer reviews provide credibility to businesses that give consumers the power to do Internet marketing for them; While many shopping cart solutions, like Zoovy, now include built-in customer review features, companies like PowerReviews specialize in them.
Tips and tactics
Useful tips to get the most out of this Online Marketing Guide
o More than advertising for your website, internet marketing should provide you with a complete online brand. Your Internet marketing strategy must go beyond mere sales and build an attractive web presence online.
o Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. When you’re marketing online, set aside a portion of your budget for offline advertising, such as direct mail, which you can use to drive traffic to your website.
o Please note that not all online advertising is purchasable; A big part of internet marketing is building relationships and earning a reputation.
o Whether offline or online, marketing requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of your target customers. Find out who your best customers are and where you can find them online, then go after them.
o Internet marketing is all about utility. It’s not enough to build a pretty website; you should also create one that is attractive and easy to use. If you focus your internet marketing strategy on creating a positive user experience, it will eventually pay off for you.