Introduction to Internet Marketing

How significant is Internet marketing to businesses? Today, the answer to this question varies dramatically according to who is answering. For companies such as electronics company Cisco, the answer is ‘very significant’ – Cisco sell $9 million worth of hardware using the Internet each day. For fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies such as Unilever the answer is ‘insignificant’ – the majority of their consumer sales will occur through traditional retail channels in response to promotional campaigns in traditional media. In 1998 advertising expenditure for Internet placed adverts was estimated at £8m, compared to £3 billion for TV and radio adverts.

Does, the relatively unimportance of the Internet to companies such as Unilever indicate that Internet marketing is of specialised interest only? We believe not, because the interesting question to ask is "how significant will Internet marketing be to businesses in the future; in 2, 5, or 10 years time?" This is the question many companies are asking themselves today, and is why it is important to understand this relatively new marketing phenomenon.

For example, Unilever is starting to use the Internet as part of brand building for its new products. In 1998 it launched its Mentadent toothpaste in the United States using traditional media campaigns and also offered samples in response to users clicking on an advert placed on health-related web sites. It received more than 40,000 requests for samples, far exceeding its expectations for this new medium. If businesses do not understand and start to apply the new marketing techniques and technology in this way, then they may not only miss an opportunity, but may even cease to exist.

The media portrayal of the Internet often suggests that it is merely an alternative for traditional advertising. In fact, the Internet can be readily applied to all aspects of marketing communications and can and will need to support the entire marketing process. As we move into the new millenium, organisations will use Internet technology in the form of intranets and extranets to support the operation of the internal and external value chains.

This book will cover all the different ways in which the Internet can be used to support the marketing process. Many organisations have begun this process with the development of web sites in the form of electronic brochures introducing their organisations’ products and services, but are now enhancing them to add value to the full range of marketing functions.

13 PILLARS OF INTERNET MARKETING.

Search engine optimization

If you are paying for your clicks then you will be presented more liberally and if you are in unpaid listing then you may not get that much attention.

That is were savy internet marketing companies jump in and start doing search engine optimization for your website - also known as SEO. There are a lof of companies out there, but I wouldn't go with any company that pomises guaranteed results.

It's actually up to you if you want to do SEO yourself by guided tips, go with a single internet marketing expert that consults you as a one-man show or take an internet marketing company with a great reputation on the web.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Please support our Pay-Per-Click Advertising advertiser: Affiliate Marketing Our Internet Marketing forum category encompasses everything related to running, managing, maintaining, and growing a successful online presence.

To enjoy candid discussions about business practices and strategy, please keep the specifics out of the discussion so that members can feel more comfortable without the fear that their competitors, potential clients, or website visitors will know who they are.

To keep everything anonymous and encourage open, unbiased and incentive-free discussion, please do not refer to your site by name nor link to it anywhere within the Internet Marketing category. For feedback and constructive criticism on your website, please visit our Website Reviews forum within the Business Exchange category.

To do business with other webmasters in our community, please visit our Webmaster Marketplace, also within the Business Exchange category.

Our PPC Advertising forum is the place for discussions related to both buying and selling within PPC ad networks such as Google AdWords and Google AdSense.

Google AdWords discussions may have a crossover with our Promotion and Marketing Plans forum while Google AdSense discussions may have a crossover with our Advertising Sales Strategies forum.

Advantages/ Disadvantages

Everyone seems to be jumping on the internet marketing bandwagon lately. In the race to get their business online, many successful businesses forget to ask themselves some tough questions about what they are doing, what their expectations are and what their plan is to meet those expectations.

The internet can be a powerful tool that can put you on solid footing with bigger companies. On the other hand, the other companies may have more money to pay for advertising. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you analyze your internet marketing strategy.

Advantage of Internet Marketing

- your store is open, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Further, your customers are worldwide in reach, and can shop anytime that they want to
- the cost of spreading your message is next to nothing. Emailing your subscription base is more oftne cheaper than sending a letter through the mail
- updating your subscribers can be done almost instantly through email. Visitors to your website can get up to the minute information on each visit. If you are having a sale, your customers can start shopping at the discounted prices literally as soon as they open their email
- if you have an information sensitive business, such as a law firm, newspaper or online magazine, you can deliver your products directly to your customers without having to use a courier

Disadvantages of Internet Marketing

- online marketing is not free. The cost of software, hardware, wed site design, maintenance of your site, online distribution costs and of course, time, all must be factored into the cost of providing your service or product.

- slightly over 50% of households shop online. While that number will continue to grow, you are reaching less than two out of three households.

- the internet is still regarded as a source of information gathering for the majority of your customers. Of the number of visitors to your site, the vast majority of visitors who are motivated to buy will do so in person.

Many people prefer the live interaction when they buy. If you have a small business with one location, this may deter customers from buying.

- easier to have outdated information on your site, thus timing of updates is critical
- there is no replacement for good old fashioned customer service. The majority of internet marketers lack customer service and inquiry response programs. As a result, many online visitors to your site will already have painted your site as poor service before they have even contacted you.

The majority of websites also have poor navigation, which makes it difficult for your visitor to find what they are looking for. Many sites were created with a marketing view, not a customer service point of view is your site secure? Does your customer know this? There are many incorrect stereotypes about the security of the internet out there. As a result, many of your visitors will not want to use their credit card to make a purchase.

The fear of having their credit card info stolen is a clear and present danger in the minds of your visitors- there is a lot of competition for your product already out there. By the time your visitor finds you, they have already been clicking many links. Unless they can find what they are looking for quickly, they are gone.

many web visitors expect something for free. What do you have to offer them?
There are many other pros and cons of internet marketing. Its important for you to consider each when creating your internet marketing strategy. Each of the disadvantages can be overcome, but only if you view the customer experience from the eyes of your customer, not as an internet marketer.

Northern Source offers web design services for small businesses. You'll find more helpful hints at http://www.northernsource.comChristopher Smith has been creating web sites for small businesses for over 7 years.

In addition to providing deisgn and consultation services, Christopher also provides tips on search engine optimization, internet marketing and traffic generation.

Promotion and Marketing Plans

Please support our Promotion and Marketing Plans advertiser:

Affiliate Marketing

Our Internet Marketing forum category encompasses everything related to running, managing, maintaining, and growing a successful online presence.

To enjoy candid discussions about business practices and strategy, please keep the specifics out of the discussion so that members can feel more comfortable without the fear that their competitors, potential clients, or website visitors will know who they are.

To keep everything anonymous and encourage open, unbiased and incentive-free discussion, please do not refer to your site by name nor link to it anywhere within the Internet Marketing category.

For feedback and constructive criticism on your website, please visit our Website Reviews forum within the Business Exchange category. To do business with other webmasters in our community, please visit our Webmaster Marketplace, also within the Business Exchange category.

Our Promotion and Marketing Plans forum is the place for discussions related to various Internet marketing techniques and tips of the trade to promote and enrich your website.

Please note that it is against our rules to promote your website here.

Growing an Online Community

Please support our Growing an Online Community advertiser:

Affiliate Marketing

Our Internet Marketing forum category encompasses everything related to running, managing, maintaining, and growing a successful online presence.

To enjoy candid discussions about business practices and strategy, please keep the specifics out of the discussion so that members can feel more comfortable without the fear that their competitors, potential clients, or website visitors will know who they are.

To keep everything anonymous and encourage open, unbiased and incentive-free discussion, please do not refer to your site by name nor link to it anywhere within the Internet Marketing category.

For feedback and constructive criticism on your website, please visit our Website Reviews forum within the Business Exchange category.

To do business with other webmasters in our community, please visit our Webmaster Marketplace, also within the Business Exchange category.

Advertising Sales Strategies

Please support our Advertising Sales Strategies advertiser:

Affiliate Marketing

Our Internet Marketing forum category encompasses everything related to running, managing, maintaining, and growing a successful online presence.

To enjoy candid discussions about business practices and strategy, please keep the specifics out of the discussion so that members can feel more comfortable without the fear that their competitors, potential clients, or website visitors will know who they are.

To keep everything anonymous and encourage open, unbiased and incentive-free discussion, please do not refer to your site by name nor link to it anywhere within the Internet Marketing category.

For feedback and constructive criticism on your website, please visit our Website Reviews forum within the Business Exchange category. To do business with other webmasters in our community, please visit our Webmaster Marketplace, also within the Business Exchange category.

Our Advertising Sales Strategies forum is the place for online publishers to engage in discussions related to selling ad space and using affiliate programs, site representation firms, ad networks, and working with advertising agencies.

Please note that it is against our rules to advertise your website here, or solicit that you have ad space available or are looking for ad space.

Marketing e-Commerce

Please support our eCommerce advertiser:

Affiliate Marketing

Our Internet Marketing forum category encompasses everything related to running, managing, maintaining, and growing a successful online presence.

To enjoy candid discussions about business practices and strategy, please keep the specifics out of the discussion so that members can feel more comfortable without the fear that their competitors, potential clients, or website visitors will know who they are.

To keep everything anonymous and encourage open, unbiased and incentive-free discussion, please do not refer to your site by name nor link to it anywhere within the Internet Marketing category.

For feedback and constructive criticism on your website, please visit our Website Reviews forum within the Business Exchange category.

To do business with other webmasters in our community, please visit our Webmaster Marketplace, also within the Business Exchange category.

Our eCommerce forum is the place for discussions related to selling products and services online. Discuss sales strategies, payment processors, and other topics related to online commerce. Note that it is against our rules to actually solicit products and services in this forum.

For non-technical business questions, please post in the IT Professionals' Lounge of the Community Center category.

Marketing Link Building

One way of improving the visibility of your products and developing a customer base is by building links.

For this you can request by sending emails to other web sites that are related with your product, if they would like to link you in their web site and allow the other web sites to put their link in your site. For this you yourself have to promote your link.

You have to advertise yourself in a way that it attracts the customer profusely. So if a customer is looking for some product in other web site can click the link of your site and can see your products.

However beware of all some pretty old and probably outdated information that is out on the web... today in 2006 a lot of people believe that this method does not work anymore and you need to get higher quality links that are relevant to you and your business.

For keeping up to date there are a lot of tips on link building and even newsletters dedicated to internet marketing out on the web that you can go and checkout for up-to-date information.

Marketing Popup Ads

Definition

An ad that displays in a new browser window.

Information

Pop up windows come in many different shapes and sizes, typically in a scaled-down browser window with only the Close, Minimize and Maximize commands.

There is a strong resentment by some Web surfers towards pop-up ads. Marketers often do not realize the ill-will generated by pop-ups because it is easier to click the "close" button than send an email to complain.

What can often be seen is an above-average click-through rate, although some of this can come from "false positives," unintentional clicks when the pop-up gets in the way of the desired target. Advertisers can get a better picture of the effectiveness of pop-up advertising by paying attention to conversion rates and return on investment (ROI).

Marketing Freebies

Another way of marketing your products on internet is giving free articles or e-books to other web sites. There are many sites which will accept your articles as you are giving them away for free.

You can also generate bonus products for other web sites for showing your products and your web site. For example, you can offer them a free e-book having a collection of your previous articles.

This can be given off to their customers as a free gift with the sales of their products and services.

At the end of your e-book, put a link to your site and include a sensational description about your articles.

Marketing Conclusion

Any time you can make the phone ring - especially for a quote, you have the opportunity to generate a sale, or perform a service for your customer.

Either way, if you look at this more closely as an opportunity, you’ll find a phone conversation is a great way to increase a client’s loyalty and endear them even more deeply to you and your company.

If you can get the phone to ring from a mailed piece, the piece is a total success, even if you didn’t get any business at that exact moment. Here’s why I say this: I’ve been in direct marketing for… OH MY GOD AM I THAT OLD ALREADY!.

Anyhow, it’s tough to sell something from a sheet of paper, especially insurance, which is sometimes tough to sell anywhere, even in a stuck elevator for 12 hours with 6 doctors whose medical malpractice policies have an ex-date of tomorrow.

Come to think of it, if you want a business decision from a doctor you’ll have to ask his office manager or his wife. Either way, a “yes” answer will take a month.

By trying to sell something directly from a sheet of paper, you get no feedback, no buying signals. You can’t tell where the hot buttons of your clients are.

When do you back off? When do you press for a close? All this may come subconsciously when you’re selling in person, but I assure you a lot of thought has to go into a printed piece to get to these specific areas with just the right timing, correct pace and selling proposition to close a sale from a flyer that you sent in the mail.