Ten years ago, internet marketing was much simpler than it is now. You had a website to promote your business, and that’s exactly what it did. It was basically an online brochure that told your potential customers what you would provide for them, and gave them all the contact details to reach if if they wanted to do business with you.
These days, a successful internet marketing strategy is about so much more than just having a website, and indeed your website needs to be so much more than just a glorified business card. Internet marketing involves things like search engine optimization, social media networking, pay-per-click, and article submissions.
If all these aspects of internet marketing make your head spin, never fear, you can certainly hire a consultant or marketing assistant to help show you how to do things. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to become familiar with what’s going on so that you can usefully analyze the results of your marketing strategy and learn what works and what doesn’t for your business.
Probably the most hands-on aspect of internet marketing is social media. As the name implies, you will have to spend time connecting with your audience, which means more than just a one-time effort. Social media is used not only to seek your target market, but also to be there for your customers so that they feel they have a relationship with your business. This means you will have to be on hand, preferably on a daily basis, to answer questions and provide guidance.
Search engine optimization means streamlining your website so that popular search engines like Google rank your site higher than others in the same niche, thereby increasing your site’s traffic. SEO is a delicate balance of quality content and keyword usage, as well as integrating your social networking accounts.
Pay-per-click is like traditional advertising in that you pay for ad space, but the fee scale is set up on a per-click basis. In other words, the more people that click on your ad, the more you pay.
Article submissions work by putting information about your site and your business in as many places as possible. You can list articles about your business in articles directories all over the web, increasing your overall exposure to the people who are looking for the service or product you provide.
Combining all these aspects of internet marketing can be complicated, but you’re likely to see positive results that will encourage you to learn and try even more ways to get your message out there and bring customers your way.
