Online Marketing – Why is it so Popular? Online marketing, or internet marketing, has exploded in popularity in the last 10 years. There is now no industry in Australia that does not use online marketing and its set to grow substantially over the next decade. There are many reasons for this, but any organisation seeking to maximise its potential audience cannot ignore the exceptional benefits putting their message online can bring. Here are just a few: · Access to an audience of billions of potential new customers· Comparatively low cost of entry· Cost savings over traditional forms of marketing e.g. mass email over direct mail· Use of web analytics to increase effectiveness· Automated processing of enquiries and orders often replacing the need for offline resources· Easy to reach international markets· The most cost-effective way to capture new business enquiries Multiple Methods When the term ‘Online Marketing’ is used people are generally referring to marketing through a website. And it’s true that this is a crucial aspect of marketing on the net, but there are many other features to it. If you just rely on setting up a website and hoping for the best then you may be waiting a long time to attract business. These are some of the other avenues of online marketing: · Pay-Per-Click Advertising· Search Engine Optimisation· Mass Email Campaigns· Banner Advertising· Viral Marketing· Affiliate Marketing· Blogging· Social Networking· Vidcasting and Podcasting Where to begin? If you are just starting out with online marketing, or you have taken some action, but need guidance as to how to make your web presence bring better results, the best thing is to seek advice. Sit down with a consultant who understands how internet marketing works and who can help you choose which of the many options are best for your business. You may be thinking of building, or already have, a website. Exactly how are you going to structure it to maximise its potential to bring in new business? Some of the things you need to consider when investing in a web presence are: · What will be the purpose of my website?· How will this translate into the design?· How do I optimise the site so the search engines give it a high ranking?· Should I use a newsletter offer to build an email list?· What are the benefits in giving away something for nothing?· Should I incorporate a blog?· How and where should I use video, podcasts and pictures?· Is it worth investing in pay-per-click advertising and how do I get the best results?· How do I set up and manage an effective email marketing campaign?· What web analytics are important and how do I use these to save costs and increase sales?· What site design considerations should I have and why? These are just a few to get you thinking, there are many other things to consider if you want to make your web adventure a successful one. The Internet is a completely different medium from the offline world and has its own rules. To be successful online you need to understand what works and what doesn’t, or get advice from someone who does. Otherwise you will learn the hard way by investing money and time and achieve minimal success. Get it right at the beginning with good planning and implementation, and online marketing could be the pathway to substantially increase your customer base and profitability.
Tags: digital marketing, internet marketing, net marketing, online marketing
