Internet Marketing Basics

Internet marketing is an umbrella term for the wide variety of marketing and promotional techniques that take advantage of the online medium. Anytime a company builds a web site, creates an email list, publishes an electronic newsletter, or buys ad space from an online publication, it is engaged in Internet marketing. While countless techniques are available to the marketing professional, there are several main elements of Internet marketing that almost any company can use to its advantage.

The Web Site

Any company looking to promote its products or services online should make a professional web site the cornerstone of its Internet marketing plan. Think of a web site as your company's online equivalent of a brick-and-mortar store. In order to do business successfully, you must establish a location where your customers can come to buy your products or services. The same applies to Internet marketing: the online shopper or browser needs to find information quickly and reliably, and a company web site can provide all of the details that a potential customer may need to make an informed decision.

Web sites are different from "real-world" locations, though, in that they do not need to serve as a virtual space for actually conducting business. You may decide that the your kind of business is not suited to online transactions. In that case, a web site can serve as a valuable source of information, such as how to contact you, what kinds of products you sell or services your perform or what kinds of experience your company has in its field.

Of course, many businesses do sell online, and if you decide that direct selling is the best use for your site, make sure that it takes advantage of the latest technology available for listing products and processing orders. Nothing will hurt your Internet marketing efforts more than a site that cannot perform the tasks you need from it.

Getting the Word Out

Once you've established your Internet presence, you'll want to spread the word. Like Internet marketing, website promotion covers a wide variety of tools and techniques you can harness to promote yourself online. Depending on the markets you plan to target, you may want to make use of email lists, an electronic newsletter, an onsite bulletin board or chat room, or a collection of information geared towards potential customers.

You will also want to consider whether you want to attract potential customers from one or more of the many search engines available online. If you do, you'll want to make sure that your site is optimized for search engine placement. You can hire a consultant to help with this task, or roll up your sleeves, do your homework, and optimize your own site.

Directories provide yet another means of promoting your site, and many allow listings for free or low cost. Check into local directories as well as those focused on your type of business.

Internet Advertising

While the bursting of the dot-com bubble a few years ago drove many companies back to more traditional media for their advertising, many web sites and Internet-based publications offer attractive and effective advertising packages. Just as you would with print publications, television or radio, get the facts before investing. Make sure that a site serves your target market, and that associating your company name with that site will enhance your brand image with that market. Also investigate the technology associated with the site's advertising. If a site primarily uses pop-up or pop-under ads, which most web surfers find annoying, you may not see much return on your investment. Make sure you understand the terms of online advertising: there's a big difference between banner ads and interstitials. Sites such as Internet.com and Clickz.com can provide you with up-to-date information on marketing and technology, allowing you to make the most of your Internet marketing budget.

Interactivity and Immediacy

While there are many benefits associated with Internet marketing, among the most important are interactivity and immediacy. The online medium allows you to not only share information with your customers, but to interact with them easily. This can enhance your firm's reputation for personal service; it can also add to the workload of your customer service employees. As you plan you Internet marketing campaign, make sure that your company can handle the additional communication demands that arise. Interactivity and immediacy provide numerous benefits for your marketing efforts, but you must always remember that they also create expectations that differ markedly from older media.

The More Things Change...

Despite technological enhancements, Internet marketing still relies on creativity, clarity and focus. Knowing your market and its needs and desires provides the foundation for any promotional effort, whether in print or in Flash.