If you’re new to the Internet Marketing scene, you may have heard a few terms thrown around that mean absolutely nothing to you. One of these terms is Internet (or online) marketing.
Though it’s easy enough to figure out—Internet marketing must refer to using marketing tactics that involve the Internet—that doesn’t meant that you’ll have a full understanding of what exactly constitutes as Internet marketing, why it’s important or why it’s beneficial.
What is Internet Marketing?
Internet marketing is a broad term. Not only does it include marketing tactics that physically use the Internet (websites, social media, etc.), but it also includes anything digital marketing related, so you’ll find mobile marketing tactics bundled up with Internet marketing.
Why is Internet marketing important?
With Internet marketing, you’re using the Internet as a centralized medium for any and all of the tactics you implement. In today’s technology-driven world, customers are turning to the Internet to find information and make their purchasing decisions.
They peruse company websites, read customer reviews, check out your business on social media sites and may even click-through on a digital ad you have placed somewhere. Since customers are using the Internet to perform a great deal of tasks, it’s important that they find you while using it.
Internet marketing is important because that’s where your customers are, and if your marketing tactics are not reaching your customers, your business is not going to profit. And along with allowing you to find and reach your audience, Internet marketing allows your customer to find you.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an extremely important Internet marketing strategy that allows your customer to find your business online through search engine searches. If your company has a website with unique keywords, you will rank higher in the search engines.
If your customer performs a search for your products or services, your website has a higher chance of being listed on the top few pages, giving your site a better chance at being viewed. Now, you received traffic to your website simply by implementing great SEO strategies, and not marketing directly to the consumer.
What are the benefits of Internet marketing?
Though we’ve already touched on a few of the benefits—being where your customers are, allowing your customers to find you, higher search engine rankings—the benefits of Internet marketing are vast.
Some Internet marketing tactics are more cost-effective than other marketing tactics. For example, using an email marketing campaign will be more cost-effective than sending out direct mail pieces since you won’t have to pay for envelopes or postage.
Internet marketing is also beneficial because it allows you to quickly spread your message. The moment you post a digital advertisement, submit a social media post, write a blog or update your website, this information is now instantly available to anyone who comes across it. There is no lag time waiting for you ads to get printed and delivered to your customers.
Internet marketing also allows you to reach a wider audience. When you use traditional tactics, you are only reaching an audience in that specific area. For example, if you have an advertisement on a bus stop, your message is only reaching the people who pass by the bus stop. With Internet marketing, there is no limit to the amount of people who can come across your marketing. Information can spread across the globe on the Internet, allowing you to reach customers in other parts of the world that traditional methods cannot reach.
Now that you have a better understanding of Internet marketing, it’s important that you do a bit of research on the different tactics you can implement and decide which is best for your business. Determine who makes up your target demographic and use the Internet marketing tactics that will reach that audience. You’ll be surprised at the results.
