What is Internet Marketing?

In simple words, Internet marketing is marketing of services and products via the internet. From a very broad perspective, this is a very cost-effective method of reaching the maximum number of people. It’s ideal for small businesses who want to target a local audience as well as large companies that need a global reach.

By Alain Houle, Alco Web Design LLC

There are numerous strategies that can be used by companies who want to use website marketing to extend their reach and increase sales.

Common Methods
The most common methods of online marketing are Search Engine Marketing, paid advertising, E-publishing and networking. Let’s take a look at the different types of marketing and how they work.  Search engines work best when a website is indexed well.  The page rank that your website receives will decide where it is placed on search results. A higher page rank means more website traffic. Getting that high page rank is all important when it comes to visibility on the internet and your chances of being found by your targeted customers. I have outlined these methods for you:

• E-Publishing- It’s not so easy to get that high listing and it can also be a very expensive and time consuming affair. This is where SEO comes into the picture. E-publishing is somewhat like traditional print media but in this case, you are placing your ad on the internet and your company website is in effect that ad. You should also send out periodic newsletters to customers and the content on your site should be written and optimized well.
• Networking- This is about building online contacts & business relationships. You can sign up for new groups, email or sales discussions. Regular and consistent participation helps in building a reputation which is a big part of marketing.
• ​Paid advertising- In this kind of advertising, you purchase a banner ad on any high-traffic website of your choice. When a visitor to the site clicks on your ad, he/she gets directed to your website which can turn into a potential sale.

Consistency counts
There are numerous other mediums of internet marketing but these are the most basic. Understanding and mastering these is the best way to get started and it will give your business that head start it needs. Your online presence and your marketing efforts cannot be built in a day. Online marketing success is about using all the relevant methods and making a continuous and concerted effort.

For additional details about Internet marketing, feel free to contact me or visit my website at www.alcowebdesign.com.