Internet marketing encompasses all of the advertising efforts, on and offline, companies use to sell their product or service from an online medium such as an e-commerce storefront.
Some internet marketing strategies are designed to catch a potential buyer's attention while they are browsing online and draw them to the seller's website. Other plans initiate contact with prospective customers who have expressed some kind of interest in the type of product or service offered. Others still leverage the power of information by establishing the seller as an expert in their field.
One major benefit of online marketing is that many methods are measurable; advertisers can track click-throughs, responses and sales more easily than ever before. A successful internet marketing campaign usually consists of a combination of the following strategies.
Internet Marketing Methods to Increase Traffic to a Website
- Search Engine Optimization- Making the e-commerce website or landing page content easily searchable using keywords and phrases, inbound links, and site structure.
- Reciprocal Linking- Exchanging links with another website increases traffic and can increase search engine ranking.
- Pay Per Click Ads- Paying for search engine placement and advertising on other sites based on the amount of traffic generated by the ad.
- Banner Ads- A graphic ad placed on other websites to drive traffic to the e-commerce storefront.
- Newsletter & Ezine Ads- Ads placed in online publications; usually not used to sell directly, but for lead generation.
Online Business Marketing and Advertising to Increase Sales
- Web Design Strategies- All design and functionality measures taken to make products easier to find and purchase on the e-commerce website.
- Direct Response Sales Copy- Advertising copy designed to illicit an immediate response from the potential customer, converting them from a looker to a buyer.
- Cross-selling/Up-selling- Marketing more expensive or complementary products by suggesting them at the time of sale.
- Affiliate Sales- Paying others a commission to advertise and sell a product.
Internet Advertising and Marketing to Initiate Contact and Build Lists
- Email Marketing- Contacting leads or list members by email with sales promotions, special offers, and more, in an effort to bring them to the sales page.
- Opt-In Campaigns- Generating leads to add to an email marketing database by having potential customers opt-in to receive further communications from the company.
- Social Media Marketing- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn are all examples of social media marketing outlets. Advertisers build a following and use the medium to generate leads for other marketing methods.
- Joint Ventures- Two or more internet marketers join forces, share lists, and split profits.
Online Marketing Programs to Gain Authority and Establish Expertise
- Blogging- An online journal, used in business advertising to gain credibility, provide information and connect with potential customers.
- Article Writing- Typically 400-600 words, articles are written to provide information and help establish expertise in a subject area. They are used to populate a website or drive traffic to a sales page.
- Podcasting/Teleconferencing- Used to create revenue, but also to promote new or different products and services, as well as establishing expertise.
- Online Press Releases- Used to distribute newsworthy company information in an effort to gain free publicity through news outlets.
As internet advertising and marketing continues to evolve, e-commerce business owners are constantly testing out new methods and strategies. This list is certainly not exhaustive, but is a great launching pad for e-commerce entrepreneurs looking for creative ways to market their product or service.
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