 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
Getting noticed on the Internet - Digital Marketing for Small Business
The Internet has grown from a small network of academics needing a way to trade research into a world-spanning, ubiquitous marketplace and repository for nearly every possible kind of information and knowledge. How does a small business avoid being washed away in the constant tide of buying, selling and marketers hawking every conceivable item (and some difficult to conceive...)? The Internet provides advantages for both customer and proprietor in that one can search for exactly what is desired, without the bother of endless phone calls, driving to malls, or poring over mail-order catalogs. A quick keyword or 3, and hundreds of results vie for attention on the screen. Making sure your company is one of those results near the top is a combination of factors: specificity in product offerings, Search Engine Optimization of web content and linking to and from related topics and sites. The only way to get noticed on the Internet is to have a listing or presence, whether a dedicated website, ads on relevant sites, or by word-of-mouth. Oftentimes ads on online journals, informative sites, or e-zines (online magazines) are cheaper than space in a print publication, as well as being available to a wider audience than a dedicated website may be. Rates are often available for daily, weekly, or monthly terms, increasing flexibility and allowing a tight budget more leeway. Word-of-mouth advertising can be very cheap, but the returns may be difficult to quantify. Sponsoring web shows such as podcasts or webcasts can be a great and cheap way to gain word-of-mouth exposure. Many times, a podcaster will be so thrilled to gain sponsorship that rates can be negotiated for very little, but make sure to approach a podcaster that has a show related somehow to your business. Don't overlook resources like Google's Adwords either, as they can be slightly pricier than similar options like banner ads, but they are shown to be far more effective than pop-ups, banners, or pay-per-click ads due to their specific targeting. When a potential customer decides to look up a product that you sell, is he or she going to find your site or listing? Being specific in the terms used on your site or listing is key, as keywords are what drive the search engines like Google and Yahoo. If your company sells shoes, it's not enough to put the word "shoes" on your site--it has to be anticipatory to the searches that potential customers are doing. Most customers have an idea of what they are looking for when doing a search, so instead of "shoes," a customer will search for "imported Italian leather shoes." Specific focusing of terminology and product listings are involved in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as SEO is driven by specific keywords and their repetition or location on a page. If the term "Italian Leather Shoes" is used 15 times on a website, it will pop up higher on the rating listings than one with the same words, but only as a page heading or title. It would be easy to go overboard on this if it were the only criteria, but it is only one of many different methods search engines use to list websites by relevance. Our article on Search Engine Optimization, located here, is a great reference to optimizing your site for maximum Search Engine Performance. With a clear idea of where you want to go with Internet marketing, it can be a valuable tool to expand your business into the digital realm, but be careful not to go overboard, as all marketing eventually crosses into the zone of limited return. Customers are looking for what they want--it's up to you to make sure they run into you, and the only way they will is for you to make sure your business is at the places they are going to go. © 2005, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved. About the Author William King is the director of Wholesale-Pages UK: http://www.wholesalepages.co.uk and Wholesale-Canada: http://www.wholesale-canada.com. He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers, entrepreneurs and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Five Simple Steps To Make Money Online This New Year Most people in a new year make resolutions to make more money and attempt to make money online. However it is also true that a vast majority of people fail to actually make money online. What You Wont Learn In Business School What You Won't Learn in Business School----------------------------------------We all know the traditional road to the financial freedom of retirement. You go to work, 40, 50 or even 60 or more hours every week for 30 or 40 years. Got Some L.A.F.S.? Could you use some laughs? I'll bet you could, especially if they increased your online sales. And, no, I'm not talking about jokes, cartoons, and riddles. Online Paid Survey Basic IdeaAround the world, companies spend over $250 billion dollars a year trying to convince consumers to buy their products and services. And about $800 million dollars is devoted to market research. Summer's Internet Traffic Jam Summer is finally here, and while for many, summer implies barbeques, school-break, vacations and trips to the beach; for most Internet businesses, summer implies slower traffic.For an online business, traffic is paramount. The Fatal Attraction of Online Marketers Suppose you were offered 263 links coming into your website from 263 other websites all in one fell swoop. Everybody knows that the more inbound links you have, the higher you will rise in the search engine rankings. How To Let Your Customers Search For YOU! - Part 3 Thank you for stopping by part 3 of the article series on 'How To Let Your Customers Search For YOU!' In this part I will teach you one more technique that is often overlooked, but will deliver tremendous results!In the previous parts I have told you about posting at forums, giving honest advice, writing articles for forums and much more. Now we have come to the next big step to your allround recognition. What is So Exciting about Money and the Internet? I believe it is a principle of human nature that has always been there. You see it in kids digging in the woods for that 'hidden treasure'. GoDaddy's Super Bowl Commercial Success GoDaddy made a calculated decision to nationally "brand" their name using the Super Bowl commercial. They also decided to make their commercial "news" by making it a racy play off of last year's Janet Jackson fiasco using the Senate Hearings theme. My Dumbest Marketing Blunder And How You Can Avoid It When I started submitting Ezine articles, I never realized their true power. I was just happy to see the articles being published. Secrets Of An Internet Marketing Newbie - Or How I Fell On My Face Trying To Get RICH A Cautionary Tale for the Internet Marketing NewbieIn an attempt to set up our Internet marketing web sites, we've probably all done some brainless things. Well, I've done all of them. Benefit By Helping Others Plus How To Create Urgency So People Buy Now Many people don't have the time or skills to write and create ebooks to give away to their web site visitors. Giving away ebooks from your web site can easily increase traffic and sales. Ten Ways to Sell to Your Customers Again and Again OK, so you're making some sales, either of your own products, or through affiliate sales. What you may not know is that you've got a virtual gold mine in your possession, and all you have to do is follow a few simple steps to turn these one-time sales into lifetime customers, and to potentially create more and more customers simultaneously. 8 Must Know Tips I Wish I Had Known a Year Ago, About Internet Marketing Online Are you considering working from home. I have been self-teaching myself what it takes for over 5 years. Money Can Still be Made on the Internet Even though the days of an IPO generating millions of dollars are gone, money can still be made on the Internet. How can you make money online?One way to make money online is to become an affiliate on someone else's website. 7 Quick Marketing Tips To Uplift Your Profits 1. Publish an ezine. Hocus Pocus? Its Just Focus! How many times have you wondered what magic formula the top Net earners were using?There really isn't any magic involved. No magic wand or success secret that only a select few know about. How I Shot Myself In the Foot.. No, Wallet! I need to let you in on some very important information. Not only will this information save you lots money, or possibly the life of your entire business, but it will allow you to increase your profits through multiple businesses. 6 Tips To Create Effective Solo Ad That Pulls Results How many times have you.. A Better Mousetrap Conventional wisdom says find a niche. Don't go where the market is saturated.
|
|
|
 |
 |
