Internet marketing is a broad term that refers to the process of marketing products and services online. This encompasses a range of channels and platforms for communicating with customers, including a website, email, social media, and online advertising.
Internet marketing is a broad term that encompasses the strategies used to promote products and services online and via other digital channels. These include a range of online platforms, tools, and content delivery systems, including the following:
- Email marketing
- Social media
- Blogging
- Video/podcasting
- Online ads
- Sponsorships and paid promotions
While the apparent purpose of internet marketing is to sell goods and services or to advertise on the internet, this is not the only reason a business will engage in it.
A business may use online marketing to communicate a message about itself (brand building) or to conduct research. Additionally, online marketing can be an effective method for identifying a target market, determining the wants and needs of a marketing segment, developing long-term relationships with customers, and establishing authority and expertise within an industry.
Email Marketing
You can send direct mail electronically rather than through the post office by using email. Collect customer emails via purchases or website sign-ups and then use them to communicate critical information, encourage purchases, and build relationships.
Email enables you to communicate with customers on an individual and personal level. According to a 2019 retail study, email marketing had a conversion rate of 2.5 percent, compared to only 1.1 percent for social media. (The highest conversation rate was 3.0 percent for direct referrals.)
Blogging
By adding articles and posts centered on specific targeted keywords, blogging enables you to improve your website’s SEO. This significantly increases the likelihood that customers will discover and visit your website as a result of an online search.
You can also contribute to other people’s blogs, magazines, or websites by writing for them. This can help you grow your audience and expose your business to a larger pool of potential customers.
Social Media
The majority of consumers use some form of social media, though the type you choose will depend on your target market’s behavior.
Over 90% of 18 to 29-year-olds use some form of social media, and while usage declines with age, it can still be used to reach consumers across all age groups. Over 60% of those over the age of 65 use some form of social media, and those numbers are likely to continue to grow.
For example, older consumers are more likely to use a platform like Facebook; millennials frequently use Instagram; and younger consumers prefer video platforms like TikTok or YouTube.
Determine where your ideal customers congregate and concentrate your efforts there.
Online Ads
Online advertisements come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Pay-per-click advertisements on search engines are designed to target specific search terms that potential customers may use. Social media advertisements that are specifically targeted at segments of the platform’s users who may be interested in your business’s products, services, and promotions.
Likewise, you can place sidebar advertisements on other people’s websites or in their email marketing campaigns. Online advertisements are most effective when they are “congruent,” or relevant to the location in which they appear or the search terms entered by the target audience.
Also, personalization can boost the response rate to online advertisements, particularly during the early stages of consumers’ decision-making processes. Personalization, on the other hand, is most effective when ads appear in congruent locations.
Video and Podcasting
Some creators who create videos or podcasts do so exclusively. At other times, businesses use these platforms to establish expertise, build relationships with others in the industry, and create a funnel for new customers to discover and develop an interest in their products or services.
Podcasts, in particular, are gaining popularity. Each month, over 100 million Americans listen to podcasts.
Sponsorships and Paid Promotions
Through sponsorship or paid promotions, you can leverage an audience that has been built by someone else. These marketing campaigns enable you to compensate someone whose audience is similar to your target market for discussing, promoting, or sharing your products and services with their followers.
This has the potential to both increase brand awareness and drive sales, especially when coupled with a targeted promo code or special offer.
Do I Need Internet Marketing for My Business?
Internet marketing is becoming increasingly necessary for businesses of all sizes. Each day, customers spend significant time online, checking email, browsing social media, utilizing search engines, and visiting websites.
Consumers use a variety of online methods to locate, research, and ultimately make purchases. Over 40% of consumers say they begin their search for a product or service with a Google search, and 26% of consumers say they shop online at least once a week.
However, social media pages and advertisements account for approximately 8% of consumers discovering retail websites. You can leverage all of these channels by developing comprehensive internet marketing platforms that assist potential clients and customers in locating your business.
This is true regardless of how small or local your business is. Between 2015 and 2017, Google saw a 500% increase in mobile “near me” searches containing some variation of “to buy” or “can I buy” — a figure that is likely to continue rising.
Regardless of the type of business you own or the location of your business, investing in internet marketing can help you grow your business, connect with customers, and generate sales.