Consumers are now savvier in learning and researching about the product or service they’re interested in. The internet has made it possible for users to not only access products and services they need in a much more convenient way. It has also enabled them to learn more about their choices, thus empowering them in making the right decision.
As a business owner, you have to be there every time a user searches for any information related to your product, service, or brand. This is where internet marketing comes in.
At 4.8 billion users, more than half of the world’s population has access to the internet. To dominate the market and not lose out on the opportunity the web has to offer, you need to apply internet marketing strategies.
What is Meant by Internet Marketing?
Internet marketing is the process of promoting products and services to people through the internet, search engines, and other digital channels.
Whereas traditional marketing uses traditional media like newspapers, billboards, television and radio, digital marketing uses the internet to reach more targeted consumers.
Here are the key differences between internet marketing and traditional marketing.
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Though tactics, strategies and methods have evolved throughout the years, the essence of marketing has always stayed the same.
Internet marketing and traditional marketing are both effective in promoting products and services, you just need to know what your goals are and determine which method would best target your consumers.
What is an Internet Marketing Strategy?
An internet marketing strategy is an overall plan or blueprint designed to achieve the marketing goals of a business.
At the most basic level, marketing allows a business to engage people and sell at a larger scale. In order for an internet marketing campaign to work the business has to determine the goals of the campaign. Once a goal has been set, there needs to be research, analysis and planning in order to come up with an effective marketing strategy that will help a business reach the goal.
What are Marketing Goals?
Marketing goals are the driving force behind your marketing strategy. Goals can be an increase in profitability, improvement in KPIs, more sign-ups, increase brand awareness and increase in conversion.
When setting marketing goals, it’s important to discuss objectives with the shareholders, marketing manager, sales manager, product manager, and operations manager. There needs to be clarity as to who is responsible for a specific objective. Setting goals with every decision-maker in the organization present will also help manage expectations and make it clear to everyone what your marketing team is responsible for.
Forms of Internet Marketing Strategies for 2022
Before taking the plunge into the world of internet marketing, determine your business needs and digital marketing services you can get. This will enable you to choose the tactic that best fits your needs.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Search engine optimization or SEO is the method of fixing your website so that it’s optimized to rank competitively on search engines like Google through organic search. Unlike paid ads where you pay every time someone clicks your link, SEO doesn’t require constant payment to stay visible. However, you do have to always update important pages so that it continues to be relevant.
To understand the impact of SEO on brand awareness and visibility, we first have to understand how Google works.
Google holds 92% of the worldwide market share when it comes to search engines. It means that out of the 5 billion people using the internet, 92% of that number uses Google to conduct searches. It’s also important to know that about 75% of users won’t go past the first page of search results.
So no matter how powerful internet marketing is when it comes to engaging your customers and increasing sales, you won’t be able to do much if you’re not visible to users.
The goal is to put your site on top of search results so that when a user types in a search query, for example, “new york steak,” your business will be positioned right there at the top where the user looking for “new york steak” can see it.
The two types of SEO are:
- On-page SEO – consists of activities and tasks done directly on your website. This includes content creation, optimization of HTML codes, links, meta titles, meta descriptions, and images.
- Off-page SEO – involves activities that are done outside of your website that influence the ranking of your site. These activities include link building and reputation management to name a few.
SEO is highly effective and it’s sure to generate sales when done properly, however, this doesn’t happen overnight. SEO activities are highly analytical and involve a lot of trial and error. It’s a sustainable internet marketing asset and the longer you have SEO onboard the more positive the results become.
Google Ads
Also called PPC, paid ads, or SEM, this is the type of internet marketing strategy where you use paid ads on search engines. Whereas SEO gives you unpaid traffic or organic traffic, PPC lets you rank on top of searches by paying for the right keywords.
As long as you pay and bid on a phrase or a particular keyword, for example, you want to rank for “New York Steak,” then, you’ll just have to pay for that keyword (the price of keywords depends on their difficulty and volume) in order to become visible.
But note that if another brand places a higher bid on a keyword, they can outrank you. You can then outbid them to stay on top of search results. This is a great move for startups that don’t have that much website traffic yet and wants to immediately gain visibility.
What you get from paid ads is instant visibility. You can pay for keywords you’re not found for and then get traffic for it.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms to attract and convert users into customers. Social media is now a powerful platform for marketers to create exposure for brands and connect with potential clients.
Here are some of the most popular social media sites today:
- Facebook. The most popular social media site with 2.5 active users worldwide.
- Twitter. A platform that’s more text-based, allowing you to create posts that are 280-characters long. If you’re looking to update users and interact with them more often then this is the right platform to use.
- Instagram. A platform that’s more visual where you can share images and videos to connect and interact with your audience.
- LinkedIn. A platform that’s geared towards professionals. It’s great for highlighting work experience, connecting with colleagues, and building a network with experts in the industry as well as potential customers.
- Tiktok. A video-sharing site that allows the users, usually the younger audience, to create short videos and share it. Great for creating informational videos or even virtual walk-throughs.
Leverage your social media accounts to interact with your community and build your audience. Focus on one or two platforms and choose sites that your target market is using the most. This will allow you to focus your activities on the right platform and build a solid following.
Content Marketing
The internet has become a part of our everyday lives partly because of the vast information everyone can gain from it. Internet users are all about information and consuming content.
Content marketing is a type of tactic that involves the creation and distribution of high-quality and relevant content. The more strategic and targeted the content is the better it will perform in terms of engaging and converting your users.
Content comes in different varieties: blogs, videos, images, newsletters, whitepapers, ebooks, podcasts and webinars.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the longest-running internet tactics. It continues to be an effective method in reaching out to your customers on a more personal level. This is a powerful strategy for capturing high-quality leads and converting them, as well as nurturing existing ones.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the newest and most popular forms of digital marketing today. Internet marketers are quick to adopt this trend because it simply works. It grew from 1.7 billion in market size in 2016, to almost 10 billion in 2021, and is now expected to grow to $13 billion in 2022.
Influencer marketing is effective because it uses the concept of word-of-mouth – the most effective marketing strategy of all. The internet and the growth of social media allow everyone to easily communicate with each other and learn about people’s opinions. We can now interact with both acquaintances and celebrities like never before.
Influencers are ordinary people whose opinions are valued by consumers.
You can capitalize on this culture of “internet fame” or “internet stardom” by reaching out and collaborating with influencers who have the same audience or target market as you.
The Need for Internet Marketing
When running a business, it’s no longer a question whether you should use internet marketing; the question should be: what internet marketing tactic should you use to increase your leads and sales?
As long as the internet exists, internet marketing will always be a crucial asset for your business growth.
