Internet Marketing 101
Feb 4, 2022 | 7 min read
SEO, eCommerce, Pay-Per-Click Advertising … What does all this mean for your business?!
If you own a brick and mortar company, internet marketing and thinking about how to implement strategies like those mentioned above might make you feel like your brain is going to explode. Or, perhaps your business has an online presence, and you want to go to the next level, but you’re not sure exactly how to do so in a strategic manner.
Wherever you are at in your business journey, consider us your internet marketing guides for the next couple minutes as we provide a brief overview of what internet marketing is, why you need it, and what tools you can practically implement to grow your business today.
What exactly is internet marketing?
Internet marketing, also known as digital marketing or online marketing, is the promotion of a business or organization through online tools. Hubspot states simply that the role of internet marketing is to help your business reach, attract, and convert online audiences.
There are many facets to internet marketing including a website, social media presence, and digital ads (think Facebook, Google, etc.). Successful internet marketing involves an understanding of your target customers and their behavior online.
For example, if you know that your target customers are CEOs of large technology companies, your internet marketing would involve a striking, cutting-edge website and targeted LinkedIn advertising (because data shows that of all social media platforms, LinkedIn is home to the most CEOs and professionals with the greatest decision-making power in their companies).
In contrast, if your ideal customers are young moms who homeschool their children, your website might have more a feminine touch and feature photos of families. You might also employ an influencer marketing strategy that involves recruiting an influential woman in the homeschool community to share a photo of herself using your product!
Internet marketing encompasses many tools and successful internet marketing strategically employs each tool with your target customers in mind. Not sure who your dream client is? Check out THIS worksheet we’ve created to help you find the perfect customer for your business.
Why do businesses need internet marketing?
Internet marketing increases your brand awareness, allows you to reach more customers in a targeted manner, and ultimately, increase sales!
- Your customers are online
- Over 90% of Americans use the internet. (Statista)
- 4.48 billion people currently use social media worldwide, up more than double from 2.07 billion in 2015. (BackLinko)
- In 2021, e-commerce accounted for an estimated 19.6 percent of retail sales worldwide. Forecasts indicate that by 2025, the online segment would make up close to a quarter of total global retail sales. (Statista)
Marketing involves meeting your customers where they’re at and data reflects they’re likely on the internet, traversing social media, and online shopping!
- Internet marketing is cost-effective
- Printing a magazine ad will cost between $500 and $20,000, a 30-second TV commercial on a small station is about $1,500 not including production costs. At the same time, it’s difficult to know exactly how many people you’ve reached and how well you’re targeting your dream customer.
In comparison, Google and Facebook ads can be designed to target people living in a specific area reflecting the precise purchasing behaviors and demographics of your target customer while reaching thousands of people with just $100! (Asset Digital Communications)
A few important internet marketing tools:
So it’s obvious that internet marketing is important and effective, but where do you begin? Here are a few helpful internet marketing tools to consider implementing to take your business to the next level!
- Ad Spend: The actual cost for running ads in a digital marketplace. This amount is based on the market value. There is no wrong or right total amount of Ad-Spend cost, however, the bigger the Ad-Spend budget, the faster the results. Contact us if you need help developing an Ad Spend strategy for your business!
- Email Marketing: The process of using emails and email centered marketing campaigns to nurture leads and advertise products and services.
- Influencer Marketing: A form of social media marketing involving endorsements and product placement from influencers, people and organizations who have a purported expert level of knowledge or social influence in their field or niche.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The practice of optimizing a website so it’s more likely to show up in unpaid search results (i.e. it’s one of the first sites to appear when you “Google” a related topic).
Looking for a comprehensive list of internet marketing tools and terms? Download our free Digital Marketing Terminology PDF to help you navigate the internet marketing landscape!
These are just a few examples of the tools you can utilize in building a strategic, cost-effect internet marketing strategy that will set your business apart from the competition and reach your ideal customers!
Whether it’s starting a Facebook Business Page, launching a targeted digital ad campaign, or improving your website’s SEO, take one simple step toward growing your business’ presence online today.