When people talk about online marketing being used in business , it’s very easy to over complicate the internet as a marketing and advertising medium.
In the UK, Internet advertising expenditure is the only medium expected to grow in 2009 (by +2.3%) ZenithOptimedia, March 2009
Because of the new technology and the speed in which online marketing moves, it’s easy for business owners to overlook the possibilities that the internet can offer to their business.
In certain cases I’ve seen business owners believe that online marketing is the answer to all there problems, and if they throw enough money into online advertising it will generate a profit.
Running an online marketing campaign is no different to running an offline campaign, it’s back to basics when traditional marketing meets online. This means getting things right from the beginning. As a business, you need to stay focused on what you offer, who you are and where you are going in order to succeed at a time when every business and every consumer has less money to spend.
Key points to consider before running an online campaign or business
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What am I trying to achieve online?
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Will my customer or potential customers benefit from this service or product?
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What resources do I have available to my business?
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Where will I engage with customers online?
- How will I measure the effectiveness of my marketing efforts online?
5 simple points to improve your online marketing
- Make sure your offline message mirrors your online message. Having conflicting marketing messages online and offline is a sure recipe for disaster.
- Good Customer Service – If your running an online business, make sure you look after your customers the same way you would offline. If it’s not face to face, make sure your effectively communicating to them and resolving their issues quickly.
- Send e-mails to your databases – A lot of companies especially in online retail collect e-mail addresses and build up massive databases they never effectively use. Remember these customers want you to communicate to them, so give them something back by telling them about your new products & offers. Build up a readership and get them to engage with your e-mails and company brand.
- Content on your website is king – The more engaging and interesting the content and copy is on your website, the longer your customers are going to stick around and read it. Good content is also important for search engine visibility, make sure you think about your keywords and how customers will find you when writing your content.
- Plan measurable business goals & track your online activity– Make sure you put forward clear goals of what you want to achieve online and who you are targeting before planning out your strategy. If your website hasn’t got any web analytics tracking, make sure you get one otherwise you’ll never be able to measure the effectiveness of your strategies.
Image credit: By vmiramontes
