Five Internet Marketing Strategies

by Scott Buresh

Each of the following five internet marketing tips can have a dramatic impact on the success of your internet marketing campaign. Future issues of our newsletter will go into each of these internet marketing strategies in greater detail.

1. Make sure potential customers can find you on the search engines.

Most businesses don't take advantage of search engine optimization, but few internet marketing strategies can be as beneficial. A 2000 Forrester Research report showed that 80% of web surfers discover the new sites that they visit through search engines. According to iProspect, 85% of web users use search engines to find solutions and vendors. A properly executed search engine optimization campaign can drive numerous, highly targeted visitors to your site, typically at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. Without high search engine rankings, you will only get visitors that find your web address through word of mouth, regular advertising, or other limited means.

2. Use content to get repeat visitors to your site, not flashiness.

Of the five internet marketing tips presented here, this is the one most often overlooked. Flashy graphics and sounds may impress your visitors the first time they see your site, but they are unlikely to come back for them (or recommend your site to others because of them). If the goal of your internet marketing strategies is repeat visitors (read that as "potential customers"), you are much more likely to get them to return if your site offers valuable, non-solicitous content. This helps to establish your company as experts in your field while building a level of trust with your visitors.

3. Send out regular e-newsletters and announcements to your customers (but only those who ask for them).

Implementing a properly executed newsletter campaign into your internet marketing strategies can help your business retain existing customers and attract new ones. Routinely sending out informational content that your newsletter subscribers find valuable is another excellent way to build a level of trust with them while continually establishing yourself as an expert in your product or service area. Over time, your recipients will be increasingly likely to recommend your products or services to others. A newsletter can also be used to announce special promotions and sales. A recent Doubleclick survey of more than 1,000 Internet users found that more than 82 percent of them had made a purchase online during the past year as a result of some sort of advertisement they received through email. The study revealed, however, that people were much more receptive to email from companies with whom they already had a relationship.

4. Make use of your existing marketing materials.

This may seem like one of the most obvious internet marketing tips, but it is also often overlooked. Make sure that all of your print ads, business cards, letterhead, etc. display your web address. In addition, you should mention your website address on your phone message, in the signature of the emails of everyone in your company, and in any radio or television advertising. This simple step can drive a good deal of highly qualified prospects to your site for relatively little cost, but many companies are still using the same marketing materials that they used before they had a website (and missing out on one of the easiest internet marketing strategies available).

5. Make sure your text is focused on your customer's needs and interests, not your company.

A common mistake that companies make on the internet is focusing their text too much upon themselves. Visitors are more interested in learning how your products or services can help them than hearing how great you are or learning about the history of your company. Does your site use the words "we", "us", and "our" more than it uses the words "you" and "your"? If so, your copy may be too self-centric. A shift in focus may help you to better connect with your visitors.

Our credits to the source/author of this article: Author: Scott Buresh Scott Buresh is the CEO of Medium Blue Search Engine Marketing. He has contributed content to many publications including Building Your Business with Google For Dummies (Wiley, 2004), MarketingProfs, ZDNet, SEO Today, WebProNews, DarwinMag, SiteProNews, ISEDB.com, and Search Engine Guide. Medium Blue,an Atlanta search engine optimization company , serves local and national clients, including Boston Scientific, DuPont, and Georgia-Pacific. To receive internet marketing articles and search engine news in your email box each month, register for Medium Blue’s newsletter, Out of the Blue. This article is taken from the Medium blue website.

Source: http://www.mediumblue.com/newsletters/internet-marketing-strategies.html