Reaching out to consumers and establishing a
brand is an important part of succeeding in business. Without marketing
solutions, a business has a very high chance of failure. Online marketing is a
strategy that helps build up a company’s reputation and exposure online by
using a variety of internet tools and solutions.
Definition of Online Marketing
Before it is possible to understand the different strategies and marketing tools that are available, it is important to identify what online marketing is and how it promotes a business.
Online marketing, which is also called internet marketing or online
advertising, is any tool, strategy or method of getting the company name out to
the public. The advertisements can take many different forms and some
strategies focus on subtle messages rather than clear-cut advertisements.
But, the way that it promotes a business is simple: it builds up the
company reputation by increasing its ability to be found online. A large number
of potential customers browse the internet, look for information or simply
enjoy their favorite pastimes with an internet connection. By taking advantage
of the online tools and resources, it is possible to get the company name out
to the public and encourage potential customers to look further for
information.
Website Development
When it comes to online marketing strategies, website development plays
a crucial role in your ability to reach your target audience. The reason is
simple: potential customers look for information, products or services that you
provide on your website.
A website provides an online presence that allows customers to find out
more about your company, your services and the type of products that you sell.
Putting a website together these days is fairly simple, cost effective and
absolutely essential to having a business these days. Free websites services
exist, but come with a number of limitations (Watch for our upcoming post: “Why
that free website isn’t what you want”).
Template websites offer the luxury of getting a professional website up
and running at a reduced cost and turn-around time. Business owners choose a
template and then create content and color schemes that match their business.
For those with the budget, custom websites are a great option. Depending
on the needs of the company, a complete custom solution, from the design to the
functionality of the site, is created. This process requires more time but has
almost no limitations to what can be provided. Custom websites can range from approximately
$5k to more than $100k.
TN Media offers premium website solutions to fit almost any budget.
Search Engine Marketing
After a website is built for your company, you must promote it. Search
engine marketing, or SEM for short, is one of the best ways that you can
promote your company, services and website. SEM is the process and strategy of
getting website exposure online with keywords related to your business. SEM
includes pay per click ads (PPC) and search engine optimization (SEO).
PPC:
Pay per click, or PPC, is an ad that displays on search engine result
pages. The advertiser pays when the ad is clicked by the user and is directed
to their website or landing page. PPC allows for nearly immediate exposure
online and can provide a high-level cost transparency.
SEO:
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing website
content online to increase exposure in the organic search results for desired
keywords. This is a long-term strategy that has many factors contributing to
its success. These include site architecture, on-site content, internal and
external links, keyword research and competition analysis to name a few.
While being found online is probably the most important part of an
online marketing strategy, there are other types of internet marketing that
supplement those efforts. For more information about SEM,
Update: SEM in the past was widely accepted to be Search
Engine Marketing which fully encompassed SEO and SEM. However over time many
have adopted the SEM acronym to refer solely to paid search.
Making Use of Social Networks
Social networking websites are a powerful marketing tool. They provide
the opportunity to develop a solid and professional reputation. You can also
advertise your company, website and services through your social networking
pages.
A major reason that advertisements and content on a social networking
websites help develop your company is word-of-mouth. It allows you to employ
reputation management strategies, engage with customers and answer questions. By
engaging with your customers, you encourage them to share their experiences
with those in their network.
Email Marketing
Online marketing strategies may also include email marketing.
Businesses use this tool to reach out to current customers by sending out
newsletters, coupons or informational emails. You can also encourage new
customers to sign up for your newsletter or mailing list to learn more
information about the products or services that you provide.
While email marketing is not new, a fairly unknown concept is marketing
to a rented list. This process allows you to target individuals who have
opted-in to receive promotional emails and have typically provided some
information about who they are and their interests. Check out our previous blog
post on effective
email marketing for more in-depth information.
Online Display Ads
Take advantage of online display ads by putting up advertisements on
search engines such as Yahoo, Bing and Google. Rich media ads, which are
advertisements that allow potential customers to interact with the ad, create
more engagement with consumers than your run-of-the-mill text ads.
Not only does a display network allow you to place advertisements, but
you can learn about your customers through rich
media ads, such as the amount of time that they spend interacting
with your advertisement. This tool helps measure interest in your products and provides
a visual that encourages potential customers to learn more about your products
or services.
Online marketing is an essential part of running a
successful business in today’s digital world. TN Media is located in downtown
Nashville, Tennessee and has solutions to fit every type of business and
budget. Contact us today to schedule your free
comprehensive analysis to see how TN Media can help you meet your business
goals.
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