The term “internet marketing” seems to have a bad rap these days. For many people hearing and using that term, it can take on the connotation of a sales pitch. But is also is a general term for marketing your business online.
Online marketing can create some confusion, especially for those that are new and trying to figure it all out. Let’s see if we can reduce some of the confusion and help you with a better foot forward with your marketing efforts.
Realistically, marketing your business online has basically three components: your blog, your website and your social media channels. These three will make up your traffic direction. Let’s break them down.
Your Website – A place for people to find out more about you in an indepth manner. Who you are. What you do. A place where you offer information, classes, books, newsletters, product, or similar. A place for converting visitors to customers.
Your Blog – Attached to your website for daily, weekly, or monthly postings about topics your clients and customers want to know about. A place for you to converse with them and interact. You can also convert by using call to actions within a blog post.
Social Media – Your choice of channels that you enjoy interaction on. A place for you to share your website and blog information. Where you can interact with followers and drive traffic back to your blog and website for final conversions, or offer conversions right on the social media site of choice.
Using these three tools on the internet will allow you the flexibility to reach a consumer where they are most comfortable. You have to ability to reach them using multiple methods through your marketing plan. Most marketers share the information, drive the traffic where they want the conversion to occur and then convert in the manner they choose. That could be in newsletter signups, product sales, or a number of other options, depending on your business and needs.
Internet marketing is not hard. Start with a plan of action. Enjoy meeting new people and then add in a way to track your follow through and conversions. People still buy from people they know and trust. Use internet marketing as a tool to gain the trust and value from your customers.
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