Internet Marketing Crash Course

If you’re new to the world of online businesses, you may be hearing the term “internet marketing” frequently.  From internet marketing web sites to news segments about professional web marketers, internet marketing has exploded since the World Wide Web became one of the most effective and popular ways to market products and services to people around the world.  You may be wondering what internet marketing is and how it became so popular.  You’re about to find out the major types of internet marketing and what they involve.

Traditional Stores

Traditional businesses were given a run for their money by the crop of online businesses that popped up when the Internet became a worldwide marketplace.  These traditional businesses quickly figured out that, to retain market share and customer loyalty, they’d need to get online quickly.  Some of the traditional stores that saw online opportunities include Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Best Buy, and Staples.  These stores quickly built online versions of their retail stores and began offering online-only specials and shipping discounts to encourage customers to shop online.

Online Service & Sales

Many industries have realized the power of having an online presence and have moved their businesses almost entirely to the Web.  Travel agents, insurance brokers, attorneys, authors, and other professionals have had to switch from traditional marketing methods to online marketing methods.  This migration from the traditional way of dong business to using online marketing makes it a little easier for you to break into business.  With a good web site and the right mix of services and products, you can compete with the more established firms that have more advertising and marketing dollars to spend.

Internet Marketing Education

Since the World Wide Web became popular, there has been a great increase in the number of people who are known as Internet gurus or marketing experts.  These individuals have leveraged the popularity of the Internet and made a living teaching others how to prosper using online tools and information.  If you have a service that you want to promote, working with these experts can help you come up with a plan for promotion.  If you’re promoting products, you can develop an internet marketing plan that makes it possible for you to reach your target market and take advantage of the popularity of the Web.

Advertising and Promoting Your Products and Services Online

Online advertising and promotion are a bit different than traditional advertising and publicity.  If your business is online, chances are you’ll need to do more online marketing than offline marketing to promote your business and get your name known in your industry.  This is where promotion and advertising come in.  You can use a number of tools to promote your business including search engine optimization, pay per click advertising campaigns, and article submission services.  Whatever method you choose, promote your business in the best possible light to create positive publicity and drive traffic to your site.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is something you can do to make money online that does not involve making your own product or selling your own service.  Instead, affiliate marketing is the marketing and promotion of another company’s products and services.  Many companies have affiliate programs set up where you place a link or banner on your web site.  If people make purchases by following that link or banner, you’ll get a commission of anywhere from a few cents to hundreds of dollars.  Affiliate marketing is a great way for you to make money by using the power of the Internet to market and promote the products and services of others.

Whatever type of online marketing you choose to get involved in, you can be successful if you are willing to commit yourself to spending the time and energy to vigorously market products and services.  Internet marketing may not make you a millionaire, but it can allow you to work independently and create a comfortable income for your family.