Thursday, October 28, 2010

Online Marketing: A Three Part Strategy

Online marketing for small businesses can be as individual as the small business itself, but usually comprises three primary avenues that constitute a comprehensive strategy. The first method of online marketing is using direct marketing or paid search, such as Google AdWords or Pay Per Click Marketing, that targets specific keywords or allows a company to pay for a certain number of site visits.

The second method of online marketing is investing in frequently updated daily content that draws viewers to the site on a daily basis, usually through a ‘blog.’ The third avenue of online marketing is forming links or visible associations with other sites, through either direct press releases or other methods that cause a site to refer directly to the small business.

In order to produce good results with direct marketing, also known as paid search, small businesses need to consider geotargeting, choosing cost effective keywords to bid on, and keeping an eye on the bidding strategy so that the budget goes as far as possible. The second option of having a daily blog or featured interactive content is more cost-effective, and can also be a far savvier marketing tool. By creating original content specifically geared to the small business, a company can introduce new products, draw a loyal readership, and experiment with different techniques to increase page visits.

The third online marketing technique is in many a ways of combination of the first two. By increasing the number of links to a company’s website from other websites, the company will rank higher in the search results after a user enters search terms. The links that are formed, especially if they result from press releases or other original content, will create a virtually unlimited chain of additional references and links. New search terms may come to be associated with the small business, which will correspondingly boost the company’s website on search results.

No one method of online marketing on its own will produce an effective ad campaign. Rather, online marketing is a careful balance of these three primary avenues. Individual businesses will have to experiment with allocating the ideal percentage of their marketing budget to produce the desired amount of web traffic and corresponding publicity and business.

Online marketing is not a static strategy, but rather one that must constantly adapt to changing input. By carefully analyzing the analytics associated with a website, a company can make these adjustments in their campaign.

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