| The Internet has grown from a small network of | | | | similar options like banner ads, but they are shown to |
| academics needing a way to trade research into a | | | | be far more effective than pop-ups, banners, or |
| world-spanning, ubiquitous marketplace and repository | | | | pay-per-click ads due to their specific targeting. |
| for nearly every possible kind of information and | | | | When a potential customer decides to look up a |
| knowledge. How does a small business avoid being | | | | product that you sell, is he or she going to find your site |
| washed away in the constant tide of buying, selling and | | | | or listing? Being specific in the terms used on your site |
| marketers hawking every conceivable item (and some | | | | or listing is key, as keywords are what drive the |
| difficult to conceive...)? | | | | search engines like Google and Yahoo. If your |
| The Internet provides advantages for both customer | | | | company sells shoes, it's not enough to put the word |
| and proprietor in that one can search for exactly what | | | | "shoes" on your site--it has to be anticipatory to the |
| is desired, without the bother of endless phone calls, | | | | searches that potential customers are doing. Most |
| driving to malls, or poring over mail-order catalogs. A | | | | customers have an idea of what they are looking for |
| quick keyword or 3, and hundreds of results vie for | | | | when doing a search, so instead of "shoes," a |
| attention on the screen. Making sure your company is | | | | customer will search for "imported Italian leather |
| one of those results near the top is a combination of | | | | shoes." Specific focusing of terminology and product |
| factors: specificity in product offerings, Search Engine | | | | listings are involved in Search Engine Optimization |
| Optimization of web content and linking to and from | | | | (SEO), as SEO is driven by specific keywords and |
| related topics and sites. | | | | their repetition or location on a page. If the term "Italian |
| The only way to get noticed on the Internet is to have | | | | Leather Shoes" is used 15 times on a website, it will |
| a listing or presence, whether a dedicated website, ads | | | | pop up higher on the rating listings than one with the |
| on relevant sites, or by word-of-mouth. Oftentimes ads | | | | same words, but only as a page heading or title. It |
| on online journals, informative sites, or e-zines (online | | | | would be easy to go overboard on this if it were the |
| magazines) are cheaper than space in a print | | | | only criteria, but it is only one of many different |
| publication, as well as being available to a wider | | | | methods search engines use to list websites by |
| audience than a dedicated website may be. Rates are | | | | relevance. Our article on Search Engine Optimization, |
| often available for daily, weekly, or monthly terms, | | | | located here, is a great reference to optimizing your |
| increasing flexibility and allowing a tight budget more | | | | site for maximum Search Engine Performance. |
| leeway. Word-of-mouth advertising can be very | | | | With a clear idea of where you want to go with |
| cheap, but the returns may be difficult to quantify. | | | | Internet marketing, it can be a valuable tool to expand |
| Sponsoring web shows such as podcasts or | | | | your business into the digital realm, but be careful not |
| webcasts can be a great and cheap way to gain | | | | to go overboard, as all marketing eventually crosses |
| word-of-mouth exposure. Many times, a podcaster will | | | | into the zone of limited return. Customers are looking |
| be so thrilled to gain sponsorship that rates can be | | | | for what they want--it's up to you to make sure they |
| negotiated for very little, but make sure to approach a | | | | run into you, and the only way they will is for you to |
| podcaster that has a show related somehow to your | | | | make sure your business is at the places they are |
| business. Don't overlook resources like Google's | | | | going to go. |
| Adwords either, as they can be slightly pricier than | | | | © 2005, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved. |