| Marketing is essential for any business, but it can often | | | | efforts. Email taps into the visual-nature of human |
| be difficult to get positive results. Cost is a major | | | | emotion and can effectively communicate your offers |
| concern and with the struggles of traditional media, | | | | and information. Further, there are new advancements |
| many companies have turned to the Internet to find | | | | with personalization and stricter enforcement of |
| new customers and better results. Experience and | | | | Can-SPAM rules have made email less of a nuisance |
| resources are the other main concerns. You may not | | | | in the minds of the consumer. This channel is easily |
| have the know how or the time to effectively execute | | | | measured with analytics and offers a myriad of |
| strategy. Internet marketing allows you to reach your | | | | testing, segmentation and optimization opportunities. |
| customers where they spend a large majority of their | | | | Partnering with a skilled professional to own the |
| time. | | | | execution strategy, any business can benefit from this |
| Google has forever changed the way marketers, small | | | | highly efficient channel. |
| and large, advertise their products and services, but it's | | | | Social Media Marketing: The buzz of the day is |
| no longer the only game in town. Facebook has | | | | definitely around social media. Every business wants to |
| surpassed Google in terms of traffic and presents | | | | have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, |
| significant opportunity to build awareness and drive | | | | but does it make sense for you? Maybe, maybe not. |
| sales for your business. Further still, ad networks such | | | | It's important to go through the process and decide if |
| as DoubleClick provide the opportunity to efficiently | | | | social media is an appropriate marketing channel for |
| display your banner ads across well-known sites. | | | | you. Driving ROI through social media is challenging, but |
| Lastly, there is a whole industry around tracking | | | | possible. Once you've made the choice, the opportunity |
| marketing results and providing deep levels of insight | | | | is significant. You can reach your customers in a place |
| into what visitors are doing when on your website. | | | | where they already spend time, listen to their thoughts |
| Web analytics has many major players from the free | | | | on your company and engage them with interactive |
| of Google Analytics to the very expensive | | | | and viral content. Done right, social media can develop |
| SiteCatalyst from Omniture. | | | | a strong community of loyal customers that praise you |
| The following is a breakdown of core digital marketing | | | | from the digital mountain top. |
| channels: | | | | Online Media: Online display advertising offers an |
| PPC | Pay Per Click | Search Engine Marketing: This | | | | additional channel that is not without it's challenges. As |
| channel enables you to purchase keywords relevant | | | | search has become the most popular method of |
| to your brand or the products/services you offer. You | | | | looking for information, companies and products, display |
| then create customized ads to entice users to click | | | | ads have had to evolve. Gone are the days of the |
| and visit your site for conversion. There are several | | | | static ad. Now, you are hard pressed to find a website |
| benefits of this channel: 1) It's an auction based | | | | without rich media ads - flash ads, video, interactive |
| environment where you get to set the maximum price | | | | widgets. Re-targeting and behavioral targeting allow for |
| your willing to bid on specific keywords or publisher | | | | a more efficient method of reaching your audience |
| websites 2) You can locally target your ads, by | | | | and maximizing ROI. Online display advertising has |
| country, region, metro area, state and even down to | | | | dramatically improved since introduced and the |
| the zip code 3) Campaigns can be setup quickly and | | | | opportunity to add as a marketing channel has never |
| live within 15 minutes 4) Testing of ads, keywords, | | | | been greater. |
| custom landing pages and more is easy and results | | | | Web Analytics: Marketing can only be successful if |
| are available quickly 5) With web analytics, tracking | | | | you can measures results. Fortunately, there is no |
| results make optimizing campaigns easier and more | | | | shortage of web-based tools to accomplish this. Once |
| accurate. Of course there are many more benefits, | | | | implemented, web analytics applications allow you |
| but these are some of the major examples. There is | | | | complete visibility into how your marketing campaigns |
| great opportunity with paid search marketing. | | | | are converting, how users are moving through your |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | Natural Search | | | | | site, consuming the content and engaging with your |
| Organic Search: The other side of paid search is | | | | brand. Analysis of this data can lead to instrumental |
| natural search. When you look at listings on a search | | | | insights and drive your overall marketing strategy. Web |
| engine's results page, you'll notice that not all are | | | | analytics are powerful tools that are essential to have |
| sponsored ads. Those free listings are supplied by the | | | | in place before spending your marketing budget. |
| search engine scouring the web for content relevant | | | | This list may seem daunting. In reality, Internet |
| to the search term(s) used. According to the search | | | | marketing is a science that when done well can yield |
| engines complicated algorithm, results are determined | | | | valuable results. I'm not saying to immediately launch |
| by several factors that aim to provide you with quality | | | | campaigns in multiple channels at once. It's prudent to |
| websites related to your search. The SEO process | | | | start with one, optimize and add additional channels |
| involves optimizing your website to rank high in these | | | | slowly till you find a good mix, manage resources and |
| listings. Some believe that just placing important | | | | are generating results. It is possible to learn all of this |
| keywords in as many places on your website is the | | | | through trial an error, but it's more efficient to hire |
| optimal strategy. This couldn't be further from the truth. | | | | experienced internet marketing professionals to do the |
| Solid SEO involves competitive analysis, keyword | | | | heavy lifting. The money saved by hiring expertise |
| research, site architecture considerations, optimized | | | | often far outweighs the money lost learning on your |
| content, reporting and consistent optimization. A sound | | | | own. |
| SEO strategy can yield great results, but keep in mind, | | | | Hopefully this list was helpful to get you thinking about |
| this takes time. | | | | new ways to market your business. There will be |
| Email Marketing: Reaching new prospects and | | | | additional follow-up posts that will get into a bit more |
| re-marketing to existing customers through email can | | | | detail. |
| be one of your most successful digital marketing | | | | |