| The evolution of eCommerce and eBusiness practices | | | | Social Media marketing campaigns may comprise of |
| has created online marketing channels that are simple | | | | blog content, viral campaigns such as YouTube clips, |
| to use, adaptable, targeted and incredibly fast. The | | | | social media websites such as Facebook, MySpace, |
| popularity of the internet has propelled the use of | | | | LinkedIn etc as well as applications for use on social |
| online marketing channels from "nice to have" to | | | | media websites and or mobile phones. |
| non-negotiable. | | | | The key to achieving brand positioning with a social |
| Every business should have an online marketing | | | | media campaign lie in the following: |
| strategy to maximise the exposure and to leverage | | | | |
| relationships with their customers. One thought leader | | | | 1. Be present by participating in the conversation with |
| that clearly understands this principle and has put it to | | | | your clients or consumers. |
| action is Vinny Lingham. After a decade in the | | | | 2. By providing good, relevant content without |
| business of eMarketing and eCommerce Vinny is a | | | | constantly promoting your brand leads to trust |
| successful eBusiness entrepreneur and thought leader | | | | 3. Listen to what they are saying about the product or |
| that has much experience in creating profitable | | | | service, and |
| websites with an array of online channels and ensuring | | | | 4. React accordingly |
| their success and longevity. | | | | 5. Creative or inspirational campaigns spread like |
| His approach is relatively simple, and if followed will | | | | wildfire |
| ensure that your website will attain increased traffic, | | | | 6. Be consistent in all your dealings and you will have a |
| sustain its presence and increase profit. | | | | consumer or client for life |
| Ensuring Success | | | | With an eMail marketing campaign the simplicity lies in |
| There are many Online Marketing channels that may | | | | marketing to those people that have opted in to |
| be used to achieve increased brand awareness, traffic | | | | receiving your messages. Do not fall into the trap of |
| and ultimately sales. Each channel needs a slightly | | | | buying bulk email addresses. Promote your newsletter |
| different approach, whilst remaining connected, and | | | | via your blog or website and as consumers get to |
| with the eye on achieving the umbrella strategy. The | | | | know your brand they will want to tune into your |
| umbrella strategy may be further defined as the goals | | | | messages more regularly. |
| and theme of the campaign. | | | | Affiliate marketing is very similar to PPC. The key to a |
| Search Engine Optimisation, Pay-Per-Click marketing, | | | | great affiliate campaign lies in knowing how to choose |
| Social Media marketing, email marketing and Affiliate | | | | the publishers. Carefully select your publishers by |
| marketing are the primary channels that he places | | | | scrutinising their website content and relevance to your |
| primary focus on to provide targeted, cost effective | | | | product or service. Secondly how they promote their |
| and measurable campaigns. | | | | website. Do they make use of effective marketing |
| The foundation to any online marketing campaign is a | | | | channels? How much traffic do they receive monthly |
| Search Marketing strategy comprised of paid search | | | | and whether the traffic is your target demographic. |
| marketing (Pay Per Click - PPC) and organic search | | | | Relevance is key to all eMarketing focussed |
| marketing (Search Engine Optimisation - SEO). With | | | | campaigns. The simplest way to ensure success is by |
| SEO and PPC it is relatively easy to ensure success if | | | | ensuring that your content and campaign is relevant to |
| you follow the following tips: | | | | your goals and keeping this consistent. |
| | | | Measure SuccesseMarketing offers many benefits for |
| 1. Keywords - choose keywords wisely. Pay attention | | | | business including lowered customer acquisition costs |
| to what your competitors are bidding on and develop | | | | and better customer relationship management. All |
| your key-phrases accordingly. Do not opt for one | | | | efforts and results are easily measurable to gauge |
| word, or broad phrases on your SEO campaign. This | | | | feasibility and viability. There are many analytics |
| method may be more effective with the PPC | | | | programmes available to track the statistics of a |
| campaign, but your per click costs could be high. Be | | | | website in terms of how many users viewed the site, |
| specific. | | | | country of origin, exits, referrers, conversions and |
| 2. Content Relevancy is key - For both SEO and PPC | | | | more. Many packages now also allow tracking the |
| if a user clicks through on a search result page from a | | | | cost of sale through your various campaigns. |
| query, the content that is displayed must be relevant to | | | | Combined this is valuable information to marketers to |
| that query. If not, you will lose a potential client and | | | | determine whether the campaign strategy is working |
| money as they will click away from the site. | | | | or needs to be scrutinised more carefully. |
| 3. Clear navigation - The site should be easy to use. | | | | An entity as powerful as the internet means that it |
| Do not make your users think about their next action, | | | | needs to be taken seriously as part of any business' |
| have it clearly visible to them. | | | | marketing and sales strategy. eMarketing is a way to |
| 4. Call to Actions - Make these clearly visible and | | | | leverage this power to your benefit. By ensuring that |
| identify them for the visitors. If your primary goal is to | | | | your campaigns are relevant, targeted and engaging |
| sell a product your call to action should be "buy this | | | | and by consistently measuring performance you are |
| product now" or similar. | | | | guaranteed success. |