Internet marketing. For some people, the concept seems simple enough. Put together a well designed webpage, buy a few Google or Facebook ads and your sales will virtually skyrocket overnight. Except it’s not that simple. Unlike traditional marketing, internet marketing requires adapting to new models. New language. And a constantly evolving platform. It’s also not that complicated. Many businesses tend to feel intimidated by delving into internet marketing on account of the unfamiliar territory. And while the language may seem strange and overwhelming at first, it’s really just a question of adapting to a new landscape once you understand the basics. If you’ve been wary of digital marketing, don’t be. It’s critical for business survival in the 21st century. According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, eCommerce sales for the second quarter of 2019 was reportedly at $146.2 billion—and that’s just for the second quarter alone. If you’re new to internet marketing and don’t know where to start, here’s what you need to know.

What Is Search Engine Marketing?

Search Engine Marketing is exactly what it sounds like: Any marketing effort designed to help your business maintain a higher visibility in search engine results. Google Ads is probably the most well known example of paid search engine marketing. But you still need organic results. That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. At its core, all SEO refers to is the optimization of your website’s content to result in higher search engine ranking. That means consistent content—and content which readers will actually want to read. It requires keyword research, link building and constant auditing and effective analytics. All of which will take time. But time which will ultimately pay off in much higher traffic for your business.

What Is Social Media Marketing?

Social Media Marketing isn’t very different from Search Engine Marketing. You’re simply tailoring your internet marketing efforts to better engage with your audience through social media. But this has both strengths and drawbacks. On the one hand, Social Media Marketing allows you to directly interact with your customers. It lets them know your business as a human voice, not a faceless entity. It’s been estimated that personal interaction with customers can increase brand loyalty by 65 percent. And if your business is facing high competition, that’s a pretty staggering number. But effective Social Media Marketing means knowing which platforms are trending and which ones are failing. For example, Instagram reached 1 billion monthly users in June of 2018 in comparison to Facebook, which had a reported monthly average user count of 2.4 billion in April of 2019—but only a 2.5 percent growth. But Instagram is really only suited for visual content, as opposed to a more versatile platform like Facebook. And to understand just why certain platforms rise and fail is one of the keys to understanding your customer base.

What Is Email Marketing?

Email Marketing simply refers to using email communications to generate leads from your potential customers and ultimately convert them to sales. The most common example would be including a drop in box on your web landing page inviting customers to sign up for exclusive offers and discounts, typically followed by a call to action. This not only lets your customers become aware of your product line, but also encourages personalization by creating a sense of exclusivity—probably one of the most crucial elements in ensuring customer loyalty.

What Is Content Marketing?

It’s important to remember that Content Marketing doesn’t just mean written content, although long form content such as blog posts and white papers should never be overlooked in your internet marketing strategy. But Content Marketing refers to content which creates a value added result, including streaming media (whether hosted on your site or on a sharing platform such as YouTube), case studies, mobile marketing and infographics as well as long form written content. And the keys to effective Content Marketing is consistency and regularity. You may have an extremely content-rich site, but if it hasn’t been updated in five or more years, your customer base is going to think you’ve fallen off the face of the earth. And they will do likewise.

What Is Pay Per Click Marketing?

Pay Per Click Marketing (PPC) refers to paid advertising, either in the form of search ads or display ads, which are most often outsourced to PPC agencies who specialize in campaigns to convert each click into a sales lead. It can be thought of as a form of both Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, but one in which you’re directing traffic back to your site by paying for it. It’s not organic. But it is effective. So much so that it was a $10.1 Billion industry in 2018 alone.

What Do I Need To Know To Get Started In Internet Marketing?

Much like traditional marketing, you need to understand your target audience first. You need to understand their needs—and how your strengths and your product can fulfill them. The next step is to do a little research. Let’s assume your business is targeting 30-35 year olds looking to enroll their child in daycare. What else are they researching? What sites do they regularly visit? What social media networks do they use? Analytic tools available from Google, Facebook and Twitter can not only help you measure the efficacy of your internet marketing campaign, but also inform you about trends your customer base is following. And from those trends, you can develop an effective marketing campaign around relevant topics close to your customers’ needs. But all of this can take time and experience to know how to market effectively. You may not have either. But we do. We’ve been developing effective internet marketing campaigns since 2013. We’re not about to stop now. And if you’re looking to get serious about internet marketing, you need an agency that doesn’t joke around, either. Visit us today at nojokemarketing.com for more digital marketing tips!