| Researching the best Internet marketing strategies is | | | | Website functionality and ease of use are a good |
| a bit of a task. Why? Because most Internet | | | | foundation to any successful strategy. As a general |
| marketing companies don't want to share their | | | | rule of thumb, your website should be in keeping of |
| strategies with you! Instead they want to sell them. | | | | your competitors and direct the target audience to |
| So scouring the Web usually leads to lose ends and | | | | the action you would like them to take. The KISS |
| service puffery. So what are the best Internet | | | | principle (i.e. keep it simple stupid) cannot be |
| marketing strategies? | | | | overstated enough in the above items. Concentrate |
| Well honestly, the question itself is flawed. Lets think | | | | your efforts on benefits to the end user and you will |
| about it. What works best for one, doesn't | | | | reap rewards of victory. |
| necessarily mean it will work for another. So lets | | | | Search engine marketing nevertheless, does have |
| start with the basics, shall we? | | | | limitations such as: |
| What exactly is your business model? Are you selling | | | | · Low regional search traffic resulting in slowed |
| a product? A Service? Or trying to promote an | | | | results |
| affiliate? If you're trying to promote a product or | | | | · Local targeting issues (which at the time of this |
| service, generally speaking your strategy will be very | | | | writing is being best served by Google) |
| similar. If you're an affiliate, that is one that is | | | | · Keyword targeting issues |
| promoting a product or service that you don't own, | | | | · Budget constraints |
| the basic strategy is related in that you are still trying | | | | · Competitive saturation |
| to promote "widgets", however your web strategy | | | | Shortcomings Of Regional Traffic |
| will be fundamentally different. Lets discuss products | | | | Regionally based strategies may fall short due to low |
| and services (part I). We'll discuss affiliate-marketing | | | | search volume followed by targeting issues. Currently, |
| strategies more in detail in part II of this writing. | | | | Google paid advertising does offer some great local |
| Products and Services | | | | targeting tools due to their unique ability to target |
| If you're trying to promote a product or service, we | | | | end users via their IP address. Yahoo! on the other |
| must first look at its stage in the product life circle. (I | | | | hand, relies on local keyword filters that are based on |
| know, you didn't want to get the marketing book | | | | cities that you include in your service area. |
| out, but we are!). If you're offering is in the midst of | | | | Whether you decide Google or Yahoo! as your |
| the introduction stage, the need has not been fully | | | | regional search partner, you will likely find that some |
| identified yet, even though one may exist. | | | | industries suffer from low traffic volume. |
| This is important because most Internet marketing | | | | Keyword Targeting Issues |
| experts will tell you to start with "xyz" no matter | | | | Keyword targeting issues arise when a keyword |
| what your offering is. Generally (PPC) or search | | | | either has multiple meanings or the market is sticky |
| engine optimization (SEO) being the culprit. The | | | | to a particular offering within the keyword scope. For |
| reason is usually their general effectiveness. Yes, | | | | example, the keyword "marketing professionals" |
| search engine marketing is effective. No two ways | | | | could imply a business looking for one or an industry |
| about it. However may not be best if no one knows | | | | professional looking for a job. |
| that your product is in existence. If this is the case, | | | | In the case of keyword stickiness, the website |
| you might be better suited for some push strategies | | | | owner can find the market stubborn to buy its |
| such as: | | | | offering if its not tailored to the masses. For example |
| 1. Press releases | | | | the keyword "pottery" could imply any price range. |
| 2. Display ads (banner) | | | | However, if 99% of the market is looking for |
| 3. Articles | | | | pottery priced from $1-2 and your selling exotic |
| 4. Podcasting | | | | pottery for $500 a pop, you may find yourself |
| 5. Traditional push vehicles such as radio or TV | | | | paying too much for what the market doest want. |
| If your product offering is in the growth or maturity | | | | Budget Constraints and Competitive Saturation |
| stage, search engine marketing can be highly | | | | Budget constraints are pretty self-explanatory and |
| effective. When considering search engine marketing, | | | | are usually tied to competitive market saturation. An |
| here are some basic items you may want to | | | | interesting fact about search engine marketing is that |
| evaluate when creating your strategy: | | | | keyword prices are typically tied to market ROI. In |
| 1. Budget | | | | addition, industries that are tough to compete in |
| 2. Regionality of market | | | | generally have a high ROI arbitrage model to blame. |
| 3. Target audience | | | | You probably have run across a few of the |
| 4. Core competencies | | | | Websites in question yourself, such as the "Fill out |
| 5. Website (functionality, ease of use, and conversion | | | | xyz for 4 free quotes" or travel websites. Those |
| friendliness) | | | | companies can afford the high keyword costs due to |
| Budgeting | | | | the fact that they are reselling the same "xyz" to |
| Without getting into great detail into each item, | | | | multiple vendors. This in effect makes it very difficult |
| budget comes to mind for most. On limited by | | | | for companies marketing exclusively to compete |
| budget, determining what to spend your money on | | | | against the giants. |
| can be a daunting task. I recommend that even the | | | | In Summary |
| most budget minded start with pay per click | | | | The above only describes some basic guidelines for |
| advertising. My reasoning is that you can easily test | | | | effective Web marketing strategizing and is in no |
| the business model before you devote massive | | | | way intended to be the "law of the land." However, |
| financial resources to it. In addition, if your paid | | | | what does come to light is that basic marketing |
| advertising strategies soar, this can be a great | | | | strategies are the foundation for triumph in almost |
| guideline to base your search engine optimization | | | | any business model and cannot simply be "cookie cut" |
| efforts on. | | | | from one grand Pooh-Bah of all online mediums. The |
| Regionality, Target Audience, and Competencies | | | | best strategeer's will continually employ new, |
| Regardless of budget, your website should include a | | | | measure results, and refine their strategies according |
| regional focus (if applicable) and speak in a language | | | | to what provides the greatest overall benefit. If your |
| that resembles your target audience. In addition, | | | | looking for the best internet marketing strategy, |
| content is best utilized if it describes your core | | | | scour the web no longer, because the best Internet |
| competencies that give your visitors a reason to buy | | | | marketing strategy lies within your grasp. Now its up |
| from you. | | | | to you to sell them! |
| The Website | | | | |