Internet Marketing, 101 part 2 – Ridgefield CT, Connecticut, Fairfield County: OK. So we covered the Rocket Science of Internet marketing in part 1. So just to recap – Internet marketing is marketing on the Internet! Wise guy, ‘uh? No. That is for real!
So following on from our example of Joe Soap with no Internet Traffic, let’s explore a couple of Internet Marketing options or strategies.
Firstly, like I said last time in part 1, make your website your CORE foundation. Keyword rich, relevant and SEO optimized. That has to be the start. Ideally your URL should have Keywords in too that are relevant to your business for example, www.JoeSoap.com means what exactly? Although not always possible given today’s .com scarcity. Still there are ways to be creative though and get your keywords in there. As a side note, if the dot com name is taken and being used, DON’T go purchase the dot net version, or dot org or dot US or whatever. Chances are folks are going to type in the dot com version even if they know your website (more than 70% of the time) and will go to your competitors page. Not good.
Ok so the website is buttoned down. If you have a limited budget, remember you cannot be everything at once and you will go crazy if you try to do so. Internet Marketing strategies and campaigns need to have a plan (see previous post) and rolled out in a coordinated and manageable manner. If you do decide to hire an Internet marketing expert (which by the way if the correct group is hired, should pay for itself sometimes in a matter of weeks but usually months) they should lay out their plan for you and themselves.
So with Internet marketing there are pay channels and FREE channels and you should explore both. Pay channels are Pay Per Click (PPC) and are ads on top box and sides of Google and yahoo search results for example. You bid on price of keyword which will determine where you appear on those paid results, i.e first place or fifth. This has to be researched and done correctly otherwise you can spend a fortune. Believe me I know – I ripped through tens of thousands of dollars in a couple of months when I launched my first online business. Ouch. Facebook is a PPC channel that can be cheaper and very well targeted as they have the majority of users demographics. So you can target, age, region, interest etc etc.
OK, back to the FREE channels. Start with Google Places and Bing and Yahoo equivalent. You should aim to dominate your local region and town first and then spread your web (excuse the pun). The above are key Internet marketing channels that so many people ignore – unbelievable. You have to be listed as a minimum.
Next, get on free internet marketing channels, such as Google+, Manta, Merchant Circle and such. Local and regional business directories. You should get onto Yelp too and generate reviews from your customers. This is work that has to be done, sometimes you have to look pretty hard to find where to register as it seems many are scared to tell you where to join. It does take time too I will admit it.
If your website is your CORE, then you have to start a blog too. A blog allows you to do what I am doing right now. 1. Get your message out there, 2. Share your knowledge, 3. Interact with others, 4. engage customers and 5. be visible with potential customers, existing customers and SEARCH engines.
Blogs allow you to post articles rich in Keywords, such as……Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Oh comon you didn’t think I couldn’t do this for myself too did you?
So Blogs are meant to have plenty of relevant, keyword rich content that is updated regularly (if you post regularly) which means search engines love it. It is relevant and new.
Your blog should be the first piece to attach onto your rock, which is your website.
Same principles apply though. If you cannot do this or are putting it off because of time, have an expert guide you through an Internet marketing strategy and plan and allow to do the work for you, so you can do what is BEST. Be in front of your customers. Your internet Marketing strategy should pay for itself……
Cheers
Kenneth
http://www.gaiamediamarketing.com
Gaia Media Group is based in Ridgefield CT, Fairfield County and specialize in assisting Small Businesses develop and implement successful Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing strategies as well as assisting in SEO.
