The Internet is more than just a place for adorable cat videos and tutorials on how to boil water. It has also become any company’s marketing dream come true.
With over 4.2 billion people online, there are plenty of interested leads just waiting for your business to find them. Internet marketing makes this possible by creating a two-way communication with your audience.
1. Know Your Audience
A rudimentary understanding of your target audience is essential. But a vague buyer persona like “Marketing Mary” or “Musician Methuselah” isn’t going to tell you what kind of ad campaigns will work best.
You can learn a lot about your existing audience from customer interviews, surveys, and data analysis. Dig into your website’s visitor stats to identify who already reads your content and engages with your videos. Find out what kinds of searches they’re making on Google, and use that information to create targeted ads for them.
You can also learn about your audience by visiting places they go online, such as Quora, Reddit, and Facebook Groups. People are often willing to share their problems in these communities, which can help you create marketing messages that resonate with them.
2. Know Your Competitors
A competitor analysis is a key first step for any ecommerce business. It allows you to understand what makes your competitors unique and differentiate your products or services in the eyes of customers. It also helps you spot holes in your competition’s marketing strategy so that you can fill those gaps and compete effectively.
You should identify both direct and indirect competitors. Direct competitors are businesses that sell products or services that can be a substitute for yours and operate in your same geographic area. Indirect competitors are those that write content around your value proposition and may be able to rank for keywords associated with it.
You can learn about your competitors from their websites and social media pages. Look at the information they provide on their products and services, leadership, and values.
3. Know Your Goals
Regardless of the type of internet marketing you choose to implement, it is important that your company’s goals are clearly defined. Consider whether you want to increase sales, build brand awareness, or cultivate customer loyalty. You should also think about any alternative ways to achieve these objectives that might not involve the use of the internet.
The internet can be used to reach customers at any time and place, so it is a great way for businesses to connect with their audience. Internet marketing, also known as digital marketing, can be more affordable than traditional advertising methods and requires little to no investment aside from the creation of a website. It is easy to track results and make changes with a few clicks, making it ideal for businesses with tight deadlines.
