Benefits of Internet Marketing

Entrepreneurs that are starting a small business are extremely excited about their new venture and would like to promote their products or services in a hassle free way while keeping the cost to a minimum. In researching Internet Marketing, I discovered there are many strategies that business owners can use.

1. Web Site Building: Building a web site is essential in introducing a business to the world. While some business owners opt to hire a professional web designer, many create them on their own. There are web hosting companies that offer free domain names with a hosting package purchase, they have online tutorials and offer tools to build and publish a web site.
2. Web Site Promotion: After publishing a site on the web, business owners need to make their presence known to internet users. Registering with search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN will help users know how to find a certain business when searching on the internet. Using the right Meta Tags can make all the difference when it comes to driving traffic to a site and advertising on-line.
3. On-line Directories: On-line directories categorize a business into groups so when internet users are searching for a specific type of business they can find a web site within the directory instead of spending hours using search engines alone.
4. Press Releases: Press Releases are a beneficial tool in promoting a business. It is a standard way of communicating business news to intended targets. Press releases tell internet users who the business is, what they provide, what products they are launching, and any changes that are occurring within the company.
5. Link Exchanges: Link exchanges function like a referral. Having the business owners URL on another web site also drives traffic to their own, which can build and increase a client/customer base.
6. Email Marketing: Email Marketing allows business owners to reach their client base immediately instead of waiting for direct mail. Direct mail can take at least a day or for destinations that are farther from the location of the business, can take longer. With Email Marketing software or utilizing Email Marketing companies, a business can track the statistics of the recipients which will help determine their next steps. In contrast when using direct mail there is the risk of not knowing if the targeted client actually received the information. In addition the cost of printing and postage are incurred, as well as the time that is spent creating the printed material.

On average 1.1 billion users are on the internet daily searching for products or services, for this reason marketing on the internet can benefit a business owner in ways that off-line marketing cannot. Unlike newspaper ads that are thrown away daily or a magazine that is only kept for a month, the internet is a permanent presence where the business owner can attract clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from not only their office but from the comfort of their own home.

Although Internet Marketing can seem overwhelming, you can see how beneficial it can be to the small business owner. The ultimate goal is to generate revenue by promoting services and products, increasing traffic to a website, and creating a client base while saving money. With Internet Marketing the business owner is able to reach this goal more effectively and efficiently.