By Julia McCoy
August 27,2021
Source: Search Engine Journal
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Want to know more about internet marketing or online marketing? See how it can help your business or brand drive traffic, leads, and sales.
Marketing is all about reaching your target audience at the right place and at the right time.
With more than 4.8 billion people using the internet today, internet marketing is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to reach your prospects.
Sounds like a no-brainer, right? There’s just one question.
What exactly is internet marketing?
Internet Marketing Explained Internet marketing is the promotion of a company and its products or services through online tools that generate leads, drive traffic, and boost sales.
Also called online marketing or digital marketing, internet marketing relies on digital channels to distribute promotional messages.
Internet marketing is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of marketing strategies and avenues.
From emails, search engines, social media posts, and blog articles, there’s one common theme among all of these tactics: They all focus on delivering content. With content marketing, gone are the days of hopeful sales pitches and traditional marketing.
Now, businesses can target their audience with pinpoint accuracy and provide useful information that resonates.
This is perfect because that’s exactly what today’s consumers want.
People don’t want to hear about products and services that don’t interest them.
From installing adblockers to clicking on “Skip Ads” buttons, today’s shoppers are more discerning about the information they’re willing to consume.
Content marketing delivers meaningful information that solves users’ problems and is accessible on consumer demand.
Content Marketing vs. Traditional Advertising
Can you believe there was a time when salesmen knocked on strangers’ doors to sell encyclopedias?
Write Engaging Content in Your Unique Style While traditional ads may still work in some situations, the internet has changed the way consumers shop.
Brands can research the specific needs of their target audience and create tailored content that inspires, educates, or alleviates a problem for their prospects. Through a series of searches, people can find that online content on their own terms, rather than having it forced on them.
If the content provides value, they’ll keep returning for more.
With content marketing, the user is in the driver’s seat. They decide whether they want to engage with the brand and share the information with their social network.
This enables businesses to develop deep, meaningful relationships with their audience that are based on trust and authority.
When they decide they’re ready, those loyal followers can convert to leads – on their own terms.
This is what happens when you put the consumer’s needs above your own. When you deliver content with the intention of providing valuable information, you’ll be rewarded with their business (and their loyalty) in the end.
Fundamentally, that is what internet marketing is all about.
But Why All the Hype Around Internet Marketing? You understand what internet marketing is and how it’s beneficial for your brand.
By the end of 2021, the global content marketing industry is expected to reach $412 billion.
Consumers who read a piece of brand content are 131% more likely to buy from that brand versus consumers who read no content.
Fully 49% of B2B buyers said they are relying on content now more than ever to make purchase decisions.
5 Examples of Content That Provide Value for Big Returns 1. Blog Posts & Articles When we think of content, we usually think first of blog posts.
That’s because they’re among the most common platforms for delivering useful content. Blogs are terrific because they provide tons of ways to boost SEO.
They keep your website current and provide opportunities for audience engagement.
You can link to other authoritative sites, which helps boost customer loyalty and broadens your reach.
But you can also link back to your own pages, which keeps people on your website longer. Most importantly, a blog can help you make a deeper connection with your audience.
2. Infographics Infographics are a creative way to deliver complex information in a format that’s easy to understand.
Through charts, pictures, graphs, and illustrations, infographics break up the monotony of text by providing a fun, colorful visual for readers to digest (and share) valuable content. They are eye-catching, simple to follow, and present some really valuable information in a way that’s easy for people to grasp.
3. Case Studies Case studies are another impactful form of content marketing. They’re an additional way for brands to provide authoritative content to inform and inspire their readers.
Case studies are basically in-depth documentation of an actual customer’s successful interaction with your brand.
They usually address the problem a consumer was having before they learned of your services. Then they explain how your products helped them achieve their goals.
4. Podcasts Not everyone has the time (or the desire) to conduct the in-depth research needed for blog articles and case studies.
Podcasts are a great alternative.
With 16 million Americans who identify as “avid podcast fans,” podcasts are an effective way to reach a large target audience.
They allow companies to use storytelling techniques to draw an audience in and share useful information.
Podcasts are also a way to add a level of personality to your marketing campaign. Listeners get to know you as the voice of your brand, which helps to build more meaningful relationships with your followers.
You can also bring in guest speakers who add another level of authority while helping you expand your audience.
For a prime example of an effective podcast, tune in to The Search Engine Journal Show. The official podcast of Search Engine Journal, this show discusses PPC, social media, SEO, content marketing, and digital marketing with industry leaders.
5. Videos
Video marketing has been a growing trend in recent years.
Now that brands seem to have a better grasp of how to use it effectively, 87% of brands who use it say they see an increase in ROI.
With so many mediums and platforms to choose from, you can certainly build a content strategy that will most effectively meet the needs of your target audience.
Set some goals, decide where you’ll host your content (website, YouTube, social media), and begin mapping out your plan.
Do you have an online presence for your business or a personal brand? What is your Online Marketing Plan? What is your budget....we are here to help:
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