Internet Marketing: Best Practices

Best practices are variable across the board of Internet Marketing. The nature of marketing itself is to mold methodology to the industry in question. However when it comes to strategic position there are what the savvy marketer might call best strategies.

Internet Marketing Best Strategies: Market Research

When starting your Internet Marketing campaign it's important to remember to perform the following steps:

1) Invest in Primary Market Research

You may have been told to refer to magazines, journals, online articles or other secondary information for your market research. However, Darlene Mann, author of the article Hitting the Market1, explains that the alternative is to be preferred:

“Some entrepreneurs in emerging markets rely on secondary market research because it's an easy solution -- but don't do it! If you are starting a new business in a previously untapped market, there is no substitute for primary research. All the secondary market research statistics in the world won't get you funded, but hard data from real prospects just might.”

Primary market research might sound complex when you are dealing with e-commerce. Your audience may be wider (even international) but it is still worthwhile to take the time for interviews, group discussions, surveys, etc. Once the idea of your product seems readily accepted by those who would be most likely to purchase it, consider creating a mock website with information provided via a variety of different media. Video, well written content and audio presentations may or may not be the information your target audience will be attracted to. In the end, do not discount secondary market research. It can be effective in supporting conclusions made via the analysis of primary market research.

2) Listen Like You've Never Listened Before

When conducting primary market research interviews, discussion groups, etc., assume a persuadable position. When your interviewee or members of a discussion group tell you why they wouldn't need or even want your product, that's when it's time to listen. Sure. Criticism can be frightening even to the business savvy. On the other hand, take a look on the bright side. At the very worst you will simply decide to move in another direction. Sometimes a dead end for an assiduous entrepreneur is nothing more than a push towards the road of greater success.

3) Internet Marketing Comes before Sales

After your product or services have been perfected, you might feel the jeopardous urge to jump to the sales stage, but consider Internet marketing first. Internet marketing is what gets your site seen and is also what catches the eye of your qualified customers. It can also cost less than sales procedures. Master Internet marketing, get leads and that's when a great sales team will come in handy.

So, where do you start with Internet marketing? Include the following in your Internet marketing plan of procedure:

1) Write an ample amount of informative content. Continue writing new content and editing old content every month or two.
2) Create videos if you can and make sure that they are properly labeled with appropriate meta data.
3) Get anyone with a reputable website to link to yours and submit articles (with links to your website in the About the Author section) to article submission websites.

Conversationmarketing.com2 also provides 5 additional tips:

1) “Provide an easy way for folks to reach you.”
2) “Answer e-mail information requests in less than a day.”
3) “Make sure every page loads in 3 seconds or less on a broadband connection.”
4) “Make sure your site looks the same in Internet Explorer 6 and 7, Firefox 1 and 2.”
5) “Let people opt in. Let people opt out.” (When you invest in e-mail marketing campaigns).

These steps are essential for real business success since they focus on the customer. Even online, the customer should come first when considering the goals of Internet Marketing.
1 inc.com/articles/2000/03/19094.html
2 http://www.conversationmarketing.com/2007/03/5_easy_tips_for_internet_marke.htm

Marci Crane is a copywriter for Main10 in Orem, Utah. For more information in regards to Internet Marketing Services, please feel free to contact a Main10 representative.