Like any industry, Internet Marketing has its own special
marketing tools and methods. Many of these marketing tools
may already be familiar to you: autoresponders, SEO software,
link-building systems, content management programs,
affiliate software... and the list goes on.
However, Internet Marketing has other more effective,
non-traditional marketing tools every marketer should
know about if they want to reach their full potential as
online marketers. Some of these marketing tools come cleverly
disguised or camouflaged, with many surfers or customers
completely unaware that they're receiving a sales-pitch.
Yet, these innocent and simple sales techniques are some
of the most effective marketing tools on the web.
For anyone involved in Internet Marketing or for anyone
wishing to become involved, a quick rundown of these
marketing tools may prove helpful. Here's a brief list
and a few pointers on how to effectively use these
marketing tools.
1. Domain Name
Lets start at the very beginning. Your domain name should be
considered your first Internet marketing tool. Pick it right
and your domain name can also be your most effective marketing
tool. Get it wrong and it may spell game over.
Most marketers agree you should pick a short memorable
keyword-related domain name. For example,
http://www.hotels.com,
it's easy to remember/spell and it tells you exactly what
the site is about. Picking a domain directly related to the
keyword or keywords of your site will help greatly in obtaining
a high ranking for your site with the search engines. Not to
mention, it will be a great marketing and promotional tool,
telling your potential customers exactly what your site is
promoting and displaying.
On the other hand, some marketers suggest you opt for a short
jazzy name that can be easily remembered by your visitors.
Ebay, Google, Napster, Yahoo... regardless of which route you
take, make sure you examine all the marketing potential before
you pick your domain name. The right domain name can be one
of your most effective marketing tools on the world wide web.
Many experts also suggest you only set up a dedicated server
for your domain or domains. A dedicated server only carries
one domain. Most hosting companies (for economic reasons)
often share hosting servers, i.e. your domain is co-hosted
with hundreds of other domains on the same server. Since you
will be using the same IP address this may have dire consequences
if one of the domains is accused of spamming or some other
unscrupulous behavior. Even if you can't afford a dedicated
server, it would be wise (for SEO purposes) to have a separate
IP address for each domain you own. Most hosting companies
provide this service for a small fee.
2. Keywords
Keywords, what surfers type into search engines to find what
they're looking for, are the real building blocks of the web.
They are the single most important element in any online
marketing venture. Pick the right keywords and you're in
business, pick the wrong keywords and again, it's game over.
Therefore, you must have special keyword software or use some
online sites or services to help you pick the right keywords.
Many top marketers use WordTracker.com, GoodKeywords.com,
or the new Keyword Elite by Brad Callen. A superior keyword
research product will supply valuable information: number
of searches made each month, amount of competition and the
top sites targeting your keywords.
Remember, you must target the right keywords with your site
or online marketing. Targeted keywords draw targeted traffic
(customers) to your sites or products. The right keyword software
or program will have a direct correlation to the success
or failure of your online marketing efforts. So choose wisely!
3. Articles
Many marketers believe in and rely upon purely organic SEO
techniques for marketing their sites. One simple method of
organic SEO is writing and submitting keyword related
articles around the topic of your website with links back
to your site. As other sites display your articles you gain
valuable one-way links back to your site. Search engines then
follow all of these links and rank your site highly for the
keywords in these articles. For this reason the modest article
may prove to be the single most important marketing tool you
have in your arsenal.
As your site becomes highly ranked for these keywords, other
sites will want to link to your site in order to become
optimized for those same keywords... article keyword marketing
is one of the most effective Internet marketing tools at your
disposal. Used properly if can position your site in the search
engines and bring in all that highly prized targeted traffic.
Keep in mind, many Internet marketers have side-stepped the
whole SEO optimization process by going directly to search
engines and buying their traffic with PPC pay-per-click
advertising. Overture and Google Adwords program are good
examples of this method. Marketers bid on clicks to their
site's keywords and bring in targeted customers. In
knowledgeable hands, PPC marketing is an extremely
effective and lucrative marketing tool.
4. Lists
The backbone of any Internet marketing system is the list.
It is another marketing tool you can't do without. The list
is simply a large database of contacts, people who have
given you permission to email or contact them. These are
subscribers who have opted-in to your ezine or newsletter.
Most successful marketers keep countless different databases
for each product or topic they're targeting with their marketing.
Ezines or newsletters are vital Internet Marketing tools that
no online business should ignore. It is essential you keep in
contact/touch with your past and future customers. You must
build an ongoing relationship and connection with your customers.
Besides your ezine or newsletter, many marketers also set up
lists of affiliates to help promote and sell their products.
Never underestimate the power of an affiliate system as an
effective marketing tool. It is the stuff Empires are made of!
Once a marketer has acquired a large list of loyal contacts
or affiliates -- the flood waters open up. Opportunities for
JVs or Joint Ventures with other online marketers make for
serious cash flow.
5. Blogs And RSS Feeds
Blogging and RSS feeds have become essential marketing
tools for savvy online marketers. Online journals or blogs
are all the rage, especially in the marketing field. These
blogging systems such as WordPress are great content
management tools that will quickly build a content-rich
site, pulling in targeted traffic from the search engines.
Search engines are enamored with blogs and RSS feeds mainly
because blogs provide fresh content, the main lifeblood
of every good search engine. For this reason no site should be
without a blog and RSS feed, it will keep your content
regularly visited and indexed by the search engines. In
addition, all that information and content is a perfect tool
for drawing potential customers to your products and services.
Along with your domains, lists, keywords, and articles --
blogs are effective marketing tools that will play an
important role in the success of your online marketing.
In the right hands, these Internet marketing tools can
work magic on any company's bottom line. They are some
of Internet Marketing's most effective tools.
You don't have to think outside of the box, you just have
to know what makes up the box!
The author runs an Internet Marketing website featuring all the latest marketing tools and techniques. Click here to visit
