Let's face it, traditional marketing is dead as far as small businesses are concerned. Your competitors are not going to sit still while you procrastinate but are moving swiftly to take advantage of online marketing. The Internet has changed the rules of marketing and, in order to take advantage, you must wholeheartedly embrace the new marketing rules and the new ways in which to make profits. The key to success as always is the ability to differentiate yourself from your competitors and create an USP (unique selling proposition) that will have customers flocking to your doors in preference to your competitors.
There is a common misconception that online marketing is not suitable for businesses that are purely local nature or emphasize bricks and mortar establishments. In fact, a modest marketing investment and the right marketing plan could have customers in your neighborhood flocking to your store. Moreover, the nature of the Internet enables you to reach out to prospective customers in a manner that would have been impossible with traditional methods.
It cannot be emphasized enough that whether you are contemplating a new website or trying to get the most from your existing one, the cornerstone of successful online marketing is a well-designed and optimized website that is effective. Without this pre-requisite, the most innovative and advanced marketing techniques are unlikely to accomplish the results that you wish.
Google is easily the most important of the search engines accounting for four out of every five online searches. SEO effort, while concentrating on Google, should not overlook the importance of also incorporating Yahoo and Bing into any online marketing plan. Keyword selection and management are extremely important in your quest for superior page rankings. The relevancy of keywords is what will determine the traffic to your Web site... Long tail keywords are more cost-effective while increasing the quality of the traffic Social media marketing is becoming increasingly important but needs to be handled with a great deal of subtlety and care. Blatant sales pitches will not only be counter-productive but may result in the closure of your social media accounts.