The internet can be a lonely and confusing place for businesses looking to grow. The old rules of marketing no longer apply, but for those eager to learn, the net can take your business to the next level. But, understanding how to utilize internet advertising is a real challenge for small business owners.

In the past, advertising was a fairly straightforward business. A company might employ a marketing firm or ‘ad agency’ who created advertisements and placed them in various venues. The venues were fairly limited, like newspapers, magazines or billboard and other outdoor advertisement. If the ad campaign was well funded and aggressive, it might include commercials on local television.

Advertising agencies used to hold the key to the marketplace. They had the contacts, the computer and graphic know-how, and the network of professional alliances needed to make a splash into the marketplace. A business needed to hire these specialists in order to reach the market with their message.

But, those days are over thanks to the internet, which places the business owner directly in front of their audience. Now, advertising isn’t some esoteric creative activity and the possible outlets for advertising and marketing are overwhelming. Instead, advertising is an ever changing, unending flow of information from business to consumer.

Here are some things to know about online advertising:

Search engines are important

When somebody uses a search engine they generally only visit the first few sites that pop up on the results page. In fact, Penn State found that 80% of searchers only visit the first three sites on the results list. Showing up high on the list is important and even necessary if you’re trying to reach a large audience! This means having a well written site full of pertinent information.

Email advertising isn’t dead…yet

Email advertising can be a good way to advertise if it’s done in a way unrelated to spammers and scams. Buying lists and sending out an onslaught of untargeted letters isn’t likely to do much for your business. Creating informative emails and sending them only to those likely to be interested is a much better bet. Consider asking visitors to sign up for email specials and newsletters so that are certain that your emails are wanted, not a nuisance.

Creativity is more important than ever

With the millions of things offered on the internet, it’s impossible to get attention simply by being loud or persistent. In fact, those old strategies seem desperate in today’s market. Instead, creative, hip and innovative advertisements can push a product or business over the top. Videos can go viral, ads can be forwarded in email chains and a quirky campaign can sweep the nation.

Online advertising can benefit those willing to take the time to learn about strategies and trends in the online marketplace. And, while it can be intimidating to launch your own online advertising campaign, know that the rules are always changing. All it takes is one great idea and a creative person to shake up the rules and start a new wave of advertising techniques!

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Category: Business
Keywords: internet marketing, newsletters, newsletter promotion, newsletter marketing,online business