10 Ways to Use the Internet to Grow Your Business
- Sunder Val Mesurado
- Oct 11, 2014
- 2 min read
From affiliate marketing to online classifieds, there are
many ways to build your business online. Here’s a look at
ten popular online marketing options:
1. Local listings and classifieds. Create your
business listing on listing sites such as Citysearch
to ensure that consumers searching for nearby
businesses find yours. Some listings allow
you to promote offers such as sales and new
products. Customer review sites are basically local
directories like Yelp that allow users to express
their opinions about businesses.
2. Search advertising. Search advertising is a
method of placing online ads on Web pages near
search engine results. With AdWords
(www.google.com/adwords), you can deliver your message at
the moment someone is searching for the type
of product or service you offer. Choose keywords
that relate as closely as possible to your offerings
so you receive the most likely prospects. For CPC
ads, you pay only when someone clicks on your ad.
3. Contextual ads. Contextual advertising takes
display ads to the next level, by placing them on
sites related to your offerings; for example, if you
sell sporting goods, your ad may perform better
on sports-related sites. Services are available that
automatically distribute ads to sites based
on the content of those sites.
4. Display ads. You’ve probably seen the
dancing aliens; that’s a display, or banner, ad.
Do-it-yourself display ad builders, including
Google’s AdWords display ad builder
(www.google.com/displaynetwork) can help
design your ad. You can also distribute your display
ad via ad networks and ad management systems.
5. Geotargeting. Geotargeting simply means
advertising to prospects in specific locations –
which could be very useful, for example, if you
sell dresses only in Dallas. One way to get started
is to create a listing on Google Places
6. Group buying. Connect with new customers
through programs that offer multiple buyers
collective purchasing deals. There are many
popular group buying sites available to use.
7. Mobile marketing. Many smartphones and
mobile devices provide web browsing, GPS,
cameras and video capabilities. This means
you can develop creative promotions with text
messages and location-based social networks.
8. Social networking sites. Cultivate new
business through social networking sites where
members share stories and recommend products
and services.
9. Affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing lets you
get other businesses to drive prospects to your
website. Some affiliates may allow you to set up
a store on their domains, such as comparison
shopping sites.
10. Online videos. Reach new audiences by
posting videos on video-sharing sites.
The best videos tend to be short (less than three
minutes) and have an offer, such as a free copy
of a report or a product discount, to motivate
viewers to take action. MobileDemand is one of
many small businesses with a YouTube channel
to help spread company news and information.
HOT TIP
Promote specific
products in your
ads. People who
research model
numbers online
are usually
closer to making
a purchase.
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