Marketing of any kind is essential, and when it’s done right, it can be beneficial to your business in a myriad of ways. Internet marketing is no exception, with the key difference that it promises a host of benefits that traditional marketing methods would struggle to match. Some of the most common benefits of internet marketing include:
It’s Where The Market Is – everyone seems to be doing everything on the internet, so it makes perfect sense to promote yourself in that space. As the world moves away from traditional sources of entertainment and information – television, radio and newspaper being obvious examples – and towards digital sources, it provides a marketer with a potentially lucrative and enormous audience to speak to. As large as that audience is, breaking it down into segments based on personal preferences and communicating to them in a more focussed way is desirable – and is another major benefit of internet marketing.
Global Reach – the web extends around the world, going to more places and reaching more people. As a marketer, where reach is a critical factor in any campaign, this ability to overcome physical and geographical barriers is a major asset. You never know where your next customer is located, or where they’ll be in a week’s time. Being able to reach them and communicate your message, no matter where they are, is yet another major benefit of internet marketing.
Internet Marketing Is Always Marketing – marketing on the internet gives you 24/7 exposure. In business, this ability to reach someone at any time of the day is crucial. Automation that allows for an almost instantaneous response to a potential customer is also a key element. In this day and age of instant gratification, where the consumer wants everything sooner rather than later, responding to them immediately is a big and favourable selling point. Think of it as a great first impression – and first impressions count!
The Personal Touch – when you integrate social components into an internet marketing campaign, such as Facebook, Snapchat or Twitter, you introduce a level of interaction not available in traditional marketing. Connecting with an individual, and building a relationship with them, is crucial in building trust, and a high degree of that trust drives many a purchasing decision. Using social media as a way to connect with individuals, rather than as a platform to transmit to a mass market, is a smart way to use this form of media when marketing your business.
Internet Marketing Is Cost Effective – dollars and cents are usually the bottom line when we decide to do just about anything, and the relative low cost of an internet marketing campaign is a major benefit. Compared to traditional marketing methods, such as print or television, internet marketing can be done relatively cheaply. For example, an email campaign or blogging as part of a content marketing campaign can provide a decent Return On Investment (ROI) because of their relatively low costs.
