Online marketing is not much different to traditional marketing, it just comes down to different tools but the same rules still apply. Below is a number of tools that we use to drive traffic / sales / database registrations to your website. Marketing your site can be a very large job and therefore we use a number of approved agencies to help you achieve your desired results.Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search. It is important if you want to benefit from people who use search engines such as Google to find their needed products and services.
Given that around 90% of searchers use search engines to find what they are looking for, if your site is not optimised you have little chance of achieving online marketing success.
SEO is a dynamic process which takes careful consideration to optimize your website for right keywords that will actually result in sales or registrations. Our web copywriter will research keywords and write content that is relevant to the keyword, your business and –above all – your customers. This multi-pronged approach is the only way to ensure online marketing success.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Driving sales online through search engine cost per click ads is a very popular way of driving and tracking sales. The pay per click (PPC) method means that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
With over 47% of all internet users using paid search to find what they are looking for, paid internet advertising really needs to be part of your online marketing solutions. Because if you are not there, you can be sure your competitors are.
The beauty of PPC campaigns is that you control how much you are willing to bid for a keyword, you set your own budget of what you are prepared to spend and you monitor the results of your ads – which you can change, remove or add to at any time.
Running a handful of keywords is quite easy, however in one campaign you may have over 1,000 different keywords. So optimization and constant monitoring is imperative. That is why we recommend our SEM partners who will set-up, report and monitor your campaign.
Content syndication
Have you been into the major shopping centre such as Westfield to visit Myer or David Jones or another retail shop? Or have you even visited a Myer department store and noticed how when you walk into the cosmetic area there are small island shops selling Mac, Revlon and other smaller cosmetic companies?
This is content syndication in the physical world, where instead of trying to get people to visit their single location making people change how they shop, companies simply put their business where a lot of people are already going. It’s a very smart way to get a product out into the market place.
Online we can do the same thing. So instead of doing all the work to get a new visitor to your website, we can embed your products, categories or even entire website into another site which has a high number of visitors. Yes, it can be that simple!
Don’t stress if some of these terms are a little unfamiliar as we are happy to explain what they mean and how they work. Furthermore the ecommerce software that we use to run your website can create a database XML feed at a push of a button.
Email marketing
One thing all online marketers agree about is that sending a relevant and timely message to your prospects and customers is the most cost effective and efficient way of making sales online. So the more powerful, effective and efficient your email marketing software, the faster you can get those sales soaring.
A recent survey of the top 500 websites in America (based on revenue) showed that the top 150 communicated to their database more frequently with relevant messages than the other 350 (source Internet Retailer top 500 guide 2008). And these top 150 identify as running an ecommerce website or web retail business – just like you.
This being the case, it is worth reminding you that email marketing software alone will not create an effective email marketing campaign. You still have to put in some planning, research and establishment work.
- Planning: Setting out how to generate / segment / communicate with your database
- Execution: Creation, copy, deliver-ability and post analysis
- Automation: Once a successful formula is created, automate the process to reduce time
Social network
Imagine having communities of people discussing your products, sending information about them to their friends – with you being able to observe, learn and interact the whole time. Sound like a marketing guru’s fantasy?
In a way it is – it’s called online social networking. You’ve heard of it. You probably interact with it every day. Although there are over 15,000 social networking sites active online at the moment the more common ones that you may have heard of are Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Linkedin. And implementing a social network service to your online marketing plan is now pretty much essential practice.
A social network service is an attractive marketing tool for many marketers, however done incorrectly it can dissolve your brand and expose you to the negative power of angry consumers.
Social media forums online are not places to sell, they are places to share. Keep that in mind and you can start to make the most of them. Ignore that and you will be LOUDLY ignored yourself!
The social landscape of the Internet requires genuine interaction, time and effort. Because of this some marketers have put social network services in the too hard basket. However with the right approach and following these 8 basic rules your company can get social!
- Appropriate profile picture
- Attractive and interesting content relevant to target market
- Be social
- Stay in contact
- No sales pitches
- Post other people content
- Participate
- Compliments
Online Cataloguing
Australians love catalogues, we all just can’t get enough of them, but the way we are consuming them is changing. Who hasn’t sat around the kitchen table thumbing through catalogues, circling gift ideas, being amazed by bargains? Well, the trend continues – it’s just moved to the Internet where millions of people now buy, browse and sell products online.
Simply look at www.cataloguecentral.com.au which has millions of people each year reading catalogues online. The software is fast and easy for your customers to use. And it also reports back to you on what and who is looking at which products. That’s pretty hard information to get from the kitchen table.
This technology can be embedded seamlessly into your site if you want to sell products online. And/or you can promote your products on www.cataloguecentral.com.au. This is a great way to get into some content syndication as well.
Internet affiliate marketing
Internet affiliate marketing is a cost effective way to drive traffic to your website. You generally only pay when someone has completed the action you require, be that purchase a product or register on your database. It’s pretty much a no-lose marketing strategy.
Internet affiliate marketing is such a popular way of driving traffic that there are companies which have created large networks of websites to simply facilitate the transaction between publisher and online store.
But they are not all completely trustworthy. And keep in mind that search engines punish any evidence they find that your site is connected to spam activities. It’s a real online no go zone.
Let us advise you on the best Internet affiliate marketing program for your needs and complete the set up process as well
Some of the companies we work with are:
- Clixs Galore
- Jumbo Affiliates
- Commission Monster
We can actually set up your own affiliate program, which means that you can manage opportunities independently with no need to pay additional commission. However this does take additional time and negotiations to create.
