Online marketing can seem like a vast world filled with complex concepts and technical jargon that only a select few computer geniuses understand. Big agency secret about to be revealed in three, two, one…it’s not. In fact, with the right strategic plan in place, online marketing can actually be very simple. Very simple, but amazingly effective. So let’s take a quick walk through some of the internet marketing services we often use to help businesses like yours grow. And don’t worry. We’ll be right here if you get lost.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Ever use Google, Yahoo! or any other search engine to find a business? Want your business to show up when people search online for companies in your industry? That’s what search engine marketing (SEM if you want to get all fancy at cocktail parties) is all about. Someone conducts a web search, your business shows up. What’s up, potential new customer? The two primary tools of any good SEM program are Pay-Per-Click advertising and Search Engine Optimization (PPC and SEO respectively, if you really want to own that cocktail party).
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) aims to improve the chances that your company’s website will show up organically, without having to pay a fee, when someone conducts a search on a topic relevant to your business. There are many techniques we use to accomplish this, and they can sometimes require a bit of time and investment (think of PPC as a microwave and SEO as a crock pot). But in the long run, there’s often no better way to grow your business.
Pay-Per-Click
PPC advertising allows a company to pay a fee to have their business or product name appear when someone conducts a search for a given term. Your listing will appear above or next to the organic (unpaid) search results. Each time someone clicks over to your site, you pay a fee to the search engine.
So do I need PPC, SEO, or both?
Here comes everybody’s favorite answer: It depends. We know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, but it’s the truth. It depends on your business, your budget, your customers, your market and your competition. That’s why before we recommend anything, we take a holistic view of your company and determine the best overall marketing strategy. (Free tip: There are many San Diego SEO management services companies that will guarantee first-page rankings. If you come across one of these companies, be afraid. Be very, very afraid.)
Additional Online Marketing Tools
Email Marketing
The forgotten man in online marketing, email remains a great way to promote your business and get information to your client base. Email marketing is an inexpensive way to stay in contact and build loyalty with your customers.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the use of a third party to help promote products and services around the web. Often neglected, but very effective.
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