With the different means available to advertise oneâs small business, how much if any of a role should online marketing play?
As the economy continues to struggle and companies look to interact with current and potential customers, online marketing can provide a major helping hand in giving consumers valuable information regarding your business.
That being said, many experts of how to go about marketing your company will tell you there are pluses and minuses to online marketing. So, which side do you believe in?
On the positive side for online marketing:
- You gain increased access to potential customers who are able to view your products and services, thereby enhancing the possibilities of more sales;
- The cost to promote your business online is less expensive than other forms of marketing like print and television advertisements;
- Given the 24/7 lifecycle of the Internet, you can talk with your customers and interested individuals in real-time. With a mass e-mailing, you can also reach out to far more people than you could with other mediums;
- With 24/7 Internet access, you have the availability of instant feedback from your audience. With that in mind, you can make nearly instantaneous corrections etc. if needed to your product/s.
On the negative side for online marketing:
- Having an Internet presence will also invite additional expenses such as running the company Web site, deciding who will oversee the online marketing efforts, and being able to instantaneously reach out to customers who will go to the competition if they donât feel like they have received quick assistance;
- Not everyone flocks to the Internet for their shopping needs. While the Internet presence is important, keep in mind that there are a number of other ways to make sales;
- With online marketing or anything online for that matter, there is always the possibility of security issues. Fraud is a major issue to deal with online, so you could miss out on potential customers who would otherwise use the Internet to shop with you;
- Technology mishaps can always lead to glitches in your site, including it being down for an undetermined amount of time. If interested individuals come to your site and are having problems with it, they could go elsewhere to handle their business.
At the end of the day, your company needs to remember that online marketing is not perfect, but it is a rather inexpensive and catchy means by which to reach out to consumers.
When engaging in online marketing, make sure your company checks out all its options, including pay-per-click and banner advertising.
Online marketing can be a great way for your business to get its message out to countless individuals instantaneously and at the right price too.
Photo credit: pinnacle-websolutions.com
Dave Thomas, who covers among other subjectsâ vehicle insurance , writes extensively for business.com an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.
