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From 'Flat' to Functional

Businesses Use the Internet to Find Success Through Online Advertising

Welcome to the latest edition of the Inside Edge--your monthly report on Internet trends and advancements that can turn your business into a more profitable e-Business!

After you read this month's edition, contact me to find out how to put this valuable information to work for your business right away.

The Internet is moving from 'Flat' to Functional - and your business can benefit

The Internet has changed drastically from the text-only newsgroup network it started as. Now, everywhere you look online, you see eye-catching advertisements, effective calls-to-action, and targeted search result advertising for Internet-savvy businesses. Online advertising is one of the most targeted, measurable, and cost-effective ways to promote a business; those who are not doing any sort of online advertising are missing out on great opportunities.

The Trend is Obvious

Online advertising spending is increasing steadily. A recent Jupiter Research report estimates that on average, Internet advertising will grow by 11% between 2006 and 2011.

The Reason is Simple

Online advertising is more targeted than traditional print advertising. You can advertise based on your target market's preferences and Internet search trends and behaviors, ensuring that your advertising expenditure is giving you a positive return on investment.

As a small or medium sized business owner (SME), you can advertise right alongside your big-business competitors, staying abreast of online advertising trends and profiting from the Internet. You can use the Internet to grow your business - and give big business some big competition!

Key Types of Online Advertising

1. Pay Per Click Campaigns (PPC): Businesses can post an ad online and pay Internet publishers based on the number of clicks the ad gets. PPC is an easy tactic for SMEs to use to kick-start their online advertising results.
   
   
2. Banner Ads: Businesses can purchase banner ad space, and when a viewer clicks on a banner ad for your business, they are taken to a page on your website. Well-designed and targeted ads can increase brand awareness and targeted traffic to your site.
   
   
3. Paid Inclusion: Businesses can pay search engines like Google and Yahoo! to guarantee that their websites are listed in search engine results for certain keyword search terms.
   
   
4. Online Video Advertising: Online video advertising is predicted to be the fastest-growing area of online display advertising, but according to a July 2006 study by Jupiter Research, its best years are yet to come - between 2009 and 2011 - when the medium is more predictable and targeted. While not many SMEs are embarking on online video advertising as of yet, it is sure to be an up-and-coming leading-edge tactic.
   

Maximize Your Online Advertising Spend

Before you embark on an online advertising campaign, you need to do one very important thing: research.

Research Your Target Audience

Your target audience is the people you most want to reach with your advertisements. Decide which demographics you aim to reach – how old are your best customers? Are they male, female, or both? Where do they live? Research what your target audience's emotional or behavioural preferences are – what are their interests, attitudes and typical behaviours? The worst thing you can do in advertising is assume. Be sure to base your decisions on accurate research. By finding out who your target market really is and what they actually think and want will make your advertising more targeted and effective, be it through search advertising or banner advertising.

Research Your Keywords

With both Pay Per Click and Paid Inclusion advertisement, keywords should be well researched. Many businesses make the mistake of choosing the keywords they would use to describe their business, instead of the keywords their target audience actually uses to search. Don't use your corporate catch-words if they're not part of the common vocabulary of your target audience. The key to online advertising is engaging your reader – know what they're looking for and supply them with it. By carefully researching your keywords, you can help ensure that the traffic that finds your website is targeted traffic – they found what they were looking for through your accurate online marketing.

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It's becoming increasingly easier for SMEs to take advantage of the online marketing trend. Today, trained Internet Marketing experts are readily available to help your business prosper. With the help of a WSI Internet Marketing expert, your business can start benefiting from online marketing trends today.

To get kickstart your online marketing campaign, contact us today.

This edition of the Inside Edge has been brought to you by Jim Layher, Certified Internet Consultant.