03 Jul 2013
While traditional marketing calls for expensive ad campaigns and physical product placement, many organizations with a focus on eCommerce are looking to more cost effective and productive solutions. Often, marketing online can generate similar streams of revenue based on your services and products. Naturally, certain items and offers must remain in the realm of tradition, but these exceptions are few and far between. As internet usage continues its march toward the top of mainstream relevancy, small businesses and massive corporations alike are taking note of the potential to communicate with virtual consumers.
Affiliated Marketing
As search engines like Google form the basis for navigating the web, many retailers are aligning themselves with organizations who understand the nuances of the complex systems used to direct traffic. Affiliate marketers help direct potential customers to retailers through a variety of methods. Primarily, search engine optimization helps bring the desired results to the forefront of viewership. In tandem with this technique, many such marketers also incorporate keywords into content to promote redirects of browsers back to the client’s page. These keywords can be found in banner ads, sidebar ads, and even directly ingrained within the content of the participating web page.
Social Media
One of the more potent eCommerce marketing strategy systems calls for the use of social media. In this plan, the services and products of the client are promoted via Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and other social media websites. Often, companies will hire individuals or organizations to run these pages, optimizing the opportunity for direct consumer contact. Deals, coupons, and giveaways are sometimes incorporated into these social media ad campaigns to help bolster likes, retweets, and follows. As more users enjoy your content, they will naturally spread the word to others via the sharing tools located on these sites. This new form of word of mouth advertising can be a powerful asset in your online marketing strategies.
For those looking for slightly more extensive social media integration, combining these resources with Youtube can help promote a powerful response. Many Youtube personalities and popular channels garner millions of subscribers and views. Aligning your product and promotions with these entities can be a potent weapon in gaining an advantage over other virtual retailers. If you or your organization simply wish to found your own channel on Youtube, this can be a great avenue to upload commercials, promotional videos, and viral marketing campaign pieces.
Joint Blogging and Content Creation
Working with established bloggers can be a strong asset to your marketing package. Often, these sites and individuals will be willing to review and comment on your products and services. This agreement usually entails free or trial variations of your wares to help facilitate the blogging process. In some scenarios, these blogs will do sponsored promotions, allowing for the client to post on the page and work together with the blogger to help maximize exposure to the site’s viewership. Finding a blogger who covers your target audience is essential to ensuring the success of this type of online marketing initiative.
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