This information is not to promote our Internet Marketing and Website Design company, (we have enough exposure on the internet) it is solely to educate the small and mid-sized businesses around the country that have made mistakes on choosing the right internet advertising company, and share a few experiences that I have encountered over the years in this industry, as well as things to watch out for.
INTERNET MARKETING FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES.
Marketing or advertising on the internet is crucial especially in today’s economy. If you are use to print advertising, or uneducated, internet marketing is just about the most powerful tool to get your business noticed locally, nationally, or just name branding. Studies show various large percentages of upward increases pertaining to internet advertising over the years, however I will not put a precise figure on any of these reports. If you decided to have a website created for your business, then the purpose of it was for people looking for your products and services to find your company. Without internet marketing your website would be like putting up a billboard in Siberia when you are trying to get your phone to ring locally, point being NOBODY will find your website. Included will be the most effective ways to market your company on the internet, and things a business owner should know before deciding on an internet marketing service. The one common denominator here is that correctly marketing on the web or internet does WORK.
1. Think about the audience you are trying to target, local, national or global for your internet marketing strategies.
2. Make sure to use the correct terms to describe your products or services. Fact is, you may think what you have is called one thing however, you cannot account for the many ways people type in to search for the same product or services A typical example and for “educating purposes only” of this would be: Platinum Web Marketing, we are a nationwide internet marketing and website design company for local businesses, however a business may type in Search Engine Marketing, Web Marketing Company, Online Marketing Services, Internet Advertising, etc. to find our company or services depending on the geographical area they are in when searching.
3. What form of internet marketing is best for your business, and budget? Be sure you fully understand all the advantages and disadvantages of each internet marketing product. The best way is to get advice from an unbiased Internet Marketing Consultant, and not a sales person looking to make a commission check. Some of the most popular and effective ways to market on the internet are Pay-Per-Click Campaigns or (PPC), Search Engine Optimization, or (SEO) and Online Directories to name a few.. All are very effective, but ONLY when performed correctly.
About Internet Marketing Companies –
There are many to choose from. From a small or medium size business looking for the right company to advertise you on the internet, make sure you do the research on them before hiring. A few examples below will not only help you to avoid making a mistake, but will also save you a lot of money, and aggravation in the future. I am 100% certain that after reading this you realized that at one point your company fell into the category of not doing proper research and it has either cost your company a lot of money or has a left a bad taste in your mind about internet advertising. Remember one thing about internet marketing, just because your business may get called 20 times a month to solicit your internet marketing or website design, or you have been ripped-off, there are some companies that actually will help your company, get your phone to ring, and increase your sales.
Important Items to know or ask when you get your next call for internet marketing services –
1. Is the company that is calling you anywhere on the internet? Can they be found on Google, Yahoo, Bing or any of the major search engines under any of the terms I mentioned above? How do you expect them to market your company on the internet when they can’t be found?
2. If you are currently paying for online advertising, can you be found near the top of the major search engines?
3. Research the company before committing. There are many online websites that are out there for the public to research complaints against internet marketing companies that have not lived up to expectations or promises they made before getting your business. However, do not solely rely on these reports.
4. Avoid letting companies trap you into a contract or term. If their internet marketing services are as great as they claim, why do they need to lock you into a contract?
5. Avoid relying on a company that has a lot of inflated reviews, ask to see where some of their clients are actually placed, and call them personally.
Recent experiences that I personally encountered –
I also own a national telecom company, just the other day I received a call from one of the largest online directories in the country trying to sell me internet advertising, not knowing I own Platinum Web Marketing, I let her go through her pitch on how she can get me on the first page of the major search engines. I then politely asked her to log on to internet and show me where they are listed in my industries, I then went onto to tell her the companies that she keeps pulling up near the top were mine. Needless to say, she was so embarrassed that she hung up on me.
One of our clients was called on 02/03/14 by a man claiming he was an internet marketing consultant, I will call him “Rick” from a company that I will call “Bad Marketing Company in Corona” only for the fact that I do not encourage bad-mouthing competition. Needless to say he went on telling our client that he can’t be found anywhere on the internet, in which this client can’t be missed on any search engine, or any search term relating to his business, then proceeded to tell our client that we did not know what we were doing when it came to handling his internet marketing. Our client called us to tell us about this sales call he received, I then went to the exact city where this company is located, I looked at every term and service they were trying to promote from their website, and to my surprise, they did not have any exposure or could be found after 2 hours of trying, even in the very small city they were calling from and located.
Once again, I remind you when choosing an Internet Marketing Service – Do Your Research!!!
The Owner,
www.platinumwebmarketing.com
