What are the Online Marketing Channels?
The concept of Online Marketing is the same as Marketing in any other channel. What happens with the Internet is that it is a channel with very specific characteristics, both functional and technical in a constant and rapid evolution.
Online marketing is the integration of simultaneous strategies on the web, through a specific process and methodology, in search of clear objectives using various tools, platforms and social media. It is difficult for a single strategy to lead to a successful Internet Business . Normally you have to define and implement an Online Marketing strategy at several levels or even choose the most appropriate strategy for each product or service.
Let’s understand the “online marketing channels” as the tactics you can use to develop your online strategy, your online marketing mix.
There are multiple Online channels, such as: preparation of a sales-oriented web page, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising (PPC-SEM), directory registration and advertising, banners, Blog’s, Social Networks , viral marketing, RSS ….
Generally the channels of Online Marketing are classified as follows
1. SEM: Search Engine Marketing
2. SEO: Search Engine Optimization
3. Rich Media
4. Email Marketing
5. Affiliates
6. Directories
7 SMM: Social Media Marketing
8. SMO: Social Media Optimization
9. Offline Media
What are they?
SEO ( Search Engine Optimization)
The optimization of our website for search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing, will ensure that users who are searching for keywords related to your business can find you before the competition.
SMM (Social Media Marketing)
It is the process of bringing traffic to a website with the help of social media. It is the ideal social media mix strategy for each brand. Here we find Social Networks, Blogs, Microblogging, Video Marketing, Podcast, among others.
• Blogs. Not only will you get quality traffic by creating your own blog, but by participating in the conversation on other blogs that deal with issues related to your market.
• Videos . In these moments the importance of the video is such, that YouTube is the 3rd most visited website in the world after Google and Facebook, so you can not waste this channel to generate traffic to your website.
•Social networks. You must be present to take advantage of the traffic flows that can provide you, in addition to generating the right “connection” with your market.
SMO ( Social Media Optimization)
The optimization of our social networks in search of increasing their positioning, through the connection, profiles, content, applications, RSS, participation in groups, forums or blogs, etc.
SEM (Serarch Engine Marketing)
In addition to placing us in good positions in the search results of certain keywords, you can also perform pay per click (PPC) campaigns that place you in the search engine sponsored results.
Rich Media
You can also promote yourself on the internet through the hiring of advertising spaces in pages, magazines or electronic directories, through banner, pop up, etc. Take care that they have a considerable traffic and that your market really goes to these sites. It is usually another style of PPC.
Email Marketing
Once you start creating your list of subscribers, you will have the power in your hand to generate waves of traffic to your website, creating pre-sales, loyalty and promotion campaigns. Remember that Email Marketing must be based on “permission marketing” to not be considered SPAM and to obtain real results from these campaigns.
Affiliates
Another way to get traffic is to have other people who are willing to promote your products or services on their own websites or contact lists. The world on the internet is very broad to do all the work by yourself, search for allies and form an online sales group.
Directories
Connecting your website in various directories on the internet is also important to attract traffic to your website. Depending on the business sector, you can search specialized directories and have a presence in those with the most traffic.
Offline Media
The ofline media are also ideal for your web positioning, include your social media and website in your promotional material, institutional stationery and all the print advertising you make. Give them a special and important place in it.
An integrated online marketing plan contains an adequate mix of all these channels, focusing your efforts on your website or blog, bringing traffic to it and generating subscribers that you should be loyal to and then sell through email marketing campaigns.
In my experience isolated online efforts, such as managing social networks without an optimized website and ready for subscription, end up not being successful.
As always, I hope that this brief information will be useful for you. I would love to have your comments and know your opinion.