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The World Wide Web has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Each day – with every hour and every minute – it is growing even bigger and increasingly complex. Anything and everything that you imagined is just a click away. Many of us can no longer imagine a life without it. Indeed, already thousands of people already make their living from the World Wide Web. With the growth and spread of the internet, specialized techniques aimed at developing businesses on the web have also developed.
Despite all of the technological development, however, the basis of the global economy is still the same – buying and selling. For the producers to advertise and to make their wares available they need to market it.
Consumers also need a place where they can exchange their money for the goods and services they need. In the modern world, the primary marketplace is increasingly becoming the internet. ‘Internet marketing’ is the crux of all Internet-based businesses and is increasingly important for other businesses as well. There are few businesses of decent size that do not have a presence on the internet.
However, the dynamics of marketing on the internet is very different from ‘regular’ marketing. Offline, we use things like billboards, the sides of buses, adverts on television and radio, salespeople etc. to market our products. If you are on the other side of the buying ‘equation’, that is, a consumer, you learn of new products through these marketing tools. More often that not, we do not have a choice about what and when marketing information is available to us. In most cases we cannot choose to ignore the huge billboard on the road or the side of the bus unless you decide to drive with your eyes closed – but that is not something that is generally encouraged. You could change the channel when adverts show up on your favorite TV or radio show – but it is more than likely you will hear or see it again.
With marketing on the internet, the dynamics are a somewhat different. The internet is vast and intricate. It is an intense web of information that needs some skill to navigate, but if you do so, you can rest assured that your needs will be met. The internet gives you more choice. You can choose which website to click on or ignore. This means that the average internet user or anyone looking to do business on the net tends to be a little smarter than someone who does not use the internet for business. To market to a more intelligent set of buyers, the seller also has to elevate his/her game and be a smart marketer. You need to have an extra edge to make your business or website stand out amongst the millions out there.
It is said that word-of-mouth is the strongest marketing tool. For example, friends starting a new shop, café or blog will most probably tell you to ‘spread the good word.’ We are more likely to believe our friends and peers than a stranger on the television or radio.