Every website, whether content-based or e-commerce-based, needs a constant stream of traffic to sustain its web presence. Internet marketing refers to the process of making that happen. This can be in the form of Internet marketing ads, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), article submission, Web 2.0 strategies, publishing ezines, etc. Here is a small peek into some of the most effective methods of Internet marketing:



1.Search Engine Marketing: There are two types of search engine marketing techniques. Internet marketing ads (or pay-per-click (PPC) ads) and SEO. PPC ads, or Internet marketing ads on search engines, are ads that appear in columns and rows (marked as "Sponsored Links") when a search engine results page throws up the search results. Advertisers have to pay for these Internet marketing ads on a per-click basis, which is why they are popularly known as pay-per-click ads.

This means that anytime a surfer on a search engine clicks their ad, a pre-determined amount will be deducted from the deposit they have made to the search engine. Statistics say that about five percent of people who click on ads are converted to customers, so calculations must be made well before bidding for PPC keywords. SEO is a technique by which a website's content is tailored in such a way that it contains the most important keywords (or search terms) relevant to the site. The result is that when a surfer is searching for a keyword, he is directed to the website, and so it becomes the goal of every website owner to keyword-optimize his content in such a way that his site appears on the first search engine results page. This is a relatively inexpensive technique and very effective too.

2.Article Submission Marketing: There are a host of reprint directories on the Internet that accept articles, which are then "borrowed" by other web publishers and published on their website. A small resource box is placed at the end of each article that has to be published. This box gives the credit due to the writer and mentions his site address. Apart from the regular Internet marketing ads, this is another great way to publicize your website. All a website owner needs to do is create effective content and write a snazzy resource box at the end and submit the article to reprint directories, and hey presto, the article will send traffic from all over the web. Similarly, a website owner can post messages on bulletin boards and leave his website's link in his signature.

3.Ezine Publishing: Many website owners publish ezines and give them away free to subscribers and in the process collect a database of subscribers. For an ezine to succeed as well as an Internet marketing ad, it must contain compelling content. Also, the whole story must not be included in the email that is sent to the subscriber. Only a small teaser must appear, inviting the subscriber to click on the link to know more.

4.Web 2.0 Strategies: Blogs and RSS ("RDF Site Summary", popularly known as "Really Simple Syndication") feeds are the new Internet marketing kids on the block. Website owners set up blogs, where they post trivia and articles of general interest, inviting surfers to leave their comments and visit their website. They also offer RSS feeds where surfers can view streaming content by using special RSS-reading software. If they see anything of interest, they click on the link to read the whole story.

5.Banner exchange: There are banner exchanges marketing companies where website owners swap banner space with other websites, without any charge. However, this method of Internet marketing is fast losing its punch and is almost on the way out, because every website owner prefers to publish search engine Internet marketing ads that pay on per click basis. These are some of the Internet marketing methods that are in vogue today.