Untitled DocumentThe introduction of online businesses has expanded the global marketplace and increased business competition. With the rapid expansion of the Internet community, many business owners have a peaked interest in Internet marketing. Over the last five years it has become one of the most sought after marketing and advertising methods. As interest and trial have increased, business owners are seeing its importance and practicing online marketing to further industry growth.  There are two business models that any online marketing campaign will follow. The first is business-to-customer (B2C). The goal is to convert shoppers into buyers. When marketing online most B2C campaigns are short in nature, grab the customer’s interest, and provide discounts or specials to lead the customer to a website. Email marketing is a great tool to peak B2C interest. They can download coupons, enter promotion codes online, and most importantly get product information immediately.   The second type of model is business-to-business (B2B). It works very differently than B2C. The goal here is to build relationships with prospective customers. To do this, many businesses will have information intensive websites. While email marketing also works, it does so in a different manner. For B2B businesses, an email is just the initial step in the conversion process. Many calls, follow up emails, and product education are necessary to build a relationship and trust.  With these models in place, many businesses want to know what types of online marketing they can do and what benefits they can expect to gain. Listed below are some types of online marketing and a few of the numerous benefits businesses receive.   Types of Internet Marketing

• Email Marketing
• Organic Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Affiliate Marketing
• Interactive Advertising
• Banner Ads
• Pay Per Click
• Blogging
• Article Submission
• Forum Marketing

Benefits of Internet Marketing

• Open 24/7 – Allows customers to buy anytime, anywhere
• Expand customer base – Become a global rather than local or regional business
• More flexibility – Easy to change content and viewable for a long period of time
• More bang for your buck – Less expensive which enables businesses to buy more advertising space
• Convenient – Allows customers to find information when they need it
• Level playing field for all sizes of business – Allows all businesses to compete for customers without having to spend a lot of money to enter the marketplace

With these benefits and numerous others, Internet marketing will continue to grow in importance. Through the next few years, businesses that do not incorporate Internet marketing strategies will see their competitive edge diminish. In turn, businesses that include online marketing in their mix will see increased revenue and success.