Post #5: What is Online Marketing?

Running a Business in the Modern World

Online marketing is everywhere; it's impossible to avoid. You see it on every website, whether it's social media or not. After the restriction on commercial use of the internet was lifted, it was inevitable that businesses would make their way onto the world wide web to grow their audiences. Today, online marketing is an entire new study because of how diverse the internet can be.

What Remains the Same

New jobs or practices tend to build off of what they were originally based off of. Before the internet was in widespread use, many businesses still relied heavily on newspaper ads, fliers, and television commercials. Today, newspaper ads and fliers have fallen out of use, but television ads continue to be utilized. Another part of e-commerce that stems from the original business practices of pre-internet days is the relationship with your customers; in fact, PR is more important than ever in the age of communication where word spreads fast. It is important to maintain a good reputation with your consumer base. Even more important is how you present yourself to your potential customers; maintaining a professional appearance is everything, whether it be how your advertisements are designed, your products, your logo, or some other type of trademark material.

New Practices in a Connected World

While there may be many similarities with business practices advertising in a pre-internet era; many of the practices today are completely new, and some have yet to be perfected. Nonetheless, it remains important to design a functional but visually appealing website, have proper ad placement, mail out newsletters, and take full advantage of search engines. These are just some of the few necessities that it takes to become a successful business on the internet.

Conclusion & Takeaway

There are many similarities and differences in business & marketing, before and after the internet was conceived, but it remains important to advertise yourself in every way possible in a positive manner. In a big company, it can require a lot of discipline and scrutiny to make sure it passes standards, as it is paramount to presenting yourself in a professional manner and building a relationship with a consumer base.