How to do Internet Marketing Research

How to Do Internet Marketing Research

Before venturing into internet marketing, you should know its purpose and how it can help your business. It is useful to perform preliminary research to understand how internet marketing works and compare them to other more traditional marketing options.

Internet Marketing Research should Provide:

• Online marketing options such as e-mail campaigns, blogging, contests, and social media.
• A look at what internet marketing tools your competitors are using.
• Challenges to expect in internet marketing.
• Advantages and limitations of internet marketing as compared to other marketing techniques.

There are various ways to carry out online marketing research. Use this list to get started:

1. Internet Marketing Websites

Internet marketing is essentially the art of marketing your products or services via the internet. It is therefore to be expected that most of your sources of internet marketing research are web based companies that perform internet marketing services and industry expert bloggers.

There are a host of web companies with websites that specialize in internet marketing. Online sales volume has never been higher, therefore the market for online marketing has exploded. Your first stop in internet marketing research should be at these websites.

2. How To Find The Best Internet Marketing Websites

There are numerous established online marketing company websites as well as up and coming niche internet marketing company websites from which to choose.

When deciding who to learn from or hire use the following criteria:

• Client list: a good online marketing firm will be able to provide an impressive client list of satisfied customers. You may even recognize some of the business names.
• Area of specialization: Identify the business area of expertise and determine if that is the best fit for your internet marketing needs. For example, if you believe that social media will be the best fit for you look for a business that specializes in the area.
• Innovation: does this business keep track of technological development and changes to search engines? Is the website up-to-date with developments in the marketing industry? Can they help you understand Google's new search engine algorithms for example?
• Understands your industry: Does this internet marketing firm understand your industry and its online marketing needs? Can they help you identify a buyer persona and the best way to reach them through internet marketing?

3. Competitor Sites

You are not in business alone. You have competitors who are also targeting the same audience as you. If internet marketing has worked for them and you want to know how they did it. Visit their websites and learn how they use internet marketing to market themselves.

Emerging Trends

Online marketing is constantly evolving. Today, marketers are not only limited to websites and email. Social media marketing has really changed the perception of internet marketing. Ensure that you research all your internet marketing options.