Internet and Social Marketing Basics

Internet and Social Marketing Basics

Score114Score114Presented by John Lafare

John.Lafare@SCORE114.org

Presented by John LafareJohn.Lafare@SCORE114.org

US retail online spendingUS retail online spending

Source: ComScore

Why are we here, then?Why are we here, then?• In today’s world you need to harness the

Internet or prepare to be obsolete

• An effective Web presence will provide a definite marketing edge

• On the other hand, you often set up a site and nothing happens

• The Internet allows anyone with a few dollars and a little bit of knowledge to become a writer, designer, or publisher

• But in their haste, many overlook the reasons for doing so

Presentation objectivesPresentation objectives• Review basic Internet concepts

• Highlight elements of an effective Web presence.

• Discuss basics facts of marketing using the Internet

• Provide a brief introduction to key Internet Marketing tools and techniques

• Internet Marketing is a huge topic

• This is a generic introduction:– The coverage may be too basic for some– It may not be detailed enough for others

• Not meant to be a complete discussion of everything Web or e-Commerce

What this presentation is/isn’tWhat this presentation is/isn’t

Over 2,500 pages

Upcoming advanced workshopsUpcoming advanced workshops

Workshop Dates / Times Location

Internet Marketing-The MAGIC of Getting Found

March 2nd

9 am – 12 noonNational University

Align Social Media and Internet Marketing To Drive Business Objectives

March 185 to 8 pm

IKEA

What the material is really aboutWhat the material is really about

• We will talk a lot about technology• But technology is the means, not the end• It’s more about:

– Ways to harness the technology– Taking a long view of Internet opportunities– Being thoughtful about the Website

investment

Network of networks that has been around since the 60’s

About 1 trillion URLs(internet addresses)

About 240 million Web servers

40 to 50 billion visible pages

2008-2009growth = 12%

How big Is the Internet?How big Is the Internet?

What’s the point?What’s the point?• It’s huge out there, and traffic to your web

site will not grow by virtue of exposure to sunshine

• If you want to be found:1. Follow a disciplined marketing process2. Be smart about technology

• Google was incorporated in 1998• Started with 28 million pages to index• July ‘08: indexed over one trillion pages

The search engine spaceThe search engine space

• Some sites get less than 25% of visits from search results

• Other sources:– Direct Traffic– Social Bookmarking– Blogging– Email Marketing– Affiliates, Partner Sites– Traditional Media– Directories– Pay Per Click

Advertising– Banner Ads– Etc, ….

Tracking traffic sources using Google Analytics

Where does traffic come from?Where does traffic come from?

Social networksSocial networks• Over 100 million social networking sites• The most important are:

– Facebook.com: over 150 million members– MySpace.com: 191 million members – Linkedin.com: 12.5 million members, a tool

for business networking– del.icio.us: social bookmarking web

service, now part of Yahoo!– digg.com: used to help discover and share

content from anywhere on the Internet– Twitter.com: allows users to send "updates"

(text-based posts up to 140 characters long)

• Google now rolling out Buzz

Global browser market sharesGlobal browser market shares

Internet Explorer, 61.78%

Firefox, 25.47%

Safari, 5.26%

Chrome, 4.01%

Opera, 1.37%

Other, 2.11%

Mean of several estimates of usage statistics

Connecting to the InternetConnecting to the Internet• An Internet Service Provider (ISP) offers

access to the Internet• Data transmission technologies include dial-

up, DSL, cable modem, wireless, …

CountryUnique IPs

Q2 ‘09YOY

Growth

Global 424,808,918 +22.7%

1 United States 115,323,620 +13.1%

2 China 46,132,899 +35.7%

3 Japan 30,453,662 +19.6%

4 Germany 29,501,565 +23.8%

5 France 20,071,871 +18.7%

StateIP per Capita

1 Georgia 0.62

2 Washington 0.62

3 Missouri 0.57

4 Illinois 0.54

5 New Jersey 0.53

6 Massachusetts 0.51

7 Colorado 0.48

8 Utah 0.47

9 Rhode Island 0.46

10 Arizona 0.43

Internet penetration statistics

Web hostsWeb hosts• A web hosting service allows you to make

your website accessible via the World Wide Web

• Web hosts provide:– Space on a server they own or lease – Internet connectivity

www.findmyhosting.com

webhostinggeeks.com

reviews.cnet.com/web-hosting

• Uniform Resource Locator (URL) shows:1. The name of the mechanism (or scheme)

for retrieving the Web page2. The Internet location of the resource

Example

http Hypertext Transfer Protocolhttps Denotes a secure Web site www “Host name”score114 Domain name (more later).com Domain name suffix (more later)

http://www.score114.com/index.html

Uniform Resource LocatorUniform Resource Locator

• The domain name is the heart of your Web site

• It helps establish a strong brand identity

• Buy the domain name before: – You launch your business– Create a Web site

• Some top domain name registrars:

Domain names are business-criticalDomain names are business-critical

• Easy to spell, say, read, remember, understand

• Strong, concise

• Ideally reflects the nature of your business

• If it contains keywords relevant to the industry you operate in, it can help drive traffic to your site

• Be aware of how people may mistype the domain name

Choosing a domain nameChoosing a domain name

Choosing domain name extensionsChoosing domain name extensions

• The original big 3:– .com for commercial organizations– .net for network services such as ISPs – .org for non-profit organizations

• Country-level top domains:– .de for Germany– .jp for Japan, and so on

• Other common extensions:– .gov for governmental entities– .edu for educational institutions– .tv for entertainment sites

• .biz for business use only:– .com is generally preferable– .biz a good alternative

Hypertext Markup LanguageHypertext Markup Language

• HTML is the markup language for the creation of structured Web documents

• Can be used to create interactive forms

• Written in the form of HTML elements consisting of "tags”

• Can include:– Scripts in languages such as JavaScript

which affect the behavior of Web browsers– Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to define the

appearance and layout of Web pages

HTML coding exampleHTML coding exampleTo view the HTML source of web pages:1. Right click on the Web page2. Select “View Page Source”

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

• Style sheet language used to describe the look and format of HTML documents

• Helps separate style from content

• Multiple pages can share formatting, reducing complexity and repetition in the structural content

• Allows styling pages differently for printing, as well as other user agents like voice, and mobile devices

CSS coding exampleCSS coding example

Example: Shea Homes MobileExample: Shea Homes Mobile

Shea Homes Web pages repurposed and delivered via an iPhone app, providing:

– Detailed info about Shea communities

– Ability to browse all available plans

– Prices, square footage, floor plans, exterior images

– Calling and driving directions

– Frequent updates– Access to Shea Home’s

Facebook and Twitter pages

Verifying browser compatibilityVerifying browser compatibility• The Web browser is a translation device:

– Documents written in HTML are translated into a formatted Web page

– Translation rules are subject to interpretation

– Support for HTML tags not universal

• You might build your pages with parts of HTML that not all browsers understand

• Tools exist to help test how your Web pages display with different browsers

Keywords and keyphrasesKeywords and keyphrases• The basis of ALL search engine rankings• Users enter keyphrases in Search Engines to

get the information they need• Optimizing for keyphrases is critical• Tools available for keyword suggestions and

keyword traffic estimates

Google’s Keyword Tool

Search engine results pagesSearch engine results pages• Organic search results appear because of

their relevance to the search terms• Non-organic results are the product of ads

such as pay-per-click advertising

What is a funnel?What is a funnel?• Paths through your site visitors follow before

converting to the desired action• Surveys, shopping carts, multi-page forms

are examples of funnels

Big Sale

Small Sale

Inquiries

Visitors

The Funnel Model• Each page between an entrance page

and a conversion page is an opportunity for the visitor to be distracted and leave

• If your most popular conversion funnels are too intricate, any potential for selling may be lost

Web beasts: crawlers and spidersWeb beasts: crawlers and spiders

• A bot is a software agent• Crawlers / spiders are types of

bots• Bots browse the Web in a

methodical, automated manner• Googlebot: search bot which

collects Web documents to build the index used by the Google search engine

• Other search bots: Yahoo! Slurp and MSNbot

What is a directory?What is a directory?• A listing of websites, by category• If you are listed, crawler-based search

engines are more likely to find your site  • For commercial categories, Yahoo! requires

a submission fee of $299/year • The Open Directory, used by Google and

others is free

What is online bookmarking?What is online bookmarking?• Method used to share, organize, search, and

manage bookmarks of Web resources • The resources themselves aren't shared,

merely bookmarks that reference them• They are free and can facilitate visits to your

internet property because people use them to find information

• See the following top bookmark services:

Who are those Web people?Who are those Web people?

When you negotiate a development contract:1. Know what the skills are2. Understand how experience relates to your business

Web Administrator

Web Developer

Web Designer Design sites that are attractive, interesting, functional, and useful

Use programming, scripting, and database integration tools for professional, effective, and well-organized client and server-side coding

Oversees your Web site / server. In-depth knowledge of networking, well-versed in security and troubleshooting

The challenges of Internet sellingThe challenges of Internet selling

How do we sell on the Internet?

It’s the marketing ….

Learning from others ….

Understanding the sales cycle

Applying the AIDA model

Marketing strategy questions

• No eye contact

• No talking, no lunches

• No physical interaction

How do we sell on the Internet?How do we sell on the Internet?

• Open a storefront on a busy "real world" street, visitors will spill in and buy

• On the Internet, people aren't looking for you, they are looking for information

• And you don’t have weeks, or days, or hours, or even minutes to sell

How do we sell then? How do we sell then? • It’s about content, especially words• A content-driven is helpful because it is

filled with useful, informative content • Search engines love content-filled sites

because their service caters to people who use them to find information

• The secondary purpose of the website is to make money for the website owner

• It sounds strange the website won't make you any money without traffic

• A content-driven approach on your home page can lead to increased sales

You can learn from others ….You can learn from others ….

http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/

It’s the marketing …..It’s the marketing …..• Creating an online store first, then worrying about

visitors is doing it backwards• The stores may look professional, but 9 times out of

10 nobody's browsing or searching • Most importantly, nobody's buying and 98% die and

give up within a year

• The goal is to convert as many visitors as possible into clients

• People who surf the web are impatient

• Many selling formulas • The AIDA formula is the

easiest one to use for any selling situation

Attention

Interest

Desire

Action

Understanding the sales cycleUnderstanding the sales cycle

Step ExampleAttention Save top dollars on laser printers!

Interest We have printers for every need and every budget, click here to compare features and prices

Desire Order within 72 hours and save 30%!

Action Click here to buy now, supply limited

Applying the AIDA modelApplying the AIDA model

1. Get the prospect’s attention2. Build interest by offering multiple benefits3. Build desire by making your offer irresistible4. Ask people to buy and make it easy for them to

take action

Tracking keywords with the most profit potential

Tracking the performance of affiliate programs

http://www.conversionprophet.com/

Help determine if the Web site effectively follows the AIDA formula

Testing to determine the most effective headline

AIDA-inspired tracking toolsAIDA-inspired tracking tools

Key marketing strategy questionsKey marketing strategy questionsSet your goals

– Why do you want a Web site?– How does the site fit the overall plan?– What’s the size of the market you can

reach?– What are the goals for your Web site?

Develop your strategy– Who is your Web site target audience?– What typically appeals to your audience?– How are competitors reaching the target?– How will you measure your performance?– What will your Web site do for your

clients?– How will it stand above the competition?

The tools of Internet marketingThe tools of Internet marketing

Web analytics

Search Engine OptimizationLanding page optimization

Search Engine Marketing

Web site linking

Paid advertising

Affiliate marketingSocial media marketing

E-mail marketing

Mobile marketingGoogle maps

Web AnalyticsWeb Analytics

• Measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data to understand and optimize web usage

• Off-site analytics can be used even if you do not own or maintain a website

• On-site analytics measure a visitor's journey once on your website

• Google Analytics are used by 50% of the top 100 Internet sites

http://www.google.com/analytics/

Web analytics reporting Web analytics reporting

How do we use Web analytics?How do we use Web analytics?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)Search Engine Optimization (SEO)• Process for improving the volume or quality

of traffic from search engines via "natural“ (or un-paid) search results

• Search engine marketing (SEM) deals with paid advertising / sponsored links

• SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for

• Optimization primarily involves editing content, HTML, associated coding to:1. Increase relevance to specific keywords2. Remove barriers to the indexing activities

of search engines

How do I improve search rankings?How do I improve search rankings?

1. Site optimization:– Place the right keywords in the right places– Enhance your site’s accessibility by search

engines

2. Site popularity increased by:– Online and offline marketing– Link popularity

3. Link popularity: – The more sites that link to you, the more

people will find your site

How to increase link popularityHow to increase link popularity

• The best place to start any linking strategy is with Web directories

• The two biggest, by far, are Yahoo! and the Open Directory (used by Google)

• The long-term approach:1. Create first-rate content2. Look for websites, ask them to link to you3. Write articles and press releases

How to look up sites for linkingHow to look up sites for linking

1. Go to a search engine and type in words related to what your business does

2. Sift through the Web sites in directories such as Yahoo! or the Open Directory:– Find who's linking to both you and other

sites– Check who's linking to them

3. To see a list of the inbound links to a Website go to Google and type

inlink:http://www.URL.com• Now that you've found the sites:

– Ask them to link to you– Offer a link exchange

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)Search Engine Marketing (SEM)• Search Engine Marketing includes:

– Search Engine Optimization– Paid advertising– Maps optimization– Rich media management

• SEM effectiveness is maximized when your site appears high in each areas at the same time

• Search marketing now extended to include Social Media Marketing

• SEM ’09 spending estimated at $14.7B

Paid advertisingPaid advertising• Pay per click (PPC) advertisers pay their

host when their ad is clicked • Websites utilizing PPC ads will display the ad

when a keyword query matches an advertiser's keyword list

• Cost per click (CPC) is the amount of money an advertiser pays for a single click that brings one visitor to the site

The 3 Largest Operators

Contextual AdvertisingContextual Advertising• Contextual advertising systems:

1. Scan the text of a website for keywords2. Return advertisements based on what the

user is viewing• Google AdSense was the first major

contextual advertising program• Others: Yahoo! Publisher Network, Microsoft

adCenter, Ad-in-Motion, …• Has made a major impact on earnings of

many websites • Because the ads are more targeted, they

are more likely to be clicked

Landing Page Optimization (LPO)Landing Page Optimization (LPO)

• However they find you, the landing page is the first page your customers see

• If it’s not exactly what they’re looking for, they will leave

• Landing page optimization (LPO) is part of a process called Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

• The goal is to improve the percentage of visitors that become sales leads and customers

LPO scienceLPO science• 3 major types based on targeting:

– Associative content targeting used for consumer segmentation

– Predictive content targeting to anticipate future actions based on predictive analytics

– Consumer directed targeting based on reviews, ratings, tagging, referrals, etc.

• 2 major types based on experimentation:– Closed-ended experimentation where users

are exposed to several variations of landing pages while their behavior is observed

– Open-ended experimentation where the experimentation is ongoing and the landing page is adjusted dynamically

Key to great landing pagesKey to great landing pages• Search engines and other Web sites may

point to whatever page they choose• Every page on your site could therefore be a

“lander”• Key questions:

– What parts of your sites are mission-critical?

– Who is your landing page designed for?– What is the desired conversion action?

• Web analytics can be used to:– Find the pages that get the most traffic– Verify they drive proportional conversions

• Some claim 15-50% increase in profits

Some top landing page tacticsSome top landing page tactics1. Keep it simple, give it to them quick2. Tell them where they are, put language at the top

telling them they’ve landed in the right place3. Don’t get too tricky, don’t try to wow your visitors,

leave them in control4. Offer multiple calls to action, make it easy for

people to take action when they’re ready5. Experiment with registration forms, ask only for

the data you need for your business6. Eye-tracking: make sure your visual cues help

visitors advance down your funnel7. Take nothing for granted

Affiliate marketingAffiliate marketing• A business rewards affiliates for each visitor

or customer brought about by the affiliate's marketing efforts

• Example: rewards sites, Office Depot affiliate program

Affiliate marketing service providers

Social media marketingSocial media marketing• Use of online communities, blogs, social

networks for marketing, sales, public relations, customer service

• Common social media marketing tools:

YouTube

Facebook TwitterLinkedIn

Flickr Blog.com

Facebook pages enable businesses to easily establish a brand presence

Facebook pages can be linked to your Twitter account 

E-mail marketingE-mail marketing• Having a Web site and e-mail marketing

campaigns account for 80-90% of many retailers’ marketing activities

• E-mail offers excellent returns:– Inexpensive: compare it to postcards– Fast: no time spent printing, sorting, etc …– Accessible: connect whenever you want– Targeted: messages go straight to those

who do business with you. – Specific: messages tailored for each person– Trackable: technology counts responses– Bonding: e-mail creates customer

awareness– Eco-friendly: e-mails don’t deplete forests

E-mail marketing not a solo sport E-mail marketing not a solo sport • Not evident that you can spend less money

by designing and developing your own e-mail marketing campaigns

• It can be a very technical endeavor• Also consider legal issues• E-mail service providers (ESP) provide:

– Improved e-mail deliverability– Database and list management– E-mail template design– E-mail message and content creation– Tracking and reporting– Advice and consulting

Blog marketingBlog marketing• A blog is sort of online shared journal• Marketers can use blogs to:

– Enhance search engine marketing– Provide direct communications to customers – Build brands– Differentiate yourself from your competitors– Market yourself to various niches– Create media and public relations

campaigns– Position you as an expert

WordPressCustomers

Navigating the bloggosphereNavigating the bloggosphere• Blogger outreach aims at identification of

influencers who reach your customer• Need to reach bloggers without coming

across as heavy-handed, too commercial• Out of 10 million+ active blogs, about 10,000

with significant traffic• Use blogger networks such as Federated

Media to align with appropriate blogs • Use blog search engines to crawl the

blogosphere to get sense of discussions about specific topics, brands

Podcast marketingPodcast marketing• Mobile media solution which gives the ability

to connect on-demand • Customers used to consuming media

choices on their own schedules• Given challenges of generating media

coverage in a shrinking news market, business become its own broadcaster

• Podcasts / videos format more engaging than the Web’s static text

• Direct marketing uses:– Interviews, special promotions– Highlights / explanation of products /

services– Training, demonstrations

Drive business using Google mapsDrive business using Google maps• 7.5 million global

searches per month• Mapping technology

combined with local business information

• Visit the Google Local Business Center

Elements of mobile marketingElements of mobile marketing• Enable communications and audience

engagement in an interactive, relevant manner via mobile devices or networks

• Mobile marketing can be used to enhance all your marketing activities

• Challenges presented by mobile devices:– Smaller screens– Mobile phones have no mice or no printers– Numerous operating systems, networks– Bandwith may be restricted– Data connections and messaging cost

money

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/