Internet Marketing Bible by Anonymous - HTML preview

Chapter 2:

An Overview Of Internet Marketing

Synopsis

Before we begin, it is most logical that we come to grips with what Internet marketing is all about. Internet marketing is essentially the process involved in selling things over the Internet, but there is much more to that than meets the eye.

There are several methods that are used in Internet marketing. This chapter serves as a guide on understanding the technique of Internet marketing, and we shall also see what benefits and limitations the concept of Internet marketing is bestowed with.

What Is Internet Marketing?

If every age in history could be called by the greatest invention of that time, this would definitely be called as the Age of the Internet. The Internet has proliferated each and every aspect of our being, and indeed, it has given a whole new dimension to the way we live on the planet. Today, for each and every thing, whether it is just about buying a toothbrush to spreading global awareness about the growing hole in the ozone layer, people are using the Internet as their medium. And, the Internet has proved to be an unrelenting medium, unfalteringly providing people what they are looking for.

Of all these different purposes that the Internet world serves, there is one very important trend that has caught on of late. This is the trend of selling and buying things over the Internet. A whole parallel world has spawned up here, a world of online entrepreneurs, who are making money out of selling things over the Internet. The money that is transacted here is immense.

That is obvious. With such a huge population in the online world, it is understandable that the businesses here are huge. Below are some facts and figures of the online marketing industry as they stood in 2008. The situation has only improved since then.

These statistics indicate that the vast majority of the people in the world are online right now. They are consistently using the Internet as a medium of exchange. It is certainly no wonder then that so many online marketers are trying to create a niche for their products in this world.

InternetWorldStats.com says that 20% of the world are already on the Internet. They are using the online world in different ways, such as for communication or entertainment or networking or business. But the figures are definitely heartening. It means that 1 in 5 people in the world are using the Internet in some form or the other.

If we look at individual statistics, then we can see many more positive trends happening with the online world. Japan, for instance, has grown in the Internet world by leaps and bounds. It is among the most  prolific  countries  in  terms  of  Internet  usage.  Almost  all Japanese households spend at least 10% of their budget on the Internet.{1}  On an overall  scale,  all  over Asia, the money generated through online shopping has already crossed the $168 billion mark annually.{2} Another Asian nation, South Korea, has the reputation of having the highest percentage of people who shop over the Internet. In this tiny nation, 99 in 100 Internet users do their shopping over the Internet.{3} That is definitely an awesome number.

All of these things have created an upward trend in the world of Internet advertising also. Internet advertising has become a complete industry in itself today. We are already spending about $100 billion globally on advertising on the Internet.{4}  This is a mind-boggling figure!

So, how do all these facts and figures help you for your personal growth?  Right  now,  one  of the most  important things  on most people’s agenda is to have a safe source of income—all have a bad taste in their mouth after the economic meltdown of 2008 during which company downsizing had become the norm—and a source of income that promises a steady growth.

People have tried various options for making money, but it is the Internet world that seems the most lucrative option in today’s world. This is definitely helped by the fact that a lot of people right now are doing business over the Internet. The initial reservations in shopping over the Internet have petered down, and now the Internet world is certainly a safer haven with so many tools having made their presence. It is quite understandable that now people actually look forward to buy things over the Internet. It helps them in many ways, especially they get to know reports of the products they are trying to buy, which helps them to make a better buying decision.

Personally, this could be a great way for you to make some interesting sums of money over the Internet. You could have a steady stream of income and spend more time with your family, because the Internet marketing entrepreneurs do not need to venture out of their homes if they do not want to. This could be highly beneficial to you for more reasons than you think.

Mentioning all of this at the very outset was with the intention that you realize that the online marketing world is a very lucrative option, and it is certainly something that you could consider. You must give it a try if you have not done so already.

We shall come to grips with some concepts of the Internet marketing world in the further sections of this chapter.

Understanding What Internet Marketing Really Means

Internet marketing is the umbrella term used for a collection of ways in which products and services are sold over the Internet. It is also known variably as online marketing and web marketing, and sometimes as digital marketing.

To put it as a definition…

“Internet marketing is the art of advertising and marketing goods and services through the Internet.”

This is normally done through the use of placing advertisements on websites that are on the Internet. These websites will vary according

to the goods and services that they are offering. Therefore, adverts are placed according to the sites that have similar content.

Internet marketing started off when people realized that there was a lot of marketing potential on the Internet. This being the case, people had to advertise their goods and services on the Internet to get a larger amount of clientele. Most of the individuals and companies that started Internet marketing were those that were targeting international clientele. Advertising using print and electronic media in every country had proved to be cumbersome. It also proved to be a difficult task. Nevertheless, with the introduction of the Internet, a solution was seen to be possible.

The Internet marketing world has blossomed in the last decades of the 20th  Century. It is a relatively new