Where Should I Start for Online Marketing?

Developing a Online Marketing Plan

I can’t do everything for you. Web design and marketing go hand and hand. The more I think about it, isn’t a website a marketing tool? The answer is yes. When I first got started with my website, I was ignorant and did not have any business background. Since then, I’ve gone to business college and have earned a business administration degree and a business management degree. To be very blunt, you will need to develop an online marketing plan for your business. Designing a website is one thing, but getting visitors to your website is something that even the professional mess up. I will tell you the very essentials of developing an online marketing plan. This is going to be very basic and straight forward. I will tell you what I have done to be successful.

Where Should I Start?

Not everyone will visit your website. However, you can appeal to those who are looking for your website. Meaning, if you are selling football cards online, your target market might be males, ages 18 through 55 located in the United States or you can target a specific state or city. Now, we should ask ourselves, “Where are males, ages 18 through 25 online?” The first type of website that I can think of is a hobby website. So you might want to target online hobby websites to advertise your football cards. To take this a step further, you could join online hobby clubs or associations.  Everything about marketing is about placement and your target market.

Who are your visitors?

This is the biggest question that you should focus on! Who are your visitors? Are your visitor’s men, women, children, teenagers, or are they grandma and papa. How old are your visitors and what ethnic group do your visitors come from? Are your customers black, white, or Hispanic. You will need to write down, who are your visitors and where they are located. You may also write down some common interest your visitors might have. This is so important, write it down!

Areas of Interest – Where do your visitors go?

Now that we have identified your target market, we will need to think of what websites your target market is going to and at what time they are visiting. I need you to think hard about this, “What websites are your visitors visiting?” For example, are your visitors visiting; YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Bebo, or any other social networks? If so, then you will need to advertise or become a member in those communities.