Your internet marketing strategy should include both short and long term goals. The two will obviously differ based on need. For instance, your short term goals will be to get your website started and do everything possible to quickly make it profitable.
Once you’ve got it up and running and you are starting to make money online, then it is time to focus on those tasks which will improve profitability and increase your online presence through branding, advertising campaigns, and site design that deepens market reach.
The following are some goals that could be very appropriate for including in your long term internet marketing strategy.
Internet Marketing Strategy – Stay Educated
In order to keep up with ever-increasing technology, it is vital that you get, and stay, educated. Knowledge is power and that power is an essential part of internet marketing.
Consider Web 2.0 platforms. Several years ago, handheld devices such as PDAs and smart phones were rare. Today they are found in the hands of a large percentage of your potential customers. If you don’t know how to optimise your site to reach this market and make it easier for them to find you, then you are potentially missing out on a large number of sales.
Add the cost of internet marketing education and tutorials to your marketing budget and plan on attending and completing courses regularly.
Review Previous Internet Marketing Goals
You can’t go forward until you’ve looked back. Reviewing past successes and failures in internet marketing is the best way to determine where to go in the future.
For instance, did your last pay per click campaign result in increased sales? If so, use the elements of that success to design a new campaign that will be even more effective. If the reverse is true and advertising dollars were wasted, that is a good indication of what types of marketing you should not repeat.
It’s always a good idea to keep track of each marketing task. Was it completed? What did you do? Did it result in increased sales or increased website traffic? A spreadsheet showing this information is a great tool for deciding what type of internet marketing tasks you should focus on for long-term results. If you don’t already have one, start one now and refer to it often.
Expand Market Penetration And Reach
There is always room to grow. When you become complacent about internet marketing, often you are leaving sales on the table. Even successful start-ups need constant revision and renewed focus to stay on top of competitors.
Use the information you’ve gained about past customers to prepare a profile of your market, then use that profile to determine ways you can more deeply penetrate the market. Expand your presence on the web by setting up additional social networking accounts, creating a Facebook fan page, starting an online forum or user’s group, etc.
Find events where you can meet prospective customers face to face. Use your existing contacts to gain referrals. These are all ways you can further penetrate the market.
The goals you set for your long-term internet marketing strategy are those which focus on steadily increasing online sales and growing your e-commerce business. If your company does not change and grow, rest assured that a competitor’s will and you could easily lose all that you’ve worked for.
Sean Rasmussen
Aussie Internet Marketer
Learn Affiliate Marketing with Year Of The Affiliate © 2010
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Sean,
Another handy post.
As a newby to internet marketing it’s true that all of your focus is on setting up a blog and website. Now that I have read this post it also gives me ways to plan for my future development as a marketer. Thanks Sean.
See you in the forum,
Jon.
Great to hear the post was of benefit to you Jon. All the best mate
Hi Sean,
I think that any internet marketing strategy needs to include a commitment to stay educated. I think it should be an ongoing part of building your business otherwise you run the risk of being left behind.
Sometimes, even now, it gets hard to make the time to learn something new. But, whenever I put off learning something; I always need it sooner rather than later.
I think it’s about keeping your business relevant. You have to keep pushing forward and finding new ways to build your business. I think all entrepreneurs naturally want to conquer the world.
Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Learn and Earn – It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint
Hi Sean,
I think now I have made a commitment to Affiliate Internet Marketing that I will be forever looking for a new product to promote. This will be a continued learning process in itself for pushing forward with learning strategies to stay educated.
I wouldn’t want it any other way. I just want it to take less time to achieve desirable results. Starting groups and forums are good ideas. I think they are effective ideas for improving on-line selling performances.
Jill Brown´s last blog ..Couples Marry at Common Law
Hi Jill,
Yes, it can take a while to find the right product. I really struggle to find products in my niche that fit all of Sean’s criteria. I figure though that when I find one that meets all of my needs; I’ll be on to a winner.
I wish it took less time to get results too. I think when they come; it’ll be huge.
Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Finding Your Passion
With the Internet growing and growing it is easier and easier to access information and to keep on learning – especially about internet marketing. So staying educated is definitely a must on my list of internet marketing strategies.
I have to admit I am not as consequent yet with your other suggestions, mainly because I am still at the beginning and chasing my first round of marketing goals and penetrating my first market. But I will keep your suggestions in mind.
Renee´s last blog ..Self Improvement – 25 Self Motivation Quotes
Great post, short term and long term goals are so important. Reassesment along the way to ensure you are making the most of the strategies you are implimenting. Importantly stay up to date with the latest information, educate yourself constantly, don’t get left behind. Sounds like a lot but it’s fun too.
Melanie Braggs´s last blog ..Building Chicken Coops
I like the idea of keeping a spreadsheet of your results. Having short and long term goals are paramount and they need to be realistic and achievable. At the beginning of my journey, I set myself some very unachievable goals and of course I didn’t succeed so this is a very important point when setting your long term goals in relation to your internet marketing strategy.
Jackie Stenhouse´s last blog ..Types of Child Anxiety Disorder
I agree, I like spreadsheets. They can give you a great overview of what happened and what you did. And you can see the growth you are achieving over time
Renee´s last blog ..Self Improvement Books – What Are Your Favourites
Goals are very important – how can you know if you are moving forward or are succeeding in what you are doing if you don’t actually keep and review your goals.
Apart from Long-Term goals it is important to also set short term goals that are a stepping stone to the longer term goals that you have set. Every short term goal that you meet it is another positive step forward.
Thanks Sean,
I think internet marketing goals are as important as any goals you set through out life, setting & assessing goals helps to stay in check with progress & allows you to adjust accordingly.
My current internet marketing goal is simply to learn how to create profitable niche websites & build from there, I have learnt the basics & have a lot more to go. My long term goal is to make real money through internet marketing & even replace my income.
jeremy´s last blog ..jlagatule- RT @KennyGoodman- RT @DomainFace- New blog post- Turn 10 Into 1500 In Just 90 Days http-bitly-dfdbf
Hi Jazz,
You are so right. It’s taking some time to find the right product that supports and complements my niche. I’m seeing my niche is causing interest so I know it will be popular once I have the right product in place.
I agree with you also that it’ll be a huge winner once we get going!!
Jill Brown´s last blog ..The Story of Upmart and Malcolm McClure