Frequently Asked TIP Questions
What is Internet Marketing?
Internet marketing is the process of leveraging online tools in a manner that most effectively generates
the maximum exposure and positive benefit to the business online. Benefits
can include lead generation, increased web traffic, positive reputation,
customer loyalty, and most
importantly increase in sales combined with decrease in overall
marketing costs.
A key component of Internet marketing is participation in the conversation about your company that will inevitably
take place in the world of social media.
What tools are used by Internet marketers?
There are many tools that can be used for Internet marketing, but the key ones are
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogging. Your website and search engine
optimization (SEO) are also key parts of the process, as are online and
local directories. Video
marketing (YouTube) is growing in popularity.
What are the key elements of Internet marketing?
There are four key elements to successful online marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization - SEO is King and cannot be taken
seriously enough
- Social Media Presence - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, Blog; this is
where the conversation about your business takes place, and you need to
be part of it
- Online Reputation Management - what you don't know CAN hurt you, so
you need to be aware of what is being said and promptly identify and
react to any negative media
- Dedicated resources and a plan - no marketing effort will bring
strong returns unless
resources are committed to a good plan
Do I really need to market my company online?
If you want to keep up with your competitors, absolutely yes. The data is
indisputable. The use and effectiveness of traditional marketing activities
is on the decline; even traditional email is on the decline. People
increasingly use the Internet to relate to other people and businesses (78% of
Internet users do product research online). When is the last time you used
the yellowpages? Yes, it's all about being found on
the Internet, and being talked about in a positive light. Your customers are online
writing reviews, tweeting about products and services and posting thoughts
and photos on their blogs. A quick search will show you that your competitors are using
social media tools and are optimizing their website(s) to outrank yours. There is going
to be a conversation about your business; if you don't
embrace it and influence it, others will and that is not usually good for
your business.
It should also be noted that the absence of conversation about your
business in social media is almost as bad as a negative one. No news is not
good news in this case. People do business with
businesses - and people - that they know and like. This is why we say
Internet marketing is business... and it's
personal.
How do I effectively implement SEO and social media marketing campaigns for my company?
As with most other important things, the starting point is a plan. The plan needs to
address where your Internet presence is now, where you want to be, and how
you will get there. Availability of resources must be considered and honestly addressed.
Many well-intentioned Internet marketing plans never
see any tangeble return on investment because the expected resources were not really there. The plan also needs
to assess where your competitors are, and what it will take to overcome and stay ahead
of them. We call the sum of this data your Internet Marketing Strategic Plan.
What are the benefits of Internet marketing? Are they tangible?
The benefits of marketing your services online are many, but the main
benefit is ensuring that potential
customers will easily find your business and that they will see you
favorably. Specifically, a high percentage of
marketers report that using search engine optimization and social media
marketing tools leads to the following benefits:
- Generated exposure for their business
- Increased traffic and subscribers
- Improved search engine rankings
- Resulted in new partnerships
- Generated qualified leads
- Significantly less expensive than traditional marketing – can
dramatically decrease overall marketing costs
As opposed to most traditional marketing methods (radio, TV, direct mail,
print ads, newspaper, magazine ads, etc) the results of well-executed
Internet marketing can be monitored and measured in terms of increased traffic,
online actions, search results, and other means.
What should I expect in terms of required resources for Internet
marketing?
There is no one-size-fits-all marketing plan for every business (if someone is
trying to sell you one of these, politely excuse yourself and make for the
exit). Because of the nature of their
businesses, some companies can leverage online marketing tools more
effectively than others, and
development of a strategic plan is key. Some
companies settle in at 1-3 hours/week, while other companies employ full
time Internet marketers who spend in excess of 40 hours/week. All that said,
data indicates that about 6 hours/week is a threshold for achieving
significant results. So if you're just starting out, you should be looking
at an ongoing commitment of somewhere in 2-6 hours/week range, after the
completion of your strategic plan.
OK, so what exactly is TIP?
TIP stands for Total Internet Presence, and it's just that. Recognizing
that just having a website is not enough anymore, TIP is a comprehensive,
effective, and affordable way to implement SEO and social media marketing for your business. TIP ramps
up quickly, and it includes all the key elements for success and measurment (see Question 3), as
well as:
- Initial evaluation of your company's current Internet presence
- Strategic plan development and implementation
- Goal-setting
- Daily/Weekly marketing activities
- Monthly tracking, reporting and discussing results
- Ongoing adjustment and continuous improvement for maximum return
Why should I consider using TIP?
The advantages of TIP are considerable and include the following
- Solid expertise, knowledge, and experience - 270net is a leader and
an innovator in SEO and social media marketing
- Customized to your business - TIP is NOT one-size-fits-all; we
conduct analysis to figure out what needs to be done specifically in
order for
your business to advance.
- Quick ramp up - because we know how to determine
what's right for you, your personal TIP marketer will get your
Internet marketing campaigns up and running quickly; no
time and money wasted with trial and error or implementing a
one-size-fits-all program that won't work for you.
- Single point of contact for all marketing activities - you are assigned
your own personal TIP Internet Marketer who answers to you; he or she has a team
of support, but
his or her job is to know you, your company, and to leverage all of
270net's resources to make sure you get maximum results from your
marketing.
- No employee burden - your Internet marketer will guide you through the
complexities and nuances of SEO and social media marketing. And he or
she will do all the heavy lifting when it
comes to implementation.
- Affordable – because we can so quickly figure out what's most
important for your business and then focus on it in a cost-effective,
process-oriented manner, TIP is very affordable. There are no up- front
costs; just a fixed monthly payment that is easy to budget and plan.
What if I want to start slow and make sure Internet marketing works for my company
before going all in?
TIP comes in two levels - TIP Max and TIP 10. TIP Max is where most
companies should end up, and it includes everything you need to get maximum
results from Internet marketing. Your personal TIP marketer will apply a MINIMUM of six hours/week on your
program, which has been shown to be the threshold for achieving significant
results.
With TIP 10, 270net recognizes that some companies will want to walk
before they run, and will want to spend some time getting acquainted and
comfortable with Internet marketing. Also, some companies are on a budget and want to at
least get started with a lower cost. TIP 10 provides a lower level-of-effort choice for these
companies. You get exactly the same things as with TIP Max (including
analysis and strategic planning), but just less of it. Typical level of
effort is in the 10 hour/month range.
How long will it take to see results from Internet marketing?
It depends on where you're starting from. Some results, such as more
generating higher
visibility and increased conversation about you, can be
seen very quickly. Increased search engine rankings and bottom-line results
such as lead generation and conversions can take longer. For best results,
Internet marketing should
be a long term commitment; you should expect to see great things by six
months.
Because of the need for this commitment, and because we do a significant
amount of work in the beginning (strategic planning, account setups, etc.)
without any upfront fees, we ask for a six-month commitment.
What if I change my mind after signing up?
270net strongly believes that you will see solid results within six
months, and significant results if using TIP Max. If after six months you
are not satisfied with the results, you are free to cancel TIP at anytime.
How do I get started on TIP?
It couldn't be easier. Contact us here, email
us tip@270net.com, or call us at one
of the below phone numbers. A TIP Marketer will promptly get in touch with
you, begin the complimentary initial evaluation for you company, and
schedule an appointment to go over it with you. If you decide to use TIP to
ramp up your Internet marketing, just make a pro-rated first monthly payment and
we're off and running!
Eastern US: 301-663-6000 - ask for Chris
Western US: 480-305-2036 - ask for Michelle