|
Pros and Cons of Free Internet Advertising
|
There are many Internet advertising techniques that businesses use to increase their web site's traffic. For those who don’t have a lot of money to spend on marketing, there are free Internet advertising methods that can be taken advantage of. Like all forms of marketing, there are pros and cons to free Internet advertising. Knowing these can help you decide if it is the right technique for your business.
The Pros of Free Internet Advertising
The most obvious pro of free Internet advertising is that it is doesn’t cost any money. This can be a great advertising method for new businesses that don’t have a lot of money to spend getting the word out about their products and services. There are several different types of free Internet advertising that you can choose from. Free Internet advertising methods include using search engine optimization (SEO) to help search engines find your web site and using online communities such as MySpace and FaceBook to post your ads.
Using SEO to Your Advantage
Search engines find and rank web sites by finding keywords that match those in a user’s search query. Most Internet users rely on search engines to find the web sites that are relevant to them. You can help make your web site more “visible” to search engines by spreading keywords throughout your web pages. When a user enters a search query that matches those keywords, your site will be displayed. This free form of Internet advertising has the potential of generating millions of hits for your web site.
The Downside of SEO
Unfortunately, most businesses use SEO to increase their site's rankings. This makes it incredibly difficult to get your web site at the top of the list. Most major search engines only display about ten results on their first page. If a query generates thousands of results, then your web site could get lost amongst all of the other sites that don’t make it on the top ten list. Most users don’t look any further than the first page, which means that they will never see your page even if your site offers them exactly what they need.
Using Online Communities to Your Advantage
Online communities such as MySpace and FaceBook aren’t just for individual people. Many companies have profiles that their customers can “friend.” This can be an efficient form of free advertising because you can use the bulletin boards on online communities to market your latest products and services. A distinct advantage to using online communities is that the other members that you are linked to have already decided that they like your company. Letting them know about recent changes and sales can help generate renewed interest in your business.
The Cons of Using Online Communities to Advertise
While online communities can be advantageous because the members choose to link to your profile and are therefore interested in learning more about your business, it also has the disadvantage of being inefficient at generating new customers. Many online community members are picky about who they allow into their network, which makes it difficult for businesses to find new customers who might be interested in the products and services that they offer.
The Internet is constantly evolving, so your business needs to be ready to change with its trends. Using free Internet advertising might not generate as many responses as the methods that you have to pay for, such as pay-per-click ads and ad banners, but they can be effective at increasing your customer base. By experimenting with the pros and cons of free Internet advertising, you can find the combination of techniques that works best for your business.
There are many Internet advertising techniques that businesses use to increase their web site's traffic. For those who don’t have a lot of money to spend on marketing, there are free Internet advertising methods that can be taken advantage of. Like all forms of marketing, there are pros and cons to free Internet advertising. Knowing these can help you decide if it is the right technique for your business.
The Pros of Free Internet Advertising
The most obvious pro of free Internet advertising is that it is doesn’t cost any money. This can be a great advertising method for new businesses that don’t have a lot of money to spend getting the word out about their products and services. There are several different types of free Internet advertising that you can choose from. Free Internet advertising methods include using search engine optimization (SEO) to help search engines find your web site and using online communities such as MySpace and FaceBook to post your ads.
Using SEO to Your Advantage
Search engines find and rank web sites by finding keywords that match those in a user’s search query. Most Internet users rely on search engines to find the web sites that are relevant to them. You can help make your web site more “visible” to search engines by spreading keywords throughout your web pages. When a user enters a search query that matches those keywords, your site will be displayed. This free form of Internet advertising has the potential of generating millions of hits for your web site.
The Downside of SEO
Unfortunately, most businesses use SEO to increase their site's rankings. This makes it incredibly difficult to get your web site at the top of the list. Most major search engines only display about ten results on their first page. If a query generates thousands of results, then your web site could get lost amongst all of the other sites that don’t make it on the top ten list. Most users don’t look any further than the first page, which means that they will never see your page even if your site offers them exactly what they need.
Using Online Communities to Your Advantage
Online communities such as MySpace and FaceBook aren’t just for individual people. Many companies have profiles that their customers can “friend.” This can be an efficient form of free advertising because you can use the bulletin boards on online communities to market your latest products and services. A distinct advantage to using online communities is that the other members that you are linked to have already decided that they like your company. Letting them know about recent changes and sales can help generate renewed interest in your business.
The Cons of Using Online Communities to Advertise
While online communities can be advantageous because the members choose to link to your profile and are therefore interested in learning more about your business, it also has the disadvantage of being inefficient at generating new customers. Many online community members are picky about who they allow into their network, which makes it difficult for businesses to find new customers who might be interested in the products and services that they offer.
The Internet is constantly evolving, so your business needs to be ready to change with its trends. Using free Internet advertising might not generate as many responses as the methods that you have to pay for, such as pay-per-click ads and ad banners, but they can be effective at increasing your customer base. By experimenting with the pros and cons of free Internet advertising, you can find the combination of techniques that works best for your business. |
|
|
