You’ve probably heard the term “online marketing” thrown around a lot over the past year. But what exactly does that mean?

Well, in the simplest terms, online marketing is the process of getting people to click ads, visit websites, or take action in some way, shape, or form, because they recognized or were reminded of your product or service. It’s a form of marketing that’s been around for many years and has changed a great deal, but its most basic elements have remained the same.

Why Are Online Marketing Channels So Popular Now?

Online marketing channels are popular right now because consumers have grown to depend on them entirely. Thanks to the invention and popularization of the internet, consumers can research, find, and connect with almost any business, product, or service they want, and do so in a snap.

However, while this convenience has definitely contributed to the rise of online marketing, it comes with a cost. In today’s digital world, consumers can’t physically touch or try out a product before they buy it. This often leads to a poor purchasing experience, as well as an unnecessary amount of returns and exchanges.

The Evolution of Online Marketing

Thanks to the invention of the internet and the easy availability of online marketing channels, marketers have a whole new set of tools at their disposal. This coupled with the decreasing cost of running paid ads, has made online marketing a viable option for almost any business, no matter the size.

But just because something is viable doesn’t mean it’s easy. Thanks to the many different platforms, tools, and strategies available, becoming successful in online marketing is often more difficult than it seems.

Here, we’ll run down the various options available to online marketers and provide some sage advice on how to succeed using these tools.

PPC (Pay Per Click)

Paid search, or pay per click (PPC) is one of the oldest and still one of the most viable online marketing channels. Essentially, PPC is when you pay a company to get your product or service (e.g., a product review, FAQ, etc.) displayed when someone performs a search on a search engine like Google.

When someone performs a search on Google, a variety of ads and content (including your product or service) will appear. These are usually divided into two groups:

• Sponsored Links: These are ads that appear on the right-hand side of the search results. They’re often small banners with a link to a website or product. When a person clicks on a sponsored link, they’re redirected to the advertiser’s website. If they make a purchase or sign up for an offer after arriving at the advertiser’s site, you’ll earn a commission.
• Display Ads: These are the ads that appear in the search results page. They’re often large banners with a graphic promoting a product or service. When a person clicks on a display ad, they’re usually redirected to a web page with more information about the product or service.

The great thing about PPC is that you only have to pay when someone clicks on an ad or performs a search that results in an action (i.e., a click or a purchase). The disadvantage is that often times the money you spend on PPC will not be worth the return on investment (ROI) especially since you have to pay even when someone clicks on a sponsored link or visiting an advertiser’s website. This can be quite the budget drain.

Pay-Per-Action (PAIA)

PAIA is an acronym for pay-per-action. Essentially, with PAIA you only pay for actions and don’t have to worry about paying even when someone clicks on a sponsored link or visits an advertiser’s website. This is a major draw for smaller businesses since it can be more affordable than PPC.

For example, let’s say you’re running an insurance agency and you know that people are searching for ways to protect themselves against financial hardship. If you have an affiliate program with an online marketplace, you could potentially sign up someone to become a customer of your agency by getting them to perform a particular action (e.g., buying a specific product from the insurance agency).

When they perform this action (e.g., purchase a life insurance policy from your agency), you’ll earn a commission. You’ll only have to pay for this action and not for someone to simply visit your site. This can be a viable option for those in need of a win-win situation. However, it also has its disadvantages. If the product you promote isn’t valuable, people may simply delete your website from their internet browsers without doing any more business with you.

Product Review Blogging

Most businesses, no matter the size, will benefit from the steady stream of revenue generated from product reviews. However, if you want to be successful at product review blogging, you’ll have to put in the work. But the payoffs can be worth it.

To start, pick your niche. What subject matter do you enjoy most writing about? What products or services do you find most valuable? Once you’ve located your niche, you can move on to selecting a blog platform.

The great thing about a product review blog is that you’re essentially acting as a brand ambassador. When someone encounters a product or service they like, your job is to provide them with information, education, and, if possible, convince them to buy the product or service you’re promoting. But you have to be careful because, while you’ll earn a commission from every sale, it won’t necessarily be easy money. The competition in this space is fierce and, as a newcomer, it can be difficult to rise above the fray.

To succeed, you must develop a strategy. Start by creating a content calendar. On this calendar, write out a schedule of how you intend to tackle your product review blog. Consider what types of posts will be most effective in positioning your business as an industry authority and educating your target audience on your chosen topic. In addition to this, you’ll need to develop a plan to attract potential customers to your blog.

Once you’ve developed this strategy, you can move on to preparing for the actual launch of your product review blog. Here you’ll need to take certain steps, such as establishing credibility, building an audience, and gaining brand recognition.

E-Commerce

E-commerce, or online commerce, is the buying and selling of products or services over the internet. Thanks to the invention of the internet, as well as popular shopping apps like Shopify, Swipe, and Fancy.

These tools make it easy for anyone with a small business to set up an online store. You’ll only need to provide them with an internet connection, a PayPal account, and an e-commerce platform like Shopify, to get up and running.

E-commerce stores, no matter the size, will always have the capacity to benefit from affiliate marketing. When someone clicks on an affiliate link and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a commission.

Keep in mind that not all e-commerce stores are created equal. If you want to succeed in this channel, you’ll need to develop a solid e-commerce strategy, research the best affiliate programs, and choose a shopping platform that’s tailor made for small businesses.

Social Media Marketing

Thanks to the invention of the internet and the many different platforms that came after it, we now have a whole new world of marketing opportunities. One of the most popular platforms is social media marketing, or SMM. Essentially, SMM is when you promote a product or service using social media channels, like Twitter and Facebook.

When someone performs a search on Twitter, for example, a variety of ads and content (including your product or service) will appear. These are often divided into two groups: