When you’ve been in business for some time, you start to see patterns in your customers and learn to expect certain behavior. One of the things you’ll learn is that not all of your customers will react the same way to your offers and discounts. Some will be more receptive to your offers, while others may be less interested.

In the same way that you’ve learned to expect certain customer behavior, you’ll also learn to expect certain results from your online marketing activities. So if you’re looking to grow your business using online channels, it’s important to understand what kind of results to expect and how to grow your business effectively using online marketing.

What Is Online Marketing?

When you advertise your business in traditional print or broadcast media like newspapers and TV, you’re engaging in what’s known as offline marketing. When you engage in offline marketing, you’re typically aiming your ads at people who are physically near or nearby your business—people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.

On the other hand, online marketing occurs when you advertise your business online using social media channels and websites. With the help of SEO (search engine optimization), you can make your website or social media accounts searchable to people who are looking for your products or services. When someone performs a search on Google or Bing, your website will show up as one of the results. Through SEO, you can get a leg up on the competition and be sure people are finding your website when they are looking for your products or services.

Often, people mistake online marketing for digital marketing, which is all of the activities you’ll perform digitally to market your business. But although you may use digital tools to get the word out about your business, online marketing occurs when you advertise your business in a traditional manner (i.e., in a blog post, press release, or on social media) and measure the results of those activities.

Why Should I Use Online Marketing To Grow My Business?

When you’re just starting your business, it’s difficult to determine how big of an impact your advertising will have. You don’t know if the customers you attract will stay with your company or if they’ll simply be a one-time-buyer.

With traditional print or broadcast advertising, you’re at the mercy of the industry you’re in; the economy, climate, and political climate of your area; and the strength of the dollar. All of these factors can influence whether or not your adverts are effective, and it’s nearly impossible to tell how effective your adverts are without actually trying them out.

On the other hand, online marketing gives you the chance to target the right audience and measure the results of your efforts. When your ads are performing well, you can determine whether or not you should continue the campaign or try something different. And if you try something different, you can determine the exact same thing. 

In addition to being able to determine the effectiveness of your adverts, you can measure the results of your online marketing activities very easily. The key metrics you need to keep an eye on are clicks, impressions, and conversions (i.e., the number of people who have actually purchased your product or service after being exposed to your advert).

How Much Does It Cost To Market My Business Online?

The cost of online marketing will vary from company to company, but you can expect to spend at least $500 per month on average. The cost will depend on everything from how many ads you run to whether or not you use paid advertising (i.e., using Google AdWords to get the word out about your business).

The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank. You can use online marketplaces like Google AdSense to find free (or nearly free) advertising spaces on reputable websites. Through these marketplaces, you can put ads on your blog and earn a commission when someone clicks on those ads.

Some Useful Tips To Help You Plan Your Online Marketing Campaign

When you’re trying to plan your online marketing campaign, it’s important to think about the following:

• Where will your ads appear? Will you put them on your website or do you plan on using an affiliate marketing program to get referrals to your site?
• How will you measure the success of your campaign?
• What results do you want to see from your campaign?
• How much are you willing to spend on ads?
• How much are you willing to spend on affiliates?

In addition to the above, you should also think about the following when planning your online marketing campaign: