A company’s task is partially achieved after the creation and hosting of the website. But with effective promotion techniques and creation of visibility, a company is able to attract visitors to the website. However, attracting visitor is not enough; the company needs to bring quality customers to the website. For this internet marketing specialist develop online and offline promotion strategies, to create differentiation and awareness.
Interactive Marketing Communications
There are several differences between traditional marketing techniques and online marketing techniques. It is necessary for the company to evaluate these differences . Some of them are as follows:
- Space: In traditional marketing, outdoor space for promotion is limited and thus expensive. On the other hand digital media space is unlimited and thus inexpensive.
- Image: In traditional advertising, company’s perception is very important compared to the information content. On the other hand, in digital space, information content of the campaign is of foremost importance.
- Communication: In traditional marketing communication is one way. However, in digital space, communication is interactive.
Integrated Internet Marketing Communications
The internet becomes more effective if it is integrated with other marketing communications of the company. The company has many channels through which it can communicate a clear and distinct message to its target customers. The key characteristics of integrated communications are as follows:
- Uniformity: All communications channels should be connected with each other.
- Consistency: All communications should be conveying the same message.
- Continuity: All communications over a period of time should be connected and same.
- Complementary: All communications channels should bring synergy to the whole marketing campaign
Objective for interactive marketing communications
The interactive marketing communication should be supporting overall marketing objectives of the company. However, the objectives of interactive marketing communications should be as below:
- Online and offline promotion techniques should be used to attract visitors to the website. This process is referred to as traffic building. However, this technique should be specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound.
- The on-site communications should be able to deliver the message that builds a certain perception of the company. These messages should be relevant to the company’s product and services.
- All marketing communications should be able to generate pre-determined online and offline sales.
Offline Promotion Techniques
The use of traditional marketing media like TV, Radio, Posters, and Print for promotion purpose is referred to as offline promotion techniques.
The distinct advantages of offline promotion techniques are as follows:
- Offline tools like TV, Radio, and Newspaper have far more reach, as they are used by all consumers.
- Offline tools are able to create more visual appeal, hence impact is higher.
- Offline tools are able to create a more emotional connection using sound, visuals etc.
The disadvantages of offline promotion techniques are as follows:
- The cost of running an offline promotion is higher due to high competition and limited resources.
- The percentage of wastage, which is the inability to reach correct customers, is higher in offline promotion.
- The measurability and tracking of offline promotion technique are expensive as the company needs to have dedicated resource for the same.
- As space and time availability is limited for offline promotion, information has to be very concise.
- Personalization is difficult to achieve in offline promotion.
- Offline promotion is one way in nature and lacks the interactive element.
Online Promotion Techniques
The use of the internet channel in promotion techniques is referred to as online promotion. The online promotion is referred to as traffic building exercise. The objective is to attract the maximum amount of visitors and customers. Some of the tools used in online promotion techniques are as follows:
Search Engine Marketing: the search engines are the key in directing traffic to the website. This alone cannot be achieved through registration with the website. A Search engine optimization technique where by using certain selected phrases and words, the company’s website is placed higher in the search result, needs to be utilized. Pay per click is another technique where the company’s website is listed on typing of certain phrases.
Online PR: the management of company image in the internet world is achieved through online PR activities. The online PR objective is to increase favorable perception of the company on the third party website, frequented by the customers. The online audience is more connected to organizations as well as with each other. Hence online reputation management becomes critical
Online Partnership: Partnership is very important in the current internet world. Companies need to develop strategies to manage these online partnerships. Affiliate marketing, in which e-retailers pay commission to third parties for sales creation, is a form of online partnership.
Interactive Advertising: The online advertisement takes place when an advertiser pays to place its content on another’s website. However, each website can be considered as advertisement in itself, as highlights to the customer about the company’s product and services. Interactive advertisement should be able to deliver content for enabling e-commerce activities.
Email Marketing: Email plays an important role in online marketing communication campaigns. Email marketing is used to reach directly to customers encouraging them to trial and purchase of new products and services. Email marketing is also used to receive inquiries from customers for any kind of support.
Viral Marketing: The usages of email to transmit promotional communication to potential large number customers at one go by leveraging the internet is known as viral marketing.
On-Site Promotional Techniques: through traffic building exercise, visitors are attracted to the website; however, it becomes important to convert them into consumers. This can be done through on-site promotion via incentives, coupon, schemes etc.
Selecting the optimal communications mix
Companies have limited resources in terms of capital. It needs to develop communications plan taking into consideration cost benefit analysis. Every communication techniques have its own pro and cons. Companies needs to evaluate and chose communications which support its overall marketing objectives.
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