Internet Marketing

Internet marketing, or digital marketing are the terms to describe how companies and organisations market their brand, product and services via all sorts of digital media.  So it is not just about advertising on the internet, but also by using the internet to enhance their current marketing.  Such sources of internet marketing are email, banner adverts, web 2.0 and mobile marketing.

Email marketing is a much debated source of marketing, as although it can be very effective with loyal customers who are willing to accept regular emails about offers and services it can be very annoying for others who have not given their permission to be targeted.  This is where email is different to banner adverts.  Email advertisements are invasive as they target individuals in their private email life.  Whereas banner ads are positioned on a webpage and require the internet user to make the effort to engage with the content.
 
Web 2.0 is a marketing approach where the customer is made central to the businesses strategies and the appropriate internet marketing methods are employed.  For example the use of social media sites to allow for the customer to make comments and upload content is a way of making the customer feel valued and respected.  But at the same allows the business to gather free market research and gain knowledge about their customers.

The advance in mobile phones also allows for greater marketing opportunities as the internet is so easily accessible via phones that they can encourage the use of them with promotional ideas, which can be accessed at any time, anywhere.