subject: My Wife Asked Me "What Is Internet Marketing?" [print this page] My Wife Asked Me "What Is Internet Marketing?"
So, just recently my wife sat down and asked me, "what exactly is internet marketing?" I admit, it seemed like a simple concept and one that I hadn't given much thought about. I figured, you sold stuff online and that was about it. I honestly didn't really have the big picture, nor can I say that I have that now. It is a great big world out there on the web, and there are so many different ways of making money online that it is almost mind boggling.
You could for instance, decide that you want to target micro niche sites that are totally setup and optimized specifically for Google AdSense revenue. Whether or not this is a healthy business model, I couldn't tell you for sure. What I can say though is that, if it is part of your overall plan then by all means go for it. It isn't smart to put all of your so called, eggs in one basket. Too many things could go wrong.
In other words, don't go out and make a hundred sites that are just made for Google AdSense in the hope of striking it rich. There is actually a term just for that, and it is the acronym MFA sites, or "Made For AdSense". Google might decide that you are doing something that it doesn't really like and deindex your site, or even worse, kick you out of the AdSense program all together.
I have heard of horror stories like this, and it is quite frankly something that I don't really want to deal with. Keeping my AdSense account in good standing is actually kind of important to me. I realize that there are many other programs like Google AdSense, meaning it would be rather easy to switch out the AdSense blocks with another advertiser.
This would be worse case scenario of course, but it is definitely a possibility that should be considered as one pieces together their ultimate business plan. The Google AdSense program is a viable way to make money online, although it isn't as profitable as it once was years ago. And in my opinion, it should only be used as an alternate income stream, but not relied upon in its entirety. I feel that it is sort of like building a house on a foundation of sand.
Affiliate programs are probably one of the most popular venues for online income. There are literally thousands of companies that offer affiliate programs. Some of the big names that offer these programs would be Amazon, Musician's friend, or Wal-Mart. All you have to do is sign up, and the company will issue you a special link that their system will recognize. You place that link on your site, and if someone uses that link to visit the merchants website, you will get a percentage of the sale if a purchase is made.
The exact percentage you can earn, as well as the complete rules will differ for each merchant that you sign up under. Also, keep in mind that some merchants require exclusivity. This means that you can only place that particular merchants pictures and links on your site, and you can't promote competitors products. Make sure you read the terms and conditions before placing affiliate links on your site.
A third way to produce income online is to develop information products and sell them through your blog, to your email list, or possibly as a WSO on the Warrior Forum. This is a method that many famous internet marketers have taken a liking to. Owning large lists of email subscribers is a great way to skyrocket your earnings. If you can develop a trustworthy following you will be able to market to these people for years to come. They trust what you have to say, and they feel like they actually know you, however small that relationship might be.
What I have mentioned here are only a few of the great many ways of earning a living online. There are absolutely so many different ways. You could promote items on ClickBank, you could build a membership website that teaches people how to earn money online, or you could develop your own brand of organic trail mix. The sky is really the limit.
In closing, if I could sum up exactly what internet marketing was all about, I would say something like this: "Internet Marketing is the art of researching exactly what people are desperate for, and then providing the perfect product that will meet their needs." Nothing more and nothing less. Sure there are various other ways of earning money online, but the basic definition of "Internet Marketing" should never change.
