To put some focus on the blur of Internet marketing opportunities, we sat down with Jon Leland, president and creative director of ComBridges, a custom website design and Internet marketing agency in San Rafael, CA and author of EBiz Express: What Every Business Should Know About Internet Marketing.  

Internet Marketing can be a murky term. How do you define it?  

I sort Internet marketing into three main categories:

·    Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, also known as Organic Search Marketing;

·    Sponsored links, also known as pay-per-click advertising (PPC), like Google's AdWords; and

·    Viral, word-of-mouth advertising which includes blogs, social networking and email newsletters. 

All three categories can be valuable components of an Internet marketing campaign. 

What is Search Engine Optimization?  

Essentially it's a strategy to achieve valuable positions on the natural search result pages that are generated when a search is done by a web browser, or potential customer. Keywords entered, for example, into the Google or Yahoo search engine produce these results pages and links. And most businesses would love to be listed within the top 10 results on a Google search results page for the keywords that relate most directly to their business. Identifying the right keyword phrases (phrases your customers actually enter into the search engine) is absolutely critical to achieving meaningful results. 

Sponsored links appear across the top and down the right column of search engine results pages. The advertiser only pays for the ad if someone clicks on it to visit your website. This is the beauty of sponsored links: it's accountable advertising. You only pay for results. Typically, a customer or prospect won't click on the link unless they're really interested in what you are offering. And its also important to make sure when they get to your website that the content is compelling and as relevant as possible to the keyword phrase your are targeting. 

How, if at all, do organic search and PPC complement one another?

Organic search is a more long-term effort that frequently takes three to six months to produce meaningful results. Pay-per-click advertising on the other hand, can be instantly gratifying and also enables marketers to target a broader number of keyword phrases.

Where would viral marketing, the third category, fit into this mix?   

Viral marketing relies on online consumers to spread the word about a brand or business. YouTube is a great example of this. People visit YouTube and see a video about X, Y or Z. If it's funny or compelling, they share the video with others. Another example of viral marketing is that simple 'Forward to a Friend' link in an email newsletter which exposes your brand to new prospects and drives them to your website. Like all good online marketing, it capitalizes on relationships and on delivering value.

Most of us don't have unlimited marketing budgets. What would you recommend as a starting point for an Internet Marketing campaign?   

I think an email newsletter that extends your relationships is the most essential starting point. Organic search engine optimization is an excellent long-term strategy as long as it is built upon the right foundation of well-targeted keyword phrases. Pay-per-click advertising is for those willing to invest the time (or hire a professional) to monitor and harvest the valuable market feedback so that they insure a solid return on investment.

Want to learn more? Check out Jon Leland's ebook EBiz Express: What Every Business Should Know About Internet Marketing.