IN THIS ISSUE:
• Where is Internet Marketing Going?
• Refresh Your Online Presence for 2011

Where is Internet Marketing Going?
Know What's Hot for 2011, and Prepare Your Business for These Online Trends

• It's the year for social media marketing. In 2011, businesses will be executing social tactics that are fully integrated into the overall marketing strategy. Every company needs a social media marketing strategy and the right resources to manage it.
• Mobile marketing is on the go. Mobile marketing is on the go. The increase in smart-phone use and relaxed download caps on mobile phone plans has seen mobile marketing gain momentum. Tablet devices should now be a mainstream consideration in your digital marketing strategy.
• 2011 will see a new era of online video content, re-introducing the human element and changing the nature of communication; making it dynamic, interactive and instant. Video will be used more for mainstream online content and advertising.
• SEO is going to be complex (if it isn't enough already!). Competition for Google heats up with Yahoo, Bing, Search.com, and social sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Getting your business on the first page of search results will become tougher. Mobile search and geo-location will further increase the challenges and surprises for search engine optimizers.

It's time to strengthen your online presence, so that you can take advantage of the emerging Internet marketing trends in the coming year.

1. Go mobile. Is your website easy and enjoyable to view on a mobile phone? With more and more iPhones, iPads and Android powered smart-phones in use, mobile marketing will expand beyond mobile messaging. Mobile email, mobile websites and mobile applications are already viable marketing channels. Make your website mobile-friendly now!

2. Use video. Video is an incredible way to connect with people online. Video will help your website get "super-optimized" for search engines. A page with video has a strong likelihood of being ranked higher than one that's purely text-based. With high speed Internet and lowered cost of video production, the impact of video in marketing is ever-increasing.

3. Social media marketing is maturing. Is your website ready to take advantage of the reach and influence of Facebook and Twitter? With Facebook Credits and social commerce sites such as Groupon, your customers can actually start their purchase decision cycle via these sites. Get ready to harness the commercial value of the Facebook 'like' button, since peer recommendation will be more powerful than the push model.

4. Is your website optimized for localized searches? Today, every major search engine like Google, Yahoo! and Bing is serving up local results to make things easy for online users. Does your business figure in the top ranks of these search listings? Dominating the local space is the stepping stone to big business outside. Make sure your search and social marketing strategies factor in location-based opportunities.

5. Content still rules. Continue to offer free information to your customers. Paid content will continue to suffer in 2011, and if users can find your information elsewhere for free, then they will go there for it. Your business should go beyond advertising, preaching and pushing products. Be useful to your audience - provide material that's useful to them.

6. Tweak your email marketing strategy. Email marketing still remains a proven way to achieve business objectives. Segmentation and targeting will allow you to deliver a tailored and relevant message to potential customers to give the best possible click-through and conversion performance.

7. Upgrade your website. Edit, reword and improve the look of your website to make sure it's relevant and up-to-date. Set unique titles and descriptions for each page/post of your website, which is critical for SEO, and also for feeding your site into social media channels. Generate an RSS feed so that visitors can subscribe for updates via a feed reader or email.

8. Set up analytics. Use Google Analytics or something similar to spell out your marketing goals, integrate it with your online marketing program to see how you are progressing. Evaluate results from your specific online marketing activities (i.e. shopping cart, PPC ads, social media channels, etc.) so that you can see how well each is doing for you.

Ultimately, success in the field of Internet marketing will depend on your company's ability to provide the best customer experience. If you can build and nurture a real and meaningful relationship with your customers online, success will be yours. To learn more, contact your local WSI Consultant.