3 Areas of Internet Marketing that Deserve Your Attention in 2014

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With the new year comes new challenges, opportunities and changes in the Internet marketing industry. Internet marketing is always changing as new technologies come into play, new social media sites gain popularity and search engines refine their algorithms.

With all these changes, there are three areas of Internet marketing that will be relevant this year and that deserve your attention if you want to successfully promote your business.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing continues to grow. New networks are becoming popular all the time, but the big sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest also remain popular. Some of the audiences on these sites may be shifting, younger people are leaving Facebook in favour of other sites, for example, but your business should still find ways to use them to reach your market.

To be successful at social media marketing, you need to identify your target market and then find out which sites it uses. Then, optimise your account, share relevant information, promote your business and engage with other users.

Remember, it’s not always wise to start using a new social media site right away just because it is the newest networking site. Instead, choose the sites you use strategically, considering your brand, market and goals. Use the sites that are most likely to help you reach your potential customers and succeed.

Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation may be changing, but it isn’t going anywhere. Current search engine algorithms favour things like quality content and relevant links, so use these tactics in your SEO strategies.

Make sure you are using the best keywords for your business and then produce the best content in your industry. Steer clear of keyword stuffing and link farms, as search engines are becoming increasingly aware of these practices and penalising sites that use them.

The beginning of a new year is also the ideal time to make sure your site is fully optimised so that search engines can crawl and rank your pages, making it easier for your market to find you.

Online Advertising

Online advertising is another area of Internet marketing your business should keep an eye on. Using ads on websites that your market frequents or creating advertisements for social media sites is an excellent way to reach your audience. Make sure your ads are very targeted, include a strong call to action and link strategically to the correct page on your site.

This year will bring some exciting online advertising opportunities, as Facebook has announced it will be offering video ads and Google Plus has started a new advertising program that lets businesses create ads that look like Google Plus posts, and allow the same type of interaction, but that are displayed across the Internet.

These three areas of Internet marketing have been important in recent years, but will continue to be important in 2014. Technology is always changing and people are using smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices to access the Internet, where you can promote your business in new ways as new marketing opportunities present themselves.

As you make your Internet marketing plans for this year, keep these three areas in mind and look for ways you can improve your strategies in social media marketing, search engine optimisation and online advertising.