Online Tools Make the Difference

In case you missed it, the marketing game has changed of late, with new tools available for a growing business that complement traditional forms of advertising. Here’s a quick breakdown of the new tools and how they can be utilized.

Web sites: A surprisingly large percentage of businesses still don’t have a simple one page informational web site. Anyone under the age of 35 is likely to search for a business online instead of looking through the traditional yellow pages. It’s easier these days to use a formatted web template than having to make the huge investment in a web designer (not that web designers don’t have a role later). Make sure you have the ability to change the content on the site and install a site meter device to gauge and measure who’s coming and going to the site.

Blogs: A blog site can be the perfect compliment to the static web site, especially if you like to write. Quick updates and related content go a long way in building a community of like minded customers. Blogs are free and help your business rise quickly in internet search engine.

Facebook: The worlds of personal and business collide on Facebook, but the site built for social networking can be a useful business marketing tool. It’s easy to set up a group page on Facebook that Facebook users can recommend to their friends. The idea is to have others spreading the word of your product or service to others in a virtual world that has no defined geographic boundaries.

Twitter: An acquired taste, Twitter is quickly becoming accepted for business networking and for posting timely announcements and informational pieces that can be read and recommended to others.

These new online tools can quickly build on the traditional forms of targeted marketing and advertising. Those who don’t adapt and begin to understand this new online component will be at a significant competitive disadvantage.