Internet marketing is just that: marketing on the Internet. The form of Internet marketing that Internet users are undoubtedly most familiar with is display ads or banners. These are the advertisements you see plastered all over many websites, selling things from college degrees to cruises in the Caribbean. A similar technique is rich media, which consists of the more elaborate ads that contain video or audio files or other special effects which are used to create an interactive feel.
Fortunately, Internet marketing involves more than just those annoying ads. It also includes e-mail (such as sending regular newsletters and promotion announcements to subscribers), classified ads, pay-per-click programs, affiliate programs, and the method that outshines the rest: search engine marketing (SEM). Search engine marketing involves developing the design and content of a website so that it becomes more visible in search engine results. Continue reading