Your Company's Web Site example essay topic

These days, you can't sell a product or service without marketing it to the masses. And there's no better place to start than on the web. Internet advertising is a gold mine with virtually every company in America represented. But with so many online competitors, advertisers must use special techniques and technologies to get the word out. The key to beating your competitors is by maximizing cost efficiency.

The way to achieve this is by utilizing all the web has to offer for little or no money before spending on expensive technology. The first, probably the least expensive and most effective way to market your company online is by setting up enormous amounts of links to your site. For example, the Prairie State Bank in Marengo, Illinois is it's local park district, the chamber of commerce, the state of Illinois, as well as weather sites, map sites, and online auto dealerships. So a man interested in buying a car online could click on the link to the bank to figure out the finances. (Dysart) Second, you must get listed on search engines.

Many web surfers use Yahoo, Alta Vista and Excite every day to find specific information quickly. Because these engines have the incredible power to direct thousands of surfers, online companies are paying an arm and a leg to have their link be among the first links listed by the search engines. (Dysart) Third, you have to market kids who will eventually be potential customers. Many online companies directed toward adults offer children's games and other services. The First National Bank of Milton, Illinois offers kids a homework helper and has links to toy stores and video game sites. (Dysart) Fourth, you can easily assure your credibility to prospective customers by creating a newsletter.

In most cases the reader would sign up for a monthly e-mail from the company about any new business. This makes the reader feel like they " re important customers and boosts sales. (Dysart) Fifth, you must offer coupons. This technique works just as well off the net as it does on and should not be overlooked. They can be given to the customer via e-mail and printed out from their home or office computers.

This makes the customer more likely to go to your site before checking out the competition. (Dysart) Sixth, nothing is more valuable than word-of-mouth. Your company's web site isn't complete without a "recommend this site to a friend" button. By clicking this button, an advertisement will be forwarded to your friends e-mail saying you recommend it.

(Dysart) After taking care of all this, and you " re ready to dish out some cash, you might consider making affiliate in a field related to yours, and pay it to advertise and recommend your site with a link. For example, I own an auto mechanic shop and you own an auto body shop nearby. I would send you a check for five dollars every time your site directed a person to mine and got service done on their car. (Dysart) An upgrade to a hi-tech statistical database would not only collect e-mail addresses but full names, locations, sexes, ages, incomes, and past Internet transactions all in real time.

This information would be electronically sorted immediately to aide in advertising. (Rubin) Streaming media is also coming to the forefront in online advertising. With this technology, a company can send video messages to the customer with an employee directly responding to a question. This streaming technology can also be used to show perspective customers products they requested information on, new products the company wants to show off, and new features on existing products. (Perry) Banner ads on the Internet are now becoming obsolete, partly because you can ignore them so easily. Nowadays, the strategy is to use pop-up text boxes called "skyscrapers" on top of the page you want to see.

You have to close out the box to see what's underneath and this means that must pay it attention. These "skyscrapers" employ truckloads of flashing lights, moving objects, and unforgettable noises. (Hayes) It seems that we, the innocent Internet goers have become helpless pawns in the game of commercialism. Every time we sign on, we put ourselves up on the auction block to be sold to the company with the best advertising firm. The other day, I went online to do research for this project and found myself (before I even made it to the WCC site) trying to catch the monkey on a banner for some unknown prize from a company that was selling god knows what. Aside from the lo-tech advertising means I described earlier, the techniques businesses are using to get our money are out of control.

I would go to say that these ads are infringing on our privacy. In the mean time, I'll just try not to give these cut-throat companies too much of my money.