For almost ten years, the Internet, a global data network, has been an open medium for public use,
leading to a closer relationship between producers and customers. This relationship is the result of the two main characteristics of the Internet: on the one hand it offers new ways of communicating, while also developing new
channels of distribution. As more or less all companies and a large number of private households have access to
the Internet , the field of marketing has expanded – and the so called “Internet Marketing” is more important than
ever before.
Even everyday radio- and TV-spots mention links in the Internet inviting the customer to visit their owner’s website. These websites are used either to present the companies themselves or to present the companies’ products and to
sell or distribute them online. The success of a company’s online offers depends on different factors: attraction of
the offerings, optimized pricing, appropriate measures to reach the target group, focus on target group and
promotion.
Here the question comes up: which measures can be taken to ensure potential customers are attracted to a
particular website? One of the main activities of users is the so-called “browsing” – the search for information
in the World Wide Web. The specific search for this information can be done through the use of search engines
such as Google, Yahoo or Fireball. This thesis will explain and work out how to use different types of
search engines, platforms and pay-per-view-portals to optimize a company’s marketing (exposure to target
audience).
Table of Contents
1 On-topic
1.1 Objective and Scope
1.2 Method
2 The Main Characteristics of Internet Marketing
2.1 From Push- to Pull-Marketing
2.2 Customer Empowerment, Global Range and Multimedia
2.3 The Basic Steps of Internet Marketing
3 Efficient Internet Marketing via Search Engines
3.1 Important Technical Background
3.1.1 Algorithms of Search Engines
3.1.2 Clicks and Statistics
3.1.3 The Network Behind
3.2 Search Engine Optimisation
3.2.1 Domain Names
3.2.2 The Keyword Analysis
3.2.3 Content and Design
3.2.4 Linking Strategies
3.2.5 Manipulation of Search Engines
4 Internet Marketing on Platforms and Pay-per-View Portals
4.1 Banner Advertisement
4.2 Paid Placements and Paid Inclusions
4.3 Edited Registers
4.4 Platforms: Boards and Portals
4.4.1 The Usefulness of Portals for Marketing Strategies
4.4.2 Virtual Communities
4.5 Affiliate Marketing and Viral Marketing via Platforms
4.6 The Problem of Budgeting
5 The Most Important Pay-per-View Portals
5.1 Google AdWords
5.1.1 What is AdWords?
5.1.2 Organizing AdWords
5.1.3 Strategies of Optimisation
5.1.4 The Return on Investment
5.2 Overture
5.2.1 How Overture’s Tools Work
5.2.2 Overture’s Guidelines of Relevance
5.2.3 Optimisation of Overture
6 The Control of Success
6.1 Ranking Check and Control of Appearance of Paid Listings
6.2 Measurement of Conversion
6.3 Quality of Promotion and Website
6.4 Quality of Tracked Data
7 Summary and Outlook
Objectives and Core Topics
This thesis examines the systematic application of Internet services within a marketing strategy, specifically focusing on how search engines and platforms can be leveraged to optimize a company's exposure and customer acquisition.
- Technical and strategic basics of Search Engine Marketing (SEM).
- Methods for optimizing website content and structure for search engines.
- The role of platforms, virtual communities, and portals in modern digital marketing.
- Mechanisms and effective management of paid advertising portals like Google AdWords and Overture.
- Techniques for measuring success, conversion, and Return on Investment (ROI) in digital campaigns.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2.2 The Keyword Analysis
While more or less everything is being searched via the most well known search engines, only a few results are listed due to the fact that the content of websites are not really prepared enough to be found by the search robots or other software. Another problem is that users often do not look further than the first 20 results, making the results from the second or third pages almost useless. This means that websites, which cannot be found, have nearly no chance to gain any success in the Internet. The combination of keyword advertising and optimisation of search engines form the discipline of Internet Marketing.
Those who want to use the advantages of Internet Marketing via search engines have to ask themselves in which search engines they have to be represented, which keywords they need to reach this presence and when to use which method – search engine optimisation or keyword advertising84. Many marketers think that they do not need a keyword analysis because of their log files, which seem to show all the important data about the users. The reason for this is a simple mistake: the log files do not show by which keyword the website has been searched, only by which keyword it has been found85. Due to the fact, that the Internet does not offer a typical salesman who explains the products, there might be many differences concerning their explanation. A user, for example, might use the keyword “screen” for his search, while the company always uses the word “monitor” on its website.
Summary of Chapters
1 On-topic: Introduces the growth of the Internet as a global medium and identifies the research objective of optimizing company visibility through search engines and digital platforms.
2 The Main Characteristics of Internet Marketing: Discusses the shift from traditional push-marketing to pull-marketing, highlighting the increased customer power and the need for added value and interactivity.
3 Efficient Internet Marketing via Search Engines: Provides a technical overview of how search engines operate and details essential optimization strategies, including domain choice, keyword analysis, and content design.
4 Internet Marketing on Platforms and Pay-per-View Portals: Analyzes the use of banner ads, edited registers, portals, and virtual communities as effective tools for targeted online marketing.
5 The Most Important Pay-per-View Portals: Examines leading advertising providers Google AdWords and Overture, explaining their functional tools, budget management, and relevance guidelines.
6 The Control of Success: Details the methodologies for measuring digital marketing success, focusing on ranking checks, conversion tracking, and the quality of tracked data.
7 Summary and Outlook: Synthesizes the core findings of the thesis and provides a forward-looking perspective on the evolving role of search engines in digital commerce.
Keywords
Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, SEM, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Pull-Marketing, Google AdWords, Overture, Keyword Analysis, Conversion Tracking, ROI, Digital Platforms, Virtual Communities, Affiliate Marketing, Viral Marketing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
This thesis explores the systematic use of Internet services for marketing, specifically how companies can optimize their presence and visibility through search engines and digital platforms to reach target audiences effectively.
What are the central topics covered in the work?
The work covers the transition to pull-marketing, technical search engine optimization (SEO), the use of web platforms and virtual communities, the strategic management of paid advertising portals (AdWords and Overture), and success measurement techniques.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to provide a comprehensive instruction on how to plan, organize, and execute efficient marketing strategies utilizing search engines and online marketplaces within current technical parameters.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The thesis utilizes a structured examination of marketing strategies, supported by a literature review of theoretical concepts and an analytical overview of practical tools and performance metrics in search engine marketing.
What does the main body address?
The main body breaks down the theory of Internet marketing into practical application, detailing how to optimize websites, utilize platform-based marketing, manage budgets for paid portals, and track performance indicators like conversion rates.
How would you characterize the work using keywords?
The work is best characterized by terms like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Return on Investment (ROI), Conversion Tracking, and Strategic Internet Marketing.
How do Google AdWords and Overture differ in their marketing approach?
While both are pay-per-view/pay-per-click portals, they differ in network access, budget flexibility, and their specific toolsets for keyword matching, with Overture utilizing more manual relevance checks compared to Google's automated systems.
What role do "virtual communities" play in marketing?
Virtual communities serve as interactive environments where companies can conduct market research, build customer loyalty, and implement specialized promotional strategies like viral marketing based on social interactions.
Why is the "control of success" emphasized in the final chapter?
Because Internet marketing is inherently measurable, the thesis emphasizes that success is not just about generating traffic, but about analyzing conversion data, ROI, and competitor behavior to continuously refine marketing measures.
- Quote paper
- Dominik Multhaupt (Author), 2005, Internet marketing via search engines with an emphasis on platforms and pay-per-view portals, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/44368
