Targeting Online Customers

Although generating online traffic is an important goal of any website, attention should always be directed to the very first and most important issue in website marketing: targeting online customers. It's important to remember that the definition of your online customers always comes from your customers' basic needs and preferences. Your customer's needs define your online business. If you define your customers based on their requirements, you will know what direction to follow based on your understanding of their needs. As a result, you won't necessarily sell your products or services to a specific demographic group, but rather to the people who actually need your products or services.

The web site should be based on the premise that your customers need information to make intelligent, informed buying decisions. This type of thinking should guide strategic and daily decisions regarding further development and marketing of the site. Never lose sight of the target audience.

Most of the time, targeting means targeting customers as a whole group, whereas real targeting is based on online market segmentation. It is always important to consider targeting market segments instead of the whole market.

I often see web marketers evaluating web sites to assist in targeting customers through online demographics. Unfortunately, targeting customers online through demographics is often not an ideal situation. First, ask yourself these questions:

*Can I find a web site that targets my customers through demographic information?

*Once the site is found, how accurate are the demographics?

*If comfortable with the demographics of the visited site, how long will it take to deliver enough impressions?

*How much will it cost for online demographic targeting?

One-to-One Targeting

Once you successfully identify your potential customer's past online behaviors, it is possible to accurately achieve one-to-one targeting.

One-to-one targeting depends upon: 1) the ability to collect enough information about past buying behavior and 2) whether the person's past buying behavior has a clear pattern. Most of the time, these two conditions are not met.

Targeted venues are especially useful to achieve one-to-one marketing on the Web. Business-to-business strategies are especially well served with this type of approach.

Geoff Caplan may be contacted at http://geoff-caplan.com. Geoff is a professional online copywriter. marketing consultant and e-commerce strategist with eleven years of continuous experience. His diversified background includes content development, copywriting, search engine marketing, e-commerce strategy and online public relations. He has lectured extensively on subjects related to online marketing and has worked for some of the Web's highest traffic brands, including eDiets and myTravelUSA.

---

Start a Fire Sale! Give Your Faithful Clients Bonuses!

When is the last time you received an unexpected gift?... Read More

Motivating Shoppers with Online Coupons (Part 1 of 2)

Online shopping continues to grow at leaps and bounds. Depending... Read More

Website Marketers Enemy No. 1

There comes a time in your efforts to market your... Read More

6 Steps to Establish Your Expertise

Like the Internet itself, online marketing resources such as blogs,... Read More

Marketing Using Minisites

When it comes to making money online, there are a... Read More

8 Must Know Tips I Wish I Had Known a Year Ago, About Internet Marketing Online

Are you considering working from home. I have been self-teaching... Read More

How To Make Your Market Throw Their Money At You!

The use of free, relevant and meaningful content can single... Read More

Candy Jar Marketing

What is one of the main keys to a successful... Read More

The Secret Weapon of Successful Web Marketing Is

Impulse shopping in the checkout lane may be what drives... Read More

Starting an Internet Business is not for Everyone

Creating and building your home internet business does not need... Read More

Keywords are the Key

Niche marketing is focusing your business efforts to a target... Read More

The Internet F-Word

For the last several months I've been collecting and organizing... Read More

Avoid a Summer Sales Slump

Did you ever see the movie "Terminator 3" by Arnold... Read More

Five Top Tips For A Prosperous 2004

According to many market forecasts, 2004 is likely to be... Read More

8 Things I Have Learned As An Internet Marketer

I started as an internet marketer, like I am sure... Read More

Internet Marketing: 10 Ingenious Secret Strategies To Explode Your Sales

Marketing on the internet is getting harder and harder daily.It... Read More

How You Can Promote Products And Services In Internet

There are two ways how you can promote products and... Read More

Online Sales: Sneaky Technique To Increase Your Online Sales Anytime

There are some smart and sneaky techniques that can help... Read More

Trust, the Key to Success

Not everyone is comfortable putting their personal information online. It... Read More

Internet Marketing Success is a Cumulative Effect

Being successful at Internet marketing does require doing the right... Read More

The Fatal Attraction of Online Marketers

Suppose you were offered 263 links coming into your website... Read More

Online Marketing And Promotion: 10 Profitable Ways To Recycle Your Content

You may have heard the expression that "content is king".Yes,... Read More

Using An Autoresponder To Manage Your Email Campaigns

Automatic RespondersWhether your e-business is planning to launch an email... Read More

Setting Your Online Business Up for Success!

There is a common misconception that an "online business" requires... Read More

How You Can Acquire Exclusive Rights To Products; Part 1 of 2

If you have a marketing business, chances are you get... Read More

Single Best Way To Turn Visitors Into Rabid Buyers

Did you know that, on average, only 2% of visitors... Read More

The Struggling Internet Marketer

Instead of giving you advice on how to make a... Read More

The 13 Key Success Factors Of A Well-Executed Joint Venture

1. Product or Service That Sells WellYou want to find... Read More

How To Win The Marketing War, Capture Your Prospects Mind

As a marketer you are engaged in a "War" with... Read More

Know The Fundamentals To Success

Internet Marketing is right for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone is... Read More

Online Marketing Donts

There are over 200 million people worldwide connected to the... Read More

What is Internet Marketing?

Since I sold my last business in 2004 I have... Read More

How to Put Your Bookmark on Top Every Time

Do web surfers really bookmark websites anymore? A good friend... Read More