Internet Marketing Tutorial

The internet marketing world is huge and growing everyday- where to begin? For beginners it can feel quite daunting and intimidating. There is far too much information available which will only distract you from the basic principles of how to make money online. A basic understanding of these principles is crucial before commencing a campaign or purchasing an internet marketing product to help you.

These principles are:

Market Selection

Without conducting proper research your idea will more than likely fail before it has begun. It is quintessential to find demand or a need in the niche before you choose to supply it, and it is vital to understand that correct 'keyword selection' provides the path to success. Keyword research needs to be conducted- namely via the google keyword tool and the overture inventory keyword tool. It is best to conduct preliminary research via the google keyword tool, and then compare results with the overture inventory tool to decide which aspect of your selected market could be profited from.

Drive Traffic

It doesn't matter what form of internet marketing you are interested in- affiliates, adsense, information products etc, if you don't get traffic i.e. visitors you are not going to make any money. You will most likely have heard the term Adwords- perhaps the most popular pay per click advertising tool available, however it is a trap many fall into without proper experience. There are literally thousands of disaster stories resulting from inexperience with utilising Adwords. Don't fret however- knowledge of adsense will come, there are free methods of traffic generation which can be applied in the mean time with minimal effort. Some examples of these free methods are- article marketing, online press releases, social bookmarking, forum participation and classified ads. Lastly ongoing consistent traffic will be heavily reliant on your web site being Search Engine Optimised- especially for Google.

Conversion

Finally, you can drive all the traffic you like to your website/ blog- but without an effective call to action- i.e. something that will entice a customer to click a link or purchase your product, you are not going to make any money. Writing good sales copy i.e. how you word and design your website/blog is invaluable and will more than likely only come with experience.

The #1 the majority of people fail in internet marketing is because they are on their own.

In my previous article I discussed the need to understand the fundamentals of how money is actually made online before commencing a campaign or purchasing an online money making product. In this article I wish to focus on the need to find a mentor. By mentor I mean someone with proven knowledge, skills and reputation within internet marketing, who is in a position to provide ongoing support, knowledge and feedback.

First and foremost extensive research needs to be undertaken before deciding on such a mentor- as I mentioned earlier there are plenty of 'scammers' just waiting to cash in on curious beginners with promises such as 'make hundreds of dollars in your first 30 minutes'. Look out- if it seems too good to be true, it more than likely is. The reality is that internet marketing takes considerable time, concentration, motivation, experimentation and effort. If your mentor supports this then read on.

I mentioned earlier that the number 1 reason most people fail in internet marketing is because they are on their own. When starting a career in internet marketing one needs feedback and advice in order to learn from one's mistakes. There are literally thousands of ways to make money online, and in turn several ways and methods to apply in order to make money. Without the aid of a mentor to provide a structure and practical exercises, it becomes very easy to drown in a sea of endless opportunity.

Ideally the mentor you decide on should provide a comprehensive program in which you can structure your learning and apply the skills you are attaining along the way. Ongoing support and feedback as mentioned are crucial factors in determining the best mentor for you- there is no point on signing up then been left to fend for yourself. Do a search for your mentor with Google including their name and "scam"- people don't like being ripped off and if this is the case you will often find a page warning you about the person.

Finding a mentor is a vital part of beginning a career in online marketing. It will provide structure, feedback and (ideally) a learning environment wherein you can hone and refine your skills before releasing them to the online marketplace.

Paul Korber is an experienced web marketer and writes on internet marketing basics for beginners.