Confused about all the terms and choices available to marketers on the web?  You do not have to be.  Here are 5 frequently asked questions and our answers. 

1. What is Internet marketing anyway?
Internet marketing (or e-marketing, i-marketing, cybermarketing, web marketing) are just terms to describe the use of electronic media to promote products or services.  I.e. websites, search engines, email, text messaging, etc.

2. What are reciprocal links and why are they important?
A reciprocal link is a mutual link between two websites to increase mutual traffic. 

Example: Company's A & B have websites. If Company A's website links to Company B's website, and Company B's website links to Company A's website, the websites are reciprocally linked.  The goal is to get as many quality links as possible.  Note-"Link farms" are not considered quality links.

The number of links that your website has, determines how popular your website is on the web.  The official name for this is "PageRank".  PageRank was developed by Google as a basis to determine the best sites on the web.  According to their system, the more links you have is directly proportional to the quality and popularity of your website.  Want to know your PageRank?  Download Google's Toolbar and check the PageRank number.  The numbers go between 0 and 10.  According to Google, the higher number's indicate more popular websites.

Need help building links on your website?  Go here.

3. Domain names.  What are they?  Who owns what? How much should they cost?
Domain names are sometimes referred to as "web addresses" or "host names".  They provide more memorable names for people to remember than the actual numeric IP address for a website.  So the official 2 part "technical" definition for a domain name is:
a) A name that is entered into a computer (e.g. as part of a Web site or other URL, or an email address). These names are technically hostnames.
URL: http://www.yoursite.com/index.html
Domain name: www.yoursite.com

b) The product that Domain name registrars provide to their customers. These names are often called registered domain names.
Registered domain name: yoursite.com

If you register your domain name through a hosting company, they are registering the domain as a service to you.  You are paying the registration service, not the name itself.  So, the domain name belongs to the host, not you.  Depending on the policies of the host, you may or may not be able to take the name with you if you leave to go to a new host.  If you register with Network Solutions, you will own your domain name and pay about $35 for one year.  If you want to register a new domain, Yahoo has a deal for $1.99 for new customers.  You can also take your domain with you if you leave Yahoo.  To be safe, register your domain name with an accredited registrar.  For details, go here.

4. Is it true that people are making millions on Internet?
Yes and no.  There are a few individuals that may be making millions on the Internet, they are the exception -- not the rule.

Making money on the Internet requires a total commitment and takes a great deal of time and effort. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's not easy. However, if you take the time to educate yourself and plan each step very carefully, you can definitely make a nice income online.

Go here to read the article, "Ecommerce-Boom or Bust".

5. What are the best way to market on the Internet?
Your marketing efforts will play a major role in your success. Whether you're marketing your web site or products and services, you need a strategy. Plan your work; then work your plan.  Everything will fall into place.

Visibility is key when building traffic online and offline.  With enough money, you can create an instant presence and expose your site to the multitudes.  However, since most of us do not have unlimited budgets, where to advertise becomes a very strategic decision. 

Here are some points to keep in mind:
-Free web publicity works just as hard as advertising, but it takes longer.  I.e. web directories, newsgroups, bulletin boards.

-Link exchange programs work just as hard as paid advertising, but link exchange programs take longer to get rolling, and you usually can't specify where or when your ads will appear.

-Paid advertising enables you to be somewhat assured of positioning on the web.  Free Internet advertising may work too, but getting better positions is more challenging.  I.e. Google Adwords, Yahoo Overture.

-Paid advertising allows you to target your market specifically.  Free advertising can too but you will work harder to locate the most effective free advertising opportunities.

Brought to you by Samantha Rufo , President of nxtConcepts

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