It may seem funny that when your ultimate goal is selling, most Internet marketers engage in promotional techniques that aren’t supposed to look like they are selling! There are areas (such as online forums and message boards) that if you do nothing but offer a product for sale that you will be accused of “spamming” the board and subsequently invited to leave! What’s an Internet marketer to do? Well, as with any other form of marketing, there is a certain amount of psychology involved and this is certainly true with Internet marketing techniques as well. Although there are more than a few Internet marketers making a tidy sum marketing online, competition is fierce and there are some basic do’s and don’ts you should be aware of when it comes to promoting your products. In the following paragraphs, we’ll look at some of the “don’ts” Internet marketers should be aware of.
Putting too Much Emphasis on the Search Engines
Internet marketers who market only to the search engines without striving to meet their customer’s needs may find themselves without customers to market to. Keyword stuffed websites that offer little or no real value to customers may rank high in the search engines in the short term and may even produce enviable traffic. However, if that so called traffic is not buying anything then you really haven’t accomplished much. While search engine algorithms constantly change, your customer’s needs rarely do. Market to the customers first and the search engines will find you.
Violating AdSense or Affiliate Program Terms of Service
Unfortunately, Internet marketers can accidentally violate the Terms of Service of Google AdSense and affiliate programs without necessarily meaning to but the results can be devastating so it is vitally important that you read and understand all the requirements of ad revenue sharing programs and affiliate programs that you participate in. Just one infraction can get your account banned forever so it cannot be stressed enough that you abide by all the rules outlined in the agreement.
Assuming Dissatisfied Customers Won’t Talk
Whether you market in the brick and mortar world, online, or both, the word of mouth that evolves from customer dissatisfaction grows faster than weeds. Refuse to satisfy a customer and you’ll likely be the subject of a viral blog post that will stop other customers in their tracks. With numerous review and opinion sites all over the Internet, it pays to ensure that your customers are satisfied or at least that you have done everything in your power to satisfy them. While the words and opinions of satisfied customers don’t proliferate as fast as the ones of dissatisfied customers, you want your customers to pass along positive experiences after dealing with you or your company.