2.6 Ten rules for a successful online marketing

Already in 2000 Krause describes that nothing works without clearly defined rules. This is valid for every area of business and marketing as well as for online marketing. The following rules are not necessarily limited to online marketing:

Rule 1: Planning
The strategic planning should have priority to let all departments and employees of a company participate in the planning processes. Short, medium and long term goals have to be defined.

Rule 2: Promotion
Online activities are well suitable for the promotion, but the internet has to be promoted with classical advertising mediums as well.

Rule 3: Hire professional
The internet is not as easy as it looks. Therefore professionals are required not only for technical questions, but also professional online marketers.

Rule 4: Learn from the competition
There is always a company which has already developed a better online strategy than their own. If it is possible one can learn from the mistakes they already made.

Rule 5: Identify target groups
The choice of the target group is not necessarily the same in online marketing like in traditional marketing, because wastage can be better avoided through the online channels.

Rule 6: Use a simple layout
Flash animations, videos or vivid colours are only a suitable layout for some web pages. The pages should not be overloaded because with a stimulus satiation one achieves the opposite and visitors are annoyed.

Rule 7: Let communicate
The features of the web 2.0 offer a very good possibility to get in touch with a potential customer. Forums, guest books, blogs or newsletters are very useful to make new contacts.

Rule 8: Update a web site regularly
An actual date on a web page shows a customer that you care about the web site. Time on the internet is very short-term. A user needs the impression that he is reading actual content with new information.

Rule 9: Benefit from your name
Nowadays it is easy to book your own domain. It could be a great advantage to have your own domain name on your business cards or notepaper. It is another advantage if the name is short and concise. Corporate design is nowadays an important factor of success.

Rule 10: Plan for the future
The internet is changing continuously and with a high velocity. Planning an online campaign is a task where one should consider technological changes and maybe an expansion to global markets.

The usage of these ten rules is always important; before starting new marketing activities as well as for follow-ups (Krause, 2000, p.341-343).

Max Adler Salzhemmendorf Webdesign

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