Online Marketing Specialist

Marketing a company online is a full time occupation. Most firms with a substantial marketing budget outsource this responsibility. Online marketing is exciting, constantly changing and highly competitive. Competition between online marketers themselves is even stiffer than the firms they represent. The responsibilities of an online marketer include setting up and running pay per click campaigns, establishing and improving affiliate marketing facilities, restructuring web sites to better communicate a company’s online marketing strategy and provide general consultation.

Before The Start-Up – Let’s Not Get Ahead Of Ourselves

As an online marketing specialist you’ll be selling yourself based on your knowledge and expertise. You’ll need a thorough knowledge of pay per click engines like Google’s AdWords or Yahoo’s Overture, affiliate marketing and affiliate marketing companies such as Click Bank or Commission Junction. You’ll also need to be familiar with other direct marketing methods such as email marketing.

While consulting with clients you might be asked to make recommendations slightly beyond your field of expertise. Search Engine Optimization or SEO is an entirely different field that you will not be competing with, however a basic understanding of how search engines work and what makes a findable website will be very helpful.

Finally search engines penalize web sites who violate their terms of service agreements, make sure you understand what constitutes acceptable marketing techniques.

If you’d like to be an online marketing specialist but have no experience we recommend the following. Search Commission Junction or Click Bank for a low ticket item that you might find interesting to sell, a good example is dog training e-books. Develop a simple website with free dog training advice and tips and use the platform to promote the e-books you’ve chosen. Take the opportunity to run a small pay per click campaign to market your site and the e-books you’re selling.

The Start-Up

You’ll need a work space, computer, permanent internet connection, printer, fax and copier. You’ll most likely do allot of consulting at your clients work place so a mobile phone and business stationary such as business cards, an invoice and quote template and a letterhead is essential.

Most online marketing specialists promote there services through a simple and easy to use business website. If you aren’t able to construct one yourself hire a designer to do it for. Remember you’re offering a business to business service, stick to a trend free simple layout and design.

Use your website to establish your credentials, past experience and most importantly the success you’ve brought to clients! Try to have a genuine testimonial on each page.

Making It Work

Build your business around yourself, your personality and your excellent marketing skills. For an additional credential to add your site Google offers a certification for Google advertising professionals. Upon completing the course you receive a logo that you can place on your site. If you plan on specializing in pay per click marketing this certification will improve your marketability. The certification is also a great place to start if you plan on running the type of learning campaign we suggested above.

Marketing

As an online expert you’ll market your own services in the same way you would market your clients. Through the use of pay per click advertising, email marketing and other alternatives such as running a business blog to answer client questions right on your website. If you plan to target local businesses in your area then conventional advertising in newspapers or business publications is a possibility.

Don’t Forget

The online marketing world is changing rapidly and will always do so. Dedicate a small portion of your day to staying current with the latest trends and web marketing news. Your current and up to date knowledge will allow you to provide the best marketing service possible.