What IS "Internet Marketing"? And the Difference Between Internet and Affiliate Marketing

Very often a phrase is used over and over again, it invents a life of its own and its meaning is unnecessarily complicated or simply forgotten. "Internet marketing" is becoming such a phrase and to a non-tech person, the moment they hear "Internet marketing", they feel uncomfortable because they don't really know what it entails.

"Internet marketing" is simply "marketing" done on the Internet. Traditional marketing was done through traditional media, like the newspapers, radio, TV. With the introduction of the Internet and its continuing increase in accessibility, marketing through the traditional mediums seems lacking, costly and insufficient. Naturally, the World Wide Web (the Internet) is now a cost effective, if not the most cost effective way to advertise.

Two of the main benefits to Internet / online marketing are the ability to reach targeted audience and that it can cost next to nothing. So small businesses are now able to market to its customers without having to spend a fortune.

If you haven't taken advantage of the Internet and its ability to market your business, then learn about it sooner rather than later because it is not about to go away!

Difference between "Internet Marketing" and "Affiliate Marketing"

When I first looked into online Marketing, I was introduced to "Affiliate Marketing", and then the term "Internet Marketing" often seemed to be used interchangeably.

There is in fact some difference between the two, although there is some overlap too.

Affiliate Marketing is when you market a product or service for someone else who owns the product or provides the service. So you are not the one actually selling the product (be it a physical product or a e-product), or providing the service. You simply 'market' the product to potential customers as an affiliate. If a customer buys as a result, then you will earn a commission for successfully referring the customer. Affiliate Marketing can be done both online and offline, although it is more widely done online than offline. Clickbank (www.Clickbank.com) and Commission Junction (www.cj.com) are two well known and widely used affiliate programs, within which you can access many affiliate products.

Internet Marketing on the other hand, is simply marketing done on the Internet, and it can be for your own products and/or services, or it can be for someone else's products and/or services (ie. Affiliate Marketing). So Affiliate Marketing done on the Internet is a form of Internet / Online Marketing.

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