Monday 11 June 2012

Common Forms of Internet Marketing in Kenya


As the internet becomes the most used platform in communication, companies require a strong internet marketing approach. There are numerous forms of internet marketing used in the world; however, very few are being used in Kenya. Internet marketing in Kenya is rising in demand as marketing managers become acquainted with its potential. Being a developing country, the mostly used form of internet marketing in Kenya is individual websites. But as most companies and businesses have realized, this is not enough to market products and services on the internet. Consequently, online marketing experts are needed to coordinate strategic internet marketing practices that will bring business to any online business.
In this form of online marketing in Kenya, a business owner contracts a website developer to create a website for the business. This website is used to advertise products or services provided by the business. While this form of online marketing is powerful, it lacks the necessary ingredients that ensure its visibility on the internet. This is why more elaborate efforts should be taken by the website owner to make sure that the website is visible to as many internet users as possible. The process of doing this involves writing articles about the products and services that are Search Engine Optimized to help in the ranking of the site. It has been proven that about 90 percent of online users visit the sites that appear on the first page on the search engine results.
Another form of internet marketing that has taken over in the recent years is the use of social media. By far, facebook.com is the most use in social media marketing in Kenya. This form of social media has been very effective and efficient in fashion industry. Twitter is the other social media platform used by companies to communicate and advertise products. In this form, companies are opening social media pages where they solicit for fans. Social media is a powerful tool as it gives companies a human face where potential clients can get information straight from the company representatives. As companies become more aware of this form of marketing, having a page on a social media site does not suffice to earn you business, hence the importance of learning how to do effective social media marketing.
These forms of internet marketing in Kenya are mostly used because they can reach many people who are using the internet. However, a big challenge lies ahead. As companies and businesses get online, doing business online will require better marketing and presentation. There are very essential ingredients that online customers are looking for. In most cases, internet in Kenya is used to get information, as such providing this information to potential clients is essential. This can be done through SEO article writing, press release, online advertising, and use of emails.