There are many different ways internet marketing can be used by businesses to communicate with its customers. For example:
Domain Name- a domain name is a memorable website address that the a business uses so that their customers can find them through the Internet. It is beneficial they keep their domain name as simple as possible because people wont find it hard to remember it. For instance ASOS use, ASOS.com, this is very simple yet effective and customers wont need to search their domain name up or write it down anywhere because its very simple, easy to remember and unique at the same time. Also businesses should try and promote their domain name very often so that people become very familiar with it. ASOS do this well as well, since they firstly kept their domain name very simple and promote it on other websites and on television too making it easier for their customers.
Search Engines- an easy way for customers to find a website is through search engines, like Google. When a new website is created by someone, its very vital they try and submit the domain name and its details to a search engine because it gives it more of a chance that people find what they are looking for. This is possible for people to do if they buy specialised software that can enable this task, and once its all done businesses can promote their website very easily through search engines. ASOS have used search engines well because every time you type ASOS into Google you are always given many websites that relate to ASOS and right at the top you will always get ASOS.com, which is their one and only website where customers can shop from.
Price Comparison Websites- there are many price comparison websites like Pricerunner and Kelkoo that can be used as a useful promotional tool for businesses as long as they are offering their customers a competitive price. ASOS sell celebrity like clothes at a very affordable price so their customers don't really need to take help from these price comparison websites in the first place.
Marketplaces- these are the smaller companies that try to create their own business using the help of other bigger and better businesses who are more developed and grown. An example of this is Amazon as they have many smaller businesses who sell their goods to them and also leave a link on their website which follows up to the place where the original product came from. ASOS do this as well because they do not make any products themselves, instead they purchase ready made goods and sell them on their website. People who are interested in these goods will then click onto them and normally some where on that page their is a link they can follow which takes them to the website that produces theses goods.
Banners, Spotlights, Pop-Ups and Sponsored Links- these are the most common way of promoting a website on other websites. They are also known as online advertisements because once they are clicked on a new window browser page will open of the website that was clicked on displaying it. These adverts can either be animated or interactive. ASOS also use this kind of communication method as they are promoting their website on other websites and once clicked on, you will be taken to their home page which is ASOS.com.
Viral Marketing- this is when a marketing message is sent by email to existing customers or to a target group, which is then forwarded by them to their friends, This cycle keeps going on and on and more people are being informed each time unknowingly promoting the business. ASOS use this method as well because they send emails to their existing customers as well as a target group, which then gets forwarded by them forming a whole group of people. This sort of method is very popular as once the email has been sent off, it can spread very rapidly and at a low cost.
Another benefit of internet marketing in relation to communication is that businesses can use the customers purchase history to find out what sort of products they are interested in the most and using this information they can then make offers to them of products they will like, which increases their chances of purchasing.