Your online marketing strategy will ultimately determine your success in business and therefore needs to be thought out carefully. When marketing on the internet attention must be paid to your target audience as much or more so than the techniques you employ. Since online marketers need to focus more on 'attracting' customers as opposed to traditional push marketing efforts employed offline what you 'present' and how is crucial. Obviously the customers is more in control online and the need to both attract and cater to them should be the basis of any online marketing plan.

Here are 3 key elements you want to include in your strategy when marketing on the internet to better attract and retain your target audience.

Know Your Customer

Your very first step in developing an online marketing plan is to identify who your customer is and how best to communicate with them. Are they young adults, musicians, young professionals or even scholars? Depending upon who you may be targeting your tone and delivery can vary greatly therefore communicating in a way that is comfortable to them is important.

Identifying your customers profile will also make it easier for you to find out 'how' to contact or promote to them. Not knowing who your customers are is like trying to hit a target in a dark room.

Be Helpful

One of the biggest keys to success in business is the willingness to always be helpful to current and future customers. This willingness is especially important online since it is the primary way in which you can develop relations with people. Whether it is supplying people with what they want or helping them to find it elsewhere your actions will reflect the type of person you are or business you represent. This is how many, if not most, make their buying decisions on the internet.

Supply Useful Information

Supplying information is HUGE when marketing on the internet because this is the primary means of communicating with your audience. Whether it is the content on a sales page, website and email or otherwise be sure it always contains something useful for the reader. Do not ever get in the habit of using content to only promote products and services in an aggressive fashion. These constant sales pitches will only turn people away.

Establishing a sound online marketing strategy is what will determine the degree of success in business you achieve. The focal point of any online marketing plan should be the audience you are targeting and not the techniques you are implementing. Online marketers need to concern themselves with 'attracting' customers since people 'search' for what they are looking for on the internet. It is therefore important as to what you are presenting and how you do so in order to succeed at gaining the attention of your target audience. The 3 key elements that must be included in your online marketing plan as discussed above all focus on the type people you are targeting. Your efforts and concerns need to zero in on attracting the attention of your target audience while also maintaining their interest. By knowing who you are targeting and reaching out to them you will be better able to gain their interest, loyalty and eventually their business as well.