Watching Super Bowl Commercials has become as entertaining as watching the game. And each year there are great new commercial that debut during the game (and plenty of duds as well). But Apple’s first ever TV commercial titled  “Big Brother” which aired during the 1984 Super Bowl, is still regarded as the most effective use of the advertising medium.

Consistent with the Apple brand, it broke many of the time-tested rules regarding advertising: it was long – one full minute; it only aired once (during the Super Bowl) and yet this ad is still talked about today as a masterpiece of advertising. It is one of the greatest marketing/concept ideas in terms of how to launch a product – and do it in such a way that has a tremendous amount of impact.

And because the commercial, which announced Apple’s launch of its Macintosh personal computer, had such inherently strong PR value – people and the news media were talking about it for days – which made the Mac’s launch a tremendous success.

Why didn’t Apple run the commercial again? In fact, running it again would have been counterproductive. Having it appear once made the commercial uber popular – because everyone wanted to talk about it and you were not “with it” if you hadn’t seen it.

Which also goes to show, there really is no hard-and-fast formula about marketing, especially with those media priests who preach that the power of advertising is in repetition. In this instance, repetition was unnecessary because the creative was so powerful in creating a perfect storm of an engaging, timely and unique advertising sensation.

This series breaks down different marketing tactics to help you determine which ones will best support your marketing strategy.

Today internet marketing plays a central role in how customers learn about your business.

Suppose you wanted to purchase business accounting software. Your search would probably look something like this:

1. Go to a search engine and type “small business accounting software.”

2. Scan the first page of search results.

3. Click on a link that looks promising, and then scan the website for features and pricing.

4. Bookmark it for comparison later, and look at a few more options.

5. Choose a product, buy it online with a credit card and download the software.

And you may have done it all without much consideration – before asking a friend for their opinion or driving to Staples to hear what a salesperson recommends.

Today people jump online for even the smallest purchase decisions, so internet marketing should be a regular part of your marketing activities. It’s probably the most versatile medium out there, allowing businesses to provide information, build brands, capture leads, offer promotions and close sales.

Below, we break down internet marketing by its most common components, and discuss how they’ll fit into your marketing mix.

Websites

At a minimum, every company needs a website – there’s just no way around it. It provides a low-pressure environment where customers can learn about your products or services, and then decide if yours is the best choice. Your site can also act as a hub for other marketing efforts, helping to integrate campaigns (online and off) and make sure those responses are measurable.

There are no real downsides to building a website. But there are a few basic guidelines you should follow to help it perform its best:

• Your website should explain who you are, what you do, why you do it, and why prospects should choose you over the competition. Try to answer any questions or objections visitors may have.
• Make it easy for visitors to find the information they want. Design your site with their needs in mind first, followed by the needs of your brand.
• Provide numerous opportunities for prospects to contact you throughout the site.
• Update your website frequently with blogs, articles or other content. Search engines love new content, and it builds credibility with prospective customers.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Of course, a website is only useful if people can actually find it. That’s where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. Using keywords in your website copy and inbound links from respected websites helps your site rank higher in search results, which can significantly increase the amount of traffic your site draws from Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Is SEO really that important? After all, you’ll be sending prospects to your site every chance you get. Well, a 2011 survey by Forrester Research found that organic search results drive most website traffic. That means if your site doesn’t rank high enough on search engines, most prospects won’t know you’re out there at all.

Services like Google’s Keyword Tool help identify phrases your customers use to find you online.

The trick is identifying the right keywords and using them wisely. When researching keywords, look for relevant phrases your customers frequently use to find your product or service in search engines – particularly those few competitors are using. The more specific, the better. (Services like Google’s free Keyword Tool and WordTracker.com make it easy.) Then weave these into your headlines, subheads, page titles and page descriptions to get the best results.

But be careful not to get greedy with your search engine optimization. Stuffing your website with hundreds of keywords doesn’t work anymore, and in fact will work against you. The algorithms search engines use are very sophisticated. They’re good at recognizing websites that provide useful content for visitors and not just SEO tricks and schemes. As Google says in its own SEO guidelines: write for people, not search engines.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

With “pay-per-click” advertising (PPC), you purchase ad space next to search results by bidding on keywords your prospects use. The higher the bid, the more prominent your ad’s position on the page. And you only pay when someone clicks. (Actually, it gets more complicated, but that’s the basic idea.)

PPC campaigns can be highly effective for advertising specific offers. Your ads drive traffic to dedicated landing pages on your site that sell products and services or generate leads. Unlike SEO, it’s easy to calculate your return on investment.

However, PPC can also be complex and expensive. A successful program requires constant monitoring, maintenance and fine-tuning to get the most from each campaign. And the higher you want your ad to appear, the more you’ll have to shell out. Some companies budget thousands of dollars for PPC alone.

Banner Advertising

Banner ads are everywhere, so they must be effective, right? Guess again. In 2010 web users clicked on banner ads just .09 percent of the time, according to Google. In fact, eye-tracking studies show website visitors have simply learned to ignore them. It even has a name: “banner blindness.”

So if they don’t generate leads, why are banner ads still so widely used? In theory, banners can at least raise awareness when placed on websites that appeal to your prospects. More and more companies use animation, video and interactive elements to attract attention – like waving their arms in a crowded room.

But outside of clicks, there’s no reliable way to gauge their impact yet. In the end, designing a flashy banner may well cost your company more than it’s worth.

Need more tips on marketing tactics? Read the previous post in this series:

Your Marketing Toolbox: Public Relations
Your Marketing Toolbox: Advertising

This series breaks down different marketing tactics to help you determine which ones will best support your marketing strategy.

Public relations is a powerful and inexpensive way to reach your target audience.

Historian Daniel J. Boorstin once said: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.” It’s clever, but not entirely accurate. The truth is the greatest product or service won’t sell if no one knows about it.

Generally speaking, public relations (aka PR) refers to the strategic placement of news and articles in media that are popular with your target audience, such as newspapers and magazines or television and radio programs. Its purpose is to increase awareness, educate, inform and influence public perceptions about your product, service or business. The increased awareness and positive perceptions should result in additional sales, but not in a direct way, as with advertising where you purchase media space to promote your message.

But PR also includes a variety of non-media activities aimed at raising your profile, like newsletters, speaking engagements, charitable activities and special events. For instance, I’ve had clients successfully position themselves as experts in their field by speaking at trade shows and conferences, as well as teaching workshops.

So should your business incorporate public relations as part of its marketing strategy? Let’s weigh its strengths and weaknesses.

Pros of Public Relations

What makes PR messages so powerful? When a story, article or announcement about your business appears in the media – which is perceived as an independent third party – it implies a subtle endorsement. In this way you gain credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Is this media manipulation? Not at all, so long as your topic is sufficiently newsworthy. In fact, media outlets and influencers (like popular blogs) are always looking for leads to help them produce interesting, timely stories. PR helps to fill that need.

And PR is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of marketing, especially advertising. When your budget’s on the low end but you still need to reach a broad audience, PR is a great way to go. This could explain why spending on public relations and related services continues to climb, according to a number of studies. With the right person on staff, it can even be handled effectively in-house.

Even better, public relations material like polls and top-ten tips can be recycled and reused in various formats, squeezing even more from your investment.

Cons of Public Relations

One downside of PR is that you can’t control the message once the media chooses to run it. You can’t predict when a story will appear, or if it appears at all. It all depends on the timeliness of the subject, the availability of space or time, and the relationship you or your PR professional have with each editor.

And editors or producers have final say on what shape the story takes. On rare occasions, a biased editor with an axe to grind can put a negative spin on your story and depict your business in a poor light.

One more potential hurdle: If the topic of your story is time-sensitive, you’ll have to plan ahead to ensure it appears when it’s needed. Most publications schedule feature content weeks or months in advance, though they’ll usually supply an editorial calendar to guide you. (Blogs can be more flexible.)

Quick Tips for Effective PR

Sometimes it helps to have a PR professional in your corner. But if you’re ready to tackle the next campaign yourself, keep these tips in mind:

1. Think like an editor. When evaluating your press release or story pitch, every editor or producer wants to know just one thing: Is this relevant and interesting to my audience? Tie your story to an industry trend, a timely event or a topical subject when possible. Conducting surveys or providing tips for readers are sure winners in getting published, while also positioning you as an expert in your field.
2. Focus on hard facts. Yes, you want publicity, but you won’t get good coverage by singing your own praises. Save your sales pitch for your other marketing tactics. Stick to cold, hard facts and keep it objective, unless you’re quoting a source or writing an opinion piece.
3. Polish that press release. When composing press releases, don’t be boring. Try to come up with creative headlines and intro paragraphs that really grab the reader. And mention the most important facts early – many times the headline and first paragraph are the only things an editor will read.
4. Recycle your PR. Getting media coverage is just the beginning. Talk it up on your blog and social media pages. Mention it in your email newsletter. Create a “Press” page to feature it on your website. The more your name is out there, the more apt it is to be fresh in the minds of current and prospective clients.

Need more tips on marketing tactics? Read the previous post in this series:

Your Marketing Toolbox: Advertising

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