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Check out your competition as part of your planning

When formulating an online marketing plan, remember that the most important benefit of being connected to the Internet is the access to information it provides. Learn to use this to your advantage. So rev-up your search engine!

And here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when viewing a Web site from a marketer's perspective:

The ability for you to see what your competition looks like or what they are doing online is a quick and easy way to help you create your own online strategy. Again, use the information access to your advantage. Seek out your competition for the purpose of gathering ideas on how your site can be a better alternative, or incorporate proven methods.

Don't view your competition as a competitor...

View them from a consumer's perspective. This will allow you to make an unbiased assessment about what you liked and disliked about the experience you had using the site. Write down the pros and cons and turn them into marketing objectives. Look at each pro and con closely and leave your personal bias behind, otherwise you risk overlooking a tactic or strategy worth pursuing

View the document source.

This will allow you to read the HTML behind the Web site. Not only will it allow you to see first hand how the site was constructed, it will also allow you to see how the site is being indexed. Search engines look for the words contained within the "Title" tags of the document. See what your competition is using to describe their products or services to the Internet community, adapt and improvise these measures to help improve the marketing of your site.

As in both traditional and online marketing, being first in your market can have advantages. Just remember, there is always opportunity for you to create your own niche online. As long as you know your market and your product, coming up with your own way of doing things or implementing the proven methods of others can be a 'creative' marketing advantage.

Contributed by:
ICI/SoftMail Direct

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