Since the 1990s, the Internet has developed rapidly, and a craze for Internet applications has swept the world. With the development of computer information networks, people’s lives, work, study, communication and entertainment have undergone great changes. Enterprises must actively use new network technologies, change their business philosophy, organizational structure and marketing methods, seize the environmental opportunities brought by the development of the Internet, and improve corporate performance. Network marketing is a new thing that adapts to the development of network technology and social changes in the information network era. It will inevitably become an indispensable and important part of the marketing strategy of enterprises in the information society.
(I) What is network marketing
Network marketing refers to the use of information technology by organizations to create, disseminate and deliver customer value and manage customer relationships, with the aim of creating benefits for organizations and stakeholders. In a narrow sense, network marketing is the application of information technology to traditional marketing activities.
In English, there are many expressions for network marketing, such as CyberMarketing, Online Marketing, Internet Marketing, Network Marketing and E-marketing. The term “E-marketing” is often used. E refers to digital technology, including computer technology and network technology, expressing the meaning of electronicization, informatization and networking. It is concise and clear, and corresponds to e-commerce (E-business).
(II) Aspects to pay attention to when understanding online marketing
When understanding the connotation of online marketing, you need to pay attention to the following three points.
(1) Online marketing is not just the use of the World Wide Web (WWW)
The World Wide Web is an important part of the Internet. It provides a user interface with text or graphics as the expression method. Users can browse hypertext information through a browser. In addition to the World Wide Web, e-mail, instant messaging tools, etc. are all effective ways to carry out marketing activities. Moreover, the terminals for users to receive information are not limited to computers, but also include televisions, mobile phones, etc.
(2) Online marketing is not just the use of technology
The Internet mainly provides information. Consumers can use the Internet to obtain information more conveniently, and can also feedback information and interact through the Internet. Enterprises can use the Internet to efficiently collect market feedback information and provide enterprise product information to the market. In the Internet environment, the concepts and behaviors of enterprises and consumers will change greatly. Therefore, online marketing is not just a simple application of information technology, but an organic combination of information technology and marketing activities, and marketing activities are carried out in new ways, methods and concepts.
(3) Online marketing is not just online sales or online advertising
Online sales and online advertising can only be regarded as basic activities of online marketing, not all activities of online marketing. Enterprises conduct market research on the Internet, provide new services and use new pricing strategies, interact with consumers, and provide customer care, etc. These all fall into the scope of online marketing activities.