1) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)-In short think of this as a compliment from Google and other top search engines telling the world “this site is really who he says he is.” The important part to remember here is that the “back end” of your website, the technical coding, is what search engines read. They don’t see all the fancy images, colors, graphics etc. In SEO, telling the search engine what your site is all about and having the search engine validate that by naturally ranking you high is the holy grail. This form of advertising enforces the old “truth in advertising” clause. Advertiser upside-Gain top search engine rankings in a most trusted user section.

2) Pay per X-In this format the X can be substituted for just about any money action (click, call, lead, email, form, etc) that an Internet user does. This is a popular campaign metric for many advertisers since there isn’t a payout unless the user completes the specified action. Normally this becomes a way of generating high quality leads. Advertiser upside…pay for what you use.

3) Cost per Thousand (CPM)-The Internet’s billboard version of advertising. Pay one bulk rate and get your ad seen 1000 times. Similar to that billboard you see every day on your way to work, except more dynamic in nature. Advertiser upside-fixed cost and a great brand busiling opportunity.

3) Social Media Marketing (SMM)-Better known as the soft sale. This is where strategy comes into play. Time and time again, we have seen organizations use top social sites like MySpace and Facebook to build a profile and then “hard sell’ every visitor. In the social arena we call that “Mr. Annoying.” You know that guy at a party that everyone trys to avoid because he, well quite frankly he is obnoxious. Yup, that’s how communities of social networkers see a ’sales” profile. Remember when marketing in social networks, keep the same principal as in real social situations. Don’t walk up to a stranger at a party and give them the pitch; rather inform, discuss and build a relationship.

In this clip, American Express Open, a fantastic network that I work closely with, has  an informative video feturing Steve Strauss of USA Today discussing some more basics of online advertising.

Tried online advertising already? What was your expierence? Comment and let me know.