What kind of online marketing has the best results?

Good question. Read on for an answer.

Perhaps you are an independent business owner with a network marketing company, or you’re an author, or just run a small family business. You've probably tried or thought about trying some kind of Internet marketing strategy.

But you are busy. So you need to know, what type of internet marketing gets the best results? Where should you focus your time?

I can’t give you a definitive answer across the board, as strategy will depend on your business type and target audience. BUT, I can share some insights that will help you design the best strategy for your small business.

How can you have a great internet marketing strategy without spending a lot of time?

Here are 5 ways to build an easy online marketing strategy:

1.  Pick your area to shine.

Your time is limited, so pick one area online that you know you can be active. You may choose to build your presence on a social network, through a website, or stay connected with your audience through a mailing list (you will need a good way to collect emails).

Where do you feel the most comfortable online? Using Instagram or Twitter? Do you check your email every hour? Perhaps you’re out working onsite and just want a place online where people can look up your business and get reviews. Pick one area to focus your attention, be consistent, and you’ll get good results.

Another way to pick the right place online? Know your audience, then find out where they spend their time. Here are demographics for the top 5 social sites.

2. Email marketing has the highest ROI of any internet marketing strategy.

If you aren't sure what kind of strategy is the best choice, you can't go wrong with email marketing. Best of all, you don’t need to be as regular at sending emails as you do posting on social media sites or maintaining a blog. You can send out emails once a month just to stay connected with your subscribers and remind them of your business. You can also send out special offers, coupons (which tend to have great results), and other special messages. Emails go directly to your subscribers and don’t require them to seek you out.

Here are a few email tips to keep handy:

Keep your email subscribers.

Choose the Best Email Subject Line Words.

Keep your emails mobile friendly.

Read to try email marketing? Sign up for PostalParrot.com, the first 100 contacts are free! 

3. Facebook has the largest user base of any online site.

Not sure you could maintain a website, or don’t want to spend the money to build one? Facebook pages are free and have some of the same features as a website. You can list your products, interact with customers, post special deals, and display recommendations. You can choose to boost your posts by spending small amounts, and you have total control over the budget. The downside? Your customers will need to join Facebook to interact with your page, and it may not be the top ranking in Google search.

4. Google rules the search market. 

If your business has a physical location, be sure to create a location page through Google so your business listing will show up in local searches if people are 'googling' topics like “Mexican restaurants”, “Builders”, “book stores”, etc.

5.  Content is King.

Content rules the web, and businesses with more content get more attention. Content could be articles, videos, images, and anything else that can be shared. Maintaining a blog, a YouTube account, a Slideshare account, or any other place online where you can create and share content is a great way to:

1) Build your reputation as an expert in your field 

2) Attract visitors by entertaining them or providing useful information 

3) Improve your organic search results through key terms, tags, and link building.

Content can be time-consuming to create, so consider what kind of content is going to appeal to your audience. Do you like to write (and are you good at it)? Then perhaps a blog would be a good choice. Your blogs don’t have to be full length books, just a few paragraphs that are useful or interesting.

Images are quick and easy content. Images are the most shared content online, so creating or sharing a beautiful image can go a long ways in increasing online exposure. Are you a network marketer? Try posting inspirational quotes. A builder? You might want to consider creating a Pinterest account. It is a great way to display your portfolio and get it shared all over the web by appreciative pinners. Do you run a small boutique? Instagram has the highest brand engagement of any social network, so you might want to post images of your products.

Videos can be easy too. Grab your cell phone and shoot some videos. No one expects professional quality. Do you run a flower shop? Film a quick How-to for designing a floral arrangement. Are you an author? Film a short reading from an excerpt of your novel. Then upload it to YouTube and share it around the web.

6.  Get recommendations.

According to eMarketer, referrals are the most frequent way small businesses acquire new customers. Wherever you choose to build an online presence, be sure you are asking for recommendations. On a website, on your Facebook or Google+ page, on your LinkedIn profile, business listings like Angie’s List, etc. A social media ‘follow’ or ‘like’ is essentially a recommendation. Include testimonials in the footer of your emails to your subscriber list. No matter what your business or where you choose to build an online presence, referrals /  recommendations are the best way to build trust and get new customers.

The key to a successful online marketing strategy is to create one that you will maintain. You need to have some kind of presence on the Internet. Just be consistent, be responsive, and be personable. It doesn't have to take a lot of time, and it doesn't have to cost you anything.