Advent of Internet has literally revolutionized the way business is done in the contemporary world. With millions of users across the globe surfing the World Wide Web for their day-to-day needs, activity and recreation, the potential of Internet as a market can easily be imagined.

The statistics reveal that more than 12 million websites are already over Internet and about one million new websites join in everyday! The figures reflect a stark picture of the extent of cut-throat competition prevailing over the medium. Doing business under the circumstances indeed needs a well-planned marketing strategy or a smart mix of strategies.

Marketing over Internet is a serious business in the present arena. Internet marketing comprises of many sophisticated and promising concepts, including Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Banner Advertising, E-Mail Marketing, Affiliate Marketing and Interactive Advertising. The span of Internet Marketing continues to evolve and expand, as the Internet marketers apply their tact and creativity to fight the ever-growing intense competition.

Of all, Search Engine Marketing is the most happening form of Internet marketing. It focuses on topping the Search Engine Ranking Pages (SERP) by search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. The term includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. While SEO focuses on organic or natural search, PPC based links are called sponsored ads. SEO basically involves optimizing a website in all respects, so as to render it most favorable for top ranks as per search engine algorithms. The rest of the Internet marketing concepts are direct marketing strategies that may be easily comprehended by their name itself.

Given the informative and dynamic nature of Internet, Internet marketing provides even a small business entity with a lot of scope to expand its markets beyond its local margins and present itself with much more sophistication for lesser cost. Internet marketing is undoubtedly a considerably cheaper option than employing a sales workforce in an offline business. The highlight benefit of Internet Marketing is that it does not require much of experience to venture into it.

Internet Marketing may seem to be an all profit no loss situation. But, it also has a dark side to it. In the absence of any stringent rules and regulations against objectionable content, as well as, open nature of the medium, each online business entity runs the much dreaded risk of negative publicity. Spreading a bad word about something or someone over Internet is a very easy task that may render all marketing efforts futile.