Continuation of the following essay reasons why and importance of online advertising for local business and how it is helpful Custom Essay

The Internet has become a major source of information consumption, and to some extent, has replaced old media such as the radio, television and the newspaper. The main advantages of the Internet to local businesses include its mass availability and its almost instant access to current information. As a result of the public’s reaction to these advantages, Madison Avenue realized the potential of the new media and soon incorporated it to its budget. Convinced by the initial web publications of the early ’90s, companies soon instilled momentum in the new channel. Today, more than 700 million people use the Internet daily, mostly so in developed countries (USA, China, Japan, Germany and Britain, e.g) Hoffman and Novak (1996).The most popular uses of the Internet are searching through data and information, and the purchasing of products and services. In light of these, it is understandable why many companies advertise their products and services online. In addition, advertisers can quickly benefit from changing advertising scripts, from the possibility of better segmenting their market, and from relatively low costs (Fiona Ellis-Chadwick). A local dentist would benefit from such services in that more patients can be able to find him/her over the internets and book appointments without necessarily visiting the clinic. This will increase the number of customers, as well as, reduce on the number of customer attendants working at the clinic’s physical location. What this would mean in the long run is a reduction in running costs and an increase in profit margins.Advertising on television, radio, newspapers, billboards or direct mail is based on large exposure and a particularly wide audience. Internet advertising, on the other hand, is based on relatively few channels that coalesce to bring forth a maximized target customer. Internet is the world’s most powerful media advertising for two main reasons: First, almost every home has continuous access to the Internet. Second, the Internet has a daily audience that is greater than the sum of the entire historical audience of traditional media. The possibility of reaching a predefined target audience leverages the brand, induces the effectiveness of the website’s sales, and enhances the transfer of information to consumers.