Travel planning and booking are two of the most popular online activities and according to recent Pew Internet & American Life Project statistics in 2006, 73% of US Internet users search for travel information online and 63% buy travel services or make reservations online. Online travel agencies gained competitive advantage over traditional brick and mortar ones through cost transparency and convenience aided by Web technology. High volume of visitor traffic is generated with aggressive lowest-price strategies (eMarketer, 2005).

In recent years, robust markets like Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, together with economic prosperity and relatively sophisticated travellers put the Asia Pacific region on par with Western markets on the travel value chain. On the opposite end of the scale are countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka that are still in the process of establishing a basic online travel framework.

What creates this divide is synonymous with the factors that fuel the online travel industry’s growth. Emerging markets like China and India have a burgeoning middle class, improved travel technology with secure payment gateways, rapid growth of telecom and broadband and entrepreneurial leadership. Markets like Hong Kong and Thailand rely heavily on inbound travel. Some online travel spaces may even be built around infrastructure, more specifically, hotels.  Others with a fragmented hotel industry may depend more on a transportation-focused online travel space such as the monopolistic Indian Railways. There is a need for online travel intermediaries whose core business model is aggregating hotels and air tickets in respective markets.

In leisure travel, online booking has increased enormously due to low cost carriers selling directly and solely on the internet, airline companies operating their own booking websites, and the effectiveness of online agents. A keen understanding of what factors affect a traveller’s preference of online versus traditional agents is important for the online travel service industry to remain viable.

Online travel agencies face stiff competition and need to evaluate the e-service quality of their websites. There is a relationship between customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. These online agencies are encouraged to follow the six underlying dimensions of e-service quality; namely, website functionality, information quality and content, fulfilment and responsiveness, safety and security, appearance and presentation , and customer relationship.

Long term business strategies for online travel agencies are plentiful. Many are eager to venture into other markets and widen their geographical reach. Success depends on their ability to use a lower operating cost model, customized product offerings and having a deep understanding of local trends and consumer behaviour.  Basics like high quality websites translating into higher customer satisfaction—perceived quality affects satisfaction levels, behavioural intentions, loyalty, word of mouth, and ecommerce profit—will still remain relevant in the long run.

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            Internet marketing through the presentation of all images on the website will ensure a complete brand image. In the communication of the marketing message online, integration of media should always consider how the brand perception is impacted. All pages should carry the brand logo/name/stamp so that they are streamlined toward a singular business plan and consumer promise.

            Another key area is to ensure that the website is ‘prominent’ on web and search engines. The value of domain names have been declining as browsers increasingly access sites through portals rather than direct typing of URLs.  Also when a specific site is not entered, major search engines will list a considerable amount of incidental traffic. Metatagging, which is the practice of loading the source code underlying a web address with particular names while invisible to a user, are visible to search engines. The metatag is one of the fields that will appear in a search engine field, so a metatag loaded with words which have a high potential to be searched by visitors (such as category names, promotional straplines, or competitors’ brand names) stands the website in good stead to rank high on a search engine listing. Stuffing is another practice used to smoke search engines and is when particular words on a web page are the same color as the background. So these catch-phrases are invisible to visitors but visible to search engines.

            Individual service can be provided through the use of personal email campaigns and personal accounts offered through the website. Mass email may generate a negative backlash, so emails must be direct and target specific with motives succinctly outlined. They would be used to inform the recipients of new products or updates to the website in order to encourage repeat visits. A website that enables the creation of a personal account within can lead to a feeling of ownership can comfort to a user. At the very least an effective design will come across to a consumer as if each is being treated as an important individual.

            Site design is responsible for the first impression that a website makes on visitors and so is the key to attracting and retaining an online audience. There is no one cookie-cutter design especially as each has a different target audience. For example if the target is younger children, bright colors, large fonts, sprites and graphics, with a central character acting as a guide, and animation will work well. Conversely, a teen oriented site must have a clear layout, well-formatted text, quick and easy access to information, little animation and clutter, as well as not be patronizing or overly keen to promote the product.

            Spending time to conduct market research, and on the planning of a web site will keep redesigning to a minimum and thus the website with a clean and customer-oriented design in mind will lead to a successful online business.

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Effective website design is a key factor in web usability and creating a consumer oriented online business. However, more often than not web design is overlooked and causes big problems for everyone involved. This article aims to help smooth over some of the bumps along the road in creating an all round user friendly webpage.

1. Customer: The design must always have users in mind and cater exclusively to their needs. The design must be from a user perspective.
2. Clarity: Menu options should be on the visible portion of the screen without the need for scrolling and every page must have the same menu bar. This makes it easy for the user to navigate. No matter the scope of the company’s activities, navigation can be eased through a navigation bar and a box of quicklinks that can be enclosed to create more space. A successful web design exhibits clear design and navigation.
3. Cleanliness: Too many menu options only create confusion, so keep these concise and straightforward. Stay away from overusing sub-menu options which only makes the menu bar complicated and messy. A clean design will have attractive graphics with jargon-free copy.
4. Company credentials: Visitors to a website who are greeted with a company that pays attention to appearances like brand promise, efficiency, organisation, and global interest form emotional bonds that increase the probability of them becoming loyal customers. Showcasing positive PR items like charity projects and environmental awareness prominently can enhance company reputation and credibility.
5. Communication: Engaging website visitors via two-way communications increases involvement and allows them to control their web experience. Good communication re-enforces brand values. In addition, the website can include staff support with customer phone contact request made available.
6. Interaction: Interactive mechanisms include changing colour of text (mouse roll-over) when a mouse is placed over a text menu option, selection from drop down boxes, drag and drop, and typing requirements with a search through a list of appropriate services. 
7. Graphic Design: Designers need to cater to home users who view sites using a slow modem across a phone line and will lose interest if the page exceeds the maximum response time of 10 seconds. Designing for varying screen resolutions is necessary, as is the number of colours on screen owing to different monitor capabilities of users. Also, different browsers with different versions may display graphics or text differently and some may not even support a certain plug-in. The design must compromise between what is visually appealing and technologically savvy and what is compatible with older browsers and slower connections. Users can be offered a high tech or a low tech choice to ease this difficulty. Graphic design is still important in creating the character of a site and shaping users experience.
8. Online Forms: Information on forms should be minimal with inclusion of contact information. Many users will be reluctant to provide personal information, so capturing minimums can be helpful. Customers will more readily provide personal details and spend time on a form if they know why they are doing so. Incentives provide a good pull factor. Mandatory fields outline the bare minimum while checks ensure validity. Wrong information must be clearly prompted with what is wrong and why, possibly using javascript.
9. Crucial Features: A search facility will enable users to quickly locate a desired aspect of the website, minimalising frustration brought on by having to guess and test. Pop-up windows create confusion and make it difficult to keep a browsing history. Repetitive tasks of customers should be made accessible via quicklinks. Providing a map will let users know the site layout, easing navigation.
10. Careful Planning: The planning stage is essential to ensure a good quality site that does not need reworking in the later stage. Without a structured plan, first versions may not meet the needs of the end-user. Too much planning is also not advisable as over time the needs of users will change with market forces.

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What is Internet Marketing?
Internet Marketing is a form of targeted marketing, to assist websites increase their web presence and to promote their product or services through internet. There are a number of strategies, which are mainly;

1. Search Engine Marketing
2. Search Engine Optimization
3. Banner Advertising
4. Directory Submission
5. Email Marketing
6. And many more…

All these strategies will help to direct quality traffic to your website and eventually increase the sales.

So Why is Internet Marketing so important?
Nowadays almost every households or companies have internet access and we’re able get solutions or information via internet instantly. In today market, millions of users or companies are using the internet (search engine or directory listing) to source for products or services.

Is Your Website Visible?
Internet is like a virtual world, which consists of millions of websites, including yours. These entire websites are available to be searched and seen by millions of internet users. But will your website be found. The answer is “NO”, if your website is not found on the 1st page of the search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN.

Benefits of Internet Marketing
Advertisers and Markets are always concern on the effective mode of tracking their investments. Internet Marketing tracking mechanism can be easily implemented to monitor, assess and account for your return in investment (ROI), which is very difficult to attain for TV or print media. Internet Marketing has been proven to achieve high ROI. It can reach worldwide audience at a fraction of the cost. It is also flexible enough to be able to customize the desired audience groups according to your business objectives, at any time.

Conclusion
Comparing both type of marketing, Internet Marketing is more economical and faster way to reach out to your buyer directly. And is the ideal ways for business to advertise locally or internationally.

Traditional Marketing vs. Internet Marketing Comparison Table

What is Traditional Marketing?
The objective of any marketing is creating new customers or sustain existing customer. It is a mission to create awareness of a company, services or products to the mass market by using various marketing techniques.

Traditional Marketing is a common marketing method, it emphasize mainly on the ‘Four Ps’ principles, which refers to the four factors that a marketer has to consider before launching a product or offering a service. It comprises of Product, Price, Promotion and Place.

1. Product: product or service offer by the company.
2. Price: the price that a intended customer willing to pay.
3. Promotion: promoting the company, products or services, includes advertising, branding, etc. This is the most import P to focus on.
4. Place: the process by which the product or service reaches the customer.

Traditional Marketing require a substantial time and budget to get the desired result. For it to be successful it requires constant advertising for months and it also requires a high budget, depending on the type of media the marketer is using. The following are a various media for marketing;

1. TV and Radio
2. Newspaper, Magazines, Posters and Billboards
3. Mailers or Flyers

Unlike Internet Marketing, Traditional Marketing is company focus, product or service based, while Internet Marketing is consumer focus, targeting consumer interest. Marketer adopting Traditional Marketing method will usually use it’s product or service unique point to differentiate itself from it’s competitors. And this method will work best with fewer competitors offering similar products or services. However in today market, every other brand’s have competitors offering the similar features and slowly this method will fade away.

In Part 2, I will talk about the differences between Traditional Marketing and Internet Marketing, benefit of Internet Marketing and why internet marketing is important.

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The vast space we know as the Internet is consuming and transforming business faster than ever before. The appearance of established traditional shop brands in cyberspace is testament to the increasing attractiveness of online business ventures. The music industry is a prime example, with digital music accounting, for the first time, for more than a quarter (27%) of total worldwide music revenues in 2009, reaching a figure of US$4.2 billion. It has been estimated that online platforms will drive the growth of this industry in years to come. This can be attributed to the many advantages of online business, namely in cost and revenue, as well as to the retailer or service provider and consumer.

Starting an online business is comparatively less costly than starting a brick-and-mortar (shop-based, traditional model) one.

Going online involves minimal start-up and investment, thereby reducing the financial risk. Barriers to entry are far less obstructive online where the internet is considered an open market with many opportunities for innovative business strategies. Even Governments have jumped on the bandwagon and many actively encourage the use of the Internet for business by subsidizing access. One concrete example of a recently lowered start-up cost is the availability of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that offer their services for free owing to advertising funding.

An Internet-based company can also easily achieve economies of scale by automating business processes, hence lowering operational cost. There is less need to rent a shop/office space, less spent on staffing as centralization of processes decreases number of staff required, decreased advertising/marketing budget and lowered transportation cost. There is an added benefit of increased efficiency by reduction in error rate, as use of electronic systems can conduct checks and there is less risk of human error. Efficiency also extends to faster procurement, whereby once an order has been authorized, it can be sent virtually immediately, and any changes, queries and billing is instantaneous when done online.

The image of a company can only be boosted when it takes its business online. Businesses both big and small regard developing an online presence as imperative to a competitive edge. The Internet is the tool to link a business to a global network, increasing opportunity for making new contacts, number of potential trading partners, and network sizes. The ability to penetrate new markets aids international expansion, creating a 24/7 global presence and professional front.

Consumer attitude towards online purchasing has shifted from regarding the Internet as a medium for reclusive ‘nerds’ to realising the convenience of avoiding long queues and taking advantage of straight to doorstep delivery services. Online shopping offers time-pressured customers an opportunity to save time and effort. Full online offering enables consolidation of customer relationships by allowing them to shop regularly and reliably any time on any day. Consumer use of the Internet has grown exponentially, resulting in an ever growing pool of potential customers for an online business. To add to this, A Datamonitor survey found that, even amongst the most ‘disloyal’ online consumer groups, 87% intend to re-buy from the same site once they have bought a product online. It is evident that the value of online expenditure is increasing rapidly.

An online business is also environment friendly, with a reduction in fuel and paper demand. But perhaps a major draw is the huge potential for fast growth and unlimited possibilities for automation. All the above keeps cost low, and lessens time needed, so that a boss of an online business has the freedom to work from anywhere, and may even run multiple business single-handedly and concurrently from one location.

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It will be held at on Tuesday, 4 May 2010. The purpose of the seminar is to share with local travel agency about the opportunities and importance of establishing an online presence, traits of a successful online business and government support.

Imagine if someone created for you an aesthetically appealing website that could also do everything that you needed it to do to engage and influence your customers to the point of action. Now imagine if your website could manage everything internally so that it is now truly a system-based solution which is able to handle customer queries and purchases if necessary.

The greatest architects in modern times like Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier do it for the structures that they imagine and create. Combining beautiful aesthetic design with functional usability, these structures appeal to people because of the powerful integration of form and function.

This is what Aeris Click is all about.

And something more.

We create the most beautiful well-designed websites that can do anything you want it to do for your business and we integrate an internet marketing component to ensure that we get people looking at the website that we created for you.

Thus, we offer a comprehensive web service: form and function and promotion, fully integrated to ensure that it comes together as it should and has the best impact. Just like the best architectural wonders of the modern world.

W provide all of this as an integral part of our offering to ensure that you get everything you need for doing business in today’s internet age.

So this is who we are and continue to aspire to be: the greatest web architects for business enterprises. And everything we do is aimed at achieving the goal of helping you increase your web presence

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