Hanson's book covers the commercial evolution of the World Wide Web, the definition of a digital world and the laws that govern it, and the specific characteristics of networks and how they operate. Creating a brand presence on the Internet is crucial, says Hanson, because the growth of Web content has outstripped Web usage in the past year, making it more difficult to get noticed and have people stay around a site than was the case three years ago. Marketers must not only get people to their site, they must make them comfortable enough to place an order. As a result, marketers must focus on creating strong brands such as EBay, Yahoo or Amazon that achieve an image of quality, trust, and familiarity. Beyond that, Hanson instructs on the problem of generating traffic.
Distribution can be a problem for established companies.
While Dell Computer has used the Net to its advantage, older companies such as Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are struggling between developing direct relations with customers and keeping longstanding middlemen happy. The Internet is changing the very structure of many marketing organizations, says Hanson. Instead of a portfolio of products, marketers of the future will have a portfolio of customers. Principles of Internet Marketing is published by Southwestern College Publishing . It is available now.