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Public Relations Online | What is Internet Marketing?
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There has always been a difference between marketing and PR; Online today, however, that difference proves to be harder and harder to define. As such, Internet marketing and public relations are very interrelated and at times overlapping in terms of activities, strategies, and objectives. Both aim to increase readership, increase action taken by readers, and in turn increase sales (or buy-ins, whatever that buy-in may be).

First, let's define Internet Marketing. Definitions across the web will tend to differ, but in general they all define Internet marketing as an all-inclusive set of activities aimed at marketing a product or service online. Those activities will also differ from one set of definition to the other, but here are some that may be included or deemed an Internet marketing activity:

1. Search Engine Optimization. The optimization of your copy online for search engines. This can include things like keyword optimization, link optimization, and the use of images and interesting titles. These all interact together to create SEO.
   
2. Search Engine Marketing. This is similar to the above, but rather than hoping for some forced and free SEO, you can pay search engines, like Google, to link to your site when various keywords are searched for.
   
3. Copywriting. Essentially all the writing you do online, whether it be a press release, website body, or blog post. Copywriting is an important part of PR and marketing and requires excellent writing skills, and the integration of SEO.
   
4. Content Marketing. This is the use of things like article marketing (which is the process of spreading your content through different article sites like Ezine Articles) and social media (where you can also share your content). This is the marketing of your product or service somewhat inadvertently by offering things of value (through your content) and in turn gaining trust and goodwill by being a source of information and advice.
   
5. Educational Marketing. This is simply the latter part of content marketing where you share your knowledge for free. This is an effective way to share what you know to let others make the decision of whether or not to use your product or service. For example, you are a PR firm who specializes in social media. Create and update a blog on social media, sharing what you know about the market and the industry. This will show others, prospective customers perhaps, that you know what you're talking about. You will help them to make their decision, and they may in turn remember you when the time comes to finalize their move.
   
6. Email Marketing. As the name suggests, this is the tried and often times disregarded (by your customers) method of sharing information through email. The difference between using it for marketing/PR and advertising is that you do not send spam (advertising) but instead share information that is useful and valuable (Educational/Content Marketing).
   
7. Online Promotions. This could be a contest, a web-wide survey, a sale/free offering, or a promotion to get people to come to your website/store/location. This should often get people involved and be more than simply a promotion of a lowered price.
   
8. Web Aesthetics/Design. This is vital to the flow and feel of your website/blog. Readers will leave if they are turned off by a design. Conversely, if there is nothing interesting in an excellently designed website, they will also leave. Optimize your website/blog for the best flow of information, encourage readers to choose a link or to download an eBook or white paper, and make the content useful. This is the best way to create a successful and visited website.
   

A great comprehensive definition of the goal of Internet Marketing from About.com:

Internet marketing is using the Internet to do one or more of the following:

• Communicate a company's message about itself, its products, or its services.
• Conduct research as to the nature (demographics, preferences, and needs) of existing and potential customers.
• Sell goods, services, or advertising space over the Internet.

Notice anything about the above information, strategies, and tactics? Well, if you missed it, allow me to help: they are all things that are used to define Public Relations Online. One could simply change the title of this post, edit the names of the activities above, and say these are all related to PR.

What's great about Internet Marketing and PR is that they are so interrelated. You can create a marketing campaign aimed at creating more revenue, but it really won't have much success unless you use some of the tactics that have been defined as public relations activities, like using social media and communicating with the public.

The definition from About.com is one that could also be used for PR, especially the first line: Communicate a company's message about itself, its products, or its services. This is the goal of PR. Whether it be conveying that message to diffuse a crisis or to share about a change in policy, public relations is about informing and communicating with the public.

What do you think? Are there more differences that I've missed here, or do you think the two are more related than most people know?