Aikido is a Japanese martial art practiced since the late 1920s where the focus is on adapting to the  the attackers motion and redirecting the force of the attack than challenging the opponent directly.

This strategy works very well for any business as well. In Internet marketing, the trick would be first to realize who the opponents ( internet market competitors ) are, what they do ( their internet marketing styles ) and what training and skills are needed ( internet marketing expertise ) to overcome any competition. Although internet marketing may seem aggressive to a degree, it is but enthusiasm directed to being more knowledgeable and resourceful than the competition which is universally accepted in Aikido. The key point here is that out-beating the competition is not the biggest challenge – the biggest challenge is in knowledge, organization and progress ;  in many ways – competing with yourself.

 Researching Designs

Internet marketing starts from the base of your marketing source. This source could be your website, facebook fan page or a blogger account. While facebook and blogger are closed off in many ways with functions, websites allow for 100% customization that allows you to brand and design freely.

This source holds all the  information about products and service, may allow for newsletters, auctions and a hundred other functions. It may also allow for end user interactivity and have portals.

In researching designs, whether it be for website, logo, Facebook page or blogger account – you have to start with understanding deeply who the competition is from the very beginning. This is important because hours and years may  have already been spent by the  leading competitors on strategizing a design that works well for your market.  Adding more flavors and dropping unnecessary ones could help you build the perfect design.  So, start researching designs based on the competition.

In researching designs, emphasis needs to be put to what elements are necessary for your internet marketing model. Designs without a focus loses its purpose. Slogans, images, color schematics and logos are an important and identifiable character of your entire business.

Lastly, you need to understand the depth of the expertise that you have in designs. Are you and others in your company or business, skilled and trained well enough to handle designs. Do you need to outsource your work and buy in on the skills and training of professionals? Are you designing out of a hunch of what will work or have you methodically let most of your competitors strengths be your strengths and also used their weakness like an Aikido professional would for his benefit.

Internet Marketing Research Techniques

Researching on the competition is technique No. 1 and the most effective since it lays out whats there already, how the market is responding and what can be improved – more than half the work on research then has already been accomplished.  Like an Aikido professional you have been able to use your enemy`s weight for you.

However, competition research is only one aspect. Whereas, the competition reveals the prevalent nature of the market – it does not tell you the entire true nature of the market. An acceptable and tolerated technique may not necessarily be the best technique – assuming your competitors have it done all wrong and there are many improvements and adjustments to still be made.

For this – statistical records, survey records can provide direction for an even accurate adjustments on the competitive analysis. In Seo, Seo tools give accurate figures of keyword searches and Facebook insights and  Google analytics present the performance of the applied internet marketing strategy. Vertical and horizontal study of information gives any business or person the salvation to overcome the biggest challenge which is to be able to outdo oneself and in the process outdoing others.