Are you ready to embrace the best Internet marketing tools and ideas  for 2012? Here is a list of the top 10 trends that will keep your company ahead of the curve.

• Deals and Rewards. As the economy is still depressed, many people are frequently hunting for bargains. Capitalize on the fact that people have more price-checking tools  readily available at any time than they ever have. Give your customers irresistible deals to generate repeat sales and referrals. When shoppers do price comparisons, be prepared with immediate price reductions or other incentives to use directly from a mobile device.
• Three-Screen Marketing. Encourage users to go beyond TV advertisements by reaching for those second and third screens: mobile and tablet devices. Ideally they should do this simultaneously or immediately afterward. Additionally, seek opportunities to advertise directly on mobile and tablet devices.
• Mobile Push Marketing. This concept involves sending promotions and other incentives through text messages and voice calls. If your business can't invest in these text message packages, opt for e-mail promotions  instead.
• Mobile Pull Marketing. This concept involves making mobile and tablet promotions interactive. Look for ways to pair traditional marketing methods with a call-to-action .
• Social Earned Media. Ask customers directly to provide reviews and feedback about your company. Many companies increase their odds of getting responses by offering incentives, such as coupons and small free gifts. Social media tracking tools, such as Google Alerts, have became one of the best Internet marketing tools for 2012, as they can assist your company with this process.
• Local Online Marketing. As more people are turning to the Internet for their news, there are new opportunities to use local marketing in national publications. For example, if Chicago residents are reading the New York Times online, the newspaper can display local ads with the articles. The best internet marketing tools make online ads easy to deploy and manage.
• Proximity Marketing. There are a number of apps, such as Foursquare that have the option of promotions for vendors within a close proximity. Consider if this type of offer would be appropriate for your company. For example, this might be a better option for a retail business than an insurance company.
• Globalization. Research the companies that are viewing your online content and then consider products and other opportunities that will cater to these specific audiences. Use the results from these initial developments to create more items for additional countries.
• Social CRM. Typically a customer relationship management (CRM) database tracks the purchasing behavior of individuals. You can also use social media sites to monitor information about them. Check this information on a weekly basis and record data that is relevant for your company. For example, if people are discussing summer vacation plans on Twitter, this is an ideal time to offer a promotion related to summer travel.
• Everywhere Commerce. While credit cards are not going away tomorrow, people are exploring more direct payment methods. Seek opportunities to offer PayPal  and Google Wallet  payments as well as an option for a proprietary point-of-sale.

For more information about the best Internet marketing tools  for 2012 and other marketing tips, get in touch with us!