When was the last time you looked in a phone book? The world of advertising has shifted out from under us, and many in the business world have already left the old advertising methods behind. But there are still many people who have not truly embraced the way that business advertising has changed.

The question asked above is the most relevant - when was the last time you used the phone book? The answer is in all likelihood years, not weeks or months. Newspapers and print advertising still have their places, but the web has become the place to be. If you own a business and you are ignoring this, you are doing so at your own peril. People do not use phone books anymore because it is so much easier to use either computers or smartphones or tablets - easier and much more convenient.

After all, they don't just give you the number of a business, they will dial it for you, tell you the business hours and even map out directions in one of many driving and navigation apps.

More and more businesses as time goes on are forsaking all but the most basic listings in the various phone books and concentrating their efforts on online advertising - whether you are a local business or an internet only business, this is going to be the advertising platform of the future, and it is already the way that the vast majority of people will look up your business.

If you are not properly represented online, that business will go to your competitor.

The good news is, online advertising and making sure that you are properly represented in search engines and on social media is easier than ever, and is almost always much less expensive than traditional advertising through phone books, magazines and newspapers.

One of the biggest advantages to building an effective web strategy is the ability to target small, niche markets - something that was either very hard to do or nearly impossible with traditional print advertising.

With modern search engine optimization practices you can appear only when people search for your specific type of business. This means that if you appeal to only a small percentage of the population, you can easily concentrate your advertising dollars on that segment of the population.

This is done through a variety of techniques, using what are known as keywords and developing a network of web presences. This usually includes one or more social media accounts, a blog and a website. Then specific keywords are targeted. These keywords are then used in your web presences, and the same words are used in outside web efforts that will target back and refer people to your website, Facebook or Google Plus page and blog or website.

This connection of keywords and web presences, when done correctly, are what will build your organic ratings in Google and other search engines. This works just well for local businesses such as restaurants and car repair businesses as it does for internet supply houses, and is a tried and true practice for building your visibility on the web. Whether you are in finance or the restaurant industry, the hot trends in the world of business advertising involve a strong web marketing presence.

If you are not already doing this, don't let your competitor corner the market - start your web advertising efforts today.

For more information visit http://www.integritywebmarketing.com/

Author's Bio: 

Don't let the hot trends in the world of business advertising pass you by - whether you are in finance or any other type of business, take advantage of the power of the web today!