Why does Internet marketing feel so, well, dirty? Internet marketing’s been around for a while now – I’ve been doing it for ten years. I’ve helped lots of thoroughly reputable organizations grow using the Internet as a communications tool. I’ve never touched spam or other unethical methods. So why do I sometimes feel like I’m working in some seedy underground?

Because most Internet marketing is focused on accumulating traffic, rather than selecting customers. The typical Internet campaign is handicapped by a blurry picture of who the audience really is, and tries to compensate through sheer volume of visitors. That leads to poor user experiences, very inefficient campaigns, and low return on investment.

The answer, I think, is to step back for a second. Take a deep breath, and let go of conventional interactive marketing tactics that involve phrases like ‘we need eyeballs’ or ‘high visitor counts’. Think instead about how you get the right visitor to your site, and help them out.

Select, Don’t Accumulate is an article that collects my initial thoughts on the subject. It’s also a great chance to learn the connection between lettuce and effective Internet marketing.

You can read it here.