The A to Z Guide to the Internet

O

Online, offline- The state of being connected to the internet through an ISP, OSP or network is called “online.” “Offline” is the state of being disconnected from the Internet.

Online can be used as an adjective and describes a variety of activities that users can do on the Internet. For example, it is used in the phrases online shopping, online gaming, online search, online store etc.

Opt-in & Permission-based marketing- This is a popular sales approach that is used online to make sure that the customers being contacted are actually interested in the products being sold. This developed out of the distrust and annoyance of spam marketing. The terms “opt-in” and “permission based” are interchangeable.

In permission-based marketing practices, a prospective customer will give his or her consent to receive marketing information (normally through e-mail). Opt-in marketing aims to tailor the messages and communication between the marketer and customer to the customer’s needs. This is often done using the principles of niche marketing.

As opposed to banner advertising, in which the normal flow of Internet use is interrupted by advertisement, permission-based marketing is a subtle, yet effective, form of advertising. Normally, a potential customer will be offered the chance to receive more information via e-mail, or a chance to register for a free site.