So you've figured out that the internet has limitless potential for a marketer and you want a piece of the action.  You've also noticed that Internet Marketing classes are rare, and that if you really want to become an internet marketer you're going to have to figure a lot of things out on your own.  Well, if you're going to market on the internet, you may as well become familiar with it, because that's where you're going to find most of your information.

Beware, however, that every piece of information on the internet seems to be negated by an opposing point of view.  The real trick, therefore, is figuring out what the good resources are and who actually knows what they are talking about. 

Before pointing you in the right direction and sending you on your way, let's first discuss why you want to be an internet marketer.

Potential Customers:  The latest statistics show that there are approximately 6.5 Billion people in the world, and off that 6.5 billion approximately 1.2 Billion use the internet.  That's 1.2 Billion potential customers for marketing campaigns.  Granted, your campaigns will be targeted for a specific group within the total population, but targeting only 1% of the world population who use the internet leaves you with 12,000,000 potential customers. 

A Growing Marketplace:  Statistics show that between 2000 and 2007 the total percent of the population using the internet increased nearly 250% - that's about 35% per year.  Given the current population, one can expect a 420,000,000 increase in internet users this year alone, and, because only 1/5 of the total population currently accesses the internet, and the rapid increase in computer and internet distribution, this number will increase for many years to come. 

Jobs:  While the list of internet marketing jobs is nearly limitless, from Pay Per Click (PPC) Analyst to Search Engine Optimization Specialist, the general pay rates are high, and expected salaries are:

Entry Level Internet Marketer: $35,000 - 60,000

Internet Marketing Manager (2+ years experience): $60,000 - $100,000

Director, Internet Marketing (5+ years experience): $100,000+

With the constant growth of the internet, there is an expected increase in internet marketing positions. 

Getting Started:

A degree in marketing or mass communications will give you a slight advantage in the internet marketing industry; however, because few schools actually teach internet marketing classes, most people enter the industry on a level playing field.  In order to become an expert, you'll need to conduct online research and experiment on your own, and I recommend starting your own website in order to learn about HTML and general internet practices. 

Resources:

Forums:

Internet Marketing is a constantly evolving industry and the best way to learn about it is to visit the many forums that discuss current issues.  Try http://www.im4newbies.com/forum/ and http://www.highrankings.com/forum/ to start.

Websites / Blogs:

Sphinn is a great source for daily articles regarding internet marketing.

Try Matt Cutts' Blog for information regarding Google and SEO.

SEOmoz has a great blog and is an overall excellent internet marketing resource.

Jim Boykin, a prominent internet marketer, provides an exceptional blog as well.

Ezines:

B to B is a good source for current internet marketing trends

Newsletters:

Signing up for industry-related email newsletters is a great way to stay in the internet marketing loop.  Here are a few of the more prominent newsletters:

High Rankings - a great weekly newsletter.

Bruce Clay, a major player in the internet marketing industry, also provides a great newsletter.

Also try Search Engine Land's daily newsletter.

Utilize these sources.  Learn everything you can and participate in the forums and you'll be well on your way to becoming an internet marketer.