Discover what is, to create what can be.

"What exists?"

This is the question that is the impetus for ontological designs. This simply-constructed question opens the possibility for the questioner to gain core understandings of a particular domain of knowledge.

An ontology seeks this core understanding by creating a description of the concepts that exist within that specific domain.

By designing an ontology as a construction of the entities and interactions that exist within a specific domain, it then becomes possible to move more powerfully within that domain.

For the purpose of your business, the domain is your marketplace, and the relationships are what your business aims to fulfill.

An Example:

For a wine merchant, there are various entities and interactions that exist within that marketplace. This is an intentionally incomplete list, but they may be:

(Entity) Bottle of red wine
(Entity) Bottle of white wine
(Entity) People who may consume wine
(Entity) People who may cook with wine
(Entity) Wine corkscrew
(Relationship) Use of wine accessories
(Relationship) Consumption of all wines
(Relationship) Consumption of red wines
(Relationship) Consumption of white wines

By understanding the entities and relationships that exist in this marketplace, it becomes very apparent which relationships exist between which entities. For example, that between the entities of a red wine consumer and a bottle of red wine, is the relationship of consumption of red wine.

Application to Internet Marketing

For search engine marketing purposes, search queries exist as the result of a searcher looking for a new relationship to exist between them and a company or information. By organizing your marketplace based on search queries and their structure, it becomes possible to discover and refine the the products or services that your company provides to your marketplace.

For social media marketing purposes, social media websites exist to provide the opportunity for specific kinds of conversations and relationships. By understanding the relationships that are possible within a network, combined with an understanding of the network's demographics, it becomes possible to discover and refine the relationships and conversations that your company creates within your marketplace.