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Marketing Techniques & Overview
If you build it they will come: MYTH
Unfortunately today, many people put a site online believing that all they have to do is get it there, have it look nice and tell a few people and they will be over night successes. In the real internet world, just as in the physical world, much work and preparation must be done to assure your site is visited, much less generate $1000's of dollars in a year. The harsh reality is that 99% of all websites put up will fail and be gone in less than 6 months.
How do they do it? The successful ones!
Successful online business learn early that there is more than LOOKS. Certainly a well designed and easy navigable site assists in a success, but that's just the very beginning. If you haven't already started in charting your website, you may want to back up and do so. Not only is layout of the pages critical, your Site Optimization techniques should be well thought out in advance of the building. Keywords, Landing Pages, Meta Information, Relevant Titles all must be considered at the building stage and worked in as you go. If you didn't do this, don't be surprised to find yourself rebuilding and redesigning your site at a later date.
What else can you do?
Unfortunately today, many people put a site online believing that all they have to do is get it there, have it look nice and tell a few people and they will be over night successes. In the real internet world, just as in the physical world, much work and preparation must be done to assure your site is visited, much less generate $1000's of dollars in a year. The harsh reality is that 99% of all websites put up will fail and be gone in less than 6 months.
How do they do it? The successful ones!
Successful online business learn early that there is more than LOOKS. Certainly a well designed and easy navigable site assists in a success, but that's just the very beginning. If you haven't already started in charting your website, you may want to back up and do so. Not only is layout of the pages critical, your Site Optimization techniques should be well thought out in advance of the building. Keywords, Landing Pages, Meta Information, Relevant Titles all must be considered at the building stage and worked in as you go. If you didn't do this, don't be surprised to find yourself rebuilding and redesigning your site at a later date.
What else can you do?
| · | PPC Pay Per Click Advertising |
| · | Opt in E-Mail Marketing & Newsletter Lists |
| · | Blogging: It can be free but must be done properly and at least once a week to be effective. Spammed full of links to your website won't help you. It must contain useful content. |
| · | Directory Listing: There are free directories, but the most beneficial ones to you are PAID similar to PPC campaigns. They are generally very well known and used. A free directory with no visitors and a free for all link presence will do you more harm than good. |
| · | Linking: Reciprocal Linking, One Way Links and Paid Links (directory listings) |
| · | Press Releases: When you launch your site, or make big changes a press release is in order. Select one or two directories and submit it there only. Don't overlook local newspapers and radio stations to send your release to as well. |
| · | Social Bookmarking: There are numerous places on the internet to develop B2B and B2Consumer networking and bookmarking. Again, if you submit to these you must keep up the presence for it to be effective. Facebook, Myspace, Digg, Stumbledupon are just a few of the many thousands out there. Make sure your input is of value to the viewer. |
| · | Forums: Forums are an excellent place to become known to a community and your input can bring you a lot of traffic. Be careful not to just spam your presence. Many forums allow signatures and links to your sites and services. |
There is virtually no end to the possibilities of Marketing your site, up to and including hiring a marketing agency. Be prepared to spend REAL money and carefully check references.
What every successful site Needs:
Establish Credibility : Show your credentials!
Contact Information
I see hundreds of websites every day. The very first thing I look for is contact information. A contact form by itself doesn't impress me, and it won't impress a savvy consumer either. A physical address, a real phone number and an email address is necessary. You wouldn't give your money to just anybody would you?
Certificates & Awards:If you got it :flaunt IT!
If you have SSL or any other Verified Credential Seals make sure you post them in a visible place. If you have received business awards, or have received an award from an organization, post it! If you belong to groups such as Chamber of Commerce or the BBB use those seals as well. Testimonials and praise from customers and visitors should also be used. NEVER post any of these if they aren't real. And never post you are voted #1 in anything unless you can back up that claim!
Easy Navigation, Easy to Read, Easy on the Eyes!
Navigation
If a visitor has to search around to find how to get to your other pages, they most likely will click the x instead. Also make sure your site doesn't use sub-pages of sub-pages in a convoluted twist and turn of a never ending circle of links. Straight forward easy to find menus work best! Equally annoying is having every link open in a new window. Do this only when linking to other sites. If you have a large site, make sure to include a search function.
Easy to Read:
Avoid making your visitor have to strain their eyes or use fonts and colors too bright. Don't make it hard for them to get the information they need. You have about 2 seconds to get their attention and focus. Don't make them wish they were watching a movie instead. Carefully check your spelling as well, and watch your grammar.
Easy on the Eyes!
Flash an Animation all have their place! Its great to look at and play with flash and simulations for entertainment. If you want a professional site, make sure that flash is toned down or suited to your needs. Nothing wrong with a movie intro, a flashy menu system, or slide shows. The same goes with animations and animated text. Don't fill your site so full of ornamentation that the viewer is distracted from what they are there to do in the first place. Flashing things draw attention.. So use them wisely. Also avoid using colors and backgrounds too hot and bright or too busy. You want your site seen, not the backgrounds.
Common sense prevails on the internet as well as everywhere else. Look at the top ten search results for competitor sites. Then look at say the site 250, or site 500 in the results. See if you can tell just by looking what makes the grade!
Contact Information
I see hundreds of websites every day. The very first thing I look for is contact information. A contact form by itself doesn't impress me, and it won't impress a savvy consumer either. A physical address, a real phone number and an email address is necessary. You wouldn't give your money to just anybody would you?
Certificates & Awards:If you got it :flaunt IT!
If you have SSL or any other Verified Credential Seals make sure you post them in a visible place. If you have received business awards, or have received an award from an organization, post it! If you belong to groups such as Chamber of Commerce or the BBB use those seals as well. Testimonials and praise from customers and visitors should also be used. NEVER post any of these if they aren't real. And never post you are voted #1 in anything unless you can back up that claim!
Easy Navigation, Easy to Read, Easy on the Eyes!
Navigation
If a visitor has to search around to find how to get to your other pages, they most likely will click the x instead. Also make sure your site doesn't use sub-pages of sub-pages in a convoluted twist and turn of a never ending circle of links. Straight forward easy to find menus work best! Equally annoying is having every link open in a new window. Do this only when linking to other sites. If you have a large site, make sure to include a search function.
Easy to Read:
Avoid making your visitor have to strain their eyes or use fonts and colors too bright. Don't make it hard for them to get the information they need. You have about 2 seconds to get their attention and focus. Don't make them wish they were watching a movie instead. Carefully check your spelling as well, and watch your grammar.
Easy on the Eyes!
Flash an Animation all have their place! Its great to look at and play with flash and simulations for entertainment. If you want a professional site, make sure that flash is toned down or suited to your needs. Nothing wrong with a movie intro, a flashy menu system, or slide shows. The same goes with animations and animated text. Don't fill your site so full of ornamentation that the viewer is distracted from what they are there to do in the first place. Flashing things draw attention.. So use them wisely. Also avoid using colors and backgrounds too hot and bright or too busy. You want your site seen, not the backgrounds.
Common sense prevails on the internet as well as everywhere else. Look at the top ten search results for competitor sites. Then look at say the site 250, or site 500 in the results. See if you can tell just by looking what makes the grade!
*No Reproduction of this Article without written permission from the author: Karen McMurtrey/KMAC Enterpise