When a website has been developed, the work on making that website pay for itself has just started. A website that no one can find and nobody has heard of is not a good business tool. If your website is to be useful, it must be promoted in a wide variety of media and every opportunity should be used to publicise your site.
It would be wrong to rely on just one method and unfortunately there is not one magic technique that can be used. It is only when a planned campaign is organized that the true potential of your website will be realized. The following advertising options should be included in any website marketing strategy.
1. Search Engine Promotion
The use of search engines to advertise websites is now common practice, and most website developers will submit new sites to search engines. What the task needs however is ongoing commitment of time and effort to ensure maximum visibility in rankings. Site maps must be maintained, and all new pages submitted consistently to the top search engines. Without this, new content may take a long time to be indexed. This process has no direct cost, and time invested here will be well spent.
2. Online Directories
Add your site to as many high PR directories as you can. They may not generate much traffic through direct visitors, but they will be useful sources of one-way links to your site. Search for directories systematically in a search engine, but be particular about where you submit your site to. Some may ask for reciprocal links, and for these ensure their link to your site is viewable. Others may ask for payment, with so many directories around, it is not necessary to use the paid one’s unless you really want to.
3. BackLinks
Links to your site are viewed as a vote of confidence by other websites, and should be encouraged. Backlinks are probably the most important factor in getting your website ranked highly in the search engines. There are many ways to get good backlinks but in essence writing superb content that others want to link to is the most important. Other methods include, forum and blog commenting, article marketing, video production, blog posts, press releases etc.
4. Article writing
One useful way to get one-way incoming links is to write articles with your site address included. The articles should be on a topic related to your website, and can be submitted to article directories. The articles can be downloaded and included as content on websites or in emails.
5. Blogs
Many people have started blogs and have quickly forgotten about them. If you start a blog in relation to your site content, the most important thing is to be reasonably consistent in updating it. This will mark it as being active and relevant to search engines. Add your website address in the blog, and your website will benefit from the incoming link.
6. User Groups
Portals on many websites host user groups on a variety of topics. These are bulletin boards that are open to the public, and display messages from individuals. This is a good opportunity to mention your website with its web address. Make sure it is appropriate for that bulletin board, and add it naturally into the conversation. The link should result in visits from other bulletin board users and also provide a navigation path for search engines.
7. RSS data feeds
As with bulletin boards, RSS data feeds can provide an additional advertising channel for website developers. You simply have to create an appropriately formatted document with news on it, and submit it to information distributors. These data feeds will be used by people who want to have up to date information on particular topics. If you do not intend to maintain and update the information, then this is not the channel for you.
8. Conventional Advertising
Don’t underestimate the power of conventional marketing and advertising when trying to increase the number of site visitors. Flyers, adverts in free papers, posters and newspaper adverts can all be used. The main restriction will be the cost of placement and materials, and the limited geographical distribution when compared to online website marketing.
9. Guerrilla Marketing
Perhaps the most enjoyable marketing exercise is the creation of a guerrilla marketing campaign. This requires lateral thinking and good imagination if it is to be successful. The aim is to market a product by unusual means, e.g. by creating a ‘must see’ video for YouTube, or a PowerPoint or Flash humorous presentation that can be spread virally from friend to friend. Get it right and it can bring vast numbers of visitors. Get it wrong and you can be left embarrassed and looking for shelter.
10. Web Rings
Web rings are groups of like-minded website owners who have agreed to exchange links with the group, but not necessarily as a direct reciprocal arrangement. You link to the next person in the chain, and someone else links to you. This works where there is a common purpose between ring members, and you are getting appropriate visitors through the links. Where the ring becomes a ‘free for all’, the value of membership may be limited, or even destructive, where other members of the ring establish a bad reputation for spam etc.
You will have seen from the list of website marketing options above that promotion of a website is a matter of hard work and steady progress. Looking for a quick solution often results in problems. Work consistently using a variety of media and channels, and you will see steady progress in your website’s visibility in search engines, and in the number of visitors you receive.
Very nice tips! I would say that SEO is one of the important strategies other than internet marketing to get traffic and exposure to your business.
The newest way to get traffic is SMM (social media marketing). With help of social media you can get conversions as well if done in proper manner. From all such websites i would recommend Facebook as one of the best sites that can you get you results.