Marketing Your Website

By: Tim Haas

Now that you have a website, people can go to www.whatever.com and find out all about you! Or not!? Putting together a great website is only part of the equation to enjoying a successful online ecommerce experience. You must find a way to bring people to your website. Waiting for people to discover you can be a long, boring, and expensive experience. Whether you handle your own marketing or allow a professional to handle it for you, there are many options to consider.

First of all I should point out that you are not looking for "a" way; rather you are looking for a variety of ways to bring people to your website. There are many modes of communication available to you in accomplishing this task. Some are very inexpensive and others require considerable investment in both time and money. Which avenues to use depend on many factors.

You must first consider your ideal customer. Determine a typical core model of behaviors for people who are your most likely consumer. Do they watch a lot of TV? Listen to the radio? Or read newspapers and magazines? Are they "computer savvy" and use internet search engines daily? It is in understanding your target audience that you will best determine which modes of communication to concentrate on in your marketing strategies.

If your target group uses search engines as a major means for learning, shopping, and entertainment; you will want to concentrate a larger portion of your website marketing in the area of Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Search Engine Marketing is accomplished through manipulation of online advertising campaigns, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Linking strategies, and the content and design of the website itself.

Other strategies may include placing advertisements in printed media directing your future customers to go to your website to learn more about your products or services. If your service is detailing cars, an ad in the used car section of the newspaper would be an excellent place to advertise your website. After all, a group of people that are already selling, or thinking about selling a used car might want to boost the price and sell-ability of their vehicle by using your services. The printed ad, with its limited space to communicate, makes excellent bait. When they bite, set the hook and reel them in with your website. The same train of thought applies to other media as well; Television, Radio, and so-on.

You have determined what you think the best way is to reach the largest percentage of potential customers, but don’t stop there! If you reach 60% of people with one campaign, you still have 40% left to find.

If you are concentrating your efforts on SEM, don’t forget to place an occasional add in the paper, hand out business cards with your domain name printed on them, sponsor local charitable organizations in special events . . . . . the list here is really endless!

Personally, my marketing strategies include many venues for communicating to potential clients. Every printed piece of material that has my logo and business name on it also has my web address, including my yellow page ads! Each year I sponsor our local Girl Scouts for several events, including the Water Carnival parade. For my financial investment in paying the entry fee, I get to pull the float in front of several thousand people. You know, my vehicle just happens to have my company name, logo, and web address painted on the windows!

You must also consider, even live by your ROI . . . Return on Investment. Don’t spend more on advertising than it generates in income for you. This means that you must track your marketing efforts. Tracking is the only way you will be able to determine what pays off, and what doesn’t. It will also help you determine if minor adjustments need to be made. Sometimes the smallest of changes in an ad can result in tremendous gains.

There are so many opportunities available to market your website; it can be a bit overwhelming, but the rewards are tremendous! Go it alone, or hire a professional . . . . you just need to make sure you get it done!

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Tim Haas is the owner of Haas Consulting - Marketing and Web Development Services. They provide a full range of Marketing Management Services for the small to medium sized business.

Tim has an A.A.S. Degree in Web Design Technology; an A.A.S. Degree in Multimedia and Design Technology; and a Degree in Professional Photography. He has presented Web and Marketing related materials to several local professional organizations as their keynote speaker.

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