10 Not-So-Obvious Ways
to Promote Your Website
It is interesting to think
that out of the numerous ways in which business owners can
advertise their products and services, many of them
neglect to place their company’s URL in the very
advertising they are already paying for.
Sometimes simply placing
their website URL in their paid advertising is not that
obvious. Here are 10 not-always-so-obvious ways to promote
your Web site.
1. Include your URL on business cards, stationery,
brochures and other literature.
As silly as it may seem, this no-brainer is often
overlooked. You’d be amazed how many business owners
either forget to place their URL on their business cards
or don’t think doing so is all that important. Be sure
when printing your company’s promotional and marketing
materials, to leave off the http:// part and include only
the www.domain.com portion.
2. Don’t neglect e-mail and e-mail newsletters as a way
to bring visitors to your Web site.
Utilize the signature file option (company name, address,
phone number, URL, e-mail address) in your e-mail program.
Many business owners sign their e-mails with just their
first name, nothing more. Moreover, many business owners
still send and receive business-related e-mails using a
free e-mail account or their ISP’s email, like Hotmail,
Yahoo, or Ameritech, rather than using their corporate
e-mail account – another free Web site promotion tool.
While it's a big commitment
in time, publishing a weekly, monthly, or quarterly
newsletter is one of the very best ways to keep in touch
with your prospects, generate trust, develop brand
awareness, and build future business. Don’t forget to
place your URL in each newsletter you send out.
3. Take a moment to use your traditional means of
advertising to add your URL.
Be sure to include your URL in any display or classified
ads you purchase in trade journals, newspapers, magazines
and more. View your Website as an information adjunct to
the ad – to capture the readers' attention with the ad,
and then refer them to a URL where they can obtain more
information and perhaps place an order. Look carefully at
small display or classified ads in the back of
narrowly-targeted magazines or trade periodicals.
Sometimes these ads are more targeted, more effective, and
less expensive than online advertising. Consider other
traditional media to drive people to your site, such as
direct mail, classifieds, post cards, etc. Since 1999
we've seen TV used to promote sites, though it is probably
too broad for all but the most general product sites.
4. Become an online expert in your field.
Use your expertise to become an expert in your field and
promote your Website for free. Sign up for Yahoo Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com)
or Google Answers (http://answers.google.com/answers)
and answer questions asked by online visitors. You will
have the opportunity to write your company’s URL in your
profile. This is a great way to gain additional Internet
exposure as well.
5. Issue press releases.
When your business has a newsworthy event, send press
releases to print and online periodicals. Use these
opportunities to mention your company’s URL near the
bottom of each news release. There are many online PR
Websites, including PRWeb.com, PRWire.com and others you
may use to promote something exciting happening within
your company.
6. Promote your site in mailing lists and news groups.
The Internet offers hundreds of targeted e-mail based
discussion lists, chat rooms and news groups made up of
people with very specialized interests. Spend at least one
hour each week searching for groups where a conversation
is taking place. Do not use aggressive marketing and
overly plug your company, even if you see some people
doing so. Instead, add to the discussion in a helpful way
and let the signature at the end of your e-mail or post
message do the marketing for you. People will gradually
get to know and trust you, visit your Website, and do
business with you.
7. Ask visitors to bookmark your site.
It seems so simple, but make sure you ask visitors to
bookmark your Website. Use a text link or graphic on the
homepage of your Website.
8. Place URL in any yellow pages advertising you
already do.
I once knew of a company who was spending $90,000 in
yellow page advertising, across numerous books in the
area, and included front yellow book cover ads as well as
full-page, full-colour ads throughout the yellow pages.
Not once did they mention their Website, which has been on
the Net for many years. The company surprisingly saw no
value to it.
Whether placing full-page ads in your local yellow pages,
or only paying for a bold listing in the white and
business yellow pages of your local directory, consider
leaving open one line for your company’s Website address.
Because you are already paying for the directory
advertising, this is one particular place you definitely
do not want to overlook.
9. Write articles for use in newsletters and other
Websites.
You can dramatically increase your Internet visibility
when you write expert articles about your field and
distribute them as free content for other article
directories, e-mail newsletters and other related
Websites. At the bottom of each article written, request a
link back to your Website and a one-line description of
what you offer. This is an effective viral marketing
approach.
10. Devise other viral marketing techniques.
Viral marketing uses the communication networks of your
site visitors and current customers to spread the word
about your Website exponentially. Some examples include
word-of-mouth, public relations, referrals, blogs,
creating "buzz," and other forms of network marketing.
Author Info
Wendy Suto is president of Search Circus (www.searchcircus.com),
a Web site marketing firm in Cleveland, Ohio. She keeps
pace with the latest optimization, link building and
article submission tactics. Before becoming an SEO
consultant, Wendy was a computer instructor for a wide
range of businesses, including Gateway Computers. As a
certified SEO consultant, she teaches SEO training classes
in Cleveland, Ohio.
wendy@searchcircus.com
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