A Marketing Guide-THE BASICS
Web sites are the preferred method of advertisement today and can reach a local, national and international audience if you utilize successful strategies of search engine optimization and submission. This article will be limited to organic marketing (listings that occur as a result of an optimized site as opposed to pay-per click or any other sponsor programs). When done correctly your site can reach an enormous number of people organicallly.
HOW TO GET STARTED
1.Optimize your website using keywords. The keyword has amazing potential but choose carefully. With thousands of sites turning up for every key word or phrase, you stand a good change of ranking where few searchers will ever find you. The more specific the keyword the better. Choose 4 or 5 niche keywords or phrases and then place them in titles, meta-tags, and descriptions.
2.Optimize your graphics making sure that your have your “alt tags” describing each image utilizing your keywords whenever possible. Be sure to add “image” after each description to cut down on search engines perceiving your tags as spam.
3.Balance your presentation with content. Place your keywords and phrases into the text of site. Even the position of the text can help. Search engines look for consistency in keywords that appear in text that is higher up on the page. Some search engines also like to see those same words on the last lines, too. But be careful not to overdo it. Search engines don’t like anything that has any resemblance to “keyword spam.”
4.Submit your web site to search engines and directories. You can register with most search engines for free but many directories require you to pay a fee. Yahoo is one of them and the reality is that Yahoo is the #1 site for Internet searches so you may want to make that investment. There are other directories that may be helpful to be listed in as well. Large number of web directories are available to list in but local directories can do particularly well to bring traffic to your site because if the web directory is laid out correctly, your site will have less chance of getting lost in hundreds of services, shops, sites, etc. just like yours. Find affordable local directories that can increase your web presence without depleting your marketing budget if your business.
5.Set up a web site statistics service to track you visitors and their habits. A good site statistics program will allow you analyze how people find your site, where they come from and how long they stay. This can help you to decide what keywords are popular as well as give you other helpful information to make your internet marketing campaign more and more successful over time.
Finally, don’t overlook the fact that people find sites through word-of-mouth, traditional advertising, media, and links to other sites. Your chances of getting the best coverage possible depend on your site being accessible to users through as many avenues as possible. Place your web address on every piece of business literature you have. This will prove to be very effective as well.
Note: Written in 2007. For updated and revised information for 2010, visit Page Rank Rising-Tips and Trends for Successful Internet Marketing in 2010.