Promote Your Site!

Because of the growth attributed to this new technology, industry is beginning to realize its true potential.

We are often asked about the fluctuating volume of traffic coming to a particular site. To understand this, it is important to try to grasp the Internet as a whole. Since becoming popular in the mid-90's, the number of "Sites" on the Internet has increased to several hundred million. The number of new pages being added daily is measured in the millions, even tens of millions. Just the time required to wait for a site to be posted on a search engine has increased from a few weeks to several months.

Build it and They Will Come! (But only if they know about it!)

Remember the last time you went to Yahoo to search for a site only to learn that the keywords you entered resulted in thousands of results. Most folks jump to a site because they know of its existence because they saw it on TV, read it in an ad, or found it written on a brochure. You could go to a search engine looking for casual clothes and have difficulty finding Land's End. Chances are, customers who go to their site know their web address from their catalog or an ad in a magazine.

The intent of a site is to promote a product, provide information or a service, entertain and allow the customer an easy way to contact you.

Promotes your product or service
Provides relevant advice or information
Gives the customer a means to easily contact you
Provides success stories or testimonials
Provides links to other related services or those affiliated to yours
Is periodically updated with new material (e.g. text, photos, event information)
Is promoted outside of the net!

Promote Yourself and Your Product!

1) First, get your domain name published on your business cards and literature. Make sure to include your email address where your name is directly associated with your business name.
For example: YourName@YourBusinessName.com

2) Advertise, Advertise, and Advertise.

3) Become associated with others in your line of business. Sometimes they will provide, or lease, space on their site where you can place a banner or link to your site.

4) Contact sites that would benefit being associated with yours and ask them to put a link to yours. Be sure to reciprocate!

Your site is a virtual storefront. It is where your customers go after-hours, during lunch and especially just to browse. One common misconception is the magic of the Internet will pull customers out of thin-air. It is better to realize it as an integral component of your business's appearance. With a little research and participation, your site will provide the results you desire.