Newsletter Article

August 2005

10 Things You Should Know About Web Marketing

D. Graham Tweedy, DGT Internet Marketing

There are many more than ten web marketing techniques but if you do these ten correctly you are well on your way to online success.

• Have a plan

Before you develop your website create a plan.  It is difficult to take the time but it is critical in avoiding disappointments and wasted time and money.  Your website marketing plan is similar to your business plan and should be a part of it.  Take the time.  You will be pleased.

• Design and structure

The site must be structured so that a search engine spider can catalog your site, directory personnel will list your site correctly and visitors will be led to the information they need and that you intend them to find.  Keep your site simple and uncluttered – lots of white space.

You need to include such features as Meta Tags, page titles with your key phrases present, judicious use of key phrases in your text, and clear navigation. If you are local business include local marketing techniques such as your address, state and county information and more.  These are but a few but they are key.

• Content

Develop a table of contents in your planning phase to make sure you include your information in an organized fashion.  Tell your story. People wish to know who they are doing business with.  It will give you credibility.  Speaking of credibility, add the Better Business Bureau’s logo to your site.  People trust the BBB. 

Content is king and appropriate focused text is critical in leading the visitor through your site.  Keep your paragraphs short and to the point- bullets are a good idea.  Make sure the discussion flows.

You might create an imaginary typical visitor to your site and then develop your site to meet that persons needs.

• Submit to Search Engines and Directories

Submit to the few top search engines and directories.  Regard your web marketing as a long term plan.  You may not get listed for a year.  They say the average stay in Google’s “sandbox” is 6 months or more.  Why so long?  Maybe it’s because there are about 12 billion sites on the Net and thousands being added daily.

• Industry specific directories/portals

Depending on your industry these are usually an important place to get listed.  There are free listings that can be upgraded to various levels of paid.  These sites get millions of visitors – a good place to be.

• Online yellow pages

This is not your telephone online yellow pages.  This is a must especially if you market locally.  Make sure you are listed in the major online yellow pages.  Currently there are three. You most likely are already there but you should update the listing with more detail.  The basic listing is free and there are upgrades.

• Paid Advertising

This area is becoming most vital to web marketing and is only limited by your budget.  We suggest starting with Google AdWords.  They are the best buy currently and they work.

• Integrate with your company plan

When you are planning your offline advertising include your online.  Make sure your website address is listed in every piece of literature and every ad.  Ask people to visit your website and give them a reason.

• Newsletters and bulletins

What is new to your business?  Communicate and then post it to your site.  Newsletters are best, but if you do not have the time then send out short information bulletins about new products, services, clients.  Communicate information that is important to your audience and keeps your client base aware that you are current and vital.

• Maintain your site.

Commit to add new information as well as updating the initial content - often.  This is critical.  If your site does not change over a long period it is an indicator that your business is also static.

Search engines love new content as do visitors.  When you update your site send out an email to tell the world!