Promoting Your Website

Introduction “If you build it, they will come”

Introduction Must make your website known to the world The best website is useless if no one knows about it or visits it Website promotion can range from simple and inexpensive to complex and expensive – Use what makes sense

What we’ll cover Generating website traffic using: – Search engines – Online directories – Banner ads – Media exposure – Professional associations – Other websites – Your product – Existing marketing tools

Search Engines Several popular search engines – Google, AltaVista, Yahoo, Ask, Dogpile, Lycos Register with search engines – Search engine marketing firms – Fee involved Getting registered doesn’t assure high ranking in results

Search Engines How do search engines rank for results? – Frequency of keywords – Location of keywords – Linked pages – How often a page is clicked through to from the results What can you do? – Correctly choose and use keywords – Meta tags

Search Engines Meta tags Used by search engines to catalog websites Three major classes – Title – Description – Keyword

Meta tag Examples Example:

Online Directories Get listed in local & regional online business directories Often set up to promote local, regional, state, or industry-specific businesses – State tourism sites You must submit business information to appear in the directory Directories do not use the same search capabilities as search engines – Typically organized by category, alphabetically, location, etc.

Online Directories

Banner Advertisements Banners are graphic Usually appear near the top of other websites – Also appear vertically on right & left sides Clicking on them takes the user to the advertiser’s website

Banner Advertisements You can build banners yourself or hire it to be done Four ways to get banners posted – Arrange to display other Web sites' banner ads in exchange for them displaying its ads. – Pay publisher sites to post its banner. – Pay an organization, usually a banner network like to post the banner on a number of publisher sites. – Join an banner exchange program

Banner Advertisements

Question… Media can be used to promote your business and your website. Can you answer these questions? What media can be utilized? How can you generate media exposure?

Media Exposure What media can be utilized? – Newspapers – Websites – Blogs – Radio – Magazines How can you generate media exposure? – Contact reporters/editors, radio stations – Create your own through sponsorships, etc.

Media Exposure

Professional Associations How can you become know as part of a professional association? – Get listed in directories and handbooks – Sponsor part of a meeting – Have a booth at conferences Other ways? – Chamber of Commerce

Professional Associations

Other websites Getting listed on other sites can bring exposure to your business & website Try getting links to your site listed on other sites that you respect Choose sites that complement your business – Ex. You sell preserves → gift, holiday sites Join discussion groups

Your Product Use your product to promote your website Reminder of where the product was purchased Know where to go to purchase more product Potential for more widespread exposure

Your Product

Existing Marketing Tools How do you currently market your product? Post your website on other marketing tools – Brochures, business cards, flyers

Section Wrap-Up Promoting your business website and generating traffic requires effort The “If I build it, they will come” philosophy does not apply Use varied and coordinated approaches to website promotion Try to monitor how people are finding out about your site