By now you probably understand the importance of getting your own website. It's the command center of building and growing your online business. From capturing visitor contact information to promoting a multitude of products and services, it all starts with establishing your presence online.
Now all you have to do is get the word out and this is where it gets tricky. People are bombarded with so much information today that it becomes easier to tune out a large portion of it. This goes double for advertising, especially on the internet where you are constantly being prodded to buy this or that. The key is to have a plan of action. In this case focus on providing good quality content on your website. People want information and a break from the sales pitch. Providing useful content in your own voice can raise your internet profile considerably.
You are building something long term that will take time so be patient with yourself and your business. In the meantime there are free and cost effective internet web site promotion techniques you can implement right now.
1. Submit to Search Engines and Directories
Normally you only have to submit your website to the Big Three search engines: Google, Yahoo and MSN. But there are tons of search engines you can use depending on how much time you want to spend doing this. To automate the process you can always find some free software or online service that will do the work for you.
Unfortunately this is not always the case as far as directories are concerned. There are literally thousands of directories online and most require you to submit your website manually. While this can be a painstaking process, the payoff is you get backlinks to your site (something the search engines love) and your web traffic grows in a more natural way (something the search engines also love). It takes awhile to do this but again you are building a business for the long term.
2. Deal or No Deal
It's hard to do business alone. That's why you should always be on the lookout for webmasters who are willing to reciprocal link or do a joint venture agreement. Make sure that what they are doing is related to your niche without being in direct competition with your web site. Do not trade links just for the sake of getting them. For instance there are websites that are focused on one topic but their link directory contains everything under the sun. Search engines do not look too kindly on this, so do a little research and target the webmasters that complement your business.
3. The Classifieds
There are many classified ad sites online but the two that have become virtual powerhouses are Craig's List and US Free Ads.
Craig's List has taken local classifieds across the country and forums of various topics and placed them all under one roof. Some marketers have used this very effectively to promote their business. As of late however Craig's List has been overshadowed by US Free Ads a classified directory that offers Google friendly pages, a free online html editor so you can place images and links in your ads and the potential to get a lot of traffic to your website. They also offer a premium membership which allows you to place unlimited ads, generate your own product catalog, link to your own shopping cart and much more. As of this writing the premium membership is only nine dollars a year. Definitely worth a look.
Getting your website noticed takes a lot of work. Start with one of the tips above; get it up and running then move to the next. Above all be persistent. Find what works, stick to it and very soon your audience will find you.
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