THE ABC's OF WEB SITE PROMOTION

By Stephanie D. Buelt
Posted Monday, October 11, 2004

What can you do to stimulate traffic to your web site? You can find thousands of articles on web site promotion on the internet, but I have summarized a list of items to consider:

>>>Submit Page to Search Engines The most important search engines that robotically "spider" or index your site are: AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Lycos, Infoseek, WebCrawler, and Northern Light.

>>>Submit to Yahoo
Yahoo is the most important listing of all -- though it is technically a directory, rather than a search engine. But be very careful, and follow their instructions.

>>>Submit Page to Other Directories These do not help much, except to increase the perceived "popularity" of your site by major search engines.

>>>Include URL on Stationery, Cards, and Literature Make sure cards, stationary, brochures, and literature contain your company's URL.

>>>Promote using traditional media Do not discontinue print advertising you have found effective, but be sure to include your URL in the ads you purchase. Catch readers' attention with the ad, and then refer them to a Web page where they can obtain more information or perhaps place an order. Consider other traditional media to drive people to your site, such as direct mail, classifieds, post cards, etc.

>>>Develop a Free Service
This can be very rewarding in increased traffic to your site. Make sure that your free service is closely related to what you are selling so the visitors you attract will be good prospects for your business.

>>>Request Reciprocal Links
Find complementary web sites and request a reciprocal link to your. Build a separate page where you put links to other sites so that you do not send people out the back door as fast as you bring them in the front door.

>>>Request Links from Business Link Sites Especially if you offer a free service, you can request links from many of the small business linking pages on the Web. E-mail the site owner or webmaster with your site name, URL, and a brief 200-word description of what you offer there.

>>>Publish an E-Mail Newsletter It is a big commitment publishing a newsletter, but it is one of the best ways to keep in touch with your prospects and build future business.

>>>Install a "Signature" in your E-Mail Program Most e-mail programs allow you to designate a "signature" to appear at the end of each message you send. Limit it to 6 to 8 lines: Company name, address, phone number, URL, e-mail address, and a one-phrase description of your unique business offerings. Look for examples on e-mail messages sent to you.

>>>Announce a Contest
People like getting something free. If you publicize a contest or drawing available on your site, you'll generate more traffic than normal.

>>>Join a Banner Exchange Program Of the many banner exchange programs, LinkExchange is the biggest. You agree to show a rotating banner on your site for other LinkExchange members, and they do the same for you.

>>>Purchase Banner Ads
You may need to spend money to boost traffic by purchasing banner advertising. Choose sites that seem to attract the type of people who would be good prospects for your business or product. You can find media brokers who can help you find appropriate and cost-effective places to advertise.

>>>Buy a Text Ad in an E-Mail Newsletter Some of the best advertising buys are for small 4 to 12 line ads in established e-mail newsletters. Ads can both inform and motivate readers to click on the URL, and tend to bring much more targeted visitors.

>>>Ask Visitors to Bookmark Your Site It seems so simple, but make sure you ask visitors to bookmark your site.

I certainly haven't depleted all the ways to promote your site, but these will get you started. To effectively market your site you need to spend some time adapting these strategies to your own market and BE CONSISTENT. Good luck to you!

About the Author
Stephanie D. Buelt, Webmaster, Dezines By Stephanie For AFFORDABLE PROFESSIONAL Web Design Visit (http://buelt.tripod.com)