1. Optimize your site for search engine traffic
We call Search Engine Marketing ‘The Gold Rush of the 2000's’. Customers are using Google, AOL, Yahoo and MSN to search for products and services and companies are making as much as $10 for every $1 spent advertising to these customers. The best prospect is one who is ready to buy and is looking for you!
The most lucrative area in Search Search Engine Optimization is the natural search result (left side) in Google. The first step: cover off the basics: go to your website and click on ‘View’ then click ‘Source’ look for your sites title tag if it says ‘Welcome to mysite.com’ you are missing an important opportunity. Change your title to include keywords people use to search for your product or service, i.e.: if I’m searching for a book on website optimization I’ll type in ‘website optimization book’. Second, include these same keywords in your website description. Third, make sure your site uses lots of text (not graphics) about your subject area.
2. Purchase paid search placements
The left side of Google is the ‘free’ area. The top links and right side are paid placements. Advertisers pay ‘per click’ for those placements. This method of advertising is inexpensive and return on investment is very measurable. You can test the performance of keywords in attracting people to your site at Google http://www.google.com/ads/ and the number two search engine Overture at http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/index.jhtml . Try it today, it is very easy to set up an account and operate these self-serve tools and it is an inexpensive way to drive traffic to your site!
3. Add a ‘signature’ to all email
Ask all of your employees to add a signature to their email featuring your website URL and a great reason to visit. Virtually overnight you can have thousands of live links to your site.
4. Sign Up a Virtual Sales Force
Have you ever been on a website and seen a small add that says ‘Buy this book on Amazon.com”, there is a good chance that ad was placed by an Amazon affiliate. An affiliate is paid a “finders fee” for customers they send to a website. Affiliates are some of the best search and email marketers in the world, and for a fee they will drive traffic to your site! For more information visit http://www.cj.com or http://www.linkshare.com.
5. Get Viral
The most powerful marketing tool is still word-of-mouth. Give your best customers an incentive and/or a mechanism to tell their friends about your product or service. Some ideas include adding customers to an affiliate program and adding a ‘send-to-a-friend’ link on your website.
6. Customer email
Your best source of revenue is your current customers. Utilize email to offer your customers a special promotion, to tell them about a new product or service, promote a complimentary product to one they already own. Did they buy your photocopier? Send them an email with a special offer for photocopy paper.
7. Banner trade or link trade with vendor or complimentary supplier
Trading banners and links with other websites is a great way to build traffic to your site. Additionally, links from relevant sites will increase your Search Engine Ranking and move you up Google and other Search Engines rating system. Approach partners, customers, and vendors directly with link trade proposals, and add a link trade offer to your website.
8. List your web address on all offline advertising and printed materials
This includes letterhead, business cards, packaging, physical products and everything else you print, sell send or produce.
9. Write articles for Relevant Websites and Publications
A regular article published on an industry website or in their publication is a great way to feature your company. Ensure they include a link to your website in the title or closing. Write about current issues that are topical in your industry. What are your customers and staff talking about? What is relevant in the news? Content is easy to come up with and writing about it positions you and your company as the experts!
10. PR is Powerful
A media release about a contest or new product or a free tool available on your site will get good pick-up and will drive traffic to your site. Come up with a good story angle, how has this product or service helped a company, use an expert testimonial. Write a news style headline that will catch the journalists’ attention.
source : tengoldenrules.com
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