Intelli-Tips™
1. Ten Ways To Market Your Web Site

1. Consider your Web site objectives first 
What do you want your Web site to accomplish?  The most common objectives include:

• Promoting products and services;

• Selling products and services;

• Providing useful information;

• Collect information from your current and potential customers.

2. Present your Web message clearly
Visitors to your Web site need to understand your message instantly.  Don't overload your visitors with information.  Keep your Web site organized and uncluttered, and your message to the point.

3. Use the potential of your domain name
Your company name is usually the best choice as a domain name and should be used if possible.

You can have several domain names, all pointing to the same Web site.  Consider going to www.new.net and register www.yourname.inc, www.yourname.ltd or other name that will give a good representation of your business.  These extensions are not very popular yet.  This could be a good way to make your company name a popular URL.

For more information on domain names visit The A, B, C’s of Domain Names Intelli-Tip™.

4. Search engines and directories
85% of Web users go to SEARCH ENGINES to find products and services (source: Nielsen Net Ratings).   Consider the following to make your Web site search engines friendly:

• Build properly constructed Web pages using GOOD keywords;

• Submit them to the search engines correctly.  Read and follow carefully the submission instructions;

• Get as many reciprocal links to your Web site as possible!  One way to determine the number of reciprocal links to your site is to go to AltaVista and type link:yourwebsite.com in the search box.

5. Use signature files
A signature file is a short memo at the end of your message.  You can create signature files that include your phone, address, special event or promotion, notify people about a special award or honor your company has received.

Include your e-mail address and your company Web address.  Create a link so the recipient can click and go directly to your Web site. Click on the following link to read instructions on how to develop your signature file.

6. Establish your private mailing list
Private mailing lists exist in different forms.  Two of them are discussion lists and newsletters.  Some of the advantages of using your private mailing lists are:

• Stay in touch with your target market;

• Permission-based marketing;

• Networking and creating new business relationships;

• Establishing yourself as an expert in your field;

• Keeping yourself updated on the current trends in your field.

A discussion list encourages an open forum in which the conversation is multidirectional.  The announcement/ newsletter format is appropriate when the conversation is in one direction - from you to the subscribers.  Announcements, press releases and news articles would fit well into this format.  Having people register for your mailing list by offering an informative newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with your target market.

7. Develop a dynamic link strategy
The more reciprocal links you have to your site, the better.  If you place them appropriately on a high-traffic site, they will create traffic to your site.  You need to find appropriate link sites for you.  The spot for links is on sites that have the same target market as you do but are non-competitive.

Links have major impact on your search engine ranking.  Some of the major search engines, use link popularity as their ranking criteria.  These engines include: AltaVista, Excite, Google.

However, having links to your site means that you have to provide reciprocal links.  Be cautious about this.  Never place outbound links on your home page.  Always open links in a new window.

8. Use the right online advertising and take advantage of the Cybermall
Advertising online provides visibility just as offline advertising does.

• The advantages of online advertising are:

• The cost of developing and running this type of campaign is less that using traditional media;

• The amount of information that can be delivered is greater than that from the traditional marketing campaign;

• The information is easily updateable;

• The response from the adds is easily measurable.

Your banner advertising strategy should be developed to work with your marketing objectives and within your budget.  Banner ads are way to increase the traffic to your Web site.  They should be placed on the sites that your target market is likely to visit.

Cybermalls are Internet shopping centers that contain “stores” related to a specific topic.  They bring targeted, interested people looking for a specific type of product and service to your site.

• Good reasons to join a cybermall are:

• You do not have a credit card merchant account ;

• You do not have a secure server ;

• You do not have credit card validation .

Cybermalls charge their tenants depending on services and number of features they provide.  They could host one page only as a storefront and link to your Web site hosted on a different server or they could host your entire Web site.  The cost for that is from $25 to more that $1,000 per month.

Internet Recourses:

The Hall of Malls – Very comprehensive listing of all known online malls located on the Net.

9. Provide new information to encourage visitors to come back
The more often people visit your site, the more likely they are to purchase something.  Take advantage of following “little things” that will spice up your Web site to make your visitors come back:

Have a "What is New" page and keep the visitors updated about recent features and additions of the site.  This page may be "What is New in your industry or your product line";

Offer Free stuff – people love it.  Try to give away something that only people interested in your industry would want.  Have your logo and your URL displayed on it.  If you offer a mouse pad, have your URL on it.  People will see your domain name and be encouraged to go to your Web site

Give a "taste" of your product.  Give away free samples of your product from your Web site.  Direct the samplers back to your Web site for more information and discounts on purchasing the regular version of the product;

Provide "the cool tip" of the day related to your business, your product/service or your target market.  If your visitors find the advice helpful they will return to read more interesting pieces of information;

Encourage visitors to add your URL to their bookmark list.  Display a button to "Bookmark me now!."

10. Use Media Relations
Maintaining effective media relations will deliver benefits to your company.  They should be a part of your marketing efforts because:

• Articles printed in media publications are given more credibility by the public than are paid advertisements;

• Exposure of your product and service can be given;

• A positive image for your company will be portrayed;

• It is cost-effective.

Internet Recourses:

• Press Release Tips for PR People

• A Template for Press Release

Bonus: Analyze your Web site traffic and update your Web site regularly
Most of the Web Hosting companies provide log files or statistics reflecting your Web site traffic.  By analyzing them, you can find out a lot of helpful information about your audience. You can generate results that will significantly increase the success of your Web site.  Track the visitors on your Web site in terms of where they spend their time, how they come to your Web site, how long they stay on different pages.  Based on the results, fine-tune your Web site to fit the specific needs of your target market.

WD&D Cycle

of your Web site