Building a website is just the beginning of marketing your business on the internet. Retail stores advertise in many ways to get live customers to walk through the door. Your site is a cyber door and you still have to advertise to get customers to enter.
Be social
Social network sites like Facebook and Twitter are helpful in getting others to know what you have to offer and developing a community. Some call them gossip sites, but the truth is word of mouth advertising works. Facebook pages can be created with ease. The personal interaction with your clients and friends is invaluable. Keep your tweets informative and fun for your followers and you will see your customer base grow.
Get on top
When prospective customers are searching the internet for your product or service, it is important that your company appears at the top of the list. Improve your search engine ranking by using keywords that will match what the customer is looking for. There are several sites that can help you choose keywords that may help you get a higher rating with search engines, like Google Insights or Google AdWords Keyword Tool.
Start a Blog
Everyone is doing it; there are millions of sites on the web where you can do it too. You can set up a blog on your website or take advantage of other sites that allow open discussions. When you make comments and share ideas on other related business sites you are getting free publicity and increasing your search engine rank at the same time. Be sure to use your company name and keywords in your blog to increase your ratings.
Keep it fresh
Update your website often. Maintaining a website yourself can become overwhelming when you have a business to run. You can hire an outside web designer to build your site, but if you do, be sure you learn and understand the basics. You can save a lot of money if you do minor updates on your own. And who knows your business better than you?
Get published
Everyone is an expert at something. You are the pro when it comes to your business. Let others know how you can help them by writing articles and stories about your experiences. There are many article directories that are looking for quality work to publish. You can write about your topics, gain recognition with your peers and increase search ranking for free.
Let your web address be known
Print your website address on business cards, letter heads and brochures. Yellow page and newspaper ads should never be published without your web address. Mobile advertising on vehicles can be as simple as a one-liner in the back window of a car, or make a statement and turn your truck into an ad on wheels with vinyl graphics. Pens, hats and even t-shirts are also effective ways to promote your website.
Free business listings
Search your company name and you will be surprised at the many business listing sites. Claim your listing and customize the information with pictures, logos, contact information and links to your website.
Inquiries
Allow customers to email directly from your site if they have questions or comments. Offer a newsletter or special discount in exchange for their email address. Build a database for future internet promotions.