Overall Strategies
· Unless you are not particularly tech savvy, avoid paying an ongoing fee to maintain your website.
· Have your website built by a professional with a professional application like Microsoft Expression Web or Adobe Dreamweaver and then have a simple Content Management System (CMS) like Cushy CMS http://www.cushycms.com/en system built in for free. That way you can manage your own website.
There are three broad aspects to your website. All of them deal with the two ‘R’s’ of marketing. Reach and Repetition. The reach of your website is global. It’s always on – always there. It used to be said that before the internet you had to repeat your message 6 times before being noticed. Now is more like 22 times. Will you be found when people search for your product or service, will people coming back and refer others to your site? Here are the three broad aspects;
1. Getting found.
2. Keeping people engaged in your site, and
3. Monitoring your site.
Getting Found: SEO for your site
Use the Google Adword Keyword Tool to find keyword(s) (KW) that people will type into Google to find you. You can do this yourself so there is no need to pay anyone to do it for you. Also consider your location if relevant as a ranking tool. For example, if you only do business in the Melbourne region, ‘Melbourne’ is a keyword. – see screen shot.
Put the KW in your Page Title, Page Description and Keyword Fields of each Page and sub page. Repeat the KW’s as text as heading (for example on the Home Page use the KW’s instead of ‘Welcome’. Repeat the KW’s in the first paragraph.
Google doesn’t read pictures, so give graphics a meaningful name and try to incorporate your KW’s in the hovertext to describe the image. Be aware that Google also indexes the graphics from your site.
Also use hovertext for links, including Page Tabs.
Next, consider the following strategies to increase the ranking of your site. Generally they comprise backlinks to your site.
- Social media – e.g. Twitter, Facebook.
- Your own Blog – e.g. Google Blogspot (free). Keep in mind Repetition and Reach; 6 impressions versus 22.
- Contribute to forums in your business field and try to mention your website address.
- Submit listings to on free line directories, e.g. hotfrog, LinkedIn.
- Ask to be listed on a higher ranking site. This is liquid gold. Do something for someone else for free and they might return the favour.
- Post a youtube video of your product or service.
Keep People Engaged with Your Site
Tips to make your site appealing so people stay on the site.
· Use sans serif font. It is easier to read. This is a serif font. This is a sans serif font
· Keep text simple and concise. Try to ‘tell, don't sell’.
· Don’t say ‘Welcome’ on the Home Page. Use the KW instead.
· Don’t call your Pages ‘About Us’, or ‘Contact Us’. Use ‘Contact’ and ‘About’.
· Avoid writing about yourself on the Home Page or why you started the business (e.g. ‘I’ started this business because, etc, etc). Text and images should inform the browser what your are offering quickly. If you must have ‘I’ stuff, either wait until your business is well established, or at the keep it on the ‘About’ Page.
· Avoid moving graphics – they tend to become a mesmerising focus.
· Engage a professional web designer.
· Follow the AIDA Principle when writing. (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). Make sure you have a strong call to Action.
· If you don’t want to, or cannot use a professional web package, use a CMS that allows you to make simple changes without having to pay. e.g. www.cushycms.com
· Should you put your picture up on the site?
· Have a Privacy Policy link at the bottom of each Page on your site.
· Have a Terms link at the bottom of each Page on your site
· Include a Copyright notice at the bottom of each Page. e.g. © 2011 yourbusinessname. All Rights Reserved.
· Have a Site Map link at the bottom of each Page on your site. A site map tells the web crawler all about your site and its structure. These can be generated for free. See: http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/
How Many ‘Hits’: Monitor Your Site
· Sign up for Google Analytics to track website visits (and much more). Tracking code must be placed within the html code of your website.
· Have code built in to monitor downloads (if applicable).
· Use the free desktop monitoring application, Polaris. It saves you from having to log in to Google Analytics.
· Monitor all mentions of your site/business worldwide by signing up to the free Google Alerts.
Leverage Existing Customers with an email Newsletter
· Register an email address in the form abuse@yourdomain.com with www.abuse.net It’s a clearing house for complaints and indicates your are serious about protecting clients’ privacy.
More Information: www.finetunebiz.com
