Web Marketing is Not a Foreign Language to Small Businesses Anymore.

In middle school I read “The Bridges of Madison County” in Spanish.  At the time, I probably understood (hopefully) at least half of what I read.  If I attempted to read it again, it would be as if I was reading the instruction manual on how to rebuild a car engine.  No matter how hard I try, I just wouldn’t understand it without a lot of research, practice, and patience. 

Small businesses approaching web marketing may also be faced, like a deer in headlights, without knowing and understanding what to do.  With over 150 million people surfing the net each day, it is vital that any business (small or large) confront the headlights coming at them directly and aggressively.

Making your website noticeable is like finding the needle in the haystack.  There are so many ways to get started and keep it going, it is often overwhelming.

Let’s break it down into some simple steps for you:

- Why do you need a website?  Are you looking to drive sales, drive leads, or recruit team members?

- Who is your target market?  Figure out who you are trying to reach and make sure your copy and message are appropriate.  If you’re targeting prospects, have information to support the buying process.  If it is to serve current clients have a FAQ page that can be used as a resource. If you are trying to reach new clients, the information should sell them on the benefits of why they need to buy or work with you.

- How much do you have budgeted for Internet Marketing?  With a conversion rate of 1 – 2 %, research online with Google Adwords or Yahoo Search Marketing to determine how many clicks your site might get.  Then use basic ROI calculations and you have yourself a figure.

- Build your website.  Hire an expert to help you. There are plenty of options to meet your needs. Check with your current email or web hosting provider. Companies like gWave can also provide you with a website proposal.

- Promote.  Engage in online promotions through pay per click advertising, search engine placement, email marketing or even Facebook!

- Measure.  Do you know how many website visitors you get a month? If not, now’s the time to sign up for a free web traffic account with Google Analytics.

- Follow up and make sure you haves someone assigned to stay on top of your online marketing strategy..

  With that being said, here are 7 ways to drive traffic to your site:

• Build a strong business foundation. Design a business plan, marketing plan, and Internet marketing strategy that reinforce your business goals.



• Brand your company.  Be consistent and make sure you use the same logo, colors, and motto throughout the website and marketing materials.





• Your business and website need to convey trust.  Build trust through servicing your customers online or through your newsletter.



• Add  “recommend this site” or “add to my favorites/bookmark.”



• Search engines look for certain things - titles, headings, Meta tags - so it is crucial to make sure your site is "search engine friendly.”






• Title Tags - should be 60 characters and include some keywords



• Header Tags – are numbered from 1 – 7. They should be used for each title



• Meta Tags – add no more than 15 – 21 keywords. Submit your site to industry specific directories.






• Submit your site to industry specific directories.



• Start permission based marketing. Build a relationship with your clients. Make it easy for them to contact you and to subscribe to updates or a newsletter.  If you are updating articles, make sure you submit them to article banks.

  So now, sit back, re-read the article, and know that it is not as scary as it seems.  With proper research and help, your website can easily be the needle found in the haystack.

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