So you’ve got a business. Most likely, you even have a website. But the question is how do you make your website work for you? How can you get the most from your website?
Lately, I’ve had a lot of people ask me about online marketing. This is sort of generic question that reveals the desire to have a better performing website. Online marketing simply means marketing that occurs over the internet. Usually, small business owners don’t know quite how to successfully market their product or website online. We can help with that.
There are 4 major areas of online marketing: search engine optimization, social media, email marketing and pay per click advertising. Which of these (if not all) and how much of each you use depend on your business and target market. The ratio is not important yet so let’s be sure we understand what each of these are.
Search Engine Optimization
Simply put, SEO is the art of driving your website higher up in the rankings of search engines. Ideally, we want your site on page 1 of google and the top 3, as the top 3 results get the lion’s share of the traffic. Search engine optimization is a method of coding and promoting your site that helps achieve this process. I won’t get into the nitty gritty of it as it can get technical. All you need to know is that it rarely happens without some sweat. The old adage of “if you build, it will come” does NOT apply here. You do not want to get lost in internet obscurity.
Pay Per Click (PPC)
PPC is paid ads, like Google AdWords, that show up with targeted keywords. This puts your site at the top for specific keywords of your choosing with short ads for your business.
Social Media
Does your grandmother have a Facebook? Mine does. There’s no question that a huge chunk of people’s day is spent on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or YouTube. Social media is a great way to connect with your audience and build personal relationships with them. There is also evidence suggesting that content posted on social media sites rank higher in search engines.
Email Marketing
Often hailed as outdated, email marketing should NOT be overlooked. Because people have to opt in to your email list, you are able to create personalized promotional material that they are literally asking for!
A lot to take in? Now we’ve given you the general overview, what’s the next step to having a successful website? Combined with your knowledge of your business and our expertise of online marketing, let us tailor an online marketing plan specific to your business. Contact us today for a free project consultation to reveal ways we can make your website work for you!
