Advertising
Approach For The First-time Webmaster
by: Royan Shaw
For the first time internet entrepreneur [newbie]
the best ways to promote your website at first instance
are :
1. Express inclusion of your website for the usual
12 months offered by most of the major search engines.
You can choose express inclusion for askjeeves, inktomi,
altavista,msn etc but keep in mind to have your site
submitted to the local index of your region.
For example if you reside in Toronto, Canada and you
are submitting for express inclusion in the DMOZ or
Canada.com search engine/directory you must ensure
that your site is indexed in the Toronto's business
and economy directory. Get your site in the local
index first things first.
If your submission listing includes the regional version
of the DMOZ directory then thats good enough to go.
One point to note is that many of the major search
engines and directories actually inter-relate that
is they search across each other's database therefore
submitting to only one major engine or directory will
satisfice for the Internet Marketing beginner.
2. Next, the most overlooked approach for the first-time
website owner is the maximisation of the benefit of
offline marketing methods.
Promote your website in exactly the same way you would
have promoted a normal business by telling everyone
about it.
Word of mouth is still the best way to promote a new
business.
Put your motto and logo along with your url address
on everything from a pin to an anchor. From stationery,
pens, letterheads, postcards, flyers,posters, in your
usual email, the list goes on...
You may consider placing classified ads in the local
newspapers.
Run other programs such as sponsoring quizzes, prize
competitions, trivia and other participating programs
with your website address. You might ask readers to
submit the answer to a quiz by visiting you website.
Anything that gets the local community to know that
your website exists. You can do it !!
FACT : You have to make it local before you go global.
Most start-up webmasters usually make the mistake
on concentrating on those numerous ways to promote
their site and become confused on deciding what works
best. What works best can only be determined by careful
evaluation of each and every advertising scheme in
use on the web today :
1. Publisher/advertisers programs
2. Banner exchanges
3. Exit ads
4. Pay-Per-Click
5. Link Exchanges
6. Search engine blasting
7. FFa, classified ad posting
8. Rotator pages
9. _JavaScript based pop-ups etc 10.Express submit
to search engines 11.Search Engine Optimisation 12.Adwords
by Google 13. Others
Its interesting to note that no seller of the above
services except for Google and the other search engine
services has ever took the time to evaluate your website
to decide whether or not your site is most suitable
to fit the advertising package they are offering.
The best approach is to evaluate, evaluate, evaluate.
Not everything out there works for everybody in every
instant. Test your website across every platform say
10000 visitor package each and assess the outcome
one by one.
Some will work better than others but the ones returning
the higher rate of response doesn't necessarily mean
they are the most profitable unless they each cost
exactly the same per 1000 visitor.
What I had recommended in the first two paragraphs
above should work best for the first-timer and is
the most prudent approach.
Be careful when trying to find the best way of advertising,
Don't be caught up in the Internet Marketing clutter
out there as every you come in contact with will tell
you the advertising method they sell is the best.
Ignore whatever testimony you see written on these
webpages, use these services under a trial based approach
before you order that 100000 package or start paying
that monthly subscription.
Any method you are interested in should be test and
proven in quality. Careful tjought and consideration
should be given in order to plan, make decisions and
control your business operating expenses.
What works for seasoned campaigners of Internet Marketing
does'nt necessary works in the same way for the starter.
Your website is unique just like your fingerprint
and its now your duty to determine the most economic,effective
and efficient approach in promoting it.
About The Author
R. Urien Shaw
Webmarketing Financial
http://www.royanopia.co.uk/
R. Urien Shaw is a contributor to the WebMarketing
Financial Newsletter and the developer of the 43-21
Budgeting Strategy. He is currently a final year student
reading for the B.sc in Applied Accounting in London.
marketingfinancial@royanopia.co.uk
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