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New website owners assume that traffic will develop automatically, but I've found that the best marketers (of books, paintings, bicycles, non-profits....) also market their website. Here’s how:
- Include your web address in all correspondence. Set up an automatic signature block in your email program and add it to every message. Don't just sign off with "linda" but with:
macrogirl
Meeting your web design & hosting needs with personal and friendly service!
Linda Bingham
(512) 722-3216
mobile (512) 517-3889
www.macrogirl.com
Linda@macrogirl.com
- Maintain a list of email addresses, contacts to whom you can send updates from time to time, perhaps to let them know about new content on your website. Maybe you've already started a list of groups in your email program, or maybe you keep them in a contact management program. When the list gets large enough, you may have to subscribe to a ListServ to send out your message to several hundred people. I'm not talking about spam. I'm talking about a group of people who agree to get mail from you and can opt out at any time. macrogirl manages ListServs.
- Keep your content fresh. Add something new to your website--a special offer for instance--at least once a month, and when you do, let your contacts know about it.
- Get your URL out there every way you can. Donate something to an organization and make sure they list your name, slogan, web address in their program.
- Order printed advertising material with your message and URL on it. Give it away to every potential customer.
- Exchange links with others.
- Per Click advertising on Google and Yahoo should be reserved for after you've taken these basic steps to market your website, which is to say, your business.
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