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Cost-effective Tips for Attracting the Right Visitors
to Your Web Site |
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TELLUS
411 Terrace Place
Terrace Park, Ohio 45174
513-831-6684
info@TELLUSWEB.com
www.TELLUSWEB.com
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By Betsy Emery, CEO TELLUS
Are the right people visiting your Web site? How can you reach more of the visitors you want?
There are many options for getting the attention of your target audience including target marketing, online advertising, traditional marketing, and search engine optimization. Cost-effective strategies can include all or a combination of these options. The trick for small businesses is to select the right strategy for getting the most impact from a limited marketing budget.
Narrow your target audience. Aim for targeting your marketing efforts to a distinct audience known to have interest in your services -- rather than mass marketing. Because online advertising rates are based on the number of "eyeballs" they deliver, you will pay much less and your site will receive more "visibility" with the people who matter most.
For example, buying space in a specialized chat area (on, say, the Fly Fishing area within the Outdoor section of a Sports site) will display your ad to people who are seeking information on a topic similar to your business. It will receive more visibility by the right audience, and cost far less than a similar ad purchased at a broad "mass marketing" level (such as the home page of this same Sports site.)
Remember that your audiences is most likely segmented. The 'right' message for one advertising venue may be wrong for another.
Don't be impressed by the quantity of advertising "views." Advertising online makes the most sense when you use the medium for its unique ability to deliver the right message to the right eyes.
Study referrer site data. Identify the sites your existing users are coming from. Think about why you get traffic from these sites. Is it due to their similar or specialized content? (If so, this could signal a good advertising venue for your products and services.) Is a large search engine your No. 1 source of referrals? (If so, it may say more about the popularity of the search engine than its users' "affinity" for your products and services.)
Get involved in online communities related to your business. The Internet features a countless number of chat-rooms, online meetings and conferences. Search for those related to your products and services - and get involved. By participating in these discussions, you can connect with potential customers, partners, and networking contacts who can aid your "word of mouth" (free) marketing. And some groups might allow you to set up links to your site. A word of caution: "tread lightly" this is not the place for overt salesmanship.
Update all of your public communication materials with your site's URL. This includes business cards, letterhead, press releases, email signatures, promotional materials, product flyers, product inserts, receipts, brochures and other "leave behinds."
Don't ignore offline marketing and public relations. We have seen many clients get a high volume of traffic from well-placed TV, radio, and print advertising. For small businesses, trade journals and local publications can provide an excellent opportunity for news coverage and inexpensive advertising. This is particularly true if your target audience is less inclined to spend time online. (This doesn't mean they won't go to your site -- it just means they are more likely to find out about you through traditional media.)
Don't ignore existing customers and contacts. Print postcards announcing your Web site and special Web offers can be effective in stimulating interest in your site among an audience who has already expressed an interest in your products.
Buy a keyword on one of the search engines. Every time someone searches for that word your site will be prominently listed within a list of "sponsored matches."
Buy placement in Google AdWords or Overture. If you don't have the budget
to buy a keyword, then Google and Overture offer a lower cost way of buying placement. While AdWords and Overture use different models, both operate on a pay per-click basis. As opposed to advertising based on "views," the price you pay for these ads is based on the number of times a user actually "clicks through" to your site. You set the price you are willing to pay. Those who are willing to pay the highest amount per click will be listed at the top. Results are displayed in a prominent area near "regular" search results
When selecting keywords, use specific rather than general terms. More specific terms will be more targeted to visitors looking for your particular product or service and will have less "competition" for rankings
Take advantage of Search Engine Listings: Getting your site listed high in search engine results for various keywords is a complex process. Because methods for determining rankings vary from one search engine to another and change frequently, a Search Engine Optimization expert is required to get the best rankings. However, there are some basic principles that will apply to most search engines:
Post relevant content on your home page and other main product pages. Without this information, the search engine bots and spiders will not gather the information they need to index your site.
Use keywords in your site content. Determine which specific words and phrases visitors are using to find you and make sure you have these words at your site. Keywords should also be placed by your Web developer in "META tags" describing site content.
A picture is not worth 1000 words. Search engine bots and spiders do not index information stored in GIF, JPG, PDF or Flash movies, so make sure that your product/service information as well as company name is on the page in plain old text as well as in a graphic.
Get other relevant sites to link to your site. Links from other sites can help boost your search engine rankings. Make sure links are from relevant sites, however. "Link Farming" is looked down upon by search engines.
Betsy Emery is the CEO of TELLUS (www.TELLUSWEB.com), a full service Web development firm helping businesses integrate online initiatives into their business operations. TELLUS delivers a comprehensive set of services - channel strategy, creative design, usability, technical integration, managed hosting services, and analysis of Web profitability. Betsy formerly served as Chief of Client Services for Fry Multimedia, a top 20 US e-business integrator known for creating award-winning sites for Eddie Bauer, Brookstone, Crate and Barrel, Godiva and many others. She is also the former President of New Thought Publishing and has managed eBusiness account operations for MicroStrategy and Dun & Bradstreet. Contact her at bemery@TELLUSWEB.com or 513-831-6684 .
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