Take the Wheel - Drive Customers to Your Web site

-By Consetta Creative Publicity

So you own a small business and you have made the decision to build a simple website. You have done some research or have a very smart friend that said that you need to have a presence on the internet. Or maybe you already have a website that no one visits? You can be the proud owner of the slickest website you have ever seen but if you aren’t getting any traffic because it’s not properly optimized you have wasted a good chunk of change and a lot of your valuable time. If you decide that you want to take this challenge on you need to consider these web hosting and marketing tips to help drive traffic to your website.

For Hosting:

1) Use a keyword selector tool - Type your keywords into a keyword selector tool to see how many people search on the term. Look for terms in the 2k-10k range.

2) Use keywords throughout your web pages - put your keywords in the title, description, keywords, graphics, and written text. You can then check your website against a keyword density analyzer to see how frequently keyword is used. Shoot for 3-15% density.

3) Slick and sexy doesn't get you traffic - Don't waste your money on slick graphics or things that fly across your screen. Most visitors find them annoying and search engines don't care for them.

4) Consider using a website starter package - If going it on your own, think about using a website starter package which can have you up and running quickly.

5) Decide where you want to spend your time - Small business web hosting is very doable, but it does take time. Decide if you want to do it yourself or have a professional help you.

For Marketing:

1) Get an automated eCommerce system - These can be really good, very comprehensive and very inexpensive. The good ones can do everything from customer base management to product management to shopping cart to newsletter broadcasts.

2) Put a link back to your website in your email autosignature - This doesn't need to be obnoxious, just a simple link that email recipients can click on to see your website.

3) Do selective link trading - Link trade, but make sure the content on the other website is similar to your own. Don't touch "link farms" with a ten-foot pole; search engines hate them.

4) Write articles and include your website address - There are a number of article databases out there that you can submit your work to. You'd be amazed at where your articles show up!

5) Write newsletters - Allow for customers and visitors to subscribe to a newsletter to get regular visibility to you and your company.

6) Consider using a search engine submission services - These services submit your site to multiple search engines & directories.

7) Set up an affiliates program - Allow for others to promote your products on a commission basis.