BUILDING TRAFFIC
1. LIST YOUR SITE WITH DIRECTORIES AND SEARCH ENGINES
2. DEVELOP A STRATEGIC LINKING PLAN
3. USE PR TO PROMOTE YOUR SITE
4. PURCHASE BANNER AND EZINE ADVERTISING
BUT WHAT IF YOU HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET AND LIMITED TIME?

Katrina Drewer of Creative Thinking shares her views on Marketing matters on the internet.

If you want visitors to find your Website, then you need to let them know it exists which can be easier said than done. You can do this through search engine registration, reciprocal linking, online and offline networking, and traditional forms of promotion, such as PR and advertising.

Let's explore each of these in detail.

Building traffic

The real question isn't how do you build traffic to your site, but how do you build good, qualified leads.

There are three primary ways in which people find you on the Web: search engines, links and promotion.

1. List your site with directories and search engines
When budgeting your Website construction and ongoing maintenance, earmark funds for search engine registrations, content updates and then further regular (ie. weekly) search engine follow-up. This is an ongoing rather than a once off process. Done well it will reap dividends, especially if your competitors are not doing it.

The objective is to appear in the top 20 positions of the best search engines because people rarely scroll past two pages of results.

  • First of all, design the site in a "search friendly" way. That means making sure your designers know how to write the code for your pages in such a way that it's easy for sites to index and find the words you want them to find;
  • Register with all the major search engines through a manual submission process ­ the automatic or free services are not really worth the time ­ remember there is no such thing as a free lunch;
  • Register with specialty search engines and search sites, otherwise known as Directories;
  • Review content regularly to ensure it reflects your key words and always make sure you use key words that people will enter when searching for your product or service rather than providing a descriptive sentence. back to top

2. Develop a strategic linking plan
In addition to search engines, people will find you using links from advertisements on other sites. The strength of the Web is the links BOTH within and between sites.

Links come in two forms: paid and free. Paid links are a form of advertising and generally are not reciprocal.

Free links, on the other hand, generally are reciprocal. So:

  • Develop a list of potential paid links and free links;
  • Take advantage of as many free listings as possible eg Austrade online, open directory, green pages, etc.;
  • Develop reciprocal links with industry and trade organisations. It's often worthwhile to pay for listings in trade directories as they will bring you targeted traffic;
  • Join a Banner Exchange program ­ in the early days this may be a way to boost traffic eg.
    http://www.linkexchange.com, http://www.earthlink.com.au, http://www.ozrefer.com

But remember, once you get them to your site, your job's not over. You've got to work on making sure they keep coming back. back to top

3. Use PR to promote your site

  • Target ezines with informational articles. The article must pertain to their business not just be a glorified advert. Include your email and Web address;
  • Issue news releases. back to top

4. Purchase banner and ezine advertising
Targeted banner placement and the right advertising buys in ezines can drive qualified prospects to your site:

  • Banner ads for the first two months of your campaign can boost name recognition when used as part of an integrated marketing program. Expect to pay $10-$40 per thousand people who
    see the advertisement and achieve a click through rate of 0.5% to 1%. Media brokers are best to consult here;
  • Advertisement swaps with other ezine publishers are a lower cost alternative. The best way to find them is to look for non-competitive lists that target the same market. back to top

But what if you have a limited budget and limited time?

There is much that can still be done. Here are a few things that you can do yourself or for a relatively low cost:

  1. Keep your emails content fresh with regular updates, current information.
  2. Add an eye-catching signature tag at the end of your email.
  3. Participate in online discussion lists regularly, also using your signature tag. Viral marketing relies on chat rooms, Web boards and special interest groups.
  4. Add your URL and email address to all written materials (business cards, letterhead, brochures, publications, products, etc.), and include it in all advertising. Your Web address should be as widely available as your telephone number.
  5. Tell your friends about the Website. Word of mouth is very powerful.
  6. Send out announcements about your Website, and send out news and updates.
  7. Produce an e-mail-based newsletter of interest to your target audience. It is a great way to build your brand, advertise sales promotions, develop a lead database and craft an "expert's voice" in your industry.

The important thing to remember is that the medium maybe new, but marketing still matters. back to top

Katrina Drewer is a principal of Creative Thinking Asia Pacific, a marketing and communications consultancy based in Sydney. To subscribe to our free monthly newsletter visit www.creative-thinking.com.au