October 29, 2007

Web Marketing in 5 Minutes. It's Not that Difficult

You can't learn all about marketing online in 5 minutes. However, Clickz had an article that will give those of you who don't know much about online marketing 8 points to think about.

What I like about the article is it keeps your mind focused on what's most important when marketing - way before you spend one dime on a Google adwords campaign or anything else.

Marketing online is all about really KNOWING your audience. KNOWING what you want the results to be. KNOWING how much you can spend for those results.

Point three of the Clickz article reads What kind of information does the site for your small business need to contain? If nothing else, put your address and phone number in a prominent place! I know this sounds incredibly basic, but you'd be amazed how many sites make it difficult for potential customers to find or contact them. While you're at it, try putting a map on your site, too: it won't do you any good if you can't get people through the door. Google now allows easy embedding of their maps into Web sites: go check out Google Maps to learn more.

Remember your web site does not have to be like the web site of your competitors. However, you should look to their site as a model for what you MIGHT want to have or not have.

The web site you created 5 years ago is NOT going to be sufficient for the web site you'll need today. New and upgraded technologies are going to be in demand from your customers. If they are not explicitly telling you - they'll be telling you by buying from someone else.

Here's some of my own tips:

1. Start a blog - you'll show yourself as an expert

2. Write about other people and let them know you wrote about them. They'll link back and/or write about you

3. Provide USEFUL and OPINIONATED information to your audience. If you are trying to be different than your competition this is one way to to it and compete beyond price.

4. Be media savvy and get the media to quote you and/or link to your web site.

0 comments