10 Essential Web Marketing Ideas

Jun 16, 2014 | Web Development

The importance that sound marketing strategies can have on the bottom line of a company is

well known. But of late there is a tremendous amount of importance that is being attributed

to web presence and web marketing. It is not enough if a company performs well in the real

world. There has to be a very strong presence on the internet as well. Marketers need to adapt

to the need of the hour and be well versed in web marketing techniques. Without a doubt,

internet marketing can attract a lot of people to the business. It will also improve the branding

of the company and also its products. It requires a committed task force to ensure that the

web marketing is done as envisaged.

1. The first thing that needs to be done is the creation of a website. The website should

be designed by keeping the visitor in mind. The design should be effective and a

proper web promotion plan must be drafted. Websites can be used to sell products or

provide information. You should first decide the type of website that you want yours

to be and then work towards it accordingly. The idea behind the website has to be

made clear on every page.

2. In order to ensure that the website has visibility on the internet, you must use the

proper keywords and optimize your website. This is very important and will ensure

that the website will appear in the first few search results. Search engine optimization

techniques must be used for this and there are professionals who can do this very

effectively.

3. In order to ensure that you get in touch with your customer base, you must engage

in email marketing. Stay in touch with the contacts that you have and also keep

increasing your mailing list. Make sure you update your mailing list and clean up your

database occasionally and organise your contacts.

4. Web based marketing is all about networking. Make sure that you identify your

niche market early and focus on that market alone. Using affiliate resellers is a very

effective way to gain visibility as well. You could also take the help of associate

programs with other similar websites.

5. Internet marketing consultants and marketing coaches can be employed to conduct

analyses and audits of your web marketing program. This will help you understand if

you are making any mistakes and help you improve your web marketing program.

6. While using email marketing you must ensure that you get people to opt into the

mailing list. If you send mails to people who did not opt in, you may have problems

in getting the email provider to accept your list later. It is possible to do this by

strategically placing links and fields in your web pages for visitors to enter their email

ids themselves.

7. Try to publish stories and employ your PR department to get you listed in online news

stories. You could also use your social networking page to gain visibility.

8. Publishing online press releases is also a very good method to gain visibility. You

could organise events that will be covered by the press.

9. You must use your website to engage your target customer base. Come up with ideas

for contests that they can participate in and give away prizes.

10.You must have an official blog for your products and services. This is a wonderful

opportunity to interact with your visitors.

The main idea behind web marketing is to engage customers through the internet and build

awareness about your company and its products and services. Following the steps that have

been mentioned in this article will definitely ensure that your company has a good web

presence.

Author Bio:

Shirley Burrill is a well-known writer in an essay writing service. She is always interested in

helping students by giving inventive ideas about essay writing and also she recommends the

10 popular essay writing services.

The Top 5 Small Business Web Design Mistakes to Avoid!

Feb 4, 2014 | Web Development

For a small business, an impressive and attention grabbing website becomes all the more important. Since small businesses need to try harder to carve a niche for themselves in any competitive industry, they need to ensure that they steer clear of the many common web design mistakes that a rookie is prone to commit.

So what are these small business web design mistakes to avoid? We list out 5 common mistakes that can make all the difference when it comes to “make or break” a small business.

Mistake No#1: Stale Content

What is it that converts a visitor in to a potential customer? No matter what others tell you, fresh, interesting and engaging web content is the key to building a popular website. Old content or copied content makes a visitor think he/she has visited the site before and didn’t find it quite interesting the first time round; and hence will not feel compelled to explore the site and read more about the services/products you have to offer. Additionally, poor content will also negatively impact your Google ranking, which means that your website will not be visible to the targeted audience. Since people cannot find your site easily, they don’t know how good or bad your business really is. Keep content fresh and update it frequently. Also, websites that have more engaging content are more likely to attract new visitors on a regular basis.

Mistake No#2: Poor Navigation

A website that has great content but poor navigation is equally disastrous. People don’t have a lot of time to waste, so if your website doesn’t allow them to filter content and only read relevant information, they are unlikely to spend more time trying to figure out what your website is all about. A well constructed website will be divided in to relevant sections, each with unique content so that a visitor can easily identify what information is useful. A layered approach with easy navigation is a must for a small business website, and a search tool adds a more professional look and feel to the website.

Mistake No#3: Irrelevant Links

Links are very important to make a website popular. However, not all backlinks are created equal. Your visitors are looking for links that establish your credibility and also tell them more about your credentials and knowledge about the subject.

· Therefore, only create valid links that take your visitors to the right place.

· Links to well constructed pages within the website, links to a blog created for your business to impart extra knowledge, links to articles submitted to popular directories that talk about the benefits of hiring your services are all good.

· However, dead links that lead no-where is one of the most important small business web design mistakes to avoid, as these only tell a visitor that you are unorganized and not 100% dedicated to your business.

Mistake No#4: Cluttered Layout

Nobody likes a website with a cluttered design. The best way to ensure that your web design is simple even though multi-layered is to hire a professional. If you try to handle your own web design without adequate knowledge, it is very possible that you have a cluttered site with too much content and a bunch of pictures that together create a very distracting look. It makes the site hard to read and navigate through, which ends up looking rather amateurish. A poor design layout hinders with the overall impact your website will create, irrespective of how good the content or pictures really may be.

Mistake No#5: Inadequate Knowledge of Web Analytics Tools

If you want your small business website to be successful, you have to know how to target the right audience and give them what they want to see. But how can you know that if there is no way to track the progress of your site? With the right web analytic tools, you get a deeper understanding of which part of your website your visitors like, how they navigate within the site, and what exactly grabs their attention to be able to make the necessary tweaks to make your entire website more impactful.

Author bio:

Diana Smith is an author of this article. She is a part time blogger and a regular contributor to several business blogs. Diana is interested in topics related to advertising, marketing and business promotion with promotional items. She enjoys seeing her readers getting useful information from her articles.