This article provides a comprehensive guide on 40 effective strategies to enhance your website's visibility both online and offline. These strategies range from leveraging traditional marketing methods to utilizing digital marketing tools. The goal is to increase your website's reach, attract more visitors, and ultimately, boost your business.
Utilize Your Existing Communication Channels
Incorporate your website URL and email address in your on-hold messaging system or answering machine.
Encourage employees to include your website URL in their individual voicemail messages.
Advertise your website URL on your company vehicles, similar to how UPS does on their trucks. You can order URL plates from MC Promotions.
Print your website URL on promotional gifts such as cups, pens, and t-shirts. You can order URL t-shirts from MC Promotions.
Include your website URL on all printed materials that leave your office, such as brochures, business cards, fax sheets, flyers, mailing labels, letterhead, invoices, checks, and envelopes. You can order these products online from iPrint.
Include a signature line with your website URL in all outgoing emails. Learn how to do this from 1st Site Free.
List your website URL in the Yellow Pages.
Include your website URL in your Christmas cards.
Create discount coupons for online purchases and distribute them to your customers.
Give away free "how-to" guides on subjects you are knowledgeable in and include your website URL.
Leverage Direct Mail Marketing
Send out web postcards to announce your new website. You can order 500 website postcards for only $19.00 from Digital Work.
If necessary, get a rubber stamp made with your website URL and stamp everything that leaves your office.
Run ads in newspapers, magazines, or trade journals that target your market and include your website URL. You can buy ads for only $2.00 from ClickBank.
Utilize press releases for grand openings and other important company events. You can send a free one from Comitatus Group.
Include your website URL in your company's offline newsletter.
Advertise on the radio. Check out Broadcast Spots.
Consider cable TV advertising. If you live in Ohio, check Noi Cable.
Consider billboard ads.
Utilize direct marketing (bulk mail).
Start an Online Newsletter
Write and publish your own online newsletter, also known as an ezine. Learn how to do this from Ezine University. To set one up easily, use eGroups.
Advertise in Ezines
Advertise in ezines that cater to your target market. Find ezines to place ads in at Ezine Ad Auction or Lifestyles Publishing.
Collaborate with Other Websites
Swap text or banners with related sites. Try LinkMe.
Swap ads with other ezine owners. Try Ezine Swap.
Write and Submit Articles
Write short articles, no more than 700 words, attach your signature line at the bottom, and submit them to ezine publishers who may be interested in publishing your work in their newsletters. You can also set up an account with Idea Marketers and create an archive of your articles.
Utilize Search Engines and Directories
Submit your website to search engines and directories every 6 to 8 weeks. Submit each page of your site, not just the default page. Learn more about search engines from Search Engine Base.
List your site in specialized directories that cater to your exact type of business.
Leverage Newsgroups
Participate in newsgroups where your target market hangs out and make intelligent, helpful posts using a good signature line. Use software like PostAgent responsibly.
Use Direct Email Marketing
Do direct email mailings using a reputable opt-in service such as PostMaster Direct, Yes Mail, or MeMail.
Bid on Keywords
Bid on keywords at "pay per click" search engines like Goto, RocketLinks, E-Pilot, or Kanoodle.
Participate in Online Discussions
Post to online discussion boards using a good signature line. Some of the best can be found at MC Promotions.
Join a Webring
Join a webring at Webring.
Make Your Site "Sticky"
Make your site "sticky" by adding discussion boards, freebies, software downloads, and free original content. Learn more about this at eHits.
Encourage Recommendations
Add a "recommend this site to a friend" service to your website. It's free at Recomendit.
Buy Banner Ads
Buy banner ads on major search engines like Yahoo or Alta Vista. For current pricing, go to BCentral or try one of these banner advertisement networks: PennyWeb or FlyCast. If you need banners for advertising, make some free ones at Ad Designer.
Write Classified Ads
Write a few short classified ads for your online advertising campaign. Standard size is usually 5 to 6 lines, 65 characters per line. Create a sense of urgency and offer something free.
Hold a Contest or Sweepstakes
Hold a free contest or sweepstakes on your website.
Write and Give Away an E-book
Write and give away your own e-book. Learn more about this and specific compiler software at Ebook Compilers or Ebooks. If you don't want to make one yourself, you can have a cool Flash e-book made at Webtron. Pricing starts at $50.00.
Include Your Business Card in Your Mail
Include your business card with your website URL in your everyday mail and when paying your bills.
Advertise in Your Physical Store
If you have a physical store, put a sign with your website URL in the front window.
Remember, there's no "secret" to website marketing. It's a combination of all of the above strategies that makes for a successful site that people actually visit.
