For entrepreneurs marketing an Internet business, understanding and implementing the basics of search engine optimization, as well as general marketing strategies, is an essential part of creating a successful online presence and a positive balance in your company’s bank account. The ultimate goal of any marketing effort, SEO based or not, is to widen your reach and increase your audience. If your company’s name isn’t the first one potential clients think of when they need the service you provide, it’s your competition who will get their business. So, how do you make sure that doesn’t happen?
This is part one of a two-part series on the dos and don’ts of small business marketing. First up: the do’s. Here is a list of 5 Internet marketing tips that will increase your online visibility and keep your company and services at the forefront of potential customers’ minds.
1. Expand your expertise. As an entrepreneur, you have to be well versed on much more than your products and area of expertise. In order to run and maintain a successful business, you need to understand the Internet’s marketing strategies and systems. We’re not suggesting that you have to be an SEO expert per se, but you should learn enough to give yourself a competitive edge. You can start by reading our post Why Search Engine Optimization is Vital to Your Success.
2. Build a better website. Start by taking an objective look at your website in comparison with your top competition’s websites. How does yours rank? If you’re not within the top two or three, it’s time for an upgrade. Try viewing your site through your customer’s eyes. If you were in the market for your product or services, what would you expect to see on a website advertising them?
3. Cater to your clientele. Always keep your clients in mind when creating your website or developing marketing strategies. As you learn more about SEO techniques, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to follow all of the marketing gurus’ rules and tips. Be sure to write any and all content for your clients first before worrying about, for example, getting the right percentage of keywords in your text. It’s your clients who are going to be paying for your services, not search engine robots.
4. Remember the robots. Just because we promote keeping your customer first in mind when developing marketing strategies doesn’t mean you cater to them only. Keywords, meta tags, proper link names and so forth are all important elements in creating a spider-friendly site that gets pushed to the top of search engine results. Use web analysis software to learn how search engines view your pages, set goals for increased views, and watch your progress as you achieve them.
5. Prepare to persevere. You should realize that creating a marketing plan that gets results is not an overnight affair. One of the most important elements in any business’ marketing strategy is patience. It takes time to research and develop strategies that work well and once they’re up and running, you’re still responsible for keeping them current and relevant for an ever changing market. Your customers will grow and develop over time and so should your business.
Internet marketing is an intricate business, but a little effort goes a long way. Good luck in your pursuits and check back for part two … the don’ts.
