What if you created a Web site and nobody came? You don’t want your sites to end up obscure and unused. No doubt you’veread about meta tags and how they can help your sites get ranked better; and just about everyone using the Web is aware of the annoyances related to Web advertising. But these issues are just the tip of the iceberg. Read any Web site dedicated to Web promotions and you’ll see all kinds of topics, often controversial ones.
This article lets you in on the insider’s view of why so many Web marketing methods are problematic, and shows you the right way to use common techniques such as keyword and description tagging, how to expand and extend keywords within your content, how to get submitted to search engines in a timely fashion, how to get the word out to interested parties, and how to increase interest via sponsored links and offline promotional opportunities.
I will not teach you how to spam, use annoying ads, or compromise the integrity of the products and services you represent. Just apply a balance between great Web site design and customer service and you will never have to rely on gimmicks.
By placing keywords into a meta element within your documents (a common practice), you enable search engines looking for this information to catalog your keywords quickly. Keywords can help with ranking because you are able to catalog your site based on descriptive words or series of words that define your site as well as reflect the kind of word combinations that users will be inputting into search engines:
<meta name=”keywords” content=”indometric, indometric.com, html, xhtml, css, design, web design, development, web development, php” />
Unfortunately, this method, while easy to implement (just add as many keywords as you’d like, separated by commas, to the meta element), has been misused over time. Instead of sticking to those keywords relevant to their sites, some unscrupulous but imaginative folks decided to add keywords to a site that might have nothing to do with its relevance.
The next most common meta element to define is the site description. This is typically a short description of about 25 words that describes your site simply and effectively. Numerous search engines look to this data for help with categorizing a site. Consider the meta description that appears on my site:
<meta name=”description” content=”I’m Molly E. Holzschlag, and this Web site shares my Web development work and personal thoughts.” />
Now look at Figure below, which is an exact reproduction of the search results found on such search engines as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
After looking at headings, many search engines will begin grabbing your text for descriptions. For sites that aren’t built structurally and use tables for content, you’re really playing Russian roulette trying to assume which content the engine will grab.
However, if you are following well-structured markup practices, the first place most engines will look after headings is text formatted as being a paragraph. So, when you are preparing your content for the Web, be sure that there are plenty of keywords worked into your content, again following a balanced approach where you are enhancing the keyword count but not diminishing the content’s importance.
Despite the scourge of spam and viruses that have hit e-mail users in the past years, e-mail remains the killer application. E-mail newsletters are undeniably powerful tools to build audience and encourage real relationships between you and your site visitors and customers.
The key to avoiding guerrilla tactics in e-mail advertising is to make all e-mail newsletters optional. You will have people opt in mostly via your Web site, which means they have to get to your Web site in the first place. Once visitors do opt in, you can begin building a personal mailing list, which in turn encourages return visits to your site.
There are numerous directories to which you can post announcements about new e-mail lists. These directories can be helpful because they provide a means of getting interested readers and promoters together.
To create interest in your site and brand or build personal relationships, regular promotions can really help. People like getting a break, or even better, free stuff. Depending upon what you’re promoting and to whom, the type of promotions you want to run will vary.
Table below describes several scenarios and suggestions for regular and seasonal promotions.
Site Type
Promotional Possibilities
DJ Web site
CD giveaways, trivia contests with prizes, show ticket giveaways, yearly concern promotion event.
Heart disease information Web site
Health-related book giveaways, monthly promotions for “heart health,” healthy cooking recipe contests, exercise equipment promotions, discount vouchers for healthy heart testing
Dating site
Romantic getaway contests, seasonal promotions for Valentine’s day, grand prizes for successful matches who meet and marry
Weather Web site
Weather trivia polls, seasonal promotions, such as “Sensational Spring” or “Sizzling Summer” promotions with contests and prizes such as weather trivia and vacation getaways
The key is to match your promotions to your audience and product or service. This is one part of promotions I really happen to like, because it can be great fun and extremely creative to sit down with friends or team members and come up with great ideas. Even if you’re limited in budget, there’s usually some way to provide innovative, interactive contests and promotions that engage your clients.
Here’s the lowdown on search engine submission. You can do it manually for free. The only problem there is going to be time—you may have to wait for your site to show up, or you may have to submit more than once to ensure that your site shows up. So, you might wish to use a company that does the site submissions.
Getting listed at a major search engine, such as Google, will get you listed in other search engines faster and vice versa. Once again you’re faced with having to choose a vendor to help. Paid submission will get your site ranked faster, and many search engines now offer fast additions and improved ranking for pay.
Here’s the lowdown on search engine submission. You can do it manually for free. The only problem there is going to be time—you may have to wait for your site to show up, or you may have to submit more than once to ensure that your site shows up. So, you might wish to use a company that does the site submissions.
