Give Your Web
Site a Small Business Marketing Tune Up
By: Jeremy
Cohen
Your web site is
like your car. Both are significant
investments that require the right features
and regular and proper maintenance to ensure
maximal satisfaction and performance.
Your car is a finely tuned machine. You
bought it not only to get you from point A
to point B but also perhaps to have some fun
and look good as you go. If you purchased
your car new its engine had no wear. To keep
it running like the day you bought it you
maintain it regularly: you change the oil
every 3000 miles, you inspect its belts and
hoses, you check its fluids and rotate its
tires (or at least you should). Without such
attention the money you spent on your car
will eventually seem like a mistake as it
sits idly in your garage because it won’t
start.
Your investment in your web site deserves
the same care you give your car. While the
purpose of your car is to get you from place
to place, the purpose of your web site is to
help you develop new business and become
more successful. It doesn’t matter if your
business is retail sales or professional
services, your web site is supposed to act
as your store front on the Internet. While
your web site doesn’t need its oil changed
or tires rotated it does require maintenance
to ensure it performs as the marketing tool
you intended it to be when you paid to have
it developed.
Here are five things you can do to tune up
or add to the marketing function of your web
site.
Fresh content
Fresh content will keep your visitors coming
back to your site just like the oil and gas
in your car help ensure it starts every time
you put the key in the ignition. If you
neglect to maintain fresh supplies of
either, you’re asking for trouble. Your
visitors seek fresh content. Once your
visitors realize they’ve gotten all their
going to get out of your site they will not
return.
Add new, relevant and helpful content to
your site as often as you can and you will
keep your visitors happy and returning.
Keywords
Your keywords are the words your visitors
use when they think about the products or
services you provide. They are like the make
and model of your car - they are what get
noticed. Your visitors use keywords and
phrases to perform searches at sites like
Google and Yahoo! to find what they need.
They recognize and respond to these words
when they see them featured in search
listings, advertisements and other
promotional materials. Make sure you know
your keyword phrases and incorporate them
into the Title, Meta Tags and copy of your
web site.
Copy
The advertising copy of your web site can be
likened to the amenities of your car. Your
car has a stereo, cup holders and convenient
storage space to address your wants and
needs as you drive. The copy of your web
site should do the same thing. To maximize
the marketing function of your web site’s
copy make sure it focuses on the problems,
wants and concerns of your clients. Your
visitors will be more likely to identify you
as the solution to their problem if you
demonstrate to them that you understand
their needs.
Require Action
Just like your car requires you to step on
the gas to make it go, your web site
requires your visitors to take the action
you want them to take in order to function
as an effective marketing tool. No one has
to tell you to step on the gas. Your
visitors need to be told what to do. Tell
them to “buy now” or “request our catalog”.
If you don’t they might ever know that’s
what they’re supposed to do.
Get Contact Info
Getting contact information from you
visitors is like remembering the keys to
your car. If you can’t get into you car and
start it, you’re not going anywhere.
Likewise, if you don’t learn who your
prospects are you can’t continue marketing
to them. Most people who visit your web site
will not buy from you the first time they
stop by. In most cases, it takes between six
and eight marketing contacts with a prospect
before they choose to purchase something.
Your prospects are no different. If you
acquire their contact information you will
be able to repeatedly market to them.
Take the steps you need to maintain your web
site and it will run smoothly and get you
where you want to go.
About the Author
The author, Jeremy Cohen, helps small
business owners and professional service
providers attract more clients and be more
successful by helping them deliver a web
site that sells and improve their marketing
materials to generate more interest in their
products and services. Get his free
marketing guide, Jumpstart Marketing: More
Profits, Clients and Success:
http://www.bettermarketingresults.com/marketing-services.asp
