Popular Gripes
The most frequent complaint I hear when speaking on the topic of online marketing is, I just spent a ton of money on my Web site and it gets no traffic. I always explain to the disenchanted Web site owner that putting up a Web site and not actively marketing it is akin to spending money on some slick marketing material, then just filing it away in a drawer and wondering why it doesnt grow legs and go sell things for you. Your Web site, like your print material, is an inanimate object, and you are its master.

As the Internet becomes ever more crowded and competitive, you cant expect your would-be prospects to come looking for you. Its YOUR responsibility (not your Web sites) to go find them. The good news is, once you understand how the game works and make the commitment to do what it takes to find your prospects and pull them in, there is no reason why you cant have an extremely popular Web site.

The EASIEST part of owning a Web site is building one (which is not to imply that it is easy to build a compelling Web site). The most labor-intensive and frustrating part of having a successful Web presence begins AFTER your Web site is launched, however. If youre not willing to work your site, then it probably wont do you much good to spend the money needed to build it.

The second most frequently asked question, I already have to spend money marketing my products/services, now I have to spend money marketing my Web site too' Why shouldnt I just save my money and use it on traditional forms of marketing that have worked for me in the past? A Web site is an amazingly cost-effective marketing tool if you consider that every person that you tell about your Web site or who takes your business card or marketing brochure, can go online 24/7 and read all about your firm. What would it cost to put an ad like this in the paper? On TV? On the radio? On a billboard? A well-planned Web site is the most cost-effective marketing tool ever created IF its promoted properly.

If youre an educated consumer, a nice, interactive Web site is comparatively inexpensive these days. Depending on the size of the site and the features needed, a custom-designed site can cost as little as a few thousand dollars - generally between 3.5K-15K for a small to mid-sized business, and in the 40-60K range for larger businesses, depending on the industry and the features needed. If a Web site is designed well, it should have a shelf life (with some minor upgrades) of about three years.

Entertain or Educate
People will visit your Web site for two reasons only--to be entertained or educated. The most popular Web sites find a way to do both. Here is where you have to think out of the box. Identify a unique feature or service that you could put on your Web site that your competitors dont have. Use your imagination. Have a contest among your employees at work to come up with a unique, interactive feature or two. Ask your friends, clients, and partners for advice. Chances are that whatever you dream up can be done in a relatively cost-effective fashion with existing technology.

Site Launch Frenzy
Always make a big deal out of your Web site launch. Throw a party. Issue a press release. Call your local paper. Send out postcards. Have a contest. Give something away via your Web site with an online entry form, then announce the winner on your Web at a certain time and watch your Web traffic peak on that day. Mass email all your clients, partners, prospects, friends, and family members with a link to your new Web site, along with an online survey (located on your new site) that asks them to rate your new site. Everyone likes to play the critic and this will motivate a lot more people to go check out your new site. If you do end up getting any negative feedback, and you probably will, take it with a grain of salt. Youll find that some complaints are valid and some are not, so take an objective look at the feedback. Make the survey anonymous so they will have no reason not to go to your site. If you try to get their email addresses too early you will scare them away.

Tricks of the Trade
Publish informational articles online by submitting them to paid article submission services. Always include a link to your Web site in every article (online or offline) that you write. These services allow you to submit your articles through an online form, then they blast them out to their constantly updated list of publishers. They send your articles only to the category of publisher for which your articles are appropriate. Two of these services are http://www.ezinetrendz.com and http://www.submityourarticle.com If you submit an article through either of the above services, youll get emails from publishers and Webmasters telling you that they have/will publish your article or post it to their Web sites (if its a good article). If its a bad article youll know quickly because no one will pick it up.

Publish your own online newsletter and use it to up-sell current clients and interest your prospects. The feature article should have a blurb and a read more button that actually takes readers to your Web site.

Email press releases to your entire mailing list (with your Web link included).

Get a trade association whose members are your potential prospects to sponsor free workshops and get permission to email everyone in the association to invite them to register online for your free informational workshop. Of course, the online registration form is ON YOUR WEB SITE.

If you do still use some form of traditional advertising, make sure you always include your Web address in the ad. This may sound obvious, but I see examples all the time of companies that fail to plug their Web sites on billboards, newspaper ads, etc.

Reciprocal linking is how the most popular search engine (Google) determines your Web site ranking, so cross link with clients, partners, affiliates, professional associations, and, most, importantly, firms that offer complimentary products/services.

Be creative.

Still No Traffic?
If your Web site is getting little or no traffic after you have spent a considerable amount of time and money building AND MARKETING it, you must consider three possible causes:
You have an unprofessional looking Web site that may not be up to date (you must give visitors a compelling reason to visit and return).
How well is your offline marketing strategy working? If its not going well, you may need to rethink your overall marketing plan.
Are your products/services selling once you are able to contact your target market? If not, you have big problems and you may need to change anything from your vertical focus to your whole business model.

For more information about effective online marketing campaigns or to request a complimentary Web site assessment, visit www.nurelm.com.