When you first make a decision to start an Internet business or
to put your existing business online, it helps if you have a
realistic appreciation of just how long it takes to break-even
on your efforts. Usually, it takes several months!
Putting up a business Website is just the beginning. The real
challenge is to achieve visibility in the crowded Internet
marketplace. The days are long gone when you could expect to sit
back and wait for potential customers to find you. Now, you must
be prepared to invest heavily in time and effort to attract
traffic to your site.
Depending upon the type of traffic you are trying to attract,
your efforts will be focused on: ? Submitting your Website
to the major search engines and relevant directories.
? Continually optimizing your Website for the major search
engines so that your site at least appears in the first three
pages of returns when someone performs an Internet search using
your keywords.
? Setting up link exchanges with complementary sites.
? Online advertising through pay-per-click (PPC) vendors (such
as Google and Yahoo), article submissions, ezine classified ads,
blogs and RSS feeds.
? Promoting your Website through an email newsletter.
? Setting up and/or participating in affiliate programs.
? Offline advertising in local newspapers, flyers, industry
periodicals and relevant association publications.
These activities are not difficult to accomplish, but
expect a learning curve if this is your first experience at
Internet marketing. And equally important, it takes time and
effort away from your business operations to focus on these
activities.
But focus your must. Otherwise, your new Website will lie there,
invisible to your target audience. So, if you can't devote the
time ? or don't have the expertise to ? accomplish these
necessary tasks, then hire someone else to do it. Your
investment will pay off many times over.
Nonetheless, a tree doesn't grow overnight. Even with continual
attention, it normally takes six months to a year before your
search engine rankings alow you to achieve visibility in your
targeted markets. You can expedite traffic to your site through
PPC advertising and other means, but the bottom line is that it
can be a long haul. The most important thing is to have a solid
marketing plan?and lots of patience.
About the author:
About the Author
Al Kernek is an Internet marketing consultant and the author of
"Put
Your Business Online," a step-by-step guide for
successfully creating and promoting a low-cost Website.
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