What to do with your website when you have one...

By: Master Web Creations
2/23/2006

Having a web site is useless if you don't do anything with it. Now that your site is out there, it needs maintenance to fulfill the purpose that is was designed to meet. If you have press releases, they should go to your site; if you have a gallery of work, you should add to it anytime you complete a significant project to gain recognition

It can take up to 3 months for search engines to spider your site and it can take even longer to be ranked on the first page of search engine results for general keywords you have optimized your site for.

To get your audience to find and utilize your website, you should

• print your web address on your print media
  • business cards
  • letterhead
  • brochures
  • newspaper, magazine and yellow pages ads
• use your web address in any other advertisements
  • radio
  • television
  • banner ads/internet
• never make your website your sole marketing strategy
  • incorporate it into your all-encompassing marketing campaign
• build link popularity
  • exchange links with
    • radio stations
    • newspapers
    • suppliers
    • manufacturers
    • vendors
    • parent/sister companies
    • local community resource sites
    • BBB or Chamber of Commerce
    • complimentary service companies
    • the print company you use or where you get your office furniture from

You should occasionally check on your status by monitoring your traffic and comparing it to your earnings made. Using surveys helps keep track of your advertising campaign strategies and measuring their success. Surveys may also reveal whether you are reaching your target audience or not seeing any return on investment.

Always provide up-to-date information on your website. It is the quickest and easiest way, besides calling your establishment, for your clients and potential customers to get frequently asked questions answered.

Search engines frequently change and update the algorithms that rank your site. You should check your rankings prior to each website update to ensure satisfactory results and modify any intended changes.

A quarterly report will provide a good overview and help you decide if further enhancements are necessary. Some enhancements might include choosing an SEO company, adding PPC to your advertising campaign or publishing articles related to your industry.

For further questions about website marketing, email Master Web Creations with a description of your site and the process of your marketing campaign.

~ a www.masterwebcreations.com article