At times, website promotion can seem confusingly complicated. There seem to be so many, sure-fire new ways to get thousands of hits to your site. Whilst some of these methods work, most just waste your time.
So, welcome back to the basics of website promotion – 10 simple, effective, ways to promote your site. Learn something new, or just remind yourself of an ‘old favourite’.
1. SUBMIT YOUR SITE TO SEARCH ENGINES & DIRECTORIES
Submit your site to all the major search engines and directories (except Yahoo!). Repeat at monthly intervals ONLY if your site isn’t listed on the first 3 pages for your chosen words!
Links:
– http://www.jimtools.com/submit.html
– http://www.shoptour.co.uk/submit-all.html – UK shopping
Tip: Hand submit your site to the major search engines here
– http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/bin/ap.pl?site-submit
2. SUBMIT YOUR SITE TO YAHOO! (& DMOZ)!
Both Yahoo! and the Open Directory Project (DMOZ) are search directories that are edited by real people. As such, you must follow the submission guidelines of both sites exactly, or your site will not succeed in getting listed. And Yahoo! is one of the busiest sites on the web, with DMOZ helping your chances of a good listing on Google. It really is vital that your site gets listed on one of these directories!
Links (how to suggest your site):
– http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/
– http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/info/include.html
– http://www.dmoz.org/add.html
Tip: Yahoo! Exposed shows you how to get a #1 Yahoo listing
– http://www.snash.org/go/yahoo-exposed.html
3. SWAP LINKS WITH OTHER SITES
Do the following:
– Identify sites with similar content to yours
– Get in touch with the site’s webmaster (use their name)
– Politely ask for a reciprocal link, then create a “Links” section on your site and put the links there.
Not everyone will respond, but it is worth your effort as search engines can rank sites based on how many other sites link to it!
Links (more information):
– http://www.bannertips.com/howto.shtml
Tip: Automate the link-exchange process with Arelis software
– http://www.snash.org/go/arelis.html
4. JOIN A FREE BANNER-EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Place a banner ad. on your site and other site’s will place your ad. on theirs. It’s a great way to get your site noticed, and there are many free banner exchange programs to choose from.
There are now even some programs that allow you to swap text links too.
Links:
– http://www.linkexchange.com
– http://www.ukbanners.com
– http://www.txtswap.com
Tip: Do a search on Google, for “banner exchange programs”
– http://www.google.com/
A signature file (sigfile) is a block of text that can be appended to the end of each e-mail message sent by your e-mail software. Use it in your e-mail, or whenever you participate in discussion groups relevant to your services or products (see below).
Links:
– http://www.siglets.com/addasig.php (how to add a sigfile)
– http://www.privatesites.com/sigpower.cgi?15161
Tip: A good sigfile has the following elements: divider line; Unique Selling Proposition; an offer; URL of website
6. POST A NEWSGROUP DISCUSSION
Somewhere, there’s a newsgroup or forum involved in discussions relevant to your site. A good place to find them is Google, which allows you to search all of the Usenet newsgroups for a particular term or phrase.
Post a message to a suitable newsgroup using Outlook Express (or other newsreader software) , or via Google’s news-group site. Follow the newsgroup guidelines, but it is okay to use your signature file!
Links (Google Groups – formerly Deja News):
– http://groups.google.com
Tip: whether you’re a beginner or an expert marketer, there’s a forum for you:
– http://www.wise-buys.info/cgi-bin/w/t.cgi?newbieclub_10
– http://www.wise-buys.info/cgi-bin/w/t.cgi?forum_10 (experts)
7. OFFER AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM
Affiliate programs are a win-win opportunity for you and your potential partners (affiliates). Apart from the instant sales force you develop, you create lots of links back to your site and generally improve site exposure. Your affiliates gain from adding products or services to sell on their site.
Links:
– http://www.tradedoubler.com (Europe)
– http://www.cj.com (Worldwide)
Tip: Clickbank not only provides an immediate affiliate salesforce, it also allows you to sell products online
– http://www.shoptour.co.uk/go/clickbank.html
8. PUBLISH AN E-ZINE
An e-zine or newsletter allows you to stay in touch with your visitors. You can educate your visitors with how-to articles, let them know about new offers, or just inform them about site- improvements. Readers of your newsletter can become regular visitors to your site, and good customers too. And running a newsletter can be free!
Links:
– http://www.topica.com
– http://groups.yahoo.com
– http://www.sparklist.com
Tip: learn more about publishing a newsletter here
– http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/bin/ap.pl?publish-news
9. RUN A COMPETITION
Competitions are a great way of promoting your website, and finding out more about your site’s visitors in the process. Offer a prize related to your website, and get people to fill out an entry form (or even join your newsletter).
When it comes time to announce the winners, send an e-mail to everyone with the winners name, and add items of interest about your services and opportunities too.
Even better, there are sites that will actually promote your online competition, giving your site even more exposure!
Links:
– http://www.loquax.co.uk/webmaster/ (how-to guide)
– http://www.theprizefinder.com/asp/addacompetition.asp
Tip: Example? Win a copy of the 5th Harry Potter book here! 😉
– http://www.hurryforharry.co.uk/harry-potter-5.html?10
10. WRITE A PRESS RELEASE
Press releases are one of the most effective ways to generate traffic to your site. If written well, they can produce startling results. There are sites that give advice on how to write a press release, and sites that will compose and distribute your press release for you (and lots, lots more).
Links:
– http://drnunley.com – PR advice
– www.prweb.com – PR service
Tip: Learn how to write and get your press release published:
– http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/bin/ap.pl?press-release
So there you have it – 10 simple ways that you can promote your website. All that’s left to do now is to get out there and do some promotin’. (So, what are you waiting for!?)
Website promotion.
Get back to basics!
PS If you’re reading this article with a view to building a new website, and then promoting it, then I recommend you visit Site Build It! first.
This unique tool quite literally lets you build, promote and profit from your website. (It covers site submission, ezine publication, affiliate programs and very soon will even do automatic link-exchanging too. It’s the tool I use to create (& promote) this website – http://HowIPromoteMyWebsite.com .)
Find out more here… http://www.site-buildit.com
STEVE M NASH is the author of the ebook: “3 Super-Tips To
Build, Promote And Profit More From Your Website.” Download
your free copy now! http://www.wise-buys.info/bonus.shtml
He’s also the author of many popular articles aimed at
webmasters, affiliates, even complete beginners. Read them
here! http://www.wise-buys.info/webmaster-articles.html
