Website Advertising Tips

Branding

Just like traditional advertising methods, your website should properly reflect your business brand. The website should look professional, but have the same look and feel as all other messaging that you distribute. Branding should also be established through an easy to remember domain name that highlights your company name, products or services.

Online Advertising

Pay-per-click advertising through search engines such as Google or Yahoo can drive customized traffic to your website. This method of advertising can be cost effective because you only pay for customers who click on a target ad to reach your website. The customers who arrive at your website from pay-per-click advertising are more apt to be in the market for your goods and services than a random web surfer.

Communication Advertising

Every message you send out from your business through email, letters and offline marketing should include your website address. Providing your website address on routine communications helps your existing customers find and utilize your business website. This tip also applies to business cards.

Provide Quality Content

Your website should be more than just a static page listing your products and services. Include information, tips and related articles that keep your existing customers returning and helps reel in new customers. Helpful information keeps your website relevant, increases visibility and increases your credibility.

Create Interaction

Create customer interaction through your website. Beyond including phone number and contact information, your website should help you create a customer contact database. For example, you could have a contest, a free newsletter or a survey. This interaction keeps customers interested in your website and provides an opportunity to gather their contact information. Be sure to provide an opt-out option for future marketing to avoid making unwanted contacts.

Off-Line Publicity

Generate traffic to your website through off-line publicity. You could sponsor an event for a nonprofit organization, try to get a feature in a local business magazine or send out press releases for noteworthy business updates like a new product line or services. In all these communications, be certain to highlight your website address.

Reliability

Savvy customers want to buy from companies who provide reliable and secure online environments. Make sure to have a SSL certificate or other secure protocol enabled for any online purchase processes and prominently feature the security logo on your website. Also look into business reliability programs such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which can increase your customer's view on your business reliability both online and offline.