Why build a website if you're not going to promote it?

While most businesses that sell directly online probably do promote their websites, many other businesses such as health practitioners, consultants and sole traders are probably guilty of doing almost nothing to promote their website, other than perhaps including their site address on business cards and brochures.

This is a shame, because anyone who has gone to the trouble of putting up a website can do a lot at very little cost.  For example, if you're an expert in your field, why not put helpful articles on your site that visitors can download?  Or why not put interesting links on there? Or run a competition? Or offer a discount? Or offer gift vouchers?  Or a whitepaper?  As you can see the options are many and varied.

These days, internet users are constantly in search of products and services online.  They search for these products by using any one of hundreds of search engines, directories and websites that exist today.  The biggest search engine, by far, is Google.  But internet users also search via specific websites such as the Whitepages and Yellowpages, YouTube and big storefronts like Amazon.  Search engines have an advantage over paid directories and websites like the Yellow Pages, Amazon and iTunes because they are more dynamic in their search for information, products and services.  They are constantly combing the internet to indexi websites so that when a user enters a search term or 'keyword', the search engine is able to present relevant information through the links that it provides.  Some of these links are natural or free listings while others are paid adveristements called "sponsored links".

Obviously, if you can tap into this online search marketplace, you have a chance to increase your business and move beyond the geographical boundaries inherent in a bricks and mortar operation. After all, the internet is a wide open marketplace without such boundaries.

There are different ways to tap into the online marketplace, but a few of the most important are SEO (Search Engine Optimization), PPC advertising, joint ventures and affiliate marketing.

All of these methods have the potential to boost your online business.  And these days it is becoming increasingl important to adopt some form of online marketing along side your other more traditional sales and marketing activities.

Internet marketing strategies may not be important to you if your customers find you primarily through brochures, print ads, business cards, sales reps or resellers but if you want to grow your business, find new markets and reach more people, there is often no better way than to harness the power of the internet.

The type of online marketing strategies you require depends very much on the type of industry and business that you're in.  At the very least, your website can be easily linked to your Yellow Pages ad. Beyond that, the choices are many and sky's the limit.