Boost your business basics.
A few simple tips that you can do, some without incurring any cost to help enhance your internet presence.
Simply register your company on all of the local directories where the initial registration is free. It means that you increase the liklihood of your business being referenced within your business sector and by default you get a backlink which has a nominal value relative to the search engines. A few examples are;
You can be quite canny and look up your competitions company name and see which websites they are referenced on.
You may get the odd sales phone call but you may get some extra business.
Title Tags
Make sure your title tags say what you do.
It's a lot more important to search engines than to say who you are as that will probably be inherent in the website. But if people are searching for products and services; this is new business. People who know your company by name will find you anyway.
URL Submissions
Submit your homepage URL to the important Web search engines that "robotically" index the Web. Look for a link on the search engine for "Add Your URL."
In the UK the most used search engines are: Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL Search, and Ask.com. Some of these are also the source of content to other search engines.
Submit Your Site to Industry Sites
You may find some directories specifically focused on your own profession and you may have membership of trade associations. Ask for a link and even if you do have to pay a nominal sum, at least your website will be in the appropriate trade category.
Request Reciprocal Links
Find complementary websites and by this I mean that if you are offering electrical services, it may be that a builder may be happy to have a link to you on their website as it does not conflict with their own service offering.
Put the reciprocal link to the builder on an out-of-the way page so that it can be found, but is not going to act as a catalyst for people leaving your site as fast as you bring them in.
Your Stationery
Include your website address on stationery, cards and literature
This is a no-brainer that is sometimes overlooked. Make sure that all reprints of cards, stationery, brochures, and literature contain your company's URL including your fax header.
Traditional Media
The web is effective as a marketing tool, but the traditional methods still count
Don't discontinue methods that you've found effective, however ensure you have included your URL in any display or classified ads you purchase in trade journals, newspapers, yellow pages or leaflets.
If you work on the basis that you grab the readers attention with an offer on a leaflet or poster then refer them to a URL where they can obtain more information to qualify the offer and perhaps place an order.
Email Signatures
Add a "Signature" to Outlook, Outlook Express or your adopted E-Mail programme.
It may sound obvious, but if you don't have your website address and a one liner describing your services at the bottom of your email you could be missing out.
Most e-mail programmes allow you to designate a "signature" to appear at the end of each message you send. Don't go mad and write an essay, keep it simple: company name, address, phone number, URL, e-mail address, and a one-phrase description of your unique business offering or USP.
Publish an E-Mail Newsletter
It's time consuming, but publishing a monthly e-mail newsletter is one of the very best ways to keep in touch with your prospects, generate trust, develop brand awareness, and build future business. It also helps you to collect e-mail addresses from your website visitors.