or How to Increase Your marketing one - and most are -
Targeted Web Site Traffic aimed at your UK or overseas
and Sales...) markets, it should be an
integrated part of your main
You have a web site. marketing and operations. It
should support your marketing and
Perhaps it was developed be supported by your marketing.
internally by you or by one of
your own people. Or perhaps you In this article, I shall discuss
employed a web design agency to some of the key things you need
produce it for you. to do to identify and tackle your
problems.
You know you're not happy with it
but don't know what to do about 1. Set out your stall - what do
it. you want to achieve?
Sound familiar? Then you are one Easier said than done actually,
of many businesses, both large but the more clearly you can set
and small, who are disappointed out your objectives - quantified
with their web site. if possible - then the easier it
will be to decide what to do
The reason is often a failure to about it and also how much effort
understand what you should be and money it is worthwhile
trying to do with the site and investing in the process.
(let's be honest) probably a
failure to invest the time and 2. Identify the problems and
the effort needed to make the opportunities
site successful.
You have to ask some key
If your business web site is a questions:
- What is the site actually Statistics from the site
achieving? ( Do we know what it's operating logs should help to
achieving? - Frequently the answer these questions and give
honest answer is ‘no', so how some clues on where visitors are
can we find out what it's coming from and what they are
achieving? ) looking at.
- What do our customers, staff, Tip: If you think 1000 ‘hits'
potential visitors think about in your site logs means you are
it? (Why not ask some?) receiving 1000 visitors, get some
help to understand them better.
- What are our competitors or
similar businesses doing on their 3. Sort out your web site
sites? Is our's inferior - and marketing
can we use their ideas to improve
our performance too? Your website itself is a
‘product' and you should go
- Are there new ideas out there through the key marketing steps
we should be adopting? on it again to make sure you
still have a sound foundation:
Frequently things boil down to:
- Who are your target
- How many visitors is the site audience(s)?
seeing and where are they coming
from? - What do you need to have on
- Is the site converting enough your site to attract them to it
visitors to sales or enquiries? in the first place? Is it there?
Do you need to make your site
‘sell' more strongly? - Do you want them to come back
again? What would attract them product, specialist industry news
back? or articles, games, good deals,
support service?
- What content or service do you
need to provide on-line or - Search engines: These can
off-line to back up your produce substantial business
'promise' to your visitors? volumes for you - some surveys
report as much as 80% of traffic
- How should you promote your web to sites comes from search
site and contents to your target engines originally. Whilst having
audience? a budget helps, affordable search
engine promotion is possible for
The answers will depend on your most businesses.
product, type of business, target
audience etc. However, there are - Relationship marketing:
some effective traditional and Permission e-mail newsletters can
internet marketing approaches inform your target audience about
which you should consider. A full new product offers or initiatives
discussion would be beyond the and encourage repeat visits and
scope - certainly the length - of sales.
this article but some core ideas
include: - Off-line marketing: Use your
web site as an integral part of
- Try to make your site a magnet your traditional marketing and
for your target audience. What promotion.
would drive them to come to you
in preference to your Tip: If internet marketing is not
competitors? Information on your your skill area, get some help to
product or service field, advice sort things out. You'll be glad
on how to choose or use a you did.
About the Author:
Dave Abernethy is Managing Director of Net Commerce Solutions Limited, a UK web design and internet marketing company serving UK and international businesses. He has over 25 years experience in business management, consultancy and marketing. A fuller version of this article can be read at http://www.net-commerce-solutions.co.uk/articles.htm
Read more articles by:
DAVID ABERNETHY
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
