Let’s face it. Your website is the most cost effective way that you have of promoting and advertising your business. The more website traffic you get, the better your ability to communicate with your customers and promote yourself. First off, why is your website the best way of promoting yourself?

Why Is Your Website Your Most Cost Effective Advertising and Promotion Method?

Price – While a completely custom designed online store with hundreds of products, demonstration videos and interactive features can be costly, you can probably get your site up and running from a professional designer for less than you think. Many of our clients are small businesses with even smaller budgets, so some of our most successful sites have been built for less than the cost of a month’s rent.

Your site is available 24/7 – Unlike television commercials, which are only shown at specific times during the day (usually when I’m in the bathroom or at the refrigerator) your website is ALWAYS available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A web advertisement will take potential customers to your website at any time, so as long as your audience is in front of their desktop computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet, your website is within reach.

Once it’s built, you OWN IT – Unlike renting a storefront on Main Street, which you must pay for every month, the cost of developing a website is a one time thing. Sure, you may need to pay for maintenance on occasion, but you don’t have to pay $500 or more per month to keep your site online. In fact, once your site is online, the average cost to host a site is usually less than $10 a month.

Your website can be full color and interactive – Unlike a print ad in your local paper or phone book, your website is more than just a one time 2×2 box with a phone number and slogan. Your website can feature pictures, video clips, contact forms, and even a full online store with discounts, coupons, and specials.

You may be able to maintain your site yourself – While we strongly recommend using a professional to design your site, if you or your employees have the time or computer skills, it’s not difficult to manage your own website, or at least certain elements of it. Most of the websites in our portfolios have “self managed” elements, from photo galleries and weekly specials to complete shopping carts and inventory management. Ask your developer what types of options they would recommend for maintaining your site on your own. If their only response is that a website is too technical and they must maintain it, I’d recommend going elsewhere.

Now That You Have Your Site, How Can You Drive Traffic To It?

Perform Periodic SEO – SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of designing and maintaining a search engine friendly website. Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo examine dozens of factors in determining which websites should be listed highest in search results. For more about SEO, see some of our other SEO articles here. A qualified website developer should design your site with many of these factors in mind, but there are things that you can do.

Use QR (Quick Read) Codes – You’ve seen them. They’re the little scanner codes that appear on flyers, coupons, maps, burger wrappers, etc. Just use your smart phone’s free scanner app and it takes the user to the web page of your choice. People are curious, and love to use their phones or tablets, so take advantage of that. Just make sure that the page they see has a special offer, deal, or other reason to come back. See some of our other QR Code Tips here.

Offer Web Specials – Having a sale? Americans love a bargain. Entire television shows are written around it. Encourage your customers to check out your site for weekly or monthly specials. You can update your website cheaper than taking out a weekly ad in the local paper, and if your customers know that they’ll be able to get special deals through your site, they’re more likely to come back often looking for deals.

Keep Your Site Up To Date – Americans spend more time on a computer, tablet or smart phone than they spend in front of a TV, driving, or reading a newspaper (all true statistics), and when people come to your site, they expect to see CURRENT information. If they drive past your store and see a 4th of July Sale banner, most people will come home and check out your site for more details before walking in and listening to a sales pitch from a sales person seeking a commission. It’s important that your customer can see up to date information on your website, not just a phone number and address.

Include Your Web Address (URL) Everywhere – Business cards, printed ads, television commercials, billboards… heck, pay a guy to tattoo it on his forehead. Most consumers will hear about your company 10-12 times before they’ll ever do business with you, so get your address out there. Let people know that you have a website and that you use it, and they’ll have a reason to check it out.

Write a Periodic Blog – Do you have information that others would value? Write periodic articles, offer how to videos, answer questions, and become an information resource. Once people know that they can come to your site for information, they’ll frequent your site more often, and tell others as well.