Step #1: Optimize Your Site

What if you could get your site in the top ten of Google rankings! You profits would go through the roof! Well you can, by using a little technique known as SEO.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results for targeted keywords. Using these same keywords throughout the body of your pages' content will help search engines pick up your site.

Guidelines to help with site optimization are can be found on major search engines such as Google. Tools for finding the best keyword phrases are also available (Google's own goodkeywords.com is free. HexaTrack is a free tool which allows you to find out what keywords your competitiors are using.) Opt for phrases relevant to your online home business - the more specific, the better. Avoid single words, as these are too broad.

Be wary though: overstuffing with keyword phrases creates website pages that feel unnatural and unwieldy. The most efficient way is actually to group 'like/related' keywords together and target these phrases across one optimized page.

Putting choice keywords into your website pages is only part of the story, however. SEO can also involve a site's coding, presentation, and structure, in addition to preventing search engine indexing programs from spidering your site.

Step # 2: Back-Link Your Website

Another great way to increase your search engine ranking is to build up your link popularity. To do that you need to establish as many inbound links as possible, preferably from highly respected directories, and from websites and directories related to your niche.

Reciprocal linking involves asking other webmasters if they are willing to link to your site in return for a link to their site. A word of caution: search engines regard two-way links less favorably and do not treat them as positively as one-way links.

Step # 3: Become an Article Marketer

Search engines favour sites with relevant content and rich information relating to targeted keywords. An excellentway of adding content to your website to include an article section. You could write your own articles, or post those written by others. You could even add an article directory to your site - you will have to maintain it of course. Linking your site to your own blog is another way to add content (Google's Blogger is excellent and easy to set up and use).

One of the best ways to provide literally hundreds of backlinks to your website is to become an article submitter. If you don't have the time (or inclination) to write your own articles, you can purchase Private Label Rights material relevant to your online business.

Once your article is ready add a "resource box" to the end of your article. The resource box is your opportunity to advertise your website, so in this box you need to include at least one URL to your site. Then submit your article to a number of high quality article directories.

Remember quality articles will drive the curious to find out more at your website.

Step # 4: Start an Email Campaign

A vital element of any home-based online business is setting up an Opt-in email campaign.

Opt-in email involves setting up an landing page where customers sign their name and email address in a prescribed box in exchange for information about a product or service they are interested in. This is done through the use squeeze page designed expressly for the purpose of harvesting email addresses of interested prospects.

You will need an autoresponder, a program designed to send emails out automatically to your customers. You create a series of follow up emails, which are then sent out at pre-programmed intervals. Your list is your lifeline to referrals and future sales since your ongoing relationship with your customers builds TRUST.

To succeed, all home-based online businesses need one thing: traffic. And that comes with hard work, coupled with expertise. Entrepreneurship and owning your own home based online business is not for the faint-hearted. However,if you are willing to use these techniques, preferrably focussing one at a time, you really can make your dreams come true.