1. You don't offer free original content. It's important to give your visitors information they can't find anywhere else. If you're the only source for a certain type of information, people will flock to your web site.
2. You don't offer free software. Most people like to find good deals on software for their computers. If the software is free, that is even better.
3. You don't offer a free contest or sweepstakes. It's a fact, people like to win things. If you can fulfill that need, people will stop by to visit.
4. You don't offer a free directory. Create a directory of web sites on a particular topic that is related to your target audience. People will visit because they will find what they're looking for, all in one place.
5. You don't offer a free e-zine. Most people love to get free information that they're interested in emailed to them on a regular basis. This saves them time and money.
6. You don't offer a free community. People like to have a place were they can have discussions with others on a particular subject. You could add a chat room or message board to your web site.
7. You don't offer a free affiliate program. One of people's basic needs to survive is money. When you offer them a free opportunity to make money they'll line up to visit your web site.
8. You don't offer a free online utility. When you offer a utility that can solve a problem, people will visit your web site. The utility could be a free autoresponder, e-mail account, search engine submission, etc.
9. You don't offer free current information. Supply news stories related to your web site. People want up-to-date news on the topics they are interested in. They will also be interested in visiting your web site.
10. You don't offer free samples of your product or service. Have you ever been to a store and you jumped at the chance to get a free sample of food? This same concept will also attract people to visit your web site.
Find People Web Site
Acronyms, lingo, terminology; these terms that are thrown about by many web savvy people like a cup of flour or sugar to yesterday's housewives are enough to put any web newbie off. It can take days of research just to figure out what the neighborhood techy said to you at the cocktail party last night, never mind figuring out what it all actually means to you and the website you thought you could develop for yourself so easily on publisher!
Shopping for a unique and expressive URL on ?Go Daddy? or ?Network Solutions? seems so fun; surely the whole process will be just as effortless, won't it? Of course now that you are reading this you might be wondering if you chose the right URL? They are relatively inexpensive, so if you are not 100% in love with yours buy more of them and be creative with it.
For the average do it yourselfer creating a website sounds like a nice rainy Sunday afternoon project, until they realize that there are just so many tough choices to make. Many business owners quickly get frustrated just trying to decide between a ?static? site, a ?dynamic? site or a ?wholesale? site; then we get into flash, credit card options, newsletters, search engine optimization (seo), content management systems (cms), coding and blogging just to name a few decisions. The Domain Name is purchased and then it sits there waiting for the decisions to be made and or a web designer / web development service to be hired to assist in making solid educated decisions. It all looks so simple while you are browsing online at competitive web sites. The cost of making bad decisions when it comes to your web presence can be high, after all this is frequently the first impression you will make on the very consumer you are trying to reach and capture, we have all heard all our lives how important first impressions are to our future relationships.
To avoid the pitfalls start by looking online at websites for products and services that are related to your business or service. Every site usually has a creator listed in the footer. Make a note of what you like and don't like in the appearance, content, features and usability of these competitive sites. Get 3-6 cost estimates with full feature and benefits comparison and then get to work developing a website that will drive new business to you, help you keep existing business and be an overall asset to your future.
Once your site is up and running; utilizes the following disciplines to stay up to date:
1) Utilize a service or template so you don't get lost in cyber land trying to learn how to write in code.
2) Return to those competitive site frequently, know your competition and keep an eye on new features they are developing.
3) Every week invest a minimum amount of time to finding and maintaining appropriate links.
4) Ask your customers for feedback on your site and your service.
5) Regularly post customer testimonials.
6) Keep it simple; don't let your site get overly complicated.
7) Add new content on a regular basis either via a service, by changing a page or blogging.
8) Have the customer inquiries routed to your daily e-mail so you can respond promptly with little effort.
9) Buy several appropriate URL's and have them feed into your main site for broader client lead generation.
10) Subscribe to at least 1 related e-newsletter so you get weekly input without having to search for it.
Remember that your website is likely the first impression your new customers will have of your business so make it a statement of who you are, what your business offers and the quality of service you are going to give the customer once they entrust you with their precious time and money. You should know your business better than anyone else, so make sure your website accurately portrays the message you want to deliver to the consumers you are trying to reach. That said, you also want to keep that first impression fresh and timely with regular maintenance. The savings in lead generation you will gain from a great website verses print media will make the effort well worth your while.
Both David Riewe & Teresa Dietrich are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Teresa Dietrich has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, Computers and The Internet. M6.Net provides Windows ASP, ASP.Net & PHP Reseller hosting with multiple sites in the one account. M6.Net is one of the oldest Windows Hosting companies, operating since 1997. M6.Net provides the most affordable, most flexible and most powerful Windows h. Teresa Dietrich's top article generates over 1900 views. Bookmark Teresa Dietrich to your Favourites.
