Four Strategies for Promoting Your Website

Having a website is just as important for the success of your business as having a business card. But, just like a business card, a website is a passive tool — it can't find your clients and prospects on its own. They need your help to find it.

Increasing traffic to your website will require you to undertake a campaign to raise awareness. Here are some tips to help increase your site's visibility.

Include It With All E-Mail

One way to get a contact to go to your website is by putting a link in your e-mail signature. Almost all e-mail programs have this feature available.

A sample signature would look something like this:

My Name
Firm Name
(800) 233-2834
http://www.yourwebsite.com (make sure to include the full URL to make the link active)

List It Everywhere Your Name Appears

• Business card
• Letterhead
• Flyers
• Brochures
• Sponsorships (yearbook ads, youth sports team banners and uniforms, signs at charitable events, etc.)
• Seminar invitations and workbooks
• Advertising (including Yellow Pages ads)
• Your Emerald newsletter masthead
• Invoices and account statements
• Voice mail greetings and hold messages: "Visit us on the Web at www.yourwebsite.com."
• All business correspondence

Tell Everyone

Word of mouth can dramatically increase your website traffic. In addition to telling your friends, family, and business associates, share your website with clients and prospects during consultations. It is a reassurance that you are in business for a long time to come, and care enough about your clients to have resources readily available.

Send a monthly e-mail to clients and prospects listing highlights or "what's new" this month on your website. After speaking with prospects, ask for their e-mail address to send monthly information, and include your website in the e-mail.

Use your website as a marketing tool when approaching businesses about co-sponsored seminars — use it as a value-added resource you'll provide to the employees.

Write About It

If you write articles about financial topics for your website, consider submitting these articles to other sites and blogs. Many publications, online and on paper, are continuously seeking new content and may welcome your submissions. Include your Web address with your byline or in your bio at the end of the article to help give your website additional exposure. Plus, having multiple articles published on the Internet under your byline may help raise your profile as a financial expert.

Once you have identified a potential website or publication, read the existing content to help determine whether your article would be of interest to the site's target audience. But don't limit your submissions to financial sites. Most people have a need for reliable financial information, even if they don't seek it out directly. Consider submitting articles to community newspapers, organizational newsletters, and other publications available to your target audience. Don't expect to be paid, but stipulate that you will give permission to publish only if your Web address appears with your articles.

A website is an important tool for building credibility, educating your clients, and enhancing your image — but you have to get people to visit your site before you can enjoy these benefits. Taking action to raise your site's profile may help you increase traffic and build your business.

Are you looking for an internet marketing solution for your practice? Find out more about Emerald's websites