Internet
Marketing: Start Right, Start Smart
Internet Marketing: Start Right, Start Smart
When a professional or small business owner decides to launch their
business on the Internet, they often start with a website. They’ve
heard that everybody has to have a website. Then they learn that
they should have an email newsletter.
Many people start out piece-meal. Website with one company, newsletter
delivery with another provider, online payments with another, and
as each need arises they get an account with a new provider. In
a previous article (http://snipurl.com/Internet_Marketing1), we
recommended starting with a shopping cart marketing system. The
next step is to establish your online presence.
Website First, Blog First?
As stated above, it wasn't long ago that you would get started
with your online business by creating a website. However, after
several months and several thousands of dollars you may learn your
website isn’t enough. You do need a web presence, and there
is an alternative to hiring a web designer to do it for you —
you can create a blog for your business.
Since the invention of easy-to-use blogging programs, we recommend
to many small businesses and professionals to skip a website, and
start off with a blog. A blog can do just about anything a website
can, and has several big advantages. (A blog actually is a website,
only its software provides for easily updated content and reader
participation.)
1. A blog is user-friendly. You can learn how to manage it yourself,
no need to hire a web designer, pay big fees or be at the mercy
of their busy schedule.
2. A blog is inexpensive. An account at Typepad.com, the leading
blog provider, runs from $5-$15/month.
3. Blogs are search engine friendly. Even if in the beginning you
don't have a clue about how to optimize your site for the search
engines, don’t worry. Just know that when you are writing
about your niche, to your targeted audience, you will be using the
very same keywords that get entered into Google when people are
searching for things. This will increase your chances of getting
found on the ‘Net by the people who want and need you. Websites
are a little more complicated and if they aren’t updated frequently,
they don’t get indexed by the search engine spiders very often.
Huh? What’s a Spider?
Don’t worry about the technological jargon. You don’t
have to understand how a blog and search engines work right now.
But you do have to know that these elements are “must-do’s”
for anyone who wants to use the Internet to build and grow a business
online.
Take some teleseminars – there are plenty and they're often
free – or, buy a couple of ebooks that show you how to manage
these tasks.
Don't make the mistake of getting overwhelmed by all the possibilities
and all the companies trying to sell you their services. Start out
slowly, ask questions, gather information, inform yourself about
the options and benefits before you even think about setting up
your website or blog.
While we can’t really make recommendations for you without
knowing about your business niche, in general, you can’t go
wrong by setting up a shopping cart and a blog so you can start
your business online the smart way. The two go hand in hand. If
you want to make money online, you can't have one without the other.
About the Author As the The Blog Squad,
Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman have teamed up to work with professionals
to maximize their marketing strategies by implementing blogs, ezines
and ecommerce tactics. They are co-authors of "Build a Better
Blog: The Ultimate Guide for Boosting Your Business with a Professional
Blog"," Confessions of a Reluctant Blogger: From Boring
to Brilliant in 30 Days" and "Secrets of Successful Ezines:
A Guide to Writing and Publishing an Ezine that Gets Results."
Are you ready for a blog? Take The Blog Squad's free assessment
at http://snipurl.com/Blog_Assessment.
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