The Top 10 Web Tips for Every Business

When I speak in front of a group of business people about the internet, website design, search engine optimization and internet marketing I (almost) always start out by asking this question …

“Does your website add value to your business?”   Then I ask, “Does your website do what it is supposed to do for your business?  Does it draw in new clients? new leads? new profit?”  Generally, there’s a mix of nods, shakes, and shrugs.  Rarely do I see someone nodding their heads ‘Yes’ to all of the questions.

Over the years I’ve developed a short list of ten tips for any business to help them nod ‘Yes’ to every question.

Top 10 Web Tips for Every Business

Evaluate Your Domain Name
Does your domain name mean something?  Does your domain name express who/what your business is?  For example, www.kleenex.com or www.disney.com you pretty much know what you’re gonna get before you get there; but who the hell ever heard of www.transmutationsciences.com?  If your company is heavily branded you might be fine with your company name as the domain; if not, you may want to have your domain name be the keywords of your business.  www.webdesignportland.com means something (Don’t check, there’s a squatter on the domain).

Create a Foundation via Keyword Research
An absolutely essential step to creating the most effective content is to develop a true understanding of the  keywords / phrases people will use to find you in a search.  Then, of course, be certain you use them.

Analyze Your Competitor’s  Internet Strategies
Just as when you created your business plan you need to evaluate your competitor’s websites and their internet marketing strategies.  What are they doing well?  What aren’t they doing so well?

Understand User Actions
My father was a QC Engineer years ago and the department’s bowling team was “左、右、上、下 “  (Up, Down, Left, Right) a winking reference to how to read machine part blueprints.  The way visitors view and interact with your website is the same.  What are visitors clicking on?  What pages are they going to?  What’s the site retention?

Track Performance
Once your understand user actions, track the performance.  Are users taking action?  Are they doing what you want them to do?  If you want them to buy, are they buying?  If you want them to call, are they calling?  In other words … what’s the conversion?

Be Found Locally
Even if your business spans the world, if you’re not found locally what makes you think you can be found regionally? or worldwide?

Be Social
Be social in every sense of the phrase.  Your company has a voice, so speak up.  Get connected.  FaceBook.  MySpace.  LinkedIn. You name it … do it.   Then be certain to participate.   I had a client come to me last year complaining he was getting zero internet business, “I have a MySpace page and I’m on Facebook and Linked In … Why am I not getting any sales of my album?”  So, I looked into it … he had no friends!  Ok.  He was friends with the ubiquitous Tom at MySpace and that was it.  He’d had the MySpace page up for 3 years!  Um.  Hello?

Become an Authority
The follow up to “Be Social” is become an authority … you do what you do ’cause you’re damn good at it!  So, show off.  Write articles, write a blog, get those articles out into the world.   See my article on ARM.

Create an “SEO Culture” in Your Company
Up at the top of the list we discussed keywords … those words and phrases must be a part of your company’s vernacular.  They should be incorporated in your press releases, web text, articles, product / service descriptions, and more.  The helps build and re-inforce your internet marketing strategies.

If you utilize these 10 basic strategies your web presence will become more widespread, more easily found, and integrated so thoroughly your website will finally be doing what you’ve always wanted it to … BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS.

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