You have a wonderful, new Web site. But unless prospective clients can find it, it is just wasted Web space. Following are a few suggestions for making sure your prospects can find your Web site to ensure it's an effective lead generation tool -- and that all your work doesn't go to waste.
Obtaining 'natural search results'
There are several things you can do to attract search engines and rank toward the top of the natural listings. The plus side is most of these suggestions cost only the time it takes to do them. The down side is that it can take time for natural search strategies to work.
- Make certain your Web site contains fresh, keyword-rich content and the keywords and terms are featured on the page. Keywords are words or phrases that a person types into a search engine to find what they are looking for. Determine which words people are most likely to use to find your business, and make sure those words and phrases are featured in your content and headlines. Freshness is critical -- search engines are specifically programmed to return more frequently to index more active sites.
- Enter page titles. Page titles, which appear in the bar at the top of your Web page, offer important guides for search engines indexing your Web site. They are a brief, keyword-rich description of the page content. The page title and description appears hyperlinked on the search engine results when your page is found in a keyword search. Web sites built with content management systems usually include a placeholder where you can enter page titles and descriptions. If yours does not and you don't know how to code, you can use Adobe Dreamweaver, which lets you fill in page titles in plain English.
- Include META descriptions and header tags. The META description -- a brief keyword-rich summary of the page -- and the header tags give instructions to the search engines about your Web site, as well as offering guidance to users. Again, this should be easily handled by your content management system.
- Build incoming links. Search engines look favorably on relevant links leading from other Web sites into yours -- also known as "link-popularity." The more the merrier, as long as they are related to your business. Find similar Web sites and email or call the owner to see if they will exchange links. Avoid like the plague, however, businesses that promise you hundreds of links. Often, the links are poor quality, and the search engines could end up penalizing you.
- Manually submit your home page URL (address) to major search engines. These include Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL Search, and Ask.com. Look for the "add your URL" link. Some of these sites will feed your information to lesser-known search engines.
- Submit your Web site to major directories. Links from directories can help you attain higher rankings and increase your traffic. The Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.com) is a "must have" listing. It is, however, staffed by overworked volunteers, so be patient. Resubmitting your information sends you to the back of the line.
- Submit your sites to industry Web sites and specialized directories. Industry-specific Web sites and specialized directories provide strong links (which search engines love) and visibility for potential customers. Search for "insurance industry directories or Web sites" and see the results. A quick search in Google, for example, yielded the Insurance Information Institute's Directory of Insurance Companies and the Yahoo! Finance directories.
- Create a blog and post articles often. Search engine spiders love blogs. People also love blogs, especially those that are compelling, well-written, useful, and frequently updated. Many online blog services are free, including Blogger.com and WordPress.org. People can subscribe to your RSS feed or bookmark your blog and return on their routine. It also provides quality links into your Web site for the search engines. Commenting on other related blogs, with back-links to your blog, also provides opportunities for people to discover your Web site.
- Use social media. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Digg, and YouTube can provide exposure for your business, as well as valuable links to your Web site. Also, take advantage of industry-specific social networks. Search for "using social media to promote business" and familiarize yourself with these new marketing tools.
- Become an expert. Write relevant articles and submit them to free article distribution services such as Goarticles.com or Ezinearticles.com. Others may post your article on their Web sites, blogs, or newsletters. Articles you create should contain direct links to your Web site.
- Remember to use traditional marketing efforts. Your Web site address should appear on all marketing materials, including print, TV, and radio ads; brochures; print and email newsletters; and email signatures.
Paid searches
If you need to reach the top of the search rankings more quickly, paid search is the way to go. There are many paid search programs, including the most successful, Google Adwords, as well as the lesser-known Yahoo! Search Marketing and Microsoft Advertising.
With paid search, your ads appear next to related search results. People simply click on your ads and connect to your business. The beauty of search advertising is you pay only if somebody clicks on your ads. Cost per click varies based on the keywords you select, but it is easy to set daily limits to meet your budget requirements.
The best results come from a combination of natural and paid search. So get started promoting your Web site, and be sure to track the results with a free analytics program such as Google Analytics. With analytics, you know where your visitors come from, what they view while on your Web site, and from where and when they leave - allowing you to adjust your marketing efforts accordingly.
Mike Wise is vice president of Insurance Technolgies for IdeaStar Inc. He can be reached at 800-766-2635, ext. 116.
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