Building a website is just the first step to getting the word out about your business. Website advertising is an ongoing process with many potential components. Creating an effective website advertising campaign requires a willingness to explore new methods, continually tweak your campaign and abandon strategies that aren't working. There is no one-size-fits-all advertising method, but a little work and experimentation can help you find effective ways to advertise.
Popular Online Advertising Methods
Web research company eMarketer estimates that U.S. advertisers will spend $24.5 billion on online advertising in 2009. That covers a wide range of advertising methods. Some popular solutions include search engine advertising, email marketing, banner ads and link exchanges.
Search engine advertising can be a major component of reaching new customers and bringing new visitors to your website. For example, Google AdWords lets you research and choose ad words so that a link to your web site appears along with the regular search results when users are searching for those words or phrases. This can be particularly effective if you have a specific business niche like "Philadelphia boot repair" or "New Mexico artisan chocolates."
Email marketing can be a very low-cost way to keep your website up front in the minds of new and returning customers. Look beyond just shouting out your website name. Send a regular newsletter with useful content related to your business area or offer coupons to give customers an extra incentive to sign up, visit your site and make purchases.
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising is a fairly new frontier, but it is full of possibilities for getting your website in front of potential customers. This can be as simple as joining a forum related to your business area. Add constructive comments to the forum conversations and put a link back to your website in your signature if it is allowed. To build up brand loyalty, create a Facebook or MySpace page for fans of your website. Encourage them to have their friends join. You can even send out special offers to people that have signed up as fans or friends on your social media pages.
Real World Advertising
Don't overlook ways to get the word on your website out in the real world. Never pass up an opportunity to advertise. Include your website on your business cards, on your stationary, in press releases, in your print advertisements and even on your sign if you have a physical storefront. Wherever your name appears in the physical world, your website address should be there, too.
