Website Promotion Plan

Implementing a systematic approach to promoting your website will pay dividends and you don't have to spend as much time as you might think executing the plan. Although the time you spend promoting your website may be very profitable, there is no need to allow it to gobble up all of your free time.

Start by asking yourself a few questions and use the answers to establish a system that works for you. The questions below are a good starting point.

1. How can I reach the people I want to attract to my website?

2.  How much can I afford to spend on promotions?

3. Should I be targeting new or existing customers?

You know your potential customer base better than anyone so question number one will depend upon your target audience. If your customer base is made up of senior citizens then advertising at a place that plays heavy metal would probably be counter productive. If you want to reach  parents with children then focus on advertising opportunities associated with school or other children's activities.

The second question addresses the issue that drives many promotional campaigns. How much will it cost? Once you  establish a budget you can determine which advertising methods are best suited to your business and choose one that is affordable. The most expensive option is not always the most effective. Some of the least expensive campaigns have generated results that exceed more expensive promotion options. A unique, attention getting stunt or activity can often generate free media and word of mouth exposure. Be careful to abide by the law when using these types of promotions because contrary to popular belief negative media can be damaging.

Question three addresses an important topic regarding new and existing customers. While almost every promotion targeting new customers can also reach existing customers the opposite is not true. However, many businesses thrive on repeat sales and marketing to existing customers can be much less  expensive than campaigns intended to attract new visitors.  You can place your dot com on everything from shopping bags to sales receipts and not increase your cost in many cases. In store signs and other promotions can be used to reach existing customers at a lower cost. Existing customers are much more likely to give you their email address or phone number so you can inform them of future sales or promotions.

Once you have answered these questions and determined the most cost effective method(s) for attracting visitors to your site you can establish a system for implementing your website promotion. Stick to the plan and review it periodically so it doesn't get stale and you should be on your way to effective website promotion without taking more time than is necessary from the rest of your business.

I think the most important thing before even starting to promote is to know who your target audience is. You cannot and you won't reach anyone if you, yourself don't know who exactly you want to reach.

Affordable Web Promotion I agree with you. Defining a target market is always the crucial step for any promotion. Thanks for commenting.