Online Marketing Info.co.uk

The Internet. As short a time ago as the turn of the century, the Internet was still relatively unused by business and something of a novelty for most people. And now it dominates the landscape of almost every industry.

But now, a website is not optional. No business today can even begin to hope to be taken seriously if it doesn't have a website. And the other side of the coin is prices have come down and technology is so affordable, widely available and so easy to use, even a spotty teenager in his back-bedroom can be fronted by a slick and professional- looking website he’s put together himself using any one of a number of free resources.

There’s no doubt: the Internet and business are now inextricably entwined.

And while you might think this is just one more complexity of dubious value to add to the already complex task of starting, growing and running your business, it actually presents all business owners and entrepreneurs with an incredible opportunity, an opportunity quite simply unrivalled in modern times. And, frankly, it’s hard to imagine how anything else could have such a big impact in the future.

However, it's not quite as simple as website designers and people with the slick websites and emotionally-stimulating long-copy sales letters selling you over-priced “instant internet profits” products would like you to believe.

In the same way you can't build a profitable and solid business just by printing a boring brochure, you can't simply throw a few ill-considered web-pages onto the Internet and score an immediate success, even if they look terrific and win your website designer more awards for creativity than you can shake a stick at.

It just doesn't happen that way.

But don't worry – building a profitable website much easier than you might believe right now, so long as you stick to some simple but very powerful fundamentals.

It is important you pay attention to the detail here, because if you do the same things everyone else is doing, then you’re going to get broadly the same results they get.

And since around 95% of websites out there don’t make any money, unless you’re copying and learning from one of the outstanding 5%, your website isn’t going to make any money, either. And a natural conclusion here is if you want your website to get different results from everyone else’s you’ve got to do things differently from everyone else.

So here are 6 guiding principles for making sure you are using the most effective Internet marketing strategies in your business. I go into more detail on these on the other pages of this site.

1.

Don't treat your website as being peripheral to your business. The Internet has grown and technology has matured to the point where your website needs to be tightly integrated with your whole business. Get it right, and your website can even be the engine driving a substantial portion of your profits. The key here is to maximise traffic and conversions.

2.

Your website should not just be an online brochure, full of stuff all about YOU. . This is fundamental to any kind of marketing, but tends to get forgotten about with your website more than anywhere else (and there’s even less excuse because there’s so much you can do with a website and the available technology). No one is really interested in you personally or what your business actually does. They are interested only in what you can do for them. The vast majority of people coming to your website have a problem or need, and they're looking for information and for ways for them to solve the problem or meet the need. They have their own rational self-interest in the forefront of their minds.

3.

When someone lands on your site, you have something like 8 seconds to give them a reason to stay for a while and actually read what you’ve put in front of them. Best way to do this is to have a headline with a big and bold promise, and then begin a relationship with them by giving them something of value. And since they are usually looking for information, give them what they're looking for – a solution to the problem or need they have – and give it to them in exchange for their contact details. This is lead capture. Do this right, by giving them quality information they can use, and then develop the relationship further and convert them to paying customers and clients by email marketing to them. I encourage you to stop thinking about your “website” and to start thinking about “web pages” instead. .

4.

Collect names and email addresses. Your website exists to make money for your business. There can be no other reason for having it. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean selling products right “off the page” with a sales letter, which is the next choice business owners tend to make if they’ve moved on from the “brochure” type web pages. You’ll get better results if you let your website and its pages act as the catalyst to begin the relationship, and for the sales to take place afterwards. And how do you move on to the? By email-marketing to the people who leave their details in return for the valuable free information you offer them.

5.

Experiment with different media on your website. With high-bandwidth Internet being cheap and widespread, And new technology being simple to use there is no reason for you to restrict your website to just copy and pictures. No matter what the copywriters like to tell you, audio and even video on your website can and generally do increase response dramatically.

6.

Experiment with different traffic-driving strategies. I'm a huge fan of Google AdWords and “pay per click”, although it is important to get it right. But natural search (usually as a result of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Internet advertising (like “banner advertising”), and even offline advertising to drive traffic online are all worth experimenting with. The “secret” here is testing. Give something a go, and then see how well it does. If it makes you a profit, or even breaks even, do more of it. There are no “rules” -- because what works, works. No one can guarantee any one strategy will pay off, but we can guarantee if we keep testing and measuring, we'll find something which does. When you hit that “sweet spot”, you'll be laughing all the way to the bank.