101 Steps to ensure your Site Integrety and Promotion
I got this report from Web Traffic Specialists
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1) A good place to start is to register your Web event, even if its just new content. | Every time you add something significant to your site, reregister the entire site as well as the new page. |
2) First, modify your site so that it will do well in search engine rankings. | Exercise 2-1 in our publication, Mastering Web Traffic Techniques, offers plenty of advice for improving your search ranking. |
3) Assemble in advance data that search engines will require. | Be prepared to cut and paste this information into registration input fields. |
4) Prepare several descriptions of your site of varying length. | Some search engines allow a description but the maximum number of words or characters is different. |
5) Select an automatic registration service for the lesser important search engines. | Hundreds of search engines out there arent worth visiting individually but probably worth hiring an automatic service or buying the software to register for you. |
6) Manually register at 8 or 9 major search engines. | Manual registration at the major search engines is too important to leave to automatic registration services. |
7) Manually register at specialized search engines in your field. | Many fields of interest have their own search engines and directories. Search for them using keywords associated with your target audiences. |
8) Maintain a Registration Follow-Up Report that tracks listing and ranking in major search engines. | Update this report at least monthly. If after a month your site still doesnt appear in a search engine, reregister. |
9) Before posting announcements, prepare a promotional, "mini-billboard" signature. | Promote what you most want Net users to know about your site and/or product. |
10) Prepare a "business-card" signature to notify others who you are and how to contact you. | Use this signature for when you arent trying to promote something but want the reader to know about you and how to contact you. |
11) Prepare to announce your Web event. | Justification for posting announcements should be another incentive to regularly create new Web events. |
12) Make the announcements subject line interesting enough that the reader wants more. | Types of headlines that work are: newsworthy, topical, questions, free offer, etc.. |
13) Post the announcement in general forums. |
Exercise 3-4 in Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists almost 30 general newsgroups where you can announce your Web event. |
14) Conduct a search for all "announce" newsgroups for possible announcing. | If the "announce" newsgroups is related in any way to your Web event, post an announcement in it. |
15) Search through the newsgroups for others that would be suitable for your announcement. | You may find hundreds of newsgroups where your announcement wouldnt be considered inappropriate. |
16) Find special interest newsgroups where your target audiences hang out. | Search by keyword to find them. Also look for lists of discussion groups in directories that lists resources for your field. |
17) Subscribe to those special interest newsgroups that look appropriate for your announcement. | Avoid posting your announcement in newsgroups if it would be off-topic. |
18) Retrieve and review discussion group headers to make sure your announcement and planned postings are appropriate. | If the newsgroup looks appropriate for your announcement, also look for other types of postings you could make. |
19) Customize your announcement for each newsgroup as much as possible. | A little customization will often go a long ways toward making your message more acceptable to the group. |
20) Keep track of newsgroups that you posted to and evaluate their effectiveness. | This report will be important for future Web Traffic Plans. |
21) Search out appropriate mailing lists for your
announcements. |
Mastering Web Traffic Techniques identifies several Web sites where you can search through thousands of mailing lists . |
22) Follow the same steps for finding and posting to mailing lists (often called listservs) as you did for newsgroups. | Mailing lists are often more effective for generating a favorable response than newsgroups. |
23) Become a member of the mailing list for at least a week before posting your announcement. | A mailing list moderator and/or members are sure to frown on your announcement if they consider it inappropriate or off-topic. |
24) Classified ads are another Web traffic technique for some types of products and services. | Hundreds of classified ad sites exist on the Web. If you find some with appropriate headings, consider placing an ad for your product or service. |
25) Test results from a few selected qualified
classified ad sites before spending much time with this traffic technique. |
Some poor-quality classified sites may generate more junk email than sales, so be selective. Mastering Web Traffic Techniques offers guidelines for selecting a qualified classified ad site. |
26) Follow good copywriting principles for your classified ad. | Exercise 4-1 in Mastering Web Traffic Techniques covers what you need to know to write a good classified ad. |
27) If classified ads look to be worthwhile, keep testing the ads individual components: subject line, description, offer, to improve effectiveness. | Test different subject lines, body of the ad, and the closing call for action. |
28) The next step in your Web Traffic Plan should be to place a multitude links to your site around the Internet. | Begin an aggressive campaign to populate the Net with links to your site. Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists over ten different kinds of links to your site that you want. |
29) Search for "super directories"
that provide pages of resources for your target audiences. |
Nearly every field of interest has Web sites that compile a list of links relating to that field as a service to its visitors. Mastering Web Traffic Techniques list over 15 resources where you may find super directories for your target audiences. |
30) Draft a friendly, informal request to the directory to add a link to your site. | Establish a one-to-one relationship. Compliment the site owner on the site, and the service he or she is performing for the community. |
31) Keep track of your email requests for a link to your site. | You may need to follow up with a second request or future requests. Plus, these are important resources to keep track of. |
32) Next look for compatible sites which might want to link to your site. | Look in super directories and search engines for sites with products and services similar to yours but not direct competition. |
33) Request that these sites add a link to your site. | Again, try to establish a personal, one-to-one relationship. |
34) Describe to compatible sites how their visitors will benefit by a link to your site. | Dont immediate offer a link to your site unless requested to do so. |
35) Look for opportunities to form joint partnerships. | Examples: cooperative advertising, joint promotions, shared content, sales associate programs, co-sponsored events. |
36) Consider starting your own super directory if your field doesnt have satisfactory ones. | This is an excellent way to have a popular, site that is appreciated by your target audiences. |
37) Begin assembling a valuable database that you can use over and over for your Web Traffic Plans. | You can develop and implement focused traffic plans in a fraction of the time if you have resources to be used logically arranged in a meaningful database. |
38) Learn to properly evaluate every site you visit so that you derive maximum benefit from what each site offers. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes a Site Evaluation Form to help you intelligently evaluate sites you visit. |
39) Add valuable information learned from competitors to your database. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes nine things to look for at your competitors sites. |
40) Add valuable information from discussion groups to your database. | Discussion groups are frequented by experienced veterans of the Internet wars with much wisdom to impart. |
41) Look for opportunities to convert information from discussion groups into valuable content at your site. | Strive to keep adding valuable content to your site. It will keep visitors coming back. FAQs, white papers, and free reports constitute effective content. |
42) Announce new content additions to your site in discussion groups. | New content alone is worth periodically "mini-traffic plans" to increase traffic. |
43) Visit sites dedicated to providing directories of Web promotion links. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists a number of promotion site to visit. |
44) Study "cool" sites for ideas that might make your site a suitable nominee. | Youll often get refreshing, innovative ideas from "cool" site selections. |
45) Nominate your site for "cool" site. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists sites which are a super directory of "cool" site contests. |
46) Participating in discussion group is often
the best way to increase traffic to your site. |
"Discussion groups" is defined as newsgroups, mailing lists (listservs) and some Web sites where participants exchange information and ask questions. |
47) Search by keywords for discussion groups where your target audiences hangout. | Many of these you will have found when you were looking for places to post your announcement in a previous step. |
48) Search super directories for references to discussion groups suitable for your participation. | Often the links provided by super directories include direct links to discussions groups that visitors would be interested in. |
49) Evaluate discussion groups before
participating. |
You will only have time to participate in a limited number. Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists six criteria for picking the groups with the best potential. |
50) Review each selected groups headers for ideas for appropriate messages you could post. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists 11 possible types of postings that are considered proper "netiquette". |
51) To improve the effectiveness of your postings, there are certain guidelines you should follow before posting. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists 11 guidelines to follow before posting a message to a discussion group. |
52) Maintain a report of discussion group postings. | Keep track of where you posted and what your posted. |
53) Monitor the discussion groups for responses to your postings and opportunities to post again. | You may be able to start a new discussion threads that allows you to post several new messages. |
54) Evaluate the discussion groups for impact on your Web traffic. | Focus future participation on those groups which were most responsive. Replace the least responsive groups with others having better potential. |
55) Email can be used as an effective marketing too. | Email techniques for increasing traffic is an excellent way to specifically target audiences with your message. |
56) Email marketing opens up a whole new category of users who have access to email but not the Web. | Email ads have a way of grabbing the recipients attention, something banner ads are often unable to do. |
57) Begin compiling a mailing list for future email marketing campaigns. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques describes nine techniques for encouraging visitors to give you their email address so they can be contacted. |
58) Decide whether to host your mailing list
or contract somebody else to do it for you. |
Several factors are involved in this decision: price of the mailing list software vs the cost of a hosting service, mailing software features desired, options offered by potential hosts, technical skills required. |
59) Follow "Netiquette" guidelines or you risk angering email recipients. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists 12 important guidelines to follow. |
60) Consider publishing a newsletter or ezine as part of your email marketing campaign. | This is an effective way to generate interest in your site. Its also a significant event that you can promote with a Web Traffic Plan. |
61) Publish information in your newsletter that will encourage subscribers to visit your site. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists 12 possible topics for your newsletter. |
62) Strive to improve the quality of your newsletter so that it will generate a more favorable response. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes 14 characteristics of a quality newsletter. |
63) Consider autoresponders as an effective way to build a mailing list and automatically distribute information. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes 12 ways you can use an autoresponder in your email marketing campaign. |
64) Consider renting somebody elses mailing list if you dont have time to build your own. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques provides a checklist of eight item for choosing a mailing list to rent. |
65) Plan to approach the media for free publicity. | Media attention is an effective way to dramatically boost traffic to your site. |
66) By following guidelines for a successful media campaign you can dramatically improve the chances that you will attract media attention. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists six steps you can take to improve the effectiveness of your media campaign. |
67) Make your site "media friendly" before launching your media campaign. | Add a "media page" to your Web site for press releases, mention of media coverage received, background on your company or you. |
68) Publish a press release as the first document for your media page. | The media likes to see press releases. A good press release tells them most of what they want to know about your Web event. |
69) Follow guidelines for writing a good press release. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists 11 guidelines that will help anybody write a good press release. |
70) Decide on a media message that is newsworthy, factual and interesting. | If you are having a hard time deciding whats newsworthy, visit sites such as PR wire services that maintain a database of press releases. |
71) Develop of list of media appropriate for your news releases. | Start with media read by your target audiences. Add geographical media such as for your area. Check sites and references for more media. |
72) Continue to build your media list over time. | The larger, more targeted your list is, the more successful your media campaign will be. |
73) Include only media who would be interested in your Web event. | You will be wasting your time and an editors if you indiscriminately add media to your media list. |
74) Try to include media names, contact persons, email addresses in your list. | Other information could include: a URL, description of media contents, editorial calendar, submission deadlines. |
75) Strive to establish a personalized, one-to-one communication with media contacts. | A customized, personal approach works far better than press releases via bulk email. Use the contacts name and name of the medium in your email. |
76) Send a concise news releases encouraging the recipient to visit your site for more information. | By keeping the news release short, the recipient is more likely to read it far enough to be intrigued. Dont try to tell the contact everything in the email. |
77) Make sure your news release is structured the way editors like to see them. | It must have a catchy subject line, a lead that is immediately interesting, and information that supports the lead. |
78) Prepare a report on your media contacts. | Show media contacted, individuals, date, subject of the news release, follow-up date, and pertinent comments. |
79) Monitor the results of your media campaign. | Search the Internet for stories about your Web event. Some media wont automatically notify you of coverage. |
80) Add any media coverage received to your media page. | Media is more likely to cover your events if other media have already done so. |
81) Fine-tune your media campaign and try again. | A media campaign is not a one-shot affair. Keep improving on the previous one, and try again and again. |
82) Consider hiring a profession press release to distribute your release for you. | If youre not satisfied with your media campaign or impatient, consider hiring a press release distribution service. |
83) Consider online advertising as a way to dramatically increase Web traffic. | Start with a modest campaign to test effectiveness in advance until you gain experience and improve your technique. |
84) Follow guidelines for an effective online advertising campaign. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes 12 guidelines for developing an effective campaign. |
85) Consider banner ads for your advertising campaign. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques includes 10 guidelines for an effective banner ad. |
86) Search for sites to host your banner ads. | Look in search engines, super directories, and sites which publish a database of sites willing to accept ads. Register your site as wanting to advertise with banner ads. |
87) Choose sites that cater to your target audiences. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques include six criteria for selecting a site to host your ads. |
88) Consider purchasing keywords associated with your site at a search engine. | Every time a Net user searches for those keywords, your banner ad appears with the users search results. |
89) Decide how you want to pay for ad space. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques describes the different methods of paying and which might most suitable for you. |
90) Track the effectiveness of your ads. | Only if you know where your Web traffic is coming from are you able to judge the effectiveness of your ads and host sites. |
91) Take advantage of free link exchanges as an inexpensive way to test your advertising campaign. | Unless you have a sizeable ad budget set aside, it makes sense to test your ad campaign using free resources. |
92) Consider preparing your site to host others banner ads. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists nine steps you can take to prepare your site. |
93) Consider sponsoring content in mailing lists and newsletters as a way to advertise your site. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques lists five ways sponsoring content may be more effective than banner ads. |
94) Search for mailing lists and newsletters for your target audiences. | Search by keywords at sites that maintain a database of thousands of mailing lists, search for "mailing lists" or "newsletters" plus keywords for your field. Look in super directories where you requested a link. |
95) Follow guidelines for improving the effectiveness of sponsored content advertising. | Mastering Web Traffic Techniques describes six tips for improving the effectiveness of sponsored content. |
96) Use traditional off-line advertising to advertise your Web site. | Dont neglect off-line advertising such as anything printed with your company name on it to publish your sites URL. |
97) Periodically schedule Web events to promote, such as adding new contents, new pages, new features. | Resolve to maintain an active, expanding site as a way to ensure long-term increases in Web traffic. |
98) Leverage success by creating new pages off your most popular pages. | Determine to increase the number of pages that your visitors will want to access. |
99) Continue to identify new target audiences and new niches for your site. | Develop a new Web Traffic Plan each time you do because each has its own set of Net resources that should be approached. |
100) Plan future directions you want your site to take. | Have an idea where you want to go 6 months, one year, five years from now. |
101) Strive to implement new Web events regularly | Borrow ideas from others and rework them to fit your environment. We have a Web Event Ideas Generator in Mastering Web Traffic Techniques that will help stimulate your creative thought processes. |