In middle school I read “The Bridges of Madison County” in Spanish.  At the time, I probably understood (hopefully) at least half of what I read.  If I attempted to read it again, it would be as if I was reading the instruction manual on how to rebuild a car engine.  No matter how hard I try, I just wouldn’t understand it without a lot of research, practice, and patience. 

Small businesses approaching web marketing may also be faced, like a deer in headlights, without knowing and understanding what to do.  With over 150 million people surfing the net each day, it is vital that any business (small or large) confront the headlights coming at them directly and aggressively.

Making your website noticeable is like finding the needle in the haystack.  There are so many ways to get started and keep it going, it is often overwhelming.

Let’s break it down into some simple steps for you:

- Why do you need a website?  Are you looking to drive sales, drive leads, or recruit team members?

- Who is your target market?  Figure out who you are trying to reach and make sure your copy and message are appropriate.  If you’re targeting prospects, have information to support the buying process.  If it is to serve current clients have a FAQ page that can be used as a resource. If you are trying to reach new clients, the information should sell them on the benefits of why they need to buy or work with you.

- How much do you have budgeted for Internet Marketing?  With a conversion rate of 1 – 2 %, research online with Google Adwords or Yahoo Search Marketing to determine how many clicks your site might get.  Then use basic ROI calculations and you have yourself a figure.

- Build your website.  Hire an expert to help you. There are plenty of options to meet your needs. Check with your current email or web hosting provider. Companies like gWave can also provide you with a website proposal.

- Promote.  Engage in online promotions through pay per click advertising, search engine placement, email marketing or even Facebook!

- Measure.  Do you know how many website visitors you get a month? If not, now’s the time to sign up for a free web traffic account with Google Analytics.

- Follow up and make sure you haves someone assigned to stay on top of your online marketing strategy..

  With that being said, here are 7 ways to drive traffic to your site:

• Build a strong business foundation. Design a business plan, marketing plan, and Internet marketing strategy that reinforce your business goals.
• Brand your company.  Be consistent and make sure you use the same logo, colors, and motto throughout the website and marketing materials.
• Your business and website need to convey trust.  Build trust through servicing your customers online or through your newsletter.
• Add  “recommend this site” or “add to my favorites/bookmark.”
• Search engines look for certain things - titles, headings, Meta tags - so it is crucial to make sure your site is "search engine friendly.”
• Title Tags - should be 60 characters and include some keywords
• Header Tags – are numbered from 1 – 7. They should be used for each title
• Meta Tags – add no more than 15 – 21 keywords. Submit your site to industry specific directories.
• Submit your site to industry specific directories.
• Start permission based marketing. Build a relationship with your clients. Make it easy for them to contact you and to subscribe to updates or a newsletter.  If you are updating articles, make sure you submit them to article banks.

  So now, sit back, re-read the article, and know that it is not as scary as it seems.  With proper research and help, your website can easily be the needle found in the haystack.

Online social  networks are vital to the growth of any business in today’s rapidly changing  online marketplace. They are designed to  foster human interaction, which in turn can build trust for you and your  business. You can coordinate social  media, Search Engine Optimization, and paid search marketing through one single  marketing platform. With a little time  invested, some of the benefits you will see are increased revenue, powerful  customer relationships, increased traffic to your website, and brand presence.

The newest way to tap into the online social network is by the use  of Facebook. Like a college fraternity, socializing is the key to success. Originally created for college students, it  is now open to anyone. Recent statistics  show Facebook grows by about 3% each week with 25 and older being the fastest  growing segment of its users.

Your Top Facebook Strategies:

- Create  a fantastic profile. Enter as much  professional information as possible, and make sure your profile relates you to  the same group as your target audience.

- Join a  network and a group. Facebook puts  people into social networks based on workplace, region, or school. Your regional network should be based on the  area you want to target.

- Post  relevant content. Build credibility by  adding content to your page and links to articles you have written or link to  your blog.

- Create  your own group. By starting your own  group you have complete control over the content as well as who it reaches.

- Interact  with others online. I said it before and  now again, socializing is the key to Facebook. Start a new topic in the discussion board, comment on profiles, play games,  etc. This will increase your exposure to  other members.

- Continue  relationships beyond Facebook. Facebook  is a great beginning, but your focus should be on extending past that. Try  www.linkedin.com

  Marketing on Facebook is very similar to marketing through other  online networks. You can build your  brand, drive website traffic, or sell  products. Facebook is an open-source  application, which allows any programmer to create an add-on. You have the  ability to add onto the site and customize your applications.  Some have created drop-down menus or added music  capability. Having the ability to create  add-ons will allow you to reinforce your branding. You will have the  opportunity to market yourself by creating tools others might find useful. Another  way you can market is to create a flyer or banner. You can post your ad for a small fee on  different networks. Your ad will be  served 2500 times a day per $5 investment. You also have control over the  target it reaches. It even allows you to target based on keywords or utilize performance  based pay per click programs.

With some careful planning, you can become involved in many social  groups. Thankfully, you avoid the hazing that some encountered in college, and  you can still be part of the popular crowd.