Promoting Small Business Websites

Establish Your Presence

Crystal Ray
With numerous small business websites competing for top search engine placement, small online businesses without an unlimited budget find it difficult if not impossible to establish an online presence. Larger online companies with seemingly endless funds for advertising and promoting push smaller businesses to the bottom of search engine listings and eventually out of business. Many small online businesses offer competitive prices, but when they can't be found, they can't achieve success.

Small businesses can succeed online, and they can be found if they offer discoverable worthwhile content filled with valuable information. Writing quality website content with proper keyword density will take small online businesses down the road to success.

Quality Content

Quality online content isn't a jumble of ads and flashing graphics prompting visitors to click on links. Websites with quality content provide free information that people search for on a daily basis, and it is tastefully presented with unassuming links to profitable ads and relevant products. Random online visitors aren't deceived or tricked into clicking on links. Visitors are considered targeted customers because they have an interest in the subject matter and the quality of the content provided.

Keyword Density

Many webmasters and site owners try to achieve the highest keyword density possible, and this is one of the biggest mistakes that inexperienced website builders and developers could possibly make. They are unaware that keyword density over 5% is viewed as spam by search engines, and when websites spam the search engines, they don't make it to the top of the listings. They end up lost at the bottom.

If you are writing website content or looking to buy website content, check keyword density. Between two and four percent is a reasonable number to achieve. Don't request or strive for ridiculously high percentages. Besides spamming the search engines, keywords that are overused make the content virtually unreadable. When information isn't easy to read, it's often disregarded.

Discoverability

Adding content people are interested in also draws a lot of traffic to websites. If an online article helps solve a particular problem or answers specific questions, it is considered discoverable. The trouble is, if there are dozens of other websites offering the same information, the percentage of discoverability drops considerably.

Offer potential customers valuable content related to the subject of the products or service you're selling, and provide information that's accurate but unique. Those seeking answers will search for the information. If your website content contains the correct percentage of keyword density and was properly formatted, it can be found. When the content is found, those seeking it will have access to the products and services you have to offer. It's as simple as that.

Promotion

Once your online business website offers quality content that's discoverable, don't rely on search engines alone for promoting your business. There are a number of effective methods of promoting an online business, and they are lucrative and easy to implement.

Look into social bookmarking. It's a relatively new way to share favorite links with the world, and there are a number of fantastic bookmarking websites. It's a method of free online advertising where website owners and webmasters list links of their choice that others can search for and save in their favorites. It's a great way to share information with likeminded individuals while promoting your online business and website content.

Another method for website promoting that some never consider involves newsletter writing. Content-rich newsletters target specific online customers. This is the best form of advertising since potential customers come to you rather than the other way around. Those who are interested in your newsletter content will probably take an interest in the related products and services you're offering.

Blogs are also great ways of promoting all types of content-rich websites. Blog entries submitted on a daily basis that are rich in keywords and online content of interest can be direct links to your business. Use blogs for promoting your content to increase your chances of owning and operating a successful online business.

Published by Crystal Ray - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle

Crystal Ray is an award-winning freelance writer and artist from the Chicago area. Her passion is interior design, but she also loves entertaining and crafting. She is continually developing unique and creat...  View profile

  • Keyword density over 5% is viewed as spam by search engines. Check keyword density.
  • If an article helps solve a particular problem or answers specific questions it's discoverable.
  • Many small online businesses offer competitive prices, but many can't be found.

2 Comments

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  • Shana Dines1/4/2007

    Very good information Kim, I am interested in trying this.

  • Laura Spencer11/22/2006

    Good information!

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