Website Promotion Checklist This Website Promotion Checklist features tips on how to design a promotion-friendly website and ideas, tips and promotional methods that can be used to increase: a) The number of visitors to your web site b) Your on-line and off-line sales and c) Your customer base It includes tips and ideas for design, linking, search engines, testing, email campaigns and many other ideas and methods for beginners and advanced web marketers.

The Checklist Make sure you have a domain name that makes sense for your website. Your domain name should be easy for people to remember and to spell correctly. Develop recognition by ensuring that your name, website "look" and your standard business promotional and stationary items are all coordinated. This includes coordinating all of this with your domain name. Make sure that your website is properly set up for search engines. Set up your metatags correctly; make sure your first paragraph includes a description. Use the wealth of tools and information available on the web to set up your website so it is search engine "friendly". Comment tags - Add comments to your html page. Comments can be identical to your meta tags. Title tag - Make sure each html page has a descriptive title at the top that utilizes several keywords or key phrases. Try to begin the sentence with a number or the letter "A", for alphabetical indexing. Use keywords in your file names. Develop a content rich Website with quality, relevant content. Keep your content fresh and up to date. Try to keep your website total page size under 30k so that your pages load quickly. Slow loading pages discourage visitors. Go easy on the graphics and slow loading fancy scripts and gizmos. Design your website so it is easy for your visitors to find their way around. Keep in mind that your visitors may arrive by way of one of your sub-pages so be sure to give them ways to find your home page and the rest of your website. Establish and publish your Trust and Privacy policies. Check your hyperlinks regularly to make sure you don't have broken links. If you move web pages that other websites may have linked to, make sure you leave a redirect page in their place so you don't lose those links. Thoroughly proof-read and spell check your website. Test and validate your website to ensure that it is properly coded and that your scripts and navigation system are working properly. Make use of announcement websites and newsgroups to announce any new features on your website. If it makes sense for your business, build a community through discussion lists, forums, newsletters and other community oriented features. Publish a routine newsletter and offer subscriptions to it on your website. List your site with the major search engines and directories. Issue press releases and articles for free advertising. Notify customers and visitors of new items, sales, special offers, etc. Offer free products or services to attract traffic to your website. Use reciprocal linking to increase traffic to your website and improve your site popularity rankings. Promote advertising sponsorships on your website for revenues and image. Develop an affiliate program to create more traffic and sales. Run sweepstakes and contests. Look into online advertising options, such as banners and pay-per-click search engines. Develop targeted promotionals to various niches that make sense for your business. Give top-notch service to your customers and reward their loyalty. Use direct marketing methods to promote your business. Keep yourself informed of the latest promotion strategies. Develop customer profiles through surveys and polls and use the information to personalize offers and information on your website and in your email marketing programs. Use cookies to personalize and improve user navigation and input. Develop rewards programs to encourage your customers to return to your website and make repeat purchases. Make it easy for your visitors to bookmark your website. Make it easy for your visitors to recommend your website to others. Sell products or services from other websites through your website. Be creative. Try to offer something that is unique and memorable on your website. Include your web address on your stationery — Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, etc. Include your web address in all of your advertising, such as print ads, radio & TV spots, billboards, etc. Include your web address on your brochures and catalogs. Display your web address on your vehicles, company vehicles and staff vehicles. Promote your website on your answering machine or voice mail message. If there is a mega-site for your industry, try to establish links from their suppliers' directory. Use a good, descriptive signature on all of your email. Offer free samples. Track the traffic to your site and collect useful statistics to help you develop your site further. Use testimonials and endorsements to improve trust and credibility. Offer a 100% money-back or other guarantee to encourage purchases. Include Frequently Asked Questions and Instructions to make your website easy to use and understand. Use good description in image "ALT" tags on your website. Alt tags - There are two reasons why you should pay attention to your alt tags. First, descriptive keyword laden alt tags that describe your image help search engine crawlers "learn" more about your web site, which will help better your ranking and properly index you. Next, some people turn off their graphics. The alt tags let them know what image is there. Software for blind web surfers "reads" the web site to those who can't see your graphics by using the alt tags. (Yes, blind people surf the web!) Display your name, address, telephone, fax very clearly near the top of the homepage. Place an email form on every page of your website. Talk up your website to your staff, customers, prospects, and friends. Promote your website to your trade and community associations Join relevant Shopping Malls Feature something new on your homepage every week. Get an endorsement from other websites. Get product reviews in other websites. Run a competition or event. Create a "sitemap" page. This is a simple text driven page of links to your web site's inside pages. The search engines crawl these links and index the pages they locate Awards - Seek out awards' sites. If you win any awards, either place them together in one spot on your homepage, or set aside a special page for awards and testimonials. One place to try is Award-It.com Capture Visitor E-mail Addresses and Request Permission to Send Updates. Rent targeted e-mail lists. Devise Viral Marketing Promotion Techniques. Offer "Internet only" discounts in your traditional advertising. Promote your website on tangible promotional items that people see or use every day such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. Offer gift certificates or coupons. Use autoresponders to follow up on inquiries and sales. Place small classified ads in your local and city newspapers and include the URL of your website. If you purchase display advertising in the Yellow Pages, be sure to include your URL. Any local community offers ample opportunity for networking. Each networking function you attend is an opportunity to publicize your business and your website. Include a small insert promoting your business and your website in every piece of mail that leaves your home or office. If you've recently added a website to an existing business, mail a postcard to your customer list to announce your new site. If you have a storefront, provide some blank "join our e-mailing list" cards at the checkout counter to let them sign up. Once you've input the data into your list, send a confirmation e-mail reminding them when and where they signed up for the ezine. Retain the sign up card for your records. If you regularly speak at conferences, meetings, or seminars, make sure your hand outs include details about your website, ezine, and subscription instructions. Remind listeners to visit your website and email you with any questions they may have once they get back to their office. 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