"My website is online. Now what?"
We are not done yet...There is much we can do through web marketing!
| Search Engine Optimization |
 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the most cost effective and long term method of generating traffic for your website. The high cost, declining audience, and short-run of other advertising media such as print, TV and radio simply cannot compete. Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing have created a wonderful opportunity for forward thinking companies to outperform their competitors regardless of size. Learn more about SEO ...
 Utilize the viral potential of social media marketing. Social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Yelp are revolutionizing the marketing world. No longer do we create websites and our visitors passively experience the information we present. With social media or Web 2.0 our communications are more interactive. We build relationships! Learn more about social media marketing...
Monitor how you are doing with website statistics services provided by MIntaka Design or Google Analytics. Mintaka Design will provide you with statistics on your site as they are collected by our web hosting server. You can learn valuable information about your site effectiveness and visitor behavior by analyzing this information on an ongoing basis. Google Analytics offers another system for site analysis and we can help you implement this on your website. We can help you take steps through additional coding, content tweaking and online promotion to fine-tune your website to achieve optimal results.
| Web Directories or Link Directories |
 Promote your business through general directory listings on the web such as Yellowpages.com, Yahoo! Directory or industry specific directories such as GlobalSpec. These directories have categories and sub-categories. There are free submissions and paid submissions such as Yahoo Sponsored Search.
Web directories often allow site owners to directly submit their site for inclusion and have editors review submissions for fitness. We can help you identify directories which might offer good exposure for your organization.
 Online reviews are becoming more popular. It is important, as a business, that you claim your listing at these review sites so that you can make sure your listing information is correct. You may also enhance the information posted about your business or organization and even upload photos. We can show you how to check your reviews and claim your listings at such review sites as Google Places, Travelocity, Yelp, Amazon, Cnet.com and others like this. We can give advice on how you can gently encourage honest reviews and make these work to your advantage.
You can review these sites to promote your expertise and raise awareness of your website. Monitoring the feedback on your business online can provide you with important information. What are you doing right? How can you improve? Use negative reviews to help you improve or if they are targeting your competitors, to identify opportunities. Learn from your customers.
| Traditional Marketing Activities |
Don't forget to promote your website on your business cards, invoices, brochures, stationery, vehicle magnets, newspaper and magazine advertising and email signatures.
Although not suitable to every business type, many businesses can benefit from adding their website address to their voicemail message. Not only will you inform your callers of your new website, chances are your well designed and written website will answer their question for you.
If your employees wear uniforms, consider having the website address embroidered on them. Give out pens, bags and other fun gifts to your clients and prospective clients with the website address printed on them.
If you have a shop front or vehicle, don’t forget to brand it with your website. A URL is much easier to remember than a phone number if your potential clients are whizzing past.
Update anything printed with your company information. Make a list of every single piece of material you print, be it an invoice, envelope or after-dinner mint.
When was the last time you sent a postcard to your clients? Use this opportunity to regain contact and let them know about your website. Better yet, handwrite the postcards for maximum impact – if you don’t have 2000 to send, that is.
Pay per click (PPC) is an Internet advertising model used on websites, in which advertisers pay their host only when their ad is clicked. With search engines, advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases relevant to their target market. Content sites commonly charge a fixed price per click rather than use a bidding system. Google Ad Words might be an option for you depending on the competitiveness of your keywords and your marketing budget.
Your potential customers are no longer using the Yellow Pages to find your business. If your business is based in a particular geographic area, you can take advantage of the map technology used by services such as Google Maps.
We can help make sure your business location and details are correct and optimized for the greatest effect. We can also integrate online maps right on your website. Make it easy for clients to find you! Our client, Mark Mercer, DDS, uses a Google Maps locator map to make it easy for patients to find his office:
 Utilize the viral potential of YouTube to promote your website. Create one to two minute slideshows with music showcasing your work and post it to YouTube. You can point those videos back to your website, and if they're optimized correctly, they can draw some traffic in your direction. These videos could be marketing tools or support tools that demonstrate how to use your product.
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 "I think my website has paid for itself by now--in outright orders, commissioned work, and just being able to say, "In the middle of winter, when you get nostalgic for Mackinac Island, go to my website and remember all the places you've been on your vacation." Thank you for your quality work!"
Mary Lou Peters
Artist
"You have 100% customer satisfaction from the Mackinac Island Yacht Club!"
Jack Keck
Former Commodore
Mackinac Island Yacht Club
"Working with Marta has been a great experience from the very beginning. She approached my web site project with energy, enthusiasm, and creativity, was responsive to my thoughts and suggestions, and had an efficient and functional web site up and running in what seemed like no time at all. I couldn't be more pleased with the look and operation of my site! Perhaps even more importantly, Marta continues to be a valuable marketing partner, working with me regularly to update my site content, with her trademark enthusiasm and efficiency. I would recommend Mintaka Design to anyone who seeks to create a web site for their business.
John Manikoff
Artist & Musician
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