It can be really exciting to get a web site for your business and a lot of pride goes along with knowing that you now have an internet presence! However, many people don't realize that having a site is not worth very much to you if you're the only one who knows it's there.

The following are recommendations for promoting your site:

(1) Live, breathe and eat your site - Well, OK, maybe I'm exaggerating this point but what I mean is that you should always have your site at the forefront of your mind. By doing this, you'll remember to tell people that you meet about it, you'll remind your family and friends about it, etc. It's very important to let everyone you come in contact with know about your site, especially if you provide a service! Even if someone isn't in need of your service right now, they may be in the near future! Also, they may be talking to someone a week later who is looking for the service you're providing!

(2) Take the time to research how search engines work! The vast majority of popular sites on the internet can attribute their site's traffic to search engines. It's important that your site is registered with the search engines. Sites like http://www.sitesell.com and http://www.searchenginewatch.com can help you learn all about how search engines work. The word you need to keep in mind when trying to get listed is "Persistence"! If at all possible, take the time to submit your site manually and keep track of how it's doing. Don't "spam" the search engines by submitting too often but keep a watch on your positioning and re-submit as needed, in accordance with each search engine's guidelines.

(3) Promotional items - This goes without saying, almost. The single most important item that can promote your business is business cards! They're pretty inexpensive when bought in bulk (about $.03/card if you buy 1000) and they're so readily accepted. I give my card out to just about everyone I come in contact with. You will be surprised how many people need your services once they know that you provide them. When you give someone your card, you're not just giving it to them. You're giving it to people they come in contact with because, like I mentioned earlier, someone may ask them a week later if they know anyone providing your service. Remember that people love FREE stuff! If you can have T-shirts, pens, caps, etc. printed with your site's name and URL, people will gladly accept these. I haven't had anyone say "No thank you" yet!

(4) Run a contest - One of the best ways to get visitors to a business site is to run a contest! Internet users seem to love to win things as one would expect. The better the prize, the more visits you'll probably get! As a part of the contest, have them subscribe to your newsletter, that way you have their permission to contact them in the future. Just be sure that your newsletter is something they'll be interested in so that you can hang onto them as subscribers! Consider offering internet tips ricks, great sites to visit, sites where you can get free items, etc. Our newsletter includes all of these topics and it's been pretty well received.

(5) Have a newsletter - As mentioned in #4, a newsletter is a great way to not only keep in contact with site visitors but to also contribute something positive to their internet experience. Be sure to remind your subscribers that they did subscribe to the newsletter at the beginning and offer an easy way to unsubscribe at the end. Write the unsubscribe statement in a way that they're compelled to stay with the newsletter because if you have a good newsletter, they won't want to miss out on anything!

(6) Have a press release written about your site - Think about your site objectively and try to come up with a "niche", something unique about your site that maybe others aren't doing or that you're doing better. If possible, have a professional write it so that your release doesn't come off as a sales pitch which tends to happen when site owners write their own release. Press release writers also have a way with words and know what works and what doesn't.

Start taking site promotion seriously and "Knock their socks off"!

About the author: Glennette Yelverton is the President of Premium Web Design which specializes in everything from domain registration to site creation/promotion. They can host your site, design it for you, and even promote it as well. Get a FREE site consultation today by emailing siteconsult@premiumwebdesign.com and putting "Free site consult" in the subject. Visit Premium Web Design today at http://www.premiumwebdesign.com/ or call them at (912) 888-8262.