If you run an ecommerce site especially, then just as the stores do, you should do something different to attract shoppers each time there is a major (and minor) holiday event. There are many events throughout the year that offer you a multitude of new opportunities.

What you need to do for each event is to make a special page, optimise the META tags for the holiday in question and submit it to the search engines. How many thousands of people are going to be looking for special stuff on the day or just before?

I was reading the front page of http://www.lindacaroll.com/ (a personal favourite of mine) and Linda makes the point that the stores decorate. Do you? You should: every one of these occasions offers you an ideal and relatively easy opportunity to add something topical, new and different to keep your site fresh and get an additional promotional boost.

In a similar vein, Boogie Jack http://www.boogiejack.com suggests writing a news item, uploading a page and submitting that to the search engines whenever there is something really big happening.

Keep the page targeted on the matter in hand. Of course have your regular site logo, header and at least a link to your home page, even proudly announce that "This is a XYZ Special brought to you by Acme Widgets ..." but keep it simple, or you'll overdo it.

Don't forget the CONTENT!

=> You need some actual text, item of interest and value about the event. You can research this easily on the net - start at Holidays on the Net http://www.holidays.net/ or your favourite search engine

=> Offer one really good temptation - a topical freebie or a discounted product. Depends what you sell of course, but if you can match the offer to the event: golf clubs for Dad's Day or whatever, even better.

The affiliate scheme at, http://www.wotch.com/ have a free mini- browsers and mini-books that you can give away and they have them for most events. You'll get 10 cents for each browser activated, plus your link in it and they are useful as well as decorative little programs for your visitors.

=> You could also add eCards, which visitors can send free and this promotes your site to others. 123Greetings offers their Interface Program http://www.123greetings.com There's Echelon Cardshop http://web.eesite.com/cards or All-Yours Digital Postcards http://www.all-yours.net/postcard/

=> Add a lottery and announce that there's stuff to win in your promotion. There are many on the net and sponsorship is an inexpensive way to get an influx of visitors for your event.

=> Make sure you take email addresses. Have your newsletter sign- up box in a prominent position or combine this with win a computer at ComputerDrawing.com http://www.computerdrawing.com/contest.htm?A=2922

You can probably be reasonably confident that someone who is playing the lottery might also register to win a computer and the beauty of this system is that it is a lead generator: you are sent a copy of all the user's details, name, location, even their interests, so you will be able to target offers to them later. They do have the option to say no to further information, which you must respect, but it will collect a good number of email addresses from this traffic boost. Then it is up to you.

As well as promoting externally to get new visitors, you have something new and topical to promote to your current contacts, your mailing list and in your newsletter, which gives them a reason to come back to your site.

About the author: Pamela Heywood is webmistress of http://www.tucats-design.com - Building Your Online Business Instinctively. Subscribe to the weekly TuCats Mewsletter (sic) mailto:subscribe@tucats-design.com and get regular FREE hints, tips, articles and resources.