Continued from page 1
* Upgrade Path - If you see your business growing, and you might want more products/services in
future, then you will need an upgrade path. It is a real hassle changing hosting companies. Just getting lots of bandwidth and storage is not answer. Many customers don't use near amount of bandwidth and storage that many hosting companies are offering. This is really just a marketing technique for a lot of hosting companies. Look for extra products that they offer. What about ecommerce? Do they offer best ecommerce products, SPAM/Virus filtering, marketing tools etc. Remember that these days hosting is not just about storage and bandwidth. It's about a whole lot more. Don't settle for just space on a box.
You can easily compare web hosting options by looking through web hosting directory sites as well. These sites offer information about multiple hosting providers, and special offers and product information. Several of more useful directories are: www.websitehostdirectory.com, www.cheaphostingdirectory.com, and www.tophosts.com.
4. Set Up Your Email - It may seem like a no-brainer to some, but you simply cannot adequately conduct business on Internet without an email address. Your email address will let your customers and potential customers communicate with you, and give you valuable feedback on your web site, products, services, and ordering processes.
You’ll also need a way for you to communicate with vendors and others who can help you market your web site. Each hosting provider has different protocols for setting up your email account, so you’ll have to look to your provider for help with your specific account. One other important note: be sure to include a signature line at bottom of every email that includes your business name, URL, and a brief description of your products and services. This idea alone can increase your business.
5. Promote Your Site - There are so many ways to get traffic to your web site that it would require several separate articles to cover topic. Here are a couple of basic ideas. Try to educate yourself about, and get listed on search engines. A few basic steps can go a long way towards traffic driving in this way. A great step-by-step manual is at www.searchenginewatch.com.
If you have a budget to advertise, you may want to try Google AdWords as a method of reaching search engine keyword market. Information is available at: www.google.com/ads. Alternatively, if you simply want to pay someone else to manage your online search engine advertising campaign for a flat monthly fee, you could check out ValueWeb’s ValueTraffic program. ValueTraffic costs $100 per month, and guarantees traffic and impressions to your website. You can see further details at: www.valueweb.com/online-marketing.htm.
Of course, you should print your web address on all of your existing marketing materials such as: business cards, stationary, brochures, newsletters, product sheets, etc. You may find that driving qualified traffic to your website is as easy as releasing information on where to find it in your company promotional materials. Customers are always eager to utilize faster and more convenient forms of communications with companies.
Good luck with your new site, and remember - it takes a while for any great project to get real traction - same holds true for your website.
Derek Vaughan has been actively marketing on the Internet since 1995. His extensive online marketing experience includes serving at the Walt Disney Company as the online marketing manager for ecommerce at ESPN.com. In web hosting, Mr. Vaughan served for over 4 years as Senior Director of Marketing for Affinity Internet, Inc. and Vice President of Marketing for Aplus.Net. He now consults for www.cheaphostingdirectory.com, and runs www.webmastersales.com.
