Web site Promotion | Website Development

Web Site Promotion – Start With Your Brand

Web site promotion is like promoting a brand. Yes, your web site is a “brand.” In effect, web site promotion is about establishing your URL as something meaningful in the minds of your intended audience. It’s like Coca Cola® as a brand. It has been made to mean, in the minds of the consumer, “cool, carbonated, refreshing beverage.” You want to do the same thing for your URL.

One of the first things you have to do in establishing a brand is to be clear about the “value proposition” that you offer your intended audience; in other words, what value do you provide them? What’s special? If you’re site is for a hiking club, for example, what’s special about your club? Is it free? Is it focused on the Pyrenees? Is it only for women? It is for dating? What’s special?

When you know what’s special, make sure your web site reflects that “specialness.” That starts with the domain itself. Instead of registering hikingclub.net, combine it with the special part of who you are. Create a domain like: hikingforwomen.com or hikingtolove.com.

Good web site promotion also requires that the actually content of your site be consistent with your brand. If you have a hiking club for women, but don’t mention that fact on the home page, you’ve negated your brand. Remember everything you do well contributes to the positive image of your brand, but everything you do poorly negates it. Also remember that the first action many people take when browsing a new site, is to hit the “Back” button because they don’t find on the home page what they’re looking for!

Once your URL actually means something, the simplest form of web site promotion is to make sure you use your brand everywhere. Include your URL on correspondence, brochures, advertising, signage, business cards, directories, yellow page advertising, etc. Make sure your brand shows up anytime you’re communicating to anyone.