Getting Caught in the Web: The Start-up Business & The Internet Part 2

Getting linked on other websites to move your Google/Search Engine ranking is really simple. This is probably the best tool for all start-up businesses today, because it costs you nothing except a little time. I know it is hard to believe that you can gain exposure at no dollar cost to you! This is the beauty of staring a business today; years ago you had to have the brick & mortar to begin and a good sized chunk of money in the bank.

So let’s explore the options to getting your website linked on other sites. The most obvious connections need to happen in the Social Media arena (we will explore Social Media Marketing in a future article) like FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIN are the 3 main places. If you have videos then exposure on YouTube is a great resource for exposure on the internet. These have been previously used for primarily personal use, today they are the hottest marketing tools for businesses. Even big companies like Starbucks, Pringles, Pizza Hut and more are using FaceBook for exposure. The key is how to use them for business; here are a couple of tips to follow to keep it professional:

1. Photo, be sure it is of YOU and it is not suggestive; no suits a suit makes you unapproachable
2. Keep photos off your profiles that reflect partying (you and your friends at a bar drinking is not a good photo choice)
3. Be sure to post appropriately on your listing; offer tips, advice or quotes
4. Do FaceBook suggested friend connections
5. Be sure your website is on your profile as a link (a link looks like http://www.RobinHardy.net) this way when they click on it they will be taken to your website while leaving your profile page in a different window
6. You can get a “vanity” URL on FaceBook now, FaceBook used to give you a link like FaceBook.com/11766d9487h865847m0000 which makes it hard to remember, now you can do one like FaceBook.com/RobinHardy which is much better for you from a marketing viewpoint. 7. Always try for your name, firstlast with no punctuation first.
8. As a business you can also create a Fan Page which gives you more exposure

The biggest word of advice on this type of marketing, limit the amount of time you spend, set a timer for say 30 minutes. It is really easy to get caught up in this type of networking.

Getting Caught in the Web: The Start-up Business & The Internet Part 1

A question was asked the other day regarding the value of a presence on the internet, “Is it really worth building a website for a small business with all the competition?” YES!!! The numbers as of late are 90% of the world (perhaps more today) search the internet for what they need as a first step. Can they find you?

The internet & Google searches can be overwhelming to some
start-up businesses, however take a deep breath here are some simple rules to follow when creating your empire on-line.

• Get a website!
• Content rich
• Opt-in box on the website
• Own the website!
• Be able to modify/update the website
• Get it ranked on Google (not by doing Pay-Per-Click)
• Any links on your site need to open a new window, leaving your website up in front of potential client
• Get your website linked on other websites like:
• Article writing
• Joint Ventures
• Blog
• Internet Radio Show and more…
  
  Understand it is really possible to move your website to the first page of a search and well worth your efforts. I took my own site from page 15 to page 1 in 3 weeks, I am competing against 2 other Robin Hardy’s, one is an author and the other the producer of The Wicker Man. So I have a little competition, however if I did it so can you.