After You Launch Your Business Website, Then What?

To build a more powerful Internet presence, you should launch your business website, then consider adding blogs, published online articles, social websites and online press releases.

Obviously, the first order of business is to make sure that your website is search engine friendly and you comply with their standards. You may want to use paid search, but you must learn what keywords in your website text are now in vogue with the public and then act upon this information.

While your website can be used to communicate one way with people, blogs allow for two way communication. Never, never use a blog to repeat the same stuff that's on your business website. That's considered duplicate content, not appreciated by search engines.

It's great to ask questions on a blog. That encourages viewers to respond to you. Blogs, properly used, can enhance your search engine rankings.

You can write and post articles online, too. This allows people to read posted articles you have written and reply to you.

I have 56 articles posted online, and they have produced almost 19,000 page views in two years. Now regarding online news releases, the Internet has numerous firms offering these. Mostly, they're free, but some charge modest amounts for assistance or speedy service.

To do this well, you need to learn how to write press releases or use somebody with that skill. Press releases you submit to these firms, when approved, are emailed to news sources. News releases must convey news, not advertising, sales promotion, or hype. Otherwise, they will not be approved and used.

Search engines track online news release activity, and that can help you become more visible online. Readers are allowed to use your articles on their websites and blogs, provided that they attribute the article to you. Search engines take these transactions into account in a positive manner.

What are social websites? They're online places where people hang out and communicate online. I use LinkedIn (which is very business-oriented), Facebook (which is a basic hybrid business and social website) and MySpace (a hip business and social website).

Email promotion can be used to enhance these activities. Let's say your offer a new product. Using your blog, you can state that you provide this product to the public and ask visitor questions about how they like or dislike your new product.

What needs, real or imagined, does it meet? Ask questions on your blog to find out. You could post a bulletin on your MySpace website about this, too. And you could write an article for online publication to get feedback from the public.

One strong caution. If you don't have experience with consumer advertising, public relations, or journalism, get someone skilled in these things to teach you how or use a consultant with these skills. Improperly used, these tools could do you more harm than good. Properly used, they can do lots of good.

John J. Alquist is a professional speaker, author and business consultant. He is an advocate of universal self-employment, including Internet business proficiency. Visit his website at: http://www.tell-it-well.com/page15.htm or email him at john@tell-it-well.com