Friday, November 28, 2008

Budget Advertising Online

By Don Bethune

It means absolutely nothing if you have the most perfect website if people don't know where to find it. There are literally millions of websites in existence today and to get your share of the traffic you need a marketing strategy.

There are many cheap and effective ways to increase traffic to your start up website. If like most start ups you are short on time too, things are a bit more complicated but still very viable. In order to get the most out of your time and money you need to take some specific steps.

When you begin advertising it may be tempting to put your name anywhere you can for free; but remember, quantity is not quality. Instead of having the internet drown in your name, direct it toward your potential customers. Find sites they are likely to visit and start there. While browsers may read your advertisement on non-related sites, they are less likely to click it.

Don't spend your precious time trying to sell your home-made beef jerky to vegetarians. While they may applaud your enthusiasm and original use of spices, they are not too likely to purchase from you. Similarly, you wouldn't want to advertise to traffic on office supply sites; its just too random for some people. Knowing your audience will save you time and money, and that is the goal.

Once you have narrowed down the type of person that is more likely to purchase from your website, the next step is to locate them. Fortunately for you there are hundreds of websites that collect listings of just such people to help you focus your advertising campaign and get more website traffic.

These websites are much easier to find than you might initially think, and are usually very affordable. Reputable mailing list merchants will have email lists that are readily available categorized based on past purchases and major life events, and a variety of other variables obtained from surveys or public data. Many of these lists will come with a guarantee if the address information is incorrect so you arenat wasting your advertising dollars on a mailbox no longer in use.

There is a legal precaution you must take when utilizing this effective form of advertising. The spam laws require an opt-out, unsubscribe, or removal link at the bottom of the message. Although some people will be removed from your list, many more will become customers.

Using targeted email advertising has proven itself to be the best way to get more website traffic quickly and effectively. This form of advertising is the best way to get your name and brand in front of people that are ready and able to buy and is the best way to maximize the return on your investment.

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