The Internet Marketing Checklist for Small Business
Running your own business? Looking for new ways to market your products or services online? Then read through The Internet Marketing Checklist for Small Business below, and see if you should be adding a few more tactics to your marketing toolbox.
THE INTERNET MARKETING CHECKLIST FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Website
You have a website, right? If not, create one. In today’s business marketplace, there is simply no justifiable reason to go without a website. Your business website acts as the cornerstone for your company’s online marketing.
Web Analytics
If you are not using analytics to measure the activity on your website, stop everything and install a web analytics program today. An easy (and free) way to do this is by using Google Analytics.
Analytics Schedule
Then, once you have a web analytics package up and running, setup a regular schedule to review the data and make corresponding updates to your website.
Webmaster Tools
Sign up for Google Webmaster Tools and see your website from Google’s perspective.
XML Sitemap
Setup an XML sitemap and submit it to the search engines to ensure that they are indexing every page in your site. A good place to start is Sitemaps.org.
Blog
You have a blog, right? If not, create one. With a blog, you have control of an ongoing communication stream with your target audience.
Blog Subscription
Enable your blog readers to subscribe to your blog either through RSS or email or both.
Blog Syndication
Broaden your blog audience via syndication through services such as BlogBurst.
Awesome Content
Create content that your target audience will truly value and will look forward to. Create useful eBooks, checklists, reports, widgets, tools, etc. that other sites will want to link to. Include awesome content in both your website and your blog.
Online Articles
Build your credibility by posting expert articles online at industry sites and article sites such as eZineArticles.
Answer Sites
Build your credibility by answering questions by your prospective customers at Answer sites such as Yahoo! Answers.
Video/Audio
Explore how you can add relevant video and/or audio to your site.
Website Engagement
Offer customer engagement with your website visitors, whether through surveys, polls, Q&A, interactive tools, forums or otherwise.
SEO
Optimize your site or hire someone to do it, so that you can capture prospects precisely at the time that they are looking for services or products such as yours.
Paid Search Marketing
Complementary to SEO, test a Paid Search campaign. Test different keywords, different ad copy, and different landing pages. When you are ready to take it to the next level, use the multivariate testing tool Google Website Optimizer to test multiple variations of elements on the page.
Press Releases
Issue press releases and submit to online wire services such as PRWeb.
Get Local - Get Listed
If you are a local business, it behooves you to get listed in a multitude of online directories. For example, use Craigslist, Yelp, Google Local Business Center and Yahoo! Local.
Segment Your Site Visitors
This may be a more advanced tactic, but for those ready to take the plunge, try segmenting your audience based on their online behavior using tools such as BTBuckets.
Build Relationships
Capture your prospects’ contact information through your website, and setup a customer relationship management database. Leverage email marketing to offer something of value to your database on an ongoing basis.
Get Social
Socialize with your audience. Identify the most relevant social sites for your business, and then get involved. This might mean the forums on StartupNation. It might mean Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Eons, BusinessWeek Exchange or Mixx.
Differentiation/Unique Value Proposition
And of course none of your Internet marketing efforts will maximize your results without solid differentiation. How are you different? What makes you unique? Why should someone purchase from you as opposed to other options?
These are just a few tips (The list above is by no means comprehensive!) to help you create a great online marketing program that drives your business success. If you need additional help, let me know below or at www.WebsiteMarketingNOW.com. Thanks!
May 21st, 2009 at 2:13 am
Without a doubt, Internet marketing is getting more and more important. It is a must nowadays for small business owners to have Internet marketing in their marketing mix and this list will be very helpful for those who have no ideas on where to start.
May 21st, 2009 at 6:50 am
Thanks for the comments, Wayne!
I think it’s important for companies to continually test additional online marketing tactics in order to develop an overall portfolio that maximizes their results. To that end, I hope the list is helpful to everyone.
May 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am
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May 26th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Excellent list. This is a huge time saver for anyone trying to figure out how to effectively market their small business.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Hi Tom, Thanks for a very complete list, but for local businesses, I’d also urge them to claim the free business listings provided by Google, Yahoo, Merchant Circle, Yelp, and others. For most local searches, the Google “10-pack” appears right at the top of the first page of results, just below the paid listings. Why not take advantage of the free opportunity to appear in the “10-pack” which includes a link to your website and another link to your customer reviews? That’s some easy SEO.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
ProfeCompu - thank you for the comments!
Paul - Thanks, I agree. I think you may have missed “Get Local - Get Listed” included in my list. It specifically mentions Yelp, Google Local and Yahoo! Local as examples. So I think we are on the same page!
-Tom
May 26th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
This is a great checklist! The recommendations of the site maps and analytical software are areas I need to begin researching.
Thanks for the information!
May 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Thanks for the checklist. It’s very helpful to cover all the bases.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Great list. I think business owners should all use and benefit from search engine optimization and internet marketing.
The whole search engine world has revolved a great deal over the past decade or so and those use them the best have the greatest opportunities to generate leads and increase sales. Better you than your competition, right?
Feel free to take a look at our Website Redesign and SEO Web Design services at http://webguru-co.com. We can help you with or point you in the right direction regarding all of the above items.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Great post! 21 Quick and easy to read real action items you can do to create a stronger presence. Thanks for the handy links to resources that can help.
May 30th, 2009 at 6:17 am
[...] The Internet Marketing Checklist for Small Business [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 am
Hi Tom,
Your post is really very nice. I thing there is no denying that marketing your business online is a necessity in today’s market and social media networking is more effective way for new small business popularity.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:36 am
My favorite is Get Local - Get Listed. I’d never thought of doing this sort of thing. Care to expand a bit? I’d be interested to know more about internet marketing via places like Craigslist…
Thanks!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Thanks to everyone for your comments.
Nick - Craig’s List can be a great marketing vehicle for certain local businesses. The most effective ads include images and are formatted with a bit of HTML. You can post a unique ad once/week, so you would want to setup a system to re-post your ad every week.
I also included a link to Google Local Business Center in the main post above. Check it out.
Google just added new functionality this past week. Google now provides access to performance data of the local listings. For example: What was the search query that led to the local listing appearing in the results? What were the zip codes of people who were requesting driving directions? How many times did users click through the local listing to read reviews, the menu or store hours, etc.?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hey Tom,
I think you covered just about every medium for online marketing. I’d like to suggest an alternative to PRWeb, however: Presskit’n (http://presskitn.com)
Unlike PRWeb who charges $80 for a basic account, Presskit’n is free and easy to use. I think those of your readers with small businesses, start-ups or non-profits would really benefit from this product.