51 Online Marketing Techniques to Improve Your Website's Success
by Bobette Kyle

There is no single "magic formula” to a successful Website. You can, however, make your own magic with a mix of marketing programs that is right for you. Your choices depend upon your overall goals and strategies.

A laundry list of marketing tactics that have worked for others -- and some of the benefits or features of each -- is below. They are in no particular order because each Website is unique. The tactics that will help you reach your goals may be completely different than the tactics that are right for another Website.

1. Write and distribute articles available for free republication -- Provides a "sample” of your writing or knowledge and creates inbound links to your Website.

2. Write and publish your own ezine -- Develops a list of interested prospects and provides a way to communicate directly with subscribers.

3. Distribute Website or newsletter content via RSS (xml) feeds -- Provides a way to reach prospects without email and creates more ways for potential prospects to find your Website.

4. Rewrite sales page(s) -- Increases conversion rates for your product.

5. Start an ongoing SEO campaign -- Improves organic search engine rankings and increases number of visitors.

6. Test different Website configurations -- Improves conversion rates and profit.

7. Send postcards or notes to Website customers/visitors via "snail mail” -- Additional point of contact improves conversions and recall.

8. Add a signature to your email -- Increases exposure to your site and communicates your marketing message.

9. Spend one hour each day on prospecting new customers or visitors -- Spreads the word about your product/service/Website and improves awareness.

10. Offer a podcast -- Recipients can listen to the mp3 file while away from their computers. A way to verbally communicate with prospects.

11. Blog -- You can easily share thoughts and resources up to several times a day.

12. Audio message on Website (With start and stop under visitor control) -- An additional way to verbally communicate your message.

13. Online radio show -- Attracts visitors to your Website on a regular basis and is a way for visitors/listeners to know the "personality" behind your Website.

14. Survey visitors as a research method -- Helps you understand the needs and problems of your visitors.

15. Include a daily (weekly, monthly) interactive survey for visitors -- A way to make your Website "stickier” and is a reason for repeat visits.

16. Provide a discount coupon, available only online, and advertise it offline -- Pulls new and repeat visitors to your Website.

17. Offer a free ebook that you wrote/developed and allow reprints -- Creates a viral marketing effect and provides a sample of your work.

18. Show others’ advertisements on your Website (examples: AdSense or Yahoo! Publisher Network) -- Adds a source of revenue for you and more research options for your visitors.

19. Implement a customer loyalty program -- Increases repeat purchases and builds a more loyal customer base.

20. Offer a gift with certain orders over a certain amount -- Increases average order size.

21. Write press releases to announce important news -- Spreads the word about your business and creates additional avenues of contact with those interested in your industry.

22. Hold an online chat -- Interactive way to communicate with prospects and draws visitors to the site.

23. Launch a direct-mail campaign, sending 3 to 6 postcards - spaced a week or so apart - to prospects - Draws new visitors to your Website.

24. Partner with other online businesses by mentioning each other's products/services in your ezine Websites -- Opportunity for synergies between businesses.

25. Launch an affiliate program -- Creates a sales force for your product.

26. Offer different versions of your product -- Provides a "tiered” choice for customers.

27. Participate in others’ affiliate programs -- Develops an additional source of revenue and expands your product offerings.

28. Open a merchant or third party processor account -- Increases your ability to take payments online and improves customer service.

29. Offer free shipping -- Improves customer service.

30. Have a limited-time offer -- Encourages customers to buy now rather than later (or never).

31. Conduct a workshop or class -- Builds credibility and attracts prospects.

32. Add testimonials to your Website -- Helps establish credibility and shows experience.

33. Participate in interviews -- Displays your expertise and attracts new customers.

34. Study your competition -- Helps you understand what is happening in your industry and better address important issues and needs.

35. Launch a pay per click advertising campaign -- Attracts new prospects to the Website pages you want.

36. Hold a teleseminar -- Provides a way to attract potential prospects and customers get to know you better.

37. Put a "refer-a-friend” link on every page -- Reminds people to tell others about your site and encourages viral marketing.

38. Set up an autoresponder course -- Is a value-added service to visitors and increases exposure to your product and Website.

39. Continually split-test your sales page(s). Change a single element (headline color, for example) and test against the current version. Replace anytime you get a page that converts better than the current - Over time, this dramatically improves profit.

40. Develop a mailing list of "hot prospects” and send them a brochure about your Website -- Improves awareness and attracts new customers.

41. Communicate your URL and tag line at every point of contact with customers and prospects -- Increases awareness and interest; improves recall; and attracts new customers.

42. List your Website in appropriate directories -- Provides more points of contact with potential customers, helps search engine rankings.

43. Install a "bookmark this page” script on each page -- Encourages repeat visits.

44. Improve a marginal product -- Increases sales and provides an additional opportunity to communicate with customers.

45. Provide a "co-branded” product or service -- By partnering with another Website to create a new product, improves both businesses .

46. Offer a contest -- Provides additional "stickiness” and encourages repeat visits.

47. Become active in online forums and groups -- Establishes you as an authority on your subject, improves credibility, and increases points of contact with potential prospects.

48. Move your primary call-to-action "above the fold” and test different page positions -- Can dramatically improve Website conversions.

49. Install live customer service on site. Staff with knowledgeable people so potential customers can get immediate answers - Improves customer service and conversion rates.

50. Develop different versions of your products (example: print book, audio book, ebook, etc.) -- Meets needs and preferences of customers in more ways.

51. THE MOST IMPORTANT ONLINE MARKETING TECHNIQUE: First, implement to your greatest ability. Then, persist. Improve upon and tweak implementation of each marketing program until it works for you.

About the Author

Bobette Kyle draws upon 15+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, online marketing experience, and a marketing MBA as inspiration for her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web Site Marketing Plan Network (http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com). She is also author of the marketing plan and Web promotion book "How Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Website Marketing For Small Budget Business." You can search all articles on the network through the marketing directory by going here: http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/directory