From time to time I’m asked what the term “web presence” really means. Especially as it relates to web marketing and generating more traffic to your website.
Perhaps the best analogy I can use comes from the world of real estate.
When it comes to getting more “visibility” for your website you can choose to “own” or “rent” more virtual space.
Let me explain…
So what exactly is web presence?
The term “web presence” simply means how “visible” you are when it comes to the web. In other words, how likely are people to run into your website, video or article posted online.
Let me use an example that anyone who’s traveled south along I-95 can relate to – South of the Border.
I don’t know what they sell at South of the Border. I’ve never stopped there, nor have I met anyone who is actually stopped there. But if you have driven south along I-95 on your way to Florida you have no doubt run into numerous billboards advertising South of the Border and how many miles away it is on each and every billboard.
That, my friends, is an example of presence.
Now, when it comes to the web you really have two options for establishing your presence: you can rent, or you can own.
Renting “space” happens in cases where you use Google adwords, or pay for a banner ad on someone else’s website. In that case your goal is to get visitors (i.e. traffic) to follow your ad (or link) from the target website over to yours.
This strategy can be effective (provided your ad works) in generating some immediate traffic to your site, allowing you to test the various elements of your sales page or lead capture forms (i.e. your action pages). The downside to this strategy is obvious – once you stop paying for the ads any traffic you received from the ads disappears instantaneously.
Hence, your “rented” space is gone.
You have not invested in marketing to create assets. Rather, you have spent money on marketing buying “airtime.”
When we talk about owning your web presence we mean utilizing YouTube, article directories, and social media effectively to place “markers” that point back to your site.
This strategy works brilliantly, provided you allow for patience and have a long time frame in mind.
Like the “little engine that could” it takes time to build up momentum. However, once you have placed enough “markers” on the web the collected weight and mass of those markers (and the associated back links) will pay dividends for your site years down the road.
Hence the reference to “owning” some virtual real estate.
With that in mind, here are…
10 ways to boost your presence on the web
- update your Facebook page with your latest blog post
- Digg your latest blog post
- submit a video to YouTube
- upload a PowerPoint presentation to slideshare
- add your unique photos to Flickr (and be sure to add back links to your site)
- add an article to ezinearticles.com
- submit a hub on hubpages
- create a squidoo lens
- guest blog on someone else’s site
- leave a relevant and intelligent comment on someone else’s blog
These are just a few ways of “getting your name out there” that you can use to maximum effect – provided that you link back to your own website.
Just be sure to follow the rules, terms and conditions of each site. After all, the only way to own your presence is to make sure that your “virtual billboards” remain intact and in place.
Does that make sense to you?
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Since early 2008 I have worked with dozens of clients and helped them get more than they thought possible from their websites. And I know I can do the same for you…
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