Web Site Promotion Getting Found on the Web John J Toman Director, UTIA Information Technology jtoman@utk. edu
What is Web Site Promotion n n Myth 1: You’ve built it, so they will come Myth 2: With so many millions of web pages out there they will never find my web site Myth 3: I advertised my web site once so I never have to touch it again Myth 4: I need to promote my web site separately from my other marketing efforts
Getting Found on the Web n n n Integrating the web into your marketing plan Register with search engines and directories Increasing your visibility/popularity Using email to attract and keep your customers Evaluating the results
Review Your Marketing Plan n n n Who are my traditional customers? How do I currently market my products? Are my web customers different from my traditional customers? How will my web customers use my web site? What are my web customers’ expectations? How can I promote my web site using traditional marketing tecniques?
Include URL in all Advertising n n n n Company letterhead Yellow Page listing Promotional items, pens, magnets, etc. Press releases Uniforms, shirts Company cars and trucks Building signage
How Do People Find Information? n n People search for information differently Some will try typing the business name in the address bar directly Most will use a search engine Your Goal: optimize your web pages so they will be found by those looking for your product or service
Search Engine vs Directory n n Search engines travel throughout the web via “spiders” to find and index web pages, i. e. , Google, Inktomi Directories are hierarchical catalogs of web pages review by people, i. e. , Yahoo Search engines and directories may use different criteria to index the results Getting top position in a search engine is not an exact science
Relevant Directories • Yahoo: $299/free n Add from directory location • Look. Smart: $per click (MSN, About, Inktomi, Search. com, Infospace) n http: //listings. looksmart. com/accounts/contact s/get_listed. jhtml • Open Directory Project: Free (AOL, Netscape, Hot. Bot) n http: //www. dmoz. org/add. html
Relevant Search Engines • Altavista: Free n http: //addurl. altavista. com/ • Google: Free (Yahoo, AOL, Netscape) n http: //www. google. com/addurl. html • FAST: Reseller, $34 (Allthe. Web, Hot. Bot, Excite, Web. Crawler, Terra. Lycos, Dog. Pile) n http: //www. positiontech. com
Relevant Search Engines • Inktomi: Reseller, $39 (MSN, Hot. Bot, About, Look. Smart, Ovature) n Http: //www. positiontech. com • Teoma: $30 (Ask. Jeeves, Excite, Info. Space, Hot. Bot) n http: //ask. ineedhits. com/sitesubmit. asp • Allthe. Web Free n http: //www. alltheweb. com/add_url. php
Web Site Registration n n URL or Web Address Meta Tags – information about information • Keywords • Description n Title Page Text Using “alt” tags
Keywords n n n Choose about 10 keywords from your core business Look at your competitors Ask your customers Review web logs Keyword Trackers/”Suggesters” <meta name="keywords" content="keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3">
Description n n Describes your web page Closely tied to content on the page Use as many keywords as possible and still be relevant Most search engines use the Description as the text displayed in results <meta name=“description" content=“description for the web page">
Web Site Title n n Displayed in blue bar on browser First line of search results Concise statement of content on page Use keywords <title>Web Site Title Here</title>
Page Text n n Introductory text displayed the web page that your customer will read Similar to the first paragraph of a chapter in a book Place important keywords toward top of page Using a graphic only page will limit the number of keywords available on the page
Using “alt” Tags n n Use “alt” tag to describe a picture Which is better? <img src=“image. jpg” alt=“image. jpg”> <img src=“image. jpg” alt=“Picture of building”> <img src=“image. jpg” alt=“White House Inn Bed and Breakfast”> Caution: Make sure the description used in the alt tag is relevant to the content of the picture
Registration Process n n Each search engine/directory may collect different information during registration Search Engines: • Find the link for submitting your site • Fill in the URL and other information requested n Directories: • Navigate to proper category in directory • Click “Add URL” link • Complete information requested
Search Results (Meta Tags) Search Hot Bot for: Bed and Breakfast Vermont WEB RESULTS (Showing Results 1 - 10 of 136, 263) 1. Bed and Breakfast Inns ONLINE - BBOnline. com - Travel * Lodging * Bed. . . Bed & Breakfast Inns ONLINE: 4 000 bed and breakfasts and country inns and 26 state bed and breakfast association web sites. Awarded INNSTAR's highest rating - 5 INNSTARS www. bbonline. com/ - July 1, 2003 - 10 KB 2. Three Bears at the Fountain Bed and Breakfast Stowe, Vermont bed-and-breakfast inn was built by the first couple married in Stowe. Features homemade breakfast, hot tub, and mountain views. www. threebearsbandb. com/ - June 16, 2003 - 10 KB 3. Innkeeper Recipes and Cookbooks - Bed & Breakfast Inns ONLINE -. . . More than 2 000 bed and breakfast innkeeper cooking recipes and dozens of cookbooks. www. bbonline. com/recipe - July 23, 2003 - 18 KB
Search Results (Meta Tags)
Search Results (Meta Tags) <HEAD> <meta name="resource-type" value="document"> <meta name="keywords" content="bbonline, bed & breakfasts, breakfast, bed and breakfast, bnb, b&b, bed and breakfast directory, bed and breakfast guide, travel guide, inn, Country Inns, travel, lodging, romance, jacuzzis, getaways, romantic, accommodations, mountains, recipes, contest, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, California, Michigan, Hawaii, Washington, Maine, Massachussetts, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas"> <meta name="description" content="Bed & Breakfast Inns ONLINE: 4, 000 bed and breakfasts and country inns and 26 state bed and breakfast association web sites. Awarded INNSTAR's highest rating - 5 INNSTARS"> <TITLE>Bed and Breakfast Inns ONLINE - BBOnline. com - Travel * Lodging * Bed and Breakfasts * Country Inns</TITLE> </HEAD>
Search Results (alt Tag) <img src="logo. gif" width=404 height=125 alt="Bed & Breakfast Inns ONLINE" border="0">
Search Results (No Meta Tags) Search Alta. Vista for: Superior Music Alta. Vista found 1 result About Superior Music - Tennessee Page home] [tn links] [jobs] [tn local band links] Tennessee LINKS NASHVILLE MT JULIET LEBANON The Bluebird Cafe HEYSONGWRITER. COM Music City Blues The Nashville Scene City of Mt. Juliet Chamber. . . www. superiormusic. com/page 061. htm
Search Results (No Meta Tags) <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft Front. Page 5. 0"> <meta name="Prog. Id" content="Front. Page. Editor. Document"> <title>Superior Music - Tennessee Page</title> <bgsound src="music/dixie 1. mid" loop="1"> </head>
Search Results (Frames) Search Google for: Robertson County Fair Association www. robertsoncountyfair. com/ - 2 k - Cached - Similar pages Robertson County Fair Association Welcome to the "cyber" home of the Robertson County Fair. The 2003 fair will be our 136 th Annual Fair. The fair is a place for old. . . www. robertsoncountyfair. com/Welcome. Page. htm - 4 k - Cached - Similar pages [ More results from www. robertsoncountyfair. com ]
Search Results (Frames)
Search Results (Frames) <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <title>Robertson County Fair Association</title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft Front. Page 4. 0"> <meta name="Prog. Id" content="Front. Page. Editor. Document"> </head> <frameset rows="64, *"> <frame name="banner" scrolling="no" noresize target="contents" src="Title. Frame. htm"> <frameset cols="150, *"> <frame name="contents" target="main" src="Menu. Frame. htm"> <frame name="main" src="Welcome. Page. htm" target="_self"> </frameset> <noframes> <body> <p>This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them. </p> </body> </noframes> </frameset> </html>
Cheating the System n n n Hiding keywords in background Repeating keywords out of context Hiding in HTML <input> tags <input type=“hidden” value=“keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3”> n Multiple title tags <title>This is the Real Title</title> <title>keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3</title> n Keywords in HTML comment tags <!– keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3 … ->
Submission Services n n n Offers to register up to 500 search engines Submit the same information to every search engine. Will your site be submitted correctly to the engines? Can ultimately cost you more to undo any damage that may have been created Paying for this service is usually a waste of money
Paying for Positioning n n n Guaranteed higher ranking Usually flat fee or pay per click Yahoo – Sponsorships Lycos Network – Small text ads Alta. Vista – Listing Enhancements Google – Ad. Words
Portal/Doorway Pages n n n Built around particular keyword or for a particular search engine Can use for individual products Page “jumps” or provides link to real page Search engines discourage May drop page or only index the main page Don’t waste time unless including real content, i. e. , product pages
Excluding Pages from Search n n n Search engine robots will try to index all pages on your web site Can and should exclude certain pages, i. e. , log files, cgi-bin, image folders Create a robots. txt file on the server: User-agent: * Disallow: / (listing of folders) n Using a Meta Tag <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow">
Link Popularity n n The number of sites that link to yours is an indication of the importance of your site Critical to many search engines, i. e. , Google Maximize the number of links from relevant web sites Free link popularity checkers will tell you how many sites are linked to you
Link Popularity Example n n n Bed and Breakfast Online Googles’s top listing Popularity • • • n MSN: 12, 754 Google/Yahoo: 6, 600 Alta. Vista: 23, 407 Can be major contributing factor for top ratings
Increasing Your Visibility (and Popularity) n n Banner/Link Exchange programs Niche Search Engines/Directories • Professional Organizations • Business Directories n n n Web Malls/Rings/Auctions News Groups/LISTSERVS Affiliate programs
Banner/Link Exchange n Agreement between two or more parties to place links or banners on each other’s web pages • • • n Can be formal or informal agreements Includes paid or free exchanges Partners should be related to core business Goals • Bring additional customers to your web site • Increase your link popularity
Banner / Link Exchange Programs n Advantages • • • n Disadvantages • • • n Increased visibility / popularity Targeted exchanges Tracking of results Potential increased download time Low click through rates Loss of control Potential cost of banner ad Can be form of spam Read the fine print before signing up
Choosing an Exchange Program n n n Large databases of qualified web sites Automatic tracking of exchanges Trade links with complimentary sites Ability to choose who to link with Statistics reporting of impressions and click throughs Pricing – needs to be affordable
Niche Search Engines/Directories n n Many specialty search engines and directories Find complimentary sites and submit URL Professional organizations may list web sites for members Yahoo Directories good source
Web Malls/Auctions n n Grouping of “web shops” by category or search by particular product Can gain visibility through recognized name like Amazon, Yahoo, e. Bay Most malls and auction charge for listing or fee on percentage of sale price Effectiveness varies
Web Ring n n n Groups of related web sites Linear navigation from site to site in a ring Ringmaster responsible for management and approval of sites Loss of control of who is part of ring No guarantee of visits
News Groups/LISTSERVS n n n Forums to discuss specific topics Choose related groups/LISTERVES Lurk for a while to get flavor Don’t blatantly advertise Offer content of value and related to topic discussed Use a signature
Email Signatures n n n Subtle form of advertising Easy to create in email program Include in all email correspondence Customize for audience Include • • name, address, phone & fax numbers Email address Web address Custom message
Affiliate Programs n n n Provides additional avenue for sales Affiliates advertise your product or service on their web site Pay a commission or fee to affiliate program and web site owner Affiliate provider manages entire program Loss of control with who advertises for you Affiliate may have site unrelated to your core business
Hints for Being Found n n n Don’t attempt to cheat. Use all available meta tags Include as many keywords as possible in title, description, and page text Exchange links with complimentary sites Use other techniques as appropriate Bottom line: There is no substitute for well written web pages
Email Marketing n n n Web page must wait for customers to visit Proactive mechanism to keep your name in front of your customers Notifying customers of specials, new products, events, etc.
Benefits of Email Marketing n n n Many people now have email Excellent form of mass communication Quicker than traditional mail Relatively inexpensive Can be personalized Results are measurable
Drawbacks of Email Marketing n n n Everyone is doing it Potential for creating spam There is a cost – time Privacy is an issue Not a substitute for other forms of marketing
A Word About Spam n n n Spam angers people by costing them time Effectiveness is sketchy Legislation may ban unsolicited email
Email Design n n n Use the subject line to get their attention Provide important information in the body of the message Include links or coupon in the message to encourage action Personalize the message for particular audience Use your email signature HTML or Plain Text
HTML n n n Can include all HTML formatting Pictures and Graphics Spyware issues Maintains brand identity Won’t show up in text only email clients
Plain Text n n Smaller in size Easy to create Description is in the words Works with all email clients
Keys to Effective Email Marketing n n n n Provide something valuable in the email Balance frequency of email Include email use in privacy policy Get their permission to send them email Make it easy to unsubscribe from mailing list Use a mailing list manager Measure your results
Mailing List Managers n n Create a group in your email program Programmed as part of your web site management system Free mailing list managers Commercial (pay) mailing list managers
Who is Using My Web Site? n n The “hit” myth Why hits don’t matter More accurate is unique visitors Want to know who was using web site and what they were doing
Analyzing Your Web Logs n n Records usage of your web site Types of logs • • • n Access Log Referrer Log Error Log Web host my combine logs
![Web Log Example 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 06 -0500]](https://present5.com/presentation/c9f01a7f03530bad734921cc6bab315c/image-56.jpg "Web Log Example 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 06 -0500]")
Web Log Example 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 06 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 2_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)" 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 06 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 3_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)" 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 06 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 4_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)" 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 07 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 5_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)" 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 07 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 6_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)" 172. 137. 65. 214 - - [27/Feb/2003: 06: 31: 07 -0500] "GET /newsite/images/home 2_r 7_c 1. gif HTTP/1. 1" 304 - "http: //www. heysongwriter. com/newsite/links. php? menu=affiliate" "Mozilla/4. 0 (compatible; MSIE 5. 5; MSN 2. 5; Windows 98)"
Information from the Logs n n n Number of visitors What they viewed How long they stayed Where they came from Keywords used to get to your site What search engines they are using
Web Log Analyzers n n n Generate reports from logs Trend analysis Freeware vs Commercial
Log Analyzer Output Search Terms Example
Getting Found - Summary n n Submit your web site and track your web position Exchange links/banners and test your popularity Use email to effectively market your web site and measure results Analyzing web logs for important user information and adjust web site accordingly
Questions?
Web Site Promotion Getting Found on the Web John J Toman Director, UTIA Information Technology jtoman@utk. edu
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