(This tip is provided to you from the e-book, “5 Steps for a Successful E-Commerce Web Site,” available for download now.)
So you’ve finally got your Web site up and running, and now it’s time to sit back, relax, and watch those orders pour in. Right? Well, it’s not quite that simple.
The truth is there’s still heavy lifting to do if you want your Web site to be a success. First up is helping potential customers find their way to your little corner of the Web. Let me touch on two ways to improve your Web site’s rankings with search engines.
1. Register your site with search engines. If you’ve done a good job optimizing your site, the search engines will probably find you, eventually. But why wait? Submit your URL to top search engines such as Google, Live Search, and Yahoo. Basic registration is free on most search sites.
2. Buy search ads for better placement. No doubt you’ve seen the text-based ads that pop up alongside search results. This kind of paid advertising on major search engines --- known as keyword advertising or search advertising --- is one way to help your business climb in the rankings. And it also helps you control your costs because you only pay when your ad is clicked on. Our own adManager tool is built specifically for small businesses looking for a simple, effective way to manage keyword advertising. It will help you out with keyword and bid suggestions and keep your spending in check with a budgeting feature.
For a more thorough discussion of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies, I strongly encourage you to download the free e-book, 5 Steps to a Successful E-Commerce Web Site. Not only is the SEO section useful, but the e-book covers a variety of e-commerce best practices.
Before I sign off, I’d love to hear your SEO success stories or tips --- and I’m guessing everyone else would too.
Loriann Ikeda