Here's the truth about the most common misconceptions people have about Websites and online marketing:
1. "If I create a Website, it will automatically be at the top of Google search results."
The truth is that getting a good position in search engine results takes more than just creating a Website and submitting your domain name. Each search engine has its own formula for determining which order sites appear in its search results. Basically, to get the best ranking possible for your site:
- Make sure your site's content, especially headings, includes the keywords that people will use to find your site.
- Get other popular sites that feature similar content to link to your site. For better results, make sure the link text includes the keywords that people will use to find your site.
For more tips, read Google's suggestions and our article on Search Engines.
2. "If I have a Website, people everywhere will find out about it and visit my site."
Wrong. There are millions of other sites competing with yours. Just like any business, to get people to visit your site, you have to tell people about it. Here are a few of the best ways to let people know about your site:
- Print your Website address on all of your marketing materials (business cards, brochures, letterhead, ads, etc.)
- Advertise your site with online ads or traditional advertising.
- Get people to link to your site by making your content easy to read and informative.
3. "I can save money by having my nephew/friend create my Website."
Sounds like a great idea at the time, but you get what you pay for. If you want a professional site that actually works and that people will take seriously, you need to have a professional designer build your site. Hiring a professional might require a larger investment, but you won't have to redesign your site, saving you time and money in the long run.
Learn more about our Website design services.
4. "I should just pay a company to optimize my site and submit it to 1,000 search engines."
Submitting your site to a bunch of search engines won't help your results. Smaller search engines will pick up your Website from the big search engines anyway. And optimizing your site's content won't get you the fantastic results you want. Most companies that try to sell optimization or search engine marketing services are scams.
For more information, read this informative article by Google about SEO companies.
5. "If I send an unsolicited email to a million people, they will all come to my site and buy my products."
Do you like getting unsolicited email from people trying to sell you things? The people you email about your products and service probably don't either. However, a very focused email marketing campaign to a small group of people who are your target market can get results.
Sending unsolicited commercial email is illegal in many states. Protect yourself by sending only to "double opt-in" addresses (people who have requested email from your site and who replied to an initial confirmation email from your site).
For more information, read our article on How to Market Your Website With Email.
6. "If I just buy a bunch of online ads, my business will explode."
Online ad programs like Google and Yahoo! are an excellent way to attract new customers to your site. The nice thing about online ads is that you can track the success of your campaigns and tweak your approach to get the best results. However, the bottom line is:
- How much does it cost to get one person to click on your ad and come to your site?
- How much does it cost to get one person to buy a product or service from your site?
Here are a few of the most popular online ad programs: Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Ask, LookSmart, and Miva.
7. "If I just put Google ads on my site, I can make money without doing anything."
Putting 3rd party ads on your site can be a great way to make money from ("monetize") your Website. However, keep these points in mind:
- Google can pay you as much or as little as it wants to without telling you why.
- If your site's content is not matched to what people are looking for, then the ads that are shown on the page will be for products or services that don't appeal to your visitors.
- Very few sites make much money from ads.
8. "If I write lots of hyped up content, people will be so motivated they will buy my stuff."
Lots of hype on your site irritates visitors and actually hurts your credibility. Instead, provide objective, usable information about your products and services. Try to show how your products helped real people.
For more information, read our 7 Rules for Website Content.
9. "If I just add this magic feature to my Website, people will think it's cool and buy my stuff."
Before you think about adding an E-zine, teleseminar, survey, newsfeed, widget, etc. to your Website, ask yourself: "Why am I adding this? Is it because everyone else is doing it? Because I think it's cool?" If you keep adding things without a plan, your site will quickly become cluttered and confusing.Each feature of your Website should be designed and added to accomplish a specific objective.
10. "I can fool the search engines into giving me a higher search ranking."
Most of the popular "tricks" don't work:
- Duplicate content is ignored. You can even be penalized for having too much of it.
- Most big search engines ignore META keyword tags and pull keywords from the actual content on the page.
- Cloaked or hidden content (usually lots of keywords) can actually dilute the strength of the content on the page.
Search engines are designed to give people the most relevant results for their search; and they are constantly adapting and getting smarter. Instead of trying to fool Google (and their team of Ph.D's), you will be more successful in the long run by providing them with informative, well-organized content that people are looking for.
