» auteur: Tim Shaw

1. Trade links with other websites. Websites that are related are best, simply because the user is more likely to be interested in the related link. For example, if someone was looking around a web design site, they are more likely to be interested in a web hosting links than a sausage appreciation society website. However, any link is good (as long as it isn’t with a subject you don’t want to be affiliated with, i.e. adult websites). It also has the added advantage of increasing search engine rank.

Websites to help with this would be:

• www.gotlinks.com, which is an automated link exchange.
• www.linkmarket.net, which is semi automated link exchange.
• www.honestlinks.com, which helps you build a successful link page.

2. Sign up with a banner exchanges or traffic exchanges. They provide you with a way of reaching an audience, although the audience may not be interested in your website’s subject. I would never pay for this service, but as it’s free is worth the effort.

Websites to help with this are:

• www.bpath.com offer free banner exchange.
• www.trafficswarm.com offer free and paid for traffic exchange.

3. Offer an RSS feed. When people read it, they will be reminded of your website. Also, they provide you with inward links to your website, which search engines like. Search engines also like websites that offer an RSS feed.

Websites to help are:

• www.w3schools.com has tutorials to help publish an RSS feed.
• www.syndic8.com Will publish your RSS feed, with over 300,000 other feeds listed.
• www.daypop.com Will also publish your RSS feed, with over 50 000 other feeds listed.
• Www.Newsisfree.com Again, will also publish your RSS feed, with over 18 000 other feeds listed.

4. Form an online community. It could be an online message board, e-mail discussion list or chat room. When people get involved in your community they will regularly return to communicate with others. They are hard to start up, but will pay off.

Websites to help are:

• www.sparklit.com offers free forums
• www.bravenet.com offers free and paid message boards etc
• www.tinit.co.uk offers free message boards and chat rooms for your site

5. Write articles and submit them to article submission sites. They advertise your site, and provide you with inward links. Remember to include a link to your website in the ‘About the Author’ section.

Websites to help are:

• www.goarticles.com will list your articles
• www.articledepot.co.uk will also list your articles
• www.ezonearticles.com will also list your articles

6. Give away an electronic online freebie, and allow your users to distribute it. This will increase your ad exposure and attract people to your website. It may cost you or you may be able to persuade a company to let you have it free. Also, list it on a freebies site.

Websites to help are:

• www.thefreesite.com will list your freebie
• www.freebiedot.com will also list your freebie.

7. Join a forum, and include a link to your site in your signature. Also, when ever someone asks for advise on selecting a service, recommend your website (if it is relevant).

8. Partner with another website offering a similar service. For example, on the Big Wow site, we have a page advertising our partner who offers web design services. In return, they recommend us to their clients. This costs nothing on both parts, but is very effective.

9. Advertise your business on Google Adwords, Yahoo Overture, or Bpath Bidvertiser. These are effective, but you do have to pay for them. They can be subsidised by displaying the adverts on your site as well.

Websites to help are:

• https://adwords.google.co.uk/select/Login?sourceid=AWO&subid=UK-ET-ADS&hl=en_GB is for Google Adwords
• http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/ is for Yahoo Overture
• http://www.bidvertiser.com/bdv/bidvertiser/bdv_publisher.dbm?bdv_aff_id=13 is for Bpath Bidvertiser.
• http://services.google.com/marketing/links/UK-OA-EDR To get £20 off your first Adwords account

10. Be included in newsletters. Again, this is expensive but effective. You could be an advert, or in an interview.

Websites to help are:

• www.sitepronews.com- large newsletter offering a range of ways of advertising
• www.bravenet.com can be included in their many mailings.

Tim Shaw is director of (Big Wow Web Hosting), a cheap and reliable web host. He has written several books and ebooks on web hosting, and has had many years experience in computers, the web and web hosting.