Making the Most of Promotional Links
Internet experts explain options and tips for improved e-marketing.
BY JOE DYSART
One of the web's most powerful promotional tools is also one of its most basic: the hyperlink. A well-chosen collection of hyperlinks from popular sites can transform your site into an online Grand Central Station.
"Developing your links strategy is one of the most crucial elements involved in internet marketing," says Susan Sweeney, author of 101 Ways To Promote Your Web Site. "It's a very time-consuming task. But appropriately placed, links can be real traffic-builders."
Links help online viewers find valuable sites, and also help firms increase their search-engine rankings, says Jan Zimmerman, author of Marketing on the Internet. The more links you have to your site, the more search engines will perceive the site as an important, informational resource.
Getting Your Site Noticed
Document pros have three primary ways to get sites to link to their own: 1) pay search engines for the privilege, 2) program sites to be noticed more readily by search engines and 3) engage promotional strategies of mutual linking with non-competitive sites.
Not surprisingly, it's expensive to pay a search engine--or a number of search engines--to display your link or company advertisement prominently after users search for keywords. Some firms pay search engines to return their links or "clickable ads" first when internet users type words such as "commercial printing," "prime labels" and "promotional products distributors." "If your target market is more selective, a more targeted buy within the search engine is appropriate," Sweeney says. Targeted buys include tying your banner ad to specific keywords, and generally range from $40 to $90 "per thousand impressions" (lingo meaning every 1,000 times your link appears on the search engine). Often, this strategy is "worth the extra price," Sweeney says. The downside is that you'll pay for link returns even if you don't gain business from the exposure.
Consequently, many firms decide to program their web sites to be "search-engine friendly." In practical terms, this means programming each page on your site with the right "keywords," "meta tags," "alt tags" and other various and sundry digital minutia that can transform your site into a search-engine magnet. Distributors and manufacturers can outsource this service (type "web positioning firm" into any major search engine for more information) and pay $50 to $500 per month to maintain higher search-engine rankings.
Off-the-shelf software is a less expensive alternative. Two programs that consistently receive positive reviews are WebPosition Gold™ ($149) from Orlando, Fla.-based FirstPlace Software Inc. (www.firstplacesoftware.com) and Web Site Traffic Builder™ ($299) from Draper, Utah-based Intelliquis International Inc. (www.intelliquis.com). WebPosition Gold helps users get their sites listed by the top 10 search engines; Web Site Traffic Builder attempts to get sites listed with all significant search engines (approximately 3,500).
Linking with Other Sites
Whether distributors and manufacturers pay search engines for premium positioning or opt for web positioning software that will get their sites noticed automatically, they should augment their strategies by exchanging permanent links with other sites. Some businesses exchange links with a few of their suppliers or trading partners. Some firms offer links to information directories or map-making services. Large conglomerates often exchange links with companies under their corporate umbrellas.
Printing pros determined to leverage the full potential of cross-promotional links should pursue what internet marketing experts sardonically call a "link 'til you drop" approach. (See "7 Tips to Better Promotional Linking" on page 58.)
The good news is that once distributors and manufacturers agree to exchange links with other company web sites, the mechanics of creating links are fairly simple. Most web creation programs, including Microsoft® FrontPage® and Macromedia DreamWeaver, enable users to create hyperlinks by typing in web addresses and making a few simple mouse clicks.
Joe Dysart is a freelance writer and internet business consultant based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Email us your comments at editors@printsolutionsmag.com.
7 Tips to Better Promotional Linking
1. Stay chummy. Exchanging links with professional, business and trade associations works well, as does exchanging links with customers and trading partners. Also, some magazines with online editions often exchange links with their advertisers.
2. Secure links from top industry sites. Web site growth has proliferated exponentially since the internet's advent, so it's no surprise that many search engine keywords that apply to the document industry are used by hundreds of companies. Susan Sweeney, author of 101 Ways To Promote Your Web Site, suggests that you input these possible keywords into the most popular search engines, see which web sites are ranked high, then seek to exchange links with noncompetitive sites you find.
3. Study competitors. Mine ideas for your links-exchange strategy from competitors that have implemented their own. "See what your competition is doing," Sweeney says. Know what sites competitors are linked to, note their smart ideas and learn from their mistakes, she says.
4. Solicit through email. Probably the easiest way to inspire another web site to exchange a link with yours is to proactively add a link to your site, then send its webmaster or marketing director an email notice of the link. Sweeney suggests to keep the email message concise, simply stating you would like to exchange links and that such an exchange would benefit both firms. You always can remove the link later if necessary. "Open with a bit of flattery, but be specific," says Thomas Wong, author of 101 Ways to Boost Your Web Traffic. "If you can make an intelligent, complimentary comment about a topic on the target site, you will grab the letter reader's attention and make them more receptive to your link request."
5. Make linking easy for others. Companies engaged in building a web of cross-promotional links often have pages dedicated to facilitating links exchanges. Often, you'll see invitations such as "Link To Our Site" on home pages. Your web designer could paste HTML code into your links-exchange page that another web site owner or marketer could copy and paste directly onto his or her site. Your web designer also could include separate HTML code that features a link to your site and a graphic of your corporate logo.
6. Create a links directory. If you plan to have a substantial number of links on your web site, it's best to create a separate domain for them. "Too many outgoing links all over your site can be unpleasant and distracting to your users," Wong says. "If you end up with a lot of links, the links page can easily be turned into a resource directory."
7. Check mutual links regularly. Some people remove links when they redesign their web sites or after a certain time period. "At least once a year, be sure to go back and check to see if your link is still there," Wong says. "Inform the webmaster if there is a missing link problem."
Purchasing off-the-shelf software is one option document pros have when implementing internet marketing strategies. Web Site Traffic Builder™ from Draper, Utah-based Intelliquis International Inc. helps users get their sites listed with all significant search engines (approximately 3,500).
Consider Leasing IT Equipment
Buying technology hardware or software makes sense if you plan to keep it for a long time, but technology typically becomes outdated every few years. That's why experts say leasing products such as routers and servers is viable. Businesses that lease IT equipment tend to look at the bigger picture, planning for future upgrades and evolving needs.
Market During Moments of Interest
It's difficult for email marketing to stand out, even when customers and prospects opt in. Several firms recently introduced tools that send offers in response to specific user actions. This practice, called "event-driven marketing," is aimed at reaching consumers during their moments of interest. CheetahMail (www.cheetahmail.com) recently released Event Mailer, which sends customized email triggered by events such as completed orders and abandoned transactions. Other firms offering such services are NetCreations (www.netcreations.com) and SilverCarrot (www.silvercarrot.com).
