Search Engine Marketing Strategies for Small Business

Here's an easy listing of search engine strategies any small business can do and all should take advantage of. Just pick a few, implement and master, pick a few more and repeat.

Search Engine Strategies

1. Write a Page Title.

2. Write a Description and Keyword META Tag.

3. Include Your Keywords in Header Tags

4. Make Sure Your Keywords Are in the First Paragraph of Your Body Text.

6. Make Your Navigation System Search Engine Friendly.

7. Develop Several Pages Focused on Particular Keywords.

8. Submit Your Webpage URL to Search Engines. Next, submit your homepage URL to the important Web search engines that robotically index the Web.

9. Fine-tune with Search Engine Optimization.

10. Promote Your Local Business on the Internet.

11. Submit Your Site to Key Directories, since a link from a directory will help your ranking - and get you traffic.

12. Submit Your Site to Industry Sites and Specialized Directories.

13. Request Reciprocal Links.

14. Write Articles for Others to Use in their Newsletters.

15. Begin a Business Blog.

16. Issue News Releases.

17. Include Your URL on Stationery, Cards, and Literature.

18. Promote using traditional media.

19. Develop a Free Service.

20. Install a "Signature" in your E-Mail Program to help potential customers get in touch with you.

21. Publish an E-Mail Newsletter.

22. Send Offers to Your Visitors and Customers.

23. Rent targeted e-mail lists.

24. Promote Your Site in Online Forums and Blogs.

25. Announce a Contest. People like getting something free.

26. Ask Visitors to Bookmark Your Site.

27. Exchange Ads with Complementary Businesses

28. Devise Viral Marketing Promotion Techniques.

29. Buy a Text Ad in an E-Mail Newsletter.

30. Begin an Affiliate Program. Essentially, a retailer's affiliate program pays a commission to other sites whose links to the retailer result in an actual sale.

31. Purchase Pay Per Click (PPC) ads with Yahoo Search Marketing (formerly Overture and Google AdWords.

32. List Your Products with Shopping Comparison Bots and Auction Sites.

Even with the above road map ... here's some honest advice.

The best marketing in the world today is that you have a GREAT product or service that people will want to talk about.

That to me is the only real marketing. The rest are all the channels that you can leverage to get the word out. But if you have a lousy or so-so or 'already have' kinda product or service, don't expect to get anywhere far even though you have the money to spend to use all the internet channels available.