Internet Marketing: 10 Ways to Increase Your Online Presence and Build Business

Survey your engineering, technical and other industrial customers, and if you didn't already know it, you'll quickly realize that the vast majority of them go online to search for suppliers, products, and service providers. With so many websites competing for their attention, you need to leverage other opportunities for them to find YOU.

Your competitors are doing it - it's not really an option any more.  You need visibility in the same online sources your prospects and customers go to for information.  Every page where your company's name appears on the Internet increases the chances that potential business finds its way to you.

It takes more than a website!  Here are some strategies that will help increase your online presence and drive more traffic to your website.

1.  Send out press releases

This has to be the most underutilized marketing tool in the industrial sector.  There are thousands of online journalists that are looking for "news" on a daily basis.  There are countless sites that provide trade industry news, and even bloggers are looking for a constant source of "new" material.  Websites, such as PRWeb, will publish your news release free. You can also outsource this function to a company like Marketects, and know that an industrial P/R pro is getting the word out about your company's products, services, and innovations.

2.  Write articles

Articles are content, and the web thrives on content.  If someone in your company writes an article a week, and it's published on several of the many article directories online, you'll be amazed at the additional traffic driven to your website.

3.  Get more content onto your website

Search engines are "indexing software"  and they need words to index.  Google especially loves websites with blogs.  Many people are intimidated at the thought of writing something on a daily basis, but even if you only blog once a week, it helps.  You can also add a "News" page, but treat it more as an article index.  The important thing is to add content regularly.

4.  Comment on Blogs on other websites

Commenting on other sites' blogs and participating in online discussions gives you the opportunity to A - build credibility for yourself and your company and B - work in your company's name or website address so anyone reading the blog can link back to your website.  Industrial social media such as blogs and discussion groups, particularly on trade industry related sites, are great ways to get your company's name out there.  Just remember that what you post is a direct reflection on your company.  Be careful to remain unemotional, professional, and take time to check spelling and grammar!

5.  Place banner ads

Banner ads can be great for branding and lead generation - IF they're placed on the right websites.  Find an industrial marketing communications company, like Marketects, that has insight into the online behavior of your target audience.  They'll help you design the ads and place them on the right websites.

6.  Join industry trade associations

Most industrial trade associations allow members and associate members to list information about their company in a directory.  Typically, this includes a link back to your website.  The amount of information you're allowed to publish varies depending on the association, but this is another great way to build your online prescence and brand your company.

7.  Advertise in industry e-newsletters

Most trade publications now also have online editions that are emailed to "opt-in" subscribers.  Also, most trade associations have some type of e-newsletter that is regularly sent to members.  E-newsletter ads let you deliver your message directly to the in-box of potential customers.  This is a great way to announce new products, trade show involvement, or to offer White Papers, or other "free" incentives.

8.  Submit listings to online directories

Most technical professionals have favorite websites and directories they use on a regular basis.  Ask a few of your customers where they go on the Internet when they're looking for a new vendor, or a solution to a problem.  Searchable online directories usually offer listings for free.  They want the user to have as many choices and options as possible.  Take advantage of this, since most prospects are searching at the time they actually need the product or service!  

9.  Use your email address book!

A simple email with a message saying, "Check out our new "widget" at www.widgets.com!" can be more effective than you think - if you're sending the emails to acquaintances, colleagues, prospects that already have some degree of knowledge about what your company does.  The simple email is starting to take the place of the simple letter.  It's online networking at its most basic, but it can really work!

10.  PPC (Pay per click) keyword advertising

Many industrial companies are using "pay per click" keyword advertising to some degree to drive traffic to their website.  You can do it yourself, or you can hire a company like Marketects to manage it for you.  The key to minimizing costs and maximizing leads is to choose specific keyword phrases rather than broad search terms.  (For example, "spring energized seals" rather than "seals.")  If done properly, PPC advertising can be the most effective type of advertising there is - actually, advertising in reverse.  Instead of placing an ad in a magazine and hoping to catch the interest of someone looking for the product or service you offer, the potential customer is doing a keyword search because he is already looking for that particular product or service.