How to love your website
Why just having a business website is not enough
Your website needs love.Yes, it does. If you are not loving your website - and I don't just mean the way it looks - then you need to pay more attention to it. Websites need to be loved. They need to be loved just like humans, little puppy dogs, terrariums, and chocolate covered upside down cake.
Without love your website will whither. No one wants a stale, old website. They smell funny. In terms of marketing, if you have a website that does not change and evolve then someone browsing it is likely to [maybe] stumble over it once and never return. If that is what you are striving for - one visit and out forever - then don't do anything further. By providing the masses of people browsing the world wide intertubes with some fresh content and a few other "tricks of the trade" it can draw increased eyeballs to you/your business.
There are numerous ways to focus a marketing beam of love into the soul of your website, but before you do this there is something you need to know. Beyond simply being found online, you need to understand an important thing - and it is really easy: if Google likes something, your website should like it too. The Google search engine (maybe you've heard of it?) currently rules the online sphere. Other search engines are like that person who wants to date you, but you don't really have all that much interest in dating them. While the Bing search engine might be sort of a swell looker, it doesn't hold sway like beloved Google. Without getting into the nutty, technically complex Google search algorithms, just know that trying to have your website and Google fall in love is a good thing.
Lets say you have a little website already or maybe you are thinking about making one on your own with one of those free website makers. That is all well and good, but what do you do with it after it is created? Moreover, do you have the time to do what is needed? That is actually a big question: do you have the time to devote to the relationship with your website that will allow for the fruition of love? Remember, you need to love your website.
This brings up a quandary: you need to love your website, but you also need to love your business. You can't neglect either, as they are intertwined... especially these modern days. But, you mentally scream; "There are only 24 hours in the day! Please, someone, add a few hours to each day! And, while you're at it, make the weekends longer!" If you have the time, you need to do things such as: blogging, social networking, strategic online partnership linking, etc. [Tip: When blogging and posting on social networks for business, don't talk about yourself/your business too much. Unless you are an Ernest Hemingway clone or maybe the fictional 'Most Interesting Man in the World' from that beer commercial, you will start boring people - and quickly. No one, including Google, wants to hear too much about you - people/businesses want to hear about themselves. So, try and help others by teaching them what you know. Google likes that.] An approach like this will help get you some eyeballs. But, will they be the right eyeballs? The desired eyeballs? And, will there be enough of them?
In the ongoing push-pull marketing battle between quality and quantity, you need to find the right mix. How do you make your website work for you while still loving your business? Well, throwing money at the issue certain helps. But, what if you want to keep costs down and don't want to deal with a learning curve? Try to find a reputable web designer who doesn't charge a lot. (Here comes the full disclosure part: I am the owner & founder of AllFantastic.com, which is an online consulting conglomerate. Shocking, right? AllFantastic.com will actually make a FREE basic website for your business and also provide you with a customized online marketing plan. If you don't have a big budget we even entertain barter arrangements and/or partnering together for future gain.)
If you can't give your website the love it needs and deserves, you can always buy that love. Sometimes, it doesn't even cost a lot... or anything. Regardless of what you do, if you want to help your business, then love your website. Also, try and love puppy dogs. It will come back to you in more then good karma.
Love,
AllFantastic.com
