Internet Marketing Tips: Common Mistakes

At Stir it's our goal to help you maximize your web site exposure and increase your business success.

Many businesses either neglect Internet marketing or attempt to do it themselves. If your business is online and you want to increase online sales, traffic and exposure we recommend you speak with Stir's Internet marketing consultants for a free Internet marketing evaluation.

Stay one step ahead of your competitors by AVOIDING the following common Internet marketing mistakes:

1. Use free web site hosting
   • don't be fooled into thinking the services offered by free web hosting companies will even come close to meeting your needs for a professional web services.
   • sites that use free hosting are slow to load and often require you to place their banners on your website.
   • if you're not willing to spend a few dollars a month on web site hosting then how serious can you be about your business? Many potential customers will be turned off by your website by the "cheapness" that comes with using free web site hosting
2. Pick a poor domain name
   • don't pick a domain name that is difficult to remember or cannot easily be passed onto another person verbally
   • don't pick a domain name with infrequently used domain extensions like .biz or .tv unless you're desperate. Most people will first try typing in .com when they're searching for a domain, so when possible, it's safest to purchase a .com or a country specific domain name like .ca (Canada), .jp (Japan), etc.
3. Fail to ask for visitor feedback
• always make sure you provide a way for your web site visitors to contact you and send you feedback through your site. Failing to do so will directly result in lost prospects and sales.
4. Waste time on unproductive activities
   • assess your business plan, set marketing goals, and only pursue those marketing activities that help you reach your goals. Hire professionals to help you promote your website online so you can be freed up to work in your area of expertise.
5. Inappropriate advertising
   • do not associate yourself or your website with questionable, unethical or illegal marketing or promotional activities such as Spamming. There is no better way to run your business into the ground than by sending unsolicited email
   • do not list your website on FFA "Free For All" pages. Reserve your efforts for listing your site in places your potential customers will actually see it
6. Ignore the importance of Internet marketing
   • you can build the best web site on the Internet, but without proper Internet marketing and search engine positioning few people will ever find it
   • investing in a Internet marketing activities such as Search Engine registration & Search Engine optimization, reciprocal linking, paid listings, keyword purchasing, etc can be the most cost effective investment you can make to promote your website. If you choose to hire an Internet marketing consultant to promote your website, take time to ask questions about Internet marketing.

Further Reading: Internet Marketing and Web site Promotion:

• Frequently asked questions about Internet marketing
• Recommended Internet marketing books
• Search Engine Optimization - ten steps
• Search Engine positioning - increase your rank in Search Engines
• Request a free consultation for your Internet marketing project
• Study: Search Engine Placement