What is the best way to get people to my retail website? I have very little money to promote my web site.?

Question

My web site ricemallonline sells name brand products at discount prices. What is the best way to get the word out on this web site?

Answer 1

"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.

Here are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible:

1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your content is your best advertisement - if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others.

2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more - that's additional traffic that you get for FREE!

Recommend Site Scripts (various) http://php.resourceindex.com/Complete_Scripts/Website_Promotion/Recommend_Site/
Big Nose Bird Recommend this Site http://bignosebird.com/carchive/birdcast.shtml
CGI Resource Index http://cgi.resourceindex.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/Website_Promotion/Recommend_Site/
Hostscripts http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Site_Recommendation/index.html

3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.

If you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com's "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/2010.htm

SEO for Google http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/google.htm
SEO for Yahoo! http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/yahoo.htm
SEO for MSN http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/msn.htm
Tying It Together: SEO For The Big Three http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/seo.htm

4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. My website (see my profile) accepts free press release submission (no strings attached!)

5. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website. If 50 websites publish your article and it contains a link back to your website, then you easily get 50 links from a single article. The more links you have, the greater your chances for increasing your search engine rankings.

Here is a comprehensive list of where to submit your articles http://answers.yahoo.com/question/;_ylt=AhzreGmnCUicOoyedqypscUjzKIX?qid=1006022407481

6. Improve your conversion. Getting visitors is one thing; getting them to buy your products is a whole different story. Read the article "10 Ways to Convert Visitors to Buyers" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/072005/conversion.htm for tips on how to improve your conversion rates.

. Post a link to your site for free where it is allowed (always read the Terms of Use). Examples are:

Craigslist http://www.craigslist.com
Google Base http://base.google.com
Classifieds for Free http://www.classifiedsforfree.com/...
Text Link Exchange http://www.txtswap.com/
Recycler.com http://www.recycler.com/
Yahoo Classifieds http://classifieds.yahoo.com/
US Free Ads http://www.usfreeads.com/

http://www.powerhomebiz.com/guide/cases/ii-lexi.htm

Answer 2

Have you thought about pay per click programs? The two biggest, I think, are Yahoo! and Google

A few free resources – check out the sources box for links:

1) Create a blog pertaining to your field

2) Use Yahoo! Local & Yahoo! Groups – Be sure to read the TOS for each one!

3) Write articles pertaining to your field and/or expertise.

Also, consider signing up for an affiliate program. These programs enable you to advertise on other's sites (your affiliates) and once a sale is made to you, your affiliates & the program are paid a commission.

I listed a few handy sites & articles relating to marketing, promotion & advertising. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* 301 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas: From America's Most Innovative Small Companies by Sam Decker
* Off The Wall Marketing Ideas: Jumpstart Your Sales without Busting Your Budget by Nancy Michaels, Debbi J. Karpowicz
* Guerrilla Marketing for Free: Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits by Jay Conrad Levinson
* Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide: Over 1500 Great Marketing Tricks That Will Drive Your Business Through the Roof by James Stephenson

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 3

1. Submit your site to major search engines, especially Google
2. Submit your site to major web site directories, especially DMOZ
3. Exchange links with other webmasters, but only with sites that are related to yours (reciprocal linking)
4. Consider publishing monthly e-newsletter to keep your current user base to come back to your site
5. Consider hosting discussion forums

Other Promotional Techniques
* Add your site as part of your email signature. You can also add it as part of your signature when you write on message boards and newsgroups. For example:
Pinyo Bhulipongsanon
http://www.greatnexus.com/

* Strategically mention your web site in other message boards and newsgroups with a similar topic.

I also think one of the cheapest ways to advertise is email marketing. Buy bulk emails, and send them out. Here's a good resource for email marketing http://qualitybase.org/emails.aspx

Answer 4

Google organizes the world’s information. Froogle organizes the Web’s product information. From price ranges and comparisons to store and product ratings and reviews, Froogle gives you all the information you need to shop effectively online.

Best of all, It's FREE!!

Answer 5

Here is one of many pages that give you some free exposure:

http://www.website-posting.com/

Simply post your website and maybee some of the next visitors that will post there finds your site intresting.


A link to your site can also make your site gain Page Rank and more of that gives your site better position in search engines like Google.


Also, here is one of some forums that allow members to market their own sites and products in the "advertising" section:

http://moneyforum.suddenlaunch.com/index.cgi

Answer 6

I would post an item or two on cheap or free websites (like ebay or craigslist) and then include a link to your website where viewers can look at other items. That way you're guarenteed to attract viewers that initially like your products anyway.

Answer 7

check out this site and look at the ebook that talks about getting traffic without paying a cent. It really does work. I use the technique now.

Answer 8

There are FREE advertising websites...I think one is Free forum.com . Put in google search engine for free advertising.
Go into forums related to your products and start posting. Some forums allow you to put your URL in your signature.

Good luck.

Answer 9

There are traffic generating pages you can chose an amount of people that they send to your page and pay per use it's simple.
Search on google for them there is a lot.

Answer 10

Try Yahoo! Search Marketing. It's relatively inexpensive and effective.