Using a Blog for a Website

Brand new businesses typically don't have a lot of capital to invest in an online presence. Using a free blog as your website can be a logical solution until your company has enough money to pay for a top notch site!

Let's face it, if you're trying to build a legitimate business, you need an online presence. What that usually starts out as is a place where you can send people online. It doesn't have to be optimized with all the bells and whistles and everything a search engine web crawler is looking for. You just want to be able to hand out a business card with a URL on it.

Blogs are your solution! There are several blog places online that actually let you create different pages along with your blog. The result is a blog that has the look and feel of a website and only seems to have a blog component to the typical internet user.

These online tools allow you to upload pictures, videos and music in some cases. For a minimal investment you can even have your own domain name. This way no one associates you with your blog host. There are even templates to help you design a nice look that fits your business in most cases, and the best part is... you don't need to know a lick of HTML or any other kind of coding to use this method of website creation!

Are they indexed by the search engines? Sometimes this depends on which blog provider you use, but for the most part, yes!

To check this option out, do a little digging at www.wordpress.com (Ooo, I'm a trader! but hey, you gotta go with what works the best, right?). Chances are you've already visited a "website" that was built entirely around a blog!

Remember: This isn't the permanent solution to your need for a web presence, but it can be very effective to help you get to the point where you can invest a little more!

Is There A Difference?

Is internet marketing really that different from any other type of marketing? The answer is yes and no.

How can that be? Well, yes because you're using a whole new method to reach people than traditional marketing vehicles of print, television, billboards, signage and radio.

No because you still have the same goal in mind for your internet marketing as your other marketing methods.

One of the most important things to consider for your online marketing campaign is content. Let's face it, you shouldn't have a website just to have one. It should be doing something for you!

You should offer your visitors and subscribers informative, compelling information. Establish that emotional connection that all advertising strives for!

Don't settle for "My company has a website and it's great." You've got a powerful marketing vehicle in a website. If it's not working for you, it's not doing what it's meant to do!

Keep in mind that with every marketing avenue you use, there is a goal behind it. The web is no different. If you don't have a goal for your website, get one!

The goal may be to have someone pick up the phone and call, sign up for an e-newsletter, or buy something from an e-commerce site.

Whatever that goal may be, make sure every page on your website corresponds with that goal. Have a call to action, an invitation or a driving statistic to get your visitors to reach your ultimate objective for them.

Follow this basic idea and your internet marketing campaigns will be more successful!