Just like any company, an online business needs to be able to promote itself. While there are some similarities between marketing in the physical world and marketing in the digital one, it is also important to recognize the differences. If you want to succeed in this arena, you need to understand how the internet works.
Most people find new information on the internet through one of two venues: a search engine or social media. True, some people may find out about a new site from their friends in the physical world or traditional media, but that is the exception rather than the rule. If you want to reach your customers, you must dominate the search engine results and the social media chatter within your sector of the market.
The key to both of these is really in your connections. Search engines use the links pointing toward your site to determine your relevancy in the search results. Social media only recommends your site to people if influential users say that they like your site.
How do you build connections? Start with a solid site that is useful in and of itself. The site should sell itself to anybody who uses it, not through advertising, but through function. Write content that grabs attention because it is unique, shocking, funny, or otherwise worth sharing, as long as it also fits your business image.
Second, start contacting industry experts who aren’t direct competitors. Promote them on your site, and interview them for industry knowledge that you can share with your audience. Don’t just offer to trade links, build a real connection.
Find out where people are having conversations about your subject matter, and become a part of the conversation. This includes commenting on forums, joining fan groups on Facebook, and answering questions on LinkedIn. Ultimately, the goal is to join the conversation and make a genuine contribution to it. Be sure to listen as much as you make announcements.