You can find an unlimited amount of information online to help with web-based marketing. There are lot's of very talented people who create websites -- design, content, search engine optimization. I've dabbled with websites for a long while, and I know one thing for sure --I am NOT a professional website creator. But I have come the realization that there is a basic structure to
creating a successful web marketing strategy for small businesses. Sure, many people already know how this works and have already deployed, but I created a chart to show just how simple it is.
Let's assume that you have a small business and want to implement a web marketing strategy. Just about any type of business can benefit from this, but let's assume that the business sells products or services to consumers in a local market area. I know a lot of photographers who have businesses that fit this model. Here is the basic deal. You need four things: a website, a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a blog. The website is the foundation. It is ultimately the destination that you want your customers to enter - the virtual store. Not that you necessarily have to have a shopping cart and e-commerce solution, but you should find an appropriate web content creator depending on the level of sophistication of the site.
The Facebook page and Twitter accounts are the easy part. You can do this on your own. After checking out how others have done it, just roll up your sleeves and get started. Upload a logo, some photos, fill out the profiles and your up and running.
The blog is pretty easy to set up also, and my be tightly integrated with the website -- discuss with your website creator if you have questions. The important part of a blog is that you regularly post content to it... like, weekly. Of course you must regularly and actively provide content and updates to the FB and Twitter accounts also.
But here is an important part of all of this... and the point of the chart. As the arrows indicate, you need to have bidirectional linkage between these four components. I have seen instances where one of these links in nonexistent. For example, a website doesn't reference the blog. Or the website doesn't include a 'follow me' link to the Twitter account. Use the chart to map out your various components and make sure that they are referencing each other. Optionally, you may want to set up a YouTube channel (like Facebook and Twitter, there is typically no cost involved). Finally, you may want to set up a company profile on LinkedIn.
