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Promotion is the Key to a webmasters success. You can build a killer site, but it won't make any difference if nobody knows it's there. There are a million ways to promote your site. Of course you must submit it to the major search engines....but that won't get you many hits...no matter how good your MetaTags are. You must go beyond that. You may finish building the site, but you will NEVER finish promoting it.
So start with the search engines...just because they are there...and because when you do your "Real" promotion, and you start getting a lot of hits on your page, your ranking moves up in the search engine. Also be aware that some of the search engines automatically move your listing up just a little if their spider detects mention of their name somewhere on the page you submitted...it's not much, but every little bit counts.
Another way to promote your site is with banner exchange programs. We found that LinkExchange, http://www.linkexchange.com is the best one out there. Yes, you have to put the banner on your page, but it does get you some free advertisement, and hits which moves you up in the search engines a little.
Then move on to the classifieds, free-for-all-links, newsgroups, etc. All of these will actually get you the most hits. Word of mouth is also a powerful medium. Tell everyone you chat with...cyber or real life...about your site. Attach the URL of your page to your email signature file. But don't be a spammer! Don't forget about message boards either. Especially if there is a particular message board that you read often...and post to often. These people will recognize your name already, and will be interested in your site.
Be sure to look for free advertising everywhere you surf. Trade links where ever you can, with pages that are similar to you, even if it is your competition. You will get what is referred to as "pre-qualified" hits. This is because the person visiting your site through one of these links was looking for your particular information, or service, or product to begin with.
You can build it....but they won't come if they don't know it's there.
Kelley Williams
Publisher
The Home Business Files
http://kwilliams.bizhosting.com
The Webmasters Journal
http://twj.bizhosting.com
All About Ezines
http://aae.freeservers.com
The HomeSchool Times
http://thst.ourfamily.com
