Internet Marketing-Your Community's Gateway to the World
The beauty of internet marketing is low cost delivery, 24/7 access, global, two-way audio, visual and e-mail communication and it has a growing number of users.
The Internet is the great equalizer and a perfect vehicle to send powerful messages worldwide. Rural communities can shed the constraints of geography and create a more level playing field in being competitive. Prospective customers can be reached through a creative and attractive web site presence, search engine optimization, linking and many other tools.
A community wide initiative to take advantage of internet marketing has multiple benefits. These include attracting entrepreneurs, lone eagles; helping local businesses expand their markets, providing better market data for local companies, attracting new companies, promoting tourism and other types of investment.
The Power of Community Web Sites: Twenty Four Ideas to Get There
The consensus these days is economic developers must have exceptional websites to be competitive in today’s marketplace. Research shows anywhere from 85-98% of the site selectors and real estate professionals use the internet as their first step in the process. If you are not prepared, you could be eliminated from the screening process before even getting to the second step in the process.
It would be ideal to find a web site designer who is not only knowledgeable about web sites, but also marketing and economic and community development. At least one web-site challenge is to attract potential investors to your site and get them to return.
- If you already have a website, it is important to evaluate your effectiveness. These tips might help you:
- Evaluate what you want from a website. What results do you want? Is your website for business development, local citizens, external groups or both? Is it for information or to promote the community?
- Have you described your target market and what they need? Does your website clearly articulate how your community will provide a solution to their needs? You want to generate their interest and a response, so they need a reason to contact you.
- Design for your target audience. Placing aritcles on web sites frequented by your potential clients attracts targeted, "pre-qualified," visitors to your website.
- Shop wisely. If you are hiring a web page designer, make sure your contract allows you to retain ownership, control and copyrights as well askeeping your right to programming and content. Work closely with your web page designer to reflect the outcomes you want, i.e. attracting an external market for business development or tourism, etc.
- For impact make sure your program loads the home page quickly. Most people will only wait a few seconds for your website to display on their screen. If it doesn’t, they will move on and may never come back.
- Use effective page titles. Don’t make people guess what they are about to read. Say it in simple language. Take a look at your web site and make sure each page has an effective headline.
- Highlight the amenities, unique characteristics and the quality of life in your community. Include informative articles and case studies that substantiate your claims.
- Build credibility by using testimonials. Positive comments from past clients, local businesses or partners can build credibility more than touting your own horn.
- Post pictures of community leaders. It personalizes the site and makes people feel like they know you.
- Make sure the user has options on the home page.
- Make sure your site has a good balance (not excess) of text, graphics, videos and photographs.
- Make sure there are a number of links and resources and share them. Link popularity determines search engine ranking. Add your site to search engines. All web pages should select key words, meta-tags, titles carefully.
- It is always a good idea to look at what successful competitors are doing.
- Give people a reason to visit. Regularly adding new articles to your web site gives your site fresh content and entices people to visit more often. Some experts say once a month is good. In any case, keep your information up to date.
- Display your contact information on every page. Tell people where and how to find you. List your address and phone number on every page. Include your your contact information and web address on every promotional item, i.e. business cards, stationery, and advertising.
- Follow Internet etiquette by not sending mass, unsolicited e-mails. Always make sure people have the option of being taken off your distribution lists.
- Make sure external users don’t have to go through meeting or event announcements to get to the information they want. Their attention span will be short. If they have to go through information that is irrelevant to them they may move on.
- Test your site and all features on a computer outside your office. Fix any broken functionality.
- Ask users to bookmark your site.
- Have a web analytics tool to see who is using your web site, the number of visits you are getting and how long people are staying on the site.
- Develop other criteria to measure the success of your website. Survey your users to make sure you are on target.
- Market your URL
- Include an E-newsletter with valuable information on community successes, programs, special features, etc.
- Be sure to post site selection assistance on your site. Go to www.gemstateprospector.com and log in. This will increase your community’s visibility.
- Remember the importance of maintaining a high-tech, high-touch balance. It is important to merge these efforts seamlessly. Some tips for the high-touch marketer:
- Select live networking events to attend that will also be attended by those you know virtually. Make sure you have a method to find and meet these people.
- Make sure that the event draws people who are your target market.
- When you attend an event, listen to the people that are there. See it as an opportunity to ask questions and learn from them. In turn, provide them with userful information you may have.
- Ask for their business card. Use it to jot down a note or something you want to follow-up with them on later. Call, email or send a note to everyone you met within 48 hours. Thank them for their insight. Send them something you think would be valuable to them, i.e. contacts, articles, etc.
- ALway write down any promises you make and keep them. Don't have strings tied to your promies. They will see right through you.
- Generate feelings of goodwill. The favor might be returned with word-of-mouth advertising or a direct referral that could turn into a lead later. This is real relationship-building. Be remembered as a caring, credible and genuine person.