Your Website Needs a Marketing Plan

Jill Kurtz, Owner, Kurtz Digital StrategyYour website is the foundation of your online presence. It is the online property that you own and control. It is the place where you get to define who you are and what you do. If it is not already all these things, stop reading now and invest in your website. Then, pick up on the rest of this post.All of your online efforts should drive people to your website. There are some essential things to do to market your website.Website Structure ChecklistPopulate meta tags. Make sure each page of your website has a unique, keyword focused meta title tag and meta description. The tags help people who are searching on Google and other search engines to find your website.Be fast and mobile. Make sure you website is mobile responsive and loads quickly, as these both affect the rank of your site on search engines. You can check both these very important factors using the Google Mobile and Speed Test.Claim, verify, and update your Google My Business listing. This is free and will enable you to appear in local search results for queries specific to your products or services.Drive Traffic to Your Web HomeLink every social post to your website. Every post that you create on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media sites should include a link to your website. Connect on social media, but engage on your website.Link every social site to your website. Make sure that your profile at every social media site that you use includes a link to your website. Sounds simple, but many people forget to do that!Support your comments. When you comment on content online, include a relevant link to your website. Make the link specific – not to the home page. Link to content that leads the reader to more information.Help influencers to share your website content. Do you have one or customers who are very active online? Make sure they know about your website content. Help them to share your great site and the resources there.Leverage earned media. Earned media refers to content that you get placed at websites that are now your own. This can be an online magazine or blog, or an industry publication. While every site has its own rules, most will allow at least one link. Make sure that link takes readers to your website.[author]About the Author: Jill Kurtz founded Kurtz Digital Strategy to help clients see the communication potential of the newest trends and technologies. She is an expert at website strategy and redesign, social media planning, and developing exceptional content.[/author]