August 17, 2012 by Shane Jones

Where Do I Start When It Comes To Marketing Myself Online?

So you’re ready to start promoting yourself or your business on the Internet. You sit down at your computer, hands poised over the keyboard. You have a great business, maybe selling Mustang accessories, but you realize you do not know the smallest thing about online promotion.

This can seem overwhelming, but don’t let it frustrate you. If you’re a newbie to the world of online advertising, just take a deep breath and relax. It’s not half as hard as you think it is, and before you know it you’ll be running a website, Tweeting about sales and updating photos of your store on your own Facebook page.

Calling In Reinforcements

If you truly are a novice when it comes to the Internet, you may want to have some help beginning this new journey. Hire someone to help you create a website for your business. Ask colleagues and friends who they’ve used to help get up and running online and see what you can get for your budget. Once your website is online, you’ve crossed the first major hurdle.

Using Your Website

Now, decide what you are going to offer potential customers and clients who visit your website. Will they be able to order items online, such as Mustang parts? Or will the site simply offer information about the items you sell, such as uses and prices?

Something else you could add to your site could be how-to videos. You can even start a blog offering a different piece of advice every week for how to use one of your products. Add lots of photographs and videos so people can see how easy and great using your products is.

Facebook

The next step you’re going to take is to get a presence for your business on Facebook. Yes, that’s right: Facebook isn’t just a site where teenagers post their thoughts about the latest music or clothing. It’s also an amazing and valuable resource for promotion and advertising, so take full advantage of this by starting a page for your business.

Get friends, customers and family to “Like” your page, which will raise its popularity. Update your status frequently with news about store promotions, sales and new products. Ask satisfied clients to post positive reviews to your page so visitors will be able to see them. Make sure to update your page frequently to keep people interested, and post a link to your website on the page as well.

Twitter

Twitter is also a social media tool, but it’s a little different from Facebook. You can post status updates, but they have to be short, interesting and to-the-point. You can also post photos and links. Encourage people that “Like” you on Facebook to follow you on Twitter and you can offer special coupons or promotions for followers, maybe adding a new one every week.

Update, Update, Update

Now that you’re up and running with a creative, fabulous website, Facebook presence and Twitter page, don’t just walk away and think these sites will work without you. You have to stay up-to-date on all of your sites and keep them going by adding content weekly, if not daily, to keep interest going.

Don’t forget the importance of incorporating keywords into your copy, such as the names of your most popular products, your store name and other words people would use to find you online. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see your business boom.

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Shane Jones

Owner at Shane Patrick Jones

Shane Jones is a Senior Social Outreach Specialist with management roots in online PR. A strong proponent for the power of personal, "humanized," digital collaboration, Shane shares his opinions and knowledge on Social Outreach and Digital Marketing. Additionally he blogs about his life's adventures, as he continues to "Empty his Bucket." He's always on the lookout for more bucket list ideas. Follow me on Twitter @ShaneJones15, Google +, and LinkedIn.