Though it is possible to do business online without a website for awhile, your small business needs a website if it is going to compete with large competitors. But it does not end with just building a web site. Once you have your site online, you will need web site promotion to let people know about your products and services. Here are a few web site promotion ideas to get you going.

Website Promotion Idea 1
Submit your web site to many search engines and web directories. Search engine and web directory traffic is the best traffic that you can get because it is so targeted. Most web masters will agree that the overwhelming majority of their website’s visitors are coming from search engines. Most search engines have a page on which you can submit your website’s address. Just run an Internet search for “add url” or “add your url” and you will find many of these pages. Once submitted, it may take a few days to a few weeks for your website to start showing up in search results.

Website Promotion Idea 2
Internet message boards and discussion forums are great places to advertise your web site. Find ones that are focused on topics related to your industry, products or services. For example, if you sell fishing tackle, you could go to message boards and discussion forums frequented by outdoors sports lovers.

Website Promotion Idea 3

Another excellent web site promotion idea is to use banner exchanges. Contact other web site owners in the same niche and ask them if they would like to exchange banners with you. You could also sign up to banner exchanges that automatically generate banners for participating websites.

Here are three search links to help you find even more web site promotion ideas:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=website+promotion+ideas

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=website%20promotion%20ideas

http://www.google.com/search?q=website+promotion+ideas

There are many ways that you can get free website traffic.  Below are listed just a few free website promotion strategies.

Submit your website to search engines and directories.  If you provide services, be sure to submit to local business directories.  And do not be fooled into thinking that you should only post to three search engines.  There are thousands of search engines and there are Millions of people who use those search engines.  That is Millions of people who will NEVER see your site if you fail to get listed.  Business is no place for gullibility.

Post in forums, message boards and chat rooms.  Log in often and post actively, but do not spam.  Share your knowledge and expertise on the subject of your niche.  Answer peoples’ questions for awhile and then add your website to your forum signature.  And, as you build your reputation, you will also build that of your website, making it a reputable business that will be visited and trusted by many people.

Write a press release and submit it to press release distribution websites.  A press release is a free website promotion strategy that can be picked up by many online news agencies and bloggers.

Write articles related to your website and submit them to article directories.  These articles should provide tips and guidelines within the niche of your website.  Include a link to your website in the resources box or author byline.

Exchange links.  Make a deal with other website owners to run banner ad swaps or text link ad swaps with them.  Many Webmasters are willing to exchange links in order to create more awareness about their websites.  Make sure, of course, that the partner sites are in the same niche as yours.  Your site and theirs should share a common subject to provide continuity in the service and information that interests your target audience.  Exchanging links with closely related websites can also raise your position in search results.  Search engines rank sites with inbound and outbound theme-related links higher than those without.  With a good position in search results, you will generate even more free website traffic.

Free classified ads can boost your website traffic, also.  These ads may even reach people you are not targeting, but that may be interested in your services.