How to Use Internet Marketing to Build Your Business

Three experts in internet and search marketing provided insights and tips on how these tools can help to grow your business at a Sunrise Seminar on Tuesday, April 28, sponsored by the Yonkers Downtown Business Improvement District. The breakfast meeting was held at the Larkin Library in downtown Yonkers, with approximately 40 businesspeople attending.

David Hoffman, president of Search Smart Marketing, of Mount Kisco, NY, discussed some of the ways in which a business owner can increase their chances of rising high in Google rankings, so that potential customers will find them easily. For example, Hoffman stressed the importance of using keywords and phrases that are important for potential clients in the development of website content -- and including such words on each page, not just on some pages. "The better you can target the specific customer and your specific value added, the more hits you will get and the higher your rankings will be," he said.

You should also consider the use of Google Adwords or pay-per-click as devices to bring in business, Hoffman said.

He noted, too, that while there are about 200 criteria that Google's system looks at when determining rankings, there are only 10 or 12 that are really significant in the determination. These include keyword-rich content, page architecture and high-quality link development to other sites.

Hoffman noted that blogs, press releases and videos also help to raise a company’s Google ranking.

Mara Rupners, director of communications for Arts Westchester, based in White Plains, pointed to a wide range of actions and initiatives that business owners can take to get prospective customers to come to, and return to their site. These include videos, photos, blogs and forums. “You can develop a community around the particular content and areas of interest of the people you’re targeting,” she said. “News about your industry or your firm can generate continuing interest,” she said. “News updates and RSS feeds can help to build a following.”

Rupners noted that there are pros and cons to disseminating eblasts and enewsletters, in that people are already inundated with a great deal of email, and many may ignore emails. It is best to use these sparingly, she said.

She also noted the increasing availability of social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. You can deliver posts, news releases and other information using these tools.

One important piece of advice is to keep your content clear and concise, and reflective of who you are, she said.

For young people, all of these tools are second nature, she pointed out, so that they may be a better audience for social networking.

For nonprofit organizations, Rupners noted that Google has created Google Grants. This can be a very helpful tool.

David Simpson, director of communications for Yonkers Mayor Philip Amicone, as well as a marketing consultant, noted that today, for many companies, internet advertising and marketing have largely replaced print and broadcast spending. For example, he said, many companies are spending 60%-80% of their marketing dollars on internet-related initiatives.

He also suggested that it might be a good idea to consider using a third-party provider to manage your website. “Most people are not going to be impressed by a website unless it is designed well and has great content,” he said.

In addition, services such as Constant Contact make it very easy to manage your emailings and follow-ups. They are not expensive – as little as $15 a month, he said – with many features to help you manage your email list.

Facebook and Twitter are also good tools to consider. However, with respect to Twitter, since the expectation is that the information is immediate, it needs to be accurate to gain respect and a following.

“Stick to what you do best and leverage third-party providers to the extent possible,” Simpson said.