Once you have worked hard with your web designer and your site has gone live, you now need to ensure that people can find you!

Here are ten top tips to help you:

1. Local Business Links

Look for other websites which will provide links to your site.  It helps to request links from local businesses which are complementary to yours in the areas where your business operates.  For example if you offer transcription services, you could approach a website selling transcription equipment.

2. Free Listings

You can create a free listing for your local business on Google Maps and Yahoo Local . Your business will then show up on a map when people search locally in your area.

3. You Tube

If you have a video, you can promote this, images and audio content via You Tube.   Google's "universal search" displays not only web page content, but also relevant listings for images, videos, local businesses and audio clips.  You could see a lot of additional traffic coming your way via a video on You Tube.

4.  Incoming Links

As Google (and other major search engines) rate the number of quality  incoming links to your website as an important indicator of relevance, additional  links will help you rank higher in the search engines.  It is important however to ensure you include only links from those sites which are both popular and can be trusted.

5. Online Directories

Submit your site to online directories.   A directory is a website listing which is sorted according to specific category and subcategory. You can list your site in the free Open Directory Project www.dmoz.com and in the Yahoo Directory

6.  Industry Specific Directories

If you belong to various trade associations which have member directories, ask them for a link too. You may have to pay for this option but the more links you have, the higher your page rank will be!

7. Complementary Links

It’s a good idea to send a personal e-mail to the contact listed on the site where you would like your link featured.  However, do remember to link from complementary sites as Google determines what your site is about, and not just any link will do - it’s quality links you need. 

8.  Articles

Write articles for others to use in their  newsletters.  You can increase your online visibility if you write articles about subjects within your area of expertise and send them to editors as free content for their e-mail newsletters or websites.  Don't forget  to ask them to provide a link to your website and a short description of what you are selling or the services you offer.  

9.  Press Releases

To broadcast newsworthy events, you can  send press releases to various journalists who work within your specific industry.  The links to your site contained within online news articles should also improve the amount of traffic to your website.

10.  Start Writing a Blog

If you offer regular informative content and comments on other forums and blogs, people are likely to link to your website via your blog, thereby increasing your website's page rank.

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