For a website to be successful you need more than just a great looking website. A website is so much more than just a glossy brochure or shop window to your business; it can be an effective and productive sales tool too. Of course, to do this you’ll need to attract visitors, so how will they find your website in the first place?

The first step

The first step is to get your business listed on the search engines so that it can be indexed and ranked by them. First off, you’ll need to submit your web site to each search engine, and although this is less important than it once was, should certainly still be one of your first steps when your new website goes live.

Adding your website to the search engines requires you to submit the URL/domain name of your website e.g. www.yourwebsite.co.uk. The following is a list of places for you to start submitting:

Google

Go to http://www.google.com/addurl

You’ll have to set this up with Google search console, after you’ve verified your website you’ll need to enter your websites address into the URL box, being sure to enter the full address including the http:// part. Next you should enter a description of your website in the comments box, and finally enter the verification code (so that Google knows you are real person). Once you have done all that, hit the Submit button and you should be off and running!

Yahoo and Bing (formerly MSN)

Go to http://www.bing.com/webmaster/SubmitSitePage.aspx

Yahoo is linked to Bing’s webmaster tools, which lets you kill two birds with one stone. Here again you will be asked to add your website/URL and a verification code. Unlike Google there is no place to add comments about your website. Simply click submit and you are done.

It can take time for the search engines to get you listed, but now is an ideal time to start thinking about how to maximise your positions and exposure by performing some other key tasks. In part 2, we shall be looking more about how you can promote your website using local directory linking. This not only provides a referral avenue for new visitors, it will also gives your website some extra worth within the search engines too!

If you would like to find out more about how to increase visitors to your website, or would like a tailored online marketing strategy that will work for your business, please contact us today.