This is my summery:

Most business websites are equivalent to having a brochure designed by an amateur, printed on poor stock, and then just sit in the box or on the counter. Business owners do not understand, or are not prepared to do the hard work to, or pay a reputable company to get the brochure right to start with, or even distribute the brochures.

The Internet is changing extremely rapidly, along with the way in which people find the information they require.  Companies such as Google and other search engines are investing massive resources into making it easier and easier for people of the world to find the information they require.

Websites used to be information tools, they provided information for people, and in many cases this will suffice. As more and more information is available on the internet, a business website must be a sales tool to stand out from the competitors.

The role of a website used to be to attract a customer, and the better ones would convert the customer to a sale.

The role of a website now is to relate to the customer, then to attract, then to convert.

As more and more businesses are changing their attitudes and approach to online marketing, the business that do not have a search engine friendly website, are going to be left behind in the online world, and the brochure is just going to sit on your own counter.

So how do we change? What is a search engine friendly website?

Web Developers who were trained 5-8 years ago, and have not bothered to invest time, money and effort to be and keep up with the changes to the internet, do not know the answers.

Do not give your money to an uneducated developer, to help you with your online marketing!

Most small businesses do not know the questions they need to ask, let alone how to find the answers.

• Do I need to spend $1000 to get a search engine friendly website?
• Do I need to spend $10,000?
• Do I need to be Tech Savvy?
• How do I find out if a web developer is any good? Can I just look at their other websites?
• How much of my time is it going to take to get a search engine friendly website?
• Once I have a search engine friendly website is my job done?
• Do I then have invest more time and money?
• Do I need a graphic designer?
• Do I need  Web developer?
• Do I need a Content Management System - CMS?
• Do I need to pay an experienced professional to do my Search Engine Optimisation - SEO?
• How do I find all these answers?

What is online marketing?

Effective online marketing gives you the opportunity to sell as you would in person.

When selling face to face or over the phone, a business person with limited training, knowledge and skills would not do the following;

• Answer the phone with a boring unappealing voice
• Stop and ask questions to find out their needs
• Ramble on and on and on about all the features of product, without talking about the benefits, or all the benefits and not the features.
• Do all the talking without showing the product examples
• Stay silent and just show the product
• Find out if there is other relevant information the customer may require
• Make it hard for someone to actually buy the product
• Not even ask for the order, or have a process to re-ask for the order again

So why do many business owners believe it is acceptable to have a website that does many or even all of these basic business mistakes.

Online marketing is not just a website.

There are 10 key strategies that are required to all work in conjunction with each other.

1. Quality Content
2. Usability and Design
3. Social networks
4. Blogging
5. Video
6. Email Marketing
7. Local Search
8. Search SEO/SEM
9. Reputation Management
10. Calls to action
11. Goals / Conversions / Measure Success

Most businesses attempt to the top two, but often fail to have quality content, and usability and design that is frustrating.

Many businesses attempt social networks and email marketing, but with limited success or measurable results.

The key to a great online campaign, is to not only attempt all 10, but have measurable results so goals can be achieved.

The Tourism E-Kit written by Fabie is a brilliant, informative, simple, must read guide. The guide will give you the understanding of how to attempt, and measure all 10 strategies of an effective online marketing campaign.

The Tourism E-Kit answers all the questions you will have, even those you did not know you needed to ask.

• Do I need to spend $1000 to get a search engine friendly website?

Yes some investment will be required to obtain or design a search engine friendly website.

• Do I need to spend $10,000?

Definitely not. However many businesses spend this and more and still don’t have a search engine friendly website.

• Do I need to be Techy Savvy?

Definitely not…but online marketing is business savvy

• How do I find out if a web developer is any good? Can I just look at their other websites? 

No..a website may look good, but it may not be search engine friendly.

• How much of my time is it going to take to get a search engine friendly website?

It is going to take time and effort to have a quality website…however the $$ results are worth the time and investment. It is hard work..but that is why many business people fail.

• Once I have a search engine friendly website is my job done?

No it is a continual process to continually organically grow your marketing campaign and website...it is hard work but the $$ results are worth it.

• Do I then have invest more time and money?  

You do not need to invest more money, but you will need to invest more time.

• Do I need a graphic designer?

Unless you have the skills, you will need someone to help you who has these skills. A poorly designed website will not be as effective.

• Do I need Web developer?

Technology these days make it so easy to develop a quality website, that with a little training, sound advice, you do not require a web developer.  To save time and effort, a web developer may make it easier and faster to have a quality website….but which one do you choose….are they any good….how do you know?

• Do I need a Content Management System - CMS? 

Yes…unless you want to pay a professional web developer to make every little change for you. You website will need to grow and change often.

• Do I need to pay an experienced professional to do my Search Engine Optimisation - SEO? 

No…unless you wish to pay a professional or employee to do this for you so you don’t have to learn…but who do you trust??

Where do I find the Tourism E-Kit?  How much does it cost?

The E-Kit is free of charge and can be downloaded or ordered from theAustralian Tourism Data Warehouse

Words of Wisdom

“You do not need know how to build a car, to know how to drive one”

Fabienne Wintle Rabioso 2010

“you will not be able to effectively drive a car, unless you are taught by a competent driver” Damian Modra 2010

I have since activated an online market campaign for my Business on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia called Modra's Apartments.

Check it out and if anyone has any comments or recommendations to improve my website, I would love to hear them.

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