Is one of your resolutions in the new year to really go for it with your web site, make it even better than it is now and drive all kinds of traffic to it? I thought I’d share with you my personal plans for improving the CodeGeek.net web site and expanding our web presence. You might be planning to do some of the same things…
- Continue to improve our customer’s experience, both on our web site and when working with us. This is one factor that makes CodeGeek.net stand out from other web site design companies. We enjoy actively finding new ways to keep our clients informed and improving their experience.
- Add more quality content. Content is king, and adding quality content regularly makes your site more useful, gives visitors a reason to return to your web site, and helps substantially with search engine rankings too. Make a commitment to yourself to add quality content on a schedule that works for you.
- Participate more in forums and online communities. I really enjoy interacting with others who share my interests, and I like getting to know new people too. Forums and communities are a great way to expand your on-line presence and grow your personal network. Identify forums relevant to your interests and your industry. Create a custom signature that includes a well worded link back to your own web site. My article “The Secret Life of Links” discusses the importance of well crafted link text.
- Get listed with more local listing services. Customers will try to find you in all kinds of ways. Many use Google Local and the similar services from Yahoo!, MSN, and more. Your industry may have directories, and your local newspaper may too. These are all paths for potential customers to find you. Commit to setting up local accounts with more of these services. For more information about Google Local services in particular, see my article “Getting Local with Google“.
- Get more reviews and recommendations. Google Local, LinkedIn, and many other directories and local listing services include the ability for your customers and colleagues to write reviews and recommendations about you. This is the Internet version of word of mouth advertising, and we all know how powerful word of mouth is. Shameless plug: If you’ve worked with us and you are willing to write a review or recommendation of CodeGeek.net or me personally, please visit our Google Local listing, or my LinkedIn profile (click the “Recommend this person” link toward the right side of the page). It only takes a minute. And I’ll be so grateful that I’ll will all my Google stock to your first born child so they can actually afford college when the time comes…
- Start a new Search Engine Optimization campaign, or expand your current SEO campaign.
- Learn and play more. If I had to describe what makes me tick in one phrase, it would be that “I’m happiest when I’m learning”. I love to learn new things – for me it is play time! (Even when it requires hard work.) I like reading blogs and forums, working through on line tutorials, and reading computer books. I also find inspiration attending local seminars and meetups as well as conferences. Commit to learning more about how to make your web site even better. The numerous aspects of web design provide endless opportunities to learn more. If you are looking for a place to start check out the content on our Code Geek Blog, and in addition check out some of the recommended links you’ll find in the left column.
Putting effort into each item in this list will help bring more visitors to your web site. I know we’ll be doing even more in 2008 to expand our web presence. I hope you’ll choose to improve your web site and drive even more traffic to it this year, and if you need a hand, give us a call.
I wish you as much success and happiness in the new year as you can stand!