Internet marketing involves unique approaches. Listing you in search engines is not enough. Your site must be crafted and programmed to respond in the ways that search engines do and you must be useful to your clients each time they come to your site. i-Way Solutions specializes in developing a community of users/buyers/suppliers who find value in what you provide. Your result is direct links to customers, clients, employees and prospects that you need to reach

Marketing Methodology: In order to develop a strategic web-marketing plan and increase the number of buyers visiting any website, it is important to review elements in a site that affect its marketability to search engines. Preferably this should happen in the initial design phase before the site is developed. Techniques must be coded in each page to allow search engines to "see" the site. At the same time, search engine "paths" must be transparent to the visitor. These techniques and strategies are illustrated below.

Search engines are the most important source of new buyers for a web site. The programming in the section above ensures that the site will be catalogued correctly. Keywords must be chosen for each page of the site based on customer usage. According to Georgia Tech University, six major search engines account for 87% of the search engine traffic. I-Way Solutions conducts a comprehensive marketing effort with each of the major search engines as part of an overall marketing strategy. Additional domains can add marketing value, as can traditional marketing media.

Search Engines work like old HTML version 2.0 Browsers. This means that some search engines cannot follow Image Maps, Tables, Java, JavaScript, and Frames. The problems introduced by having a nicely designed site for more contemporary Browsers are in the following areas: Images, JavaScript, Java, HTML text, and Frame support. Meta tags are used on all main site pages even though not all search engines support them.

Frames are simple not visible by to many search engines and older browsers. In order to ensure marketability, each site area must provide invisible navigation to each other area of the site. This technique will bring search engines to all main content pages. Unfortunately these techniques strand the visitor without site context or navigational elements. Pages need to be designed so they respond differently to search engines and visitors lead visitors to the correct site context.

If your main site page is done in flash or contains large images and image maps, techniques must be applied to allow the site to be seen by search engines. These techniques allow search engines to find and catalog the content in images while at the same time finding the content in other areas of your site.

Recently, most major search engines have gone to a pay for listing model that requires payment for enhanced listings. These models may require yearly or monthly renewal.

Traditional Media: On-line marketing is not a panacea for your marketing issues. The best response can be achieved with a balanced marketing effort that extends the reach of your website. Media buys are as important in getting traffic to your site as electronic means. Make sure that your web address is included in letterhead, business cards, and signage. Keep the website up to date with your latest offers and promotions.

Specialized Directories: Specialized directories exist in many industries that can augment your marketing effort. Finding these resources is best done in conjunction with your own staff. These directories may be targeted for a specific business buyer. Most major search engines maintain specialized regional directories in many different languages. I-Way Solutions can develop and market you site to reach the emerging markets throughout the World.

Posting Services: Once initial marketing is completed, a monthly program using these services is recommended. I-Way Solutions can provide you with an ongoing effort to keep your site fresh and relevant to your marketplace.

Advertising: Advertising campaigns can be purchased. These ad campaigns are charged by page views, click throughs, and or purchases. The cost of banner ads continues to drop and effectiveness is dubious without focus. I-Way Solutions can perform a cost/benefit analysis to establish an effective strategy at minimal cost as part of your assessment.

Coop Marketing: Mutual linking with suppliers, vendors, and resources can result in enhanced traffic and increased sales. This would require contact with your suppliers for these links as well a specific linking page in the site.

Banner Ads: Banner Ads can be effective but at a price. An incorrectly placed banner campaign can produce mixed results. A correct strategy of purchases at $3500/month over a period of three months can result in a sustained doubling of site traffic. Incorrectly purchased this money can be wasted. As an example, banner ads vary from $550 to $1,500 per search term per month. Effectiveness depends on effective purchase of search terms customers use. Metrics must be closely monitored in a banner ad program to determine effectiveness and adjust content. Streaming media, playmercials, and rich media ads are additional tools for involving your audience with a product prior to seeing your page.

Maintenance: Keeping your site fresh and new draws your audience back to your site. I-Way Solutions can create content maintenance plans that either you or we can maintain.

Metrics: Site ranking and statistical monitoring should be performed on a regular basis. Metrics, in combination with sales, is the way to determine the effectiveness of your site in reaching your customers or users. I-Way Solutions monitors these metrics and can help you achieve meaningful goals as a result. Please ask us about these services.