Scientists tell us that the universe is expanding every second. But, even though we can’t see it-or even feel it, it is.
The online universe is expanding too. That, we can see.
Thousands of new websites and blogs are being added every day, 365.25 days a year.
And guess what? The owners of all of these new sites want to get found online just as much as you do. But, if you already have a website or blog up and running-, you have a distinct advantage over them. Your site is already indexed in the search engines…you already have some type of an online presence.
Advantage-you.
However, you can’t rest on your laurels, as you can easily lose that advantage. And just think, I haven’t even brought up your current competitors…the ones that have had their franchise websites up just as long as you have. Or longer.
But, have no fear; there are several things you can do to make sure that your franchise website can be easily found when potential customers or potential franchisees are searching for solutions to their problems.
How To Increase Your Online Presence
There are several ways to increase the chances of your franchise website getting found by potential franchise owners, and most of the techniques aren’t difficult. But, you will have to spend some money in order to do it right.
Some tips:
1. Make sure that your website isn’t static.
You need to give the search bots something to do. These bots are scouring the web 24/7…they’re looking for up-to-date high-quality content. Don’t let them down. Refresh your website once in awhile. Change some of the text, occasionally. Add some press releases about your company-search engine bots really like those.
2. Start a blog
One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting found online is to start a blog. As a matter of fact, not having a blog is not an option, anymore.
And, you’re not allowed to talk yourself out of starting one because of your lack of (or perceived lack of) good writing skills. There are several outstanding places where you can learn the art of writing a blog post.
3. SEO
I’ve been quietly learning all I can about Search Engine Optimization during the last year or so. It’s pretty complex to say the least. It’s a real art to optimize a business site for the search engines. High rankings are worth a lot of money to a business.
And, it’s something that you don’t want to tackle alone. That’s because search engines like Google and Bing are constantly changing their algorithms. You definitely won’t have the time to learn it all by yourself, so find someone who is good at it and let them grow your visibility online. Also, make sure to use a keyword ranking monitoring software like keyword.com to keep an eye on your search engine rankings so you know what kind of results are they generating for you.
Look at SEO as a marketing expense…an investment, really.
4. Get listed
Spending the money needed to get my main franchise website (s) submitted to the best web directories has helped me increase my online presence dramatically. Submit Your Site to Best of the Web!
There are thousands of directories that you can submit your franchise website to. Some are good, some are average, and some can actually hurt your site. Aaron Wall, a well-known SEO expert says that, “The single biggest reason to list in directories is they help search engines understand what your site is about and help improve your relevancy.”
5. Niche web directories
I recently launched a franchise business directory. Most webmasters will tell you that getting listed in a web directory that’s in your niche is a wise move.
That’s because odds are that people who are searching online for a franchise will run across it, eventually. And, a web directory that’s been optimized for search will be found by the search engines-which is what I want. And, it’s what you want, too.
The more places that your franchise website can be found online, the better the chances that it will be found by your target audience.
They’re looking for you. Make it easy for them to find you.
Click Here To Get In Front Of Thousands Of Franchise Buyers.