Should You Be Advertising Your Website?

Is it Worth Advertising a Website?

When you consider all the elements that go into website success, from keyword research to link building, site optimization to compelling content, social media to offline marketing–somewhere along the line you might ask yourself, “Wouldn’t it be simpler just to put up some ads?”

Advertising can be beneficial to your website just as it can be beneficial to your business. There are some special considerations, though, when you consider advertising your website.

For one thing, your website is part of your marketing efforts, and probably a major part. When you pay to send people to your website, you don’t want to be making ads that advertise ads. That is, there has to be something on your website to keep people there, to make them feel that they’re getting something of value, and to encourage them to take the next step of buying something, hiring you, or visiting your brick-and-mortar business.

In other words, you need compelling content, great design, and a clear call to action.

For another, internet ads get no respect. While 94% of us, according to a recent survey by the Harris organization, read newspaper ads, fully 63% say they ignore internet ads. Asked for the specifics of the kinds of ads they most intentionally ignore, 20%look away from PPC ads on search engine results pages. 43% of respondents ignore banner ads. As long as you only pay for those who click through to your site, you may not mind this. But what about that large proportion of potential customers who search for goods and services like yours online but steadfastly ignore the ads?

You’ll have to show up in unpaid search, which requires optimization and link building, or in their social media results and word-of-mouth recommendations.

So sure, go ahead and advertise your website. But don’t think that lets you off the hook for all the other elements of website success. You’ll just have to add your ads to the list of online properties to look after.

One positive here is that we like to read newspaper ads. If you do newspaper advertising, make a point of including your web address.