Whether you are an existing business in need of an online presence or just thinking of starting up, there are many ways you can get noticed online and hopefully boost your sales.

1. Submit your website

The first step is to let search engines such as Google or Yahoo know you exists. This will enable them to index your site and hopefully rank it highly, providing they find fresh, interesting and unique content. You shouldn’t stop at submitting to major search engines though. Many other directories are also available and should be used, especially small directories targeting your market.

2.Social Networking

Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook or Google+ are unlikely to generate many direct sales, but they should have a strong indirect impact. They should therefore be used for brand awareness, increase visibility and create a loyal engaged community.

3.PR

This is a quick, cheap and effective way to spread the word. The abundance of online dews distribution services makes announcing a new product, service or any major company news easier than ever.

4.Newsletter

Don’t under estimate the power of newsletters. They may be seen as “old fashioned” by some, but their power is undeniable. The conversion rate from newsletters is higher than any other form of social medium.

5.Become a source of authority in your field

As a business owner, it is likely that you already have a wealth of knowledge in your field. Sharing it can help you become a source of authority in this particular domain. There are several ways to achieve that. You could write and post content, host webinars or workshops.

6.Videos

A cheaper alternative to TV advertising, videos can also be used for demos or to promote individual products and services. Most of us find it easier to watch something rather than read an article, which makes videos more palettable and memorable. Done very well, some have even gone viral – a marketer’s dream!

7.Give-aways

Give-aways are always popular. They not only promote your products, but also provide you with many contact details you could market to in the future. Always ensure you try to collect their email address in the process so that you could send them newsletters in the future. Give-aways can also help you acquire more “likes” if your target the promotion towards social networking. You will need an external application to run a sweepstake on social media sites such as Facebook. Sites such as www.rafflecopter.com make the process very easy.

8.Affiliate programs

Creating an affiliate marketing programme can really increase your sales with minimal marketing efforts. Once setup, you will pay your affiliate with a small commission on each of their sale. They invest their marketing efforts in your products and you pay them only if they sell on your behalf: a win-win situation!

9.Local listings and directories

Many search engines and directories have created tools to enhance local listings. Make the most of them! You can pinpoint your business on a map, add your opening hours (+ add more features on some websites). This should help you stand out on local searches, even on search engines such as Google, who are now focusing more of their efforts on returning local searches.

10.Product data feed

This is a must-have if you’re selling individual products. A product data feed is a file that generally contains a product image, title, product identifier, marketing copy and product attributes. This file will be submitted to websites, price comparison websites and should be picked up by search engines.