What are one of the key things that EVERY business and solopreneur needs? 

Exposure.  

We’re all after it, right?

Whether you’re a real estate agent, a VA, a musician, a designer, a salesperson, etc., you need exposure.  If no one can find you, or you’re so far buried under your competition’s exposure, how can your talent be utilized?  You have to put yourself in front of them, and the Internet has paved endless roads to the success of your exposure.

We recently talked about Word of Mouth Advertising and a few ways you can guide your WOM campaign but it’s a must that you utilize the Internet’s many avenues.  There are many tried-and-true, oldies-but-goodies, Internet marketing tactics and Web 2.0 has opened up many new interstates for your travel to Destination Exposure.  

As social media marketing has developed, there have been many skeptics but a lot of those skeptics have been jumping on the train in recent months.  And there are many businesses who are still becoming familiar with Internet marketing and social media marketing; and, many others who still don’t even know it exists much less realize the impact it can have on their business – no matter what they’re business is.

We’re in a day and age where people turn to the Internet more and more, rather than traditional phone books.  I’m not even sure why they still deliver me one.  I can’t tell you the last time I used an actual, paper, phone book.  First, I have to flip through it.  Second, the listings don’t tell me much about a business except for their phone number and address.  Third, I can’t see what others are saying about the business.  I know, some of it might seem lazy but the Internet is much faster and I can gather so much more information on the business/service I’m seeking. 

You know the saying, "Google it"…and that’s exactly what people are doing.  If I can’t find you on the Internet, I’ll end up using another business/service that I can find on the Internet. 

And there are many social avenues that peak my interest in something I wasn’t even thinking about.  I frequently veer off of whatever I was originally doing online because something catches my eye.  It might be a service, some goods, information or something else but because it was exposed online, it attracted my interest and I followed the link to see where it led.  if it didn’t have any exposure I may have never found it, whether I was looking for it or not. 

There are two main components to online exposure.

1) Build links to your site, which will increase your rankings in the search engines, and

2) Drive organic traffic

Tying in these components will expose you!

And what’s fabulous is that most of it, if not all of it, can technically be done for free.  It takes a lot of time so you can always pay someone to do it for you, or you can do it yourself without spending much money at all.  All it takes is the knowledge of what to do, how to do it, where to do it and a bit of dedication.

Visit Online Marketing Wizards and have a look around.  OMW discusses online marketing tips, information, resources and strategies.  You’ll find information on finding the proper keywords, utilizing your anchor text, submitting your site to directories, using social networking and social media to gain exposure and links, utilizing articles and much more.

What are your thoughts on businesses benefiting from online marketing? 

Karen J. for BestBusinessExpert.com