Promotional Materials For Your Website: From Simple Products To Offering Your Time
Webmasters tend to think in black and white when it comes to their websites. Build a great website, follow proper SEO guidelines, and hope for the best. While on-site optimization and social media engagement are both important, site owners can benefit greatly from off-site promotion.
The best way to get your name out there is to constantly push your brand. When I launch a new website I like to order simple products that will place my websites name in front of influencing people. Pens, koozies and chip clips are all great products because they are cheap and constantly used. I also like to incorporate my time as a service.
Websites that offer promotional products like these provide a cheap advertising solution that won’t break the bank while letting users know they care.
The trick with off-site branding it to get your products into the right hands. Here are a few simple solutions.
Reward Your Best Readers
You would be surprised how much a loyal commenter on your website will appreciate a small gift. A pack of pens with your websites logo can go a long way in showing readers that you care. Remember this isn’t about breaking the bank, it’s making readers realize that you take the time to engage on a more intimate level. I have found that people who receive small thank you’s tend to share stories more and engaging in the sites discussion section more often.
Leave Promotion Products With Business Partners
Engaging with business partners to grow your brands advertising, third-party solutions, and other options is a smart plan for the future. If you’re a serious blogger you probably attend conferences and those are often the perfect places to leave behind a few goodies.
I avoid offering pens to partners in person during meeting because it seems a bit needy.
At trade shows and other events leaving a few pens or promotional tote bags behind on desks is simple and typically a helpful solution for visitors.
Offer Your Time And Expertise Instead Of Physical Goods
I personally offer a lot of advice to other webmasters, business clients, and even my readers. Sometimes your brand is best served by becoming a good steward of the community you operate within.
Visit forums and web communities that discuss the products or services you cover. Answer questions for newbies and veterans, and always include your signature or website URL in your posts.
Sometimes the best “Gift” you can give is your time.
Use your branded Twitter, Facebook, and other accounts as much as possible in order to improve engagement with potential website users.
Whether you want to hand out physical goods as a reward to your websites visitors or provide your time and expertise, off-site branding is simple, effective, and a great way to say thank you to internet users who most often you will never meet.