I started at ZERO (or maybe lower) with my advertising budget, but I've just read an article that convinces me beyond a doubt that the best method to accelerate small business or home office web sites is to work at tunig up search engine optimization and submission.

There are barriers to entry starting to be raised for the newcomer to ecommerce. It used to be that the web provided a level playing field and allowed everyone entry into the race of internet commerce. Some large companies are now paying upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 per MONTH for visibility and marketing through public relations, press release campaigns and search engine optimization.

As a guerilla marketing specialist, I emphasize the affordable grassroots method of learning to effectively promote yourself online.

Here's an extensive list of articles addressing these issues for small business, read them and learn some of the "Secrets" that are usually *sold* to newbies looking for success online.

http://website101.com/arch/

Statistics show that the average purchaser online saw your message (link, newsletter, banner ad, classified ad, direct mail piece, newsgroup posting, email signature line) up to 7 times before they chose to visit your website and consider buying. Then only one percent of them actually do so. If that were true then you would have been expected to make only 4 sales with 400 visitors. And that is only if they came because they were ready to buy what you sell! People comparison shop looking for best price, free
delivery, perks, frequent buyer clubs, discounts, etc., and if you don't offer the right combination to capture that surfer, you are gone in the time it takes to click a mouse.

The surprise to many new online businesses is the extremely high amount of traffic they must generate in order to produce each sale.

Assuming you make it easy to buy by offering real-time credit card approval only one or two clicks deep into your site with clearly labled links that they understand easily.

*Assuming your site is attractively designed and professional looking.

*Assuming you have convinced your visitors that they can trust you to handle their money or their credit card.

*Assuming they are satisfied at your posted privacy policy and your promise not to offer their personal information to third parties like advertisers or even spam lists.

*Assuming all of that, you can expect to make sales to about one percent of your visitors.

This means you must increase your traffic tremendously to generate any sales, even if you are doing everything well. Statistics show that 46% of all traffic comes from the search engines. If you don't do well in the search engines (show up in the top 30 listings for your chosen keyword/subject) you can forget about making it online unless you DO have a massive advertising budget.

It all boils down to one thing. Learn to do search engine positioning, optimization and submission yourself and do it effectively. All of this is the main reason that web marketing "secrets" are the biggest sellers online for the internet marketing gurus. It's getting tougher to make it online, I wish you luck in the future as you learn the art of search engine positioning and guerilla marketing tactics.

But I won't leave you stranded by the side of the road, here's a tutorial to help you to learn Search Engine Positioning. If you'd like access to "Eight Ingredients to Search Engine Success" just drop by WebSite101 at http://website101.com/metatags.html and we'll give you the keys to this little beauty so you can take it for a spin. You'll see for yourself how to zoom to the top of the search engines.

WebSite101 "Reading List" Weekly Netrepreneur Tip Sheet Ezine emphasizing small business online http://website101.com/arch/ e-tutorial online at: http://website101.com/shortcourse.html By week's end you're ready expand your business to the web!