Promoting Traffic to Your Site

WEAVING TALES, WEAVING WEBSITES:
Websites 101

If you build it, will they come?
Not unless you let people know your site is out there!

Once you have a site, you want to be sure that Web traffic will come your way. Perhaps one of the easiest methods of publicizing your site is by submitting it to search engines and Web directories.

Submitting Your Site Through a Paid Submission Service

For a fee, there are search engine submission services available on the Web who can take care of submitting your site on your behalf. These services submit your site to (in some cases) hundreds of search engines and Web directories — however, bear in mind that not all of these will necessarily be the best spots to submit your site. For example, having your site submitted to a directory specializing in something like engineering or underwater basket-weaving won't likely increase traffic to a site on storytelling!

So ... your other option is to handle publicity of your site on your own.

Submitting Your Site Yourself

In addition to submitting your site to the more popular (and general interest) sites like Google (through the DMOZ Open Directory Project) and Yahoo!, look for directories with a focus closer to your own geographic region or subject area (like an arts, humanities, or storytelling index).

A fairly extensive list of search engines and Web directories can be found here.

There may also be a local/guild, state, or regional site already out there offering a directory with which you can list your site, such as Northlands Storytelling Network or Storytelling in Wisconsin. Some of these sites do require membership and/or a fee; however, the additional traffic they can send your way is often well worth the minimal cost.

Don't Forget the Obvious ...

... such as including your Web site address on your traditional PR materials — brochures, letterhead, and business cards! (Many performers neglect to update these PR pieces to include Web site information.)

Easy Publicity Via Email

Most email programs permit you to compose a signature, a small block of text that is appended to the bottom of every email you send out. Adding your Web site information to this automatic text block will make sure that the individuals with whom you correspond have that all-important Web address.

A typical signature might look something like this:

---------------------------------- Ima Teller, "Stories for All Ages" PO Box 1234 AnyTown, AnyState 01234 (555) 555-555 Visit my Web site at www.imateller.com for details on my programs!

Even Web-based email accounts (like Hotmail) usually allow for these signature text blocks, so take advantage of the increased publicity a simple bit of text like this can generate for you.

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