In this hypothetical case, you would have to pay to register and host at least fifteen new Web domain names. Since many Internet search engines and directories actually penalize mirror sites, you would have to spend time building fifteen different web sites. Additionally, you would have to pay to host those fifteen Web sites.

You would also have to spend time, actually many weeks just to optimize the same fifteen web sites. You would then have to spend more time submitting fifteen independent web sites (very time consuming).

You would then have to build link popularity to each separate web site. You would have to start doing some reciprocal link exchange trading with quality sites that are in a similar and related sector to your actual field of expertise. If you are starting to think that this sounds like a lot of time, effort, energy and expense, you are 100% right.

Instead, consider this: your other option is to do all of the above, but just to only one site. Now, you may be willing to put in that extra time and expense if it means more chances to rank well in the search engines. The thinking behind this strategy is that you could buy fifteen keyword domains and focus the content of each site so narrowly that it will rank very well for a few terms. Experience has taught us that, in reality, it doesn’t even come close!

Webmasters who try to use this strategy find themselves doing fifteen times the work, and rarely, if not ever, getting the results they would have if they’d simply put all that effort into one single domain to begin with. We like to compare this to the straight line principle: the shortest distance from A to B is still the straight line.

Why won’t all that extra work translate into extra rankings? Well, there are several reasons. Depending on the actual content that you place in these domains, search engines and directories would flag them as mirror sites and refuse to list them. You will spread your incoming links (and therefore link popularity) across multiple domains. This will keep any one of them from ranking as highly as your main domain would if all the links pointed at it.

You have less ability to cross-sell and up-sell the products that you have listed on one of your extra web sites. A visitor may not realize that you offer blue widgets as well as green widgets.

As a general rule of thumb, larger sites nearly always outrank smaller sites. It’s going to be difficult to compete with a company that has a two thousand page web site when your keyword-rich mini-site only has ten pages. Think about sites like Yahoo and Amazon or eBay. They clearly have more than enough information to warrant dozens and dozens of smaller sites, yet they choose to house all of these areas of content under their main, single domain name.

If you have multiple products or services to offer, make sure that everyone that comes to your site realizes it! Don’t undermine your chances of success by hiding your content on separate domains in an attempt to artificially improve your rankings. It just won’t happen.

What will happen however is that you will probably make things a lot worse for yourself and your Web site could get penalized.

The Right Way To Have Multiple Domains

Having said all of this, there is one way that you can have multiple domain names all pointing to one website, and that’s by using a permanent 301 redirect for all of the secondary domains. For example: typing in the URL for any of the secondary domains will redirect you to the main site and it’s primary domain name. This change can easily be implemented, at no cost other than a few of minutes of time.

In this example, 2nddomain.com is redirected to 1stdomain.com and and neither visitors nor SE spiders ever “see” content under the secondary domain name. The same logic should also be applied to the non-www versions of both domain names to complete the process and to prevent potential conflicts with the search engines.

A rule of thumb, for instance, is that remodeling a home office is a poor investment for home re-sale; however, an additional bathroom can make your house more attractive for quick sale.

As you consider which web site improvements to budget in this year, consider only those that likewise will increase your site’s “sale value”.

Here’s a list of the do’s and don’ts for companies on a limited budget (aren’t we all?):

• New content: Do. Review your site’s current positioning on the major search engines and create content for important terms with which your site is not performing.
• Search engine optimization: Do. If it hasn’t been, have your site optimized for the keywords that your customers and prospects would use to locate you on search engines.
• Link-building program: Do. This is an important way that search engines measure your site’s importance in your industry.
• Web site audit: Do. A comprehensive audit will check to make sure that internal and external links work, contact forms are operational, your site’s performing on search engines, etc.
• Foreign language pages: Do. If you routinely do business outside the U.S., devote pages to the language of your other markets. It’ll help position your site in foreign search engines.
• Technical data sheets: Do. Give your prospects enough information about your products to want to do business with you or contact you for more information.
• Site redesign: Do. If your site hasn’t been professionally designed, it’s time to ante up for the good paint.
• New site navigation: Do. If you’re site looks like it has Bandaids all over with buttons and links that were added after the site was launched, it may be time to re-do the navigation to make it more user-friendly and attractive.
• Back-end applications: Do, if it improves your company’s ability to serve your customers in an efficient manner. Don’t, if you’re trying to cut out customer service by making your clients do all the work.
• Flash: Don’t, unless you’ve already done the do’s and have money left over.
• More images: Don’t, unless the graphic conveys information better than text.
• Videos: Don’t, unless your video shows something that would be difficult to describe or illustrates a significant difference in how your products work or are used compared to competitors.

1. Not investing in quality design

Many new-comers to e-commerce attempt to keep their cost down by using a template shopping cart website or hiring the cheapest designers around to build their website. This may help you budget-wise but it will never help you build your business. Customers will view your website and business as unprofessional and will figure that you are not a place worthy of their spending. There couldn’t be a worse first impression if you tired! So, be smart! Invest in a web firm that can create professional looking graphics that help bolster your business and your sales.

2. Lack of Follow-Up and Auto-Responders

Whether you’re selling t-shirts or cell phones, customers want to know where to begin. When you send your product be sure to include a “Read this First” or “Getting Started” document to help them through your product step by step. In addition to this you should have an auto-responder sequence that is generated from your website that follows up with them and reiterates this information.

Whether it’s Wash and Wear or Plug in and Play…help your customers understand your product as best as possible.
After the product has shipped, get in touch with your client. Let them know you care.

3. Weak Product Line

At best, there are a couple of dozen success stories as a result of selling a single product. If you are relying on selling to new customers then your chances of long-term success are minimal. It is well known that overcoming the sales hurdle is much easier when you are dealing with an existing customer. Without additional related products you cannot upsell. Moreover, you reduce the possibility of starting a relationship with your customer if they have no reason to return to your website.

4. Living In a Virtual World

Don’t underestimate the value of human contact. As much as we love all the conveniences of technology, your customers will appreciate the ability to talk to a real person – especially when they have a problem or a question. Use e-mails, forms, and support tickets as an option but always offer a live representative for your customers. This will go a long way with building the rapport and trust that leads to long-term business relationships.

5. Inconsistent Branding

The value of brand recognition is huge! You need people to recognize your products. Give a consistent look and feel to everything you do online and off. Your website should look like it is related to your products and your customers. Think of it as keeping it all in the family.

Whatever you sell online, your offline materials and the look and feel of your website should be related. Just like with twins, people will know that they are related. It’s easier to sell a product to someone who is comfortable with you and branding is a critical aspect of increasing consumer’s comfort level.

Before you build your web site, you should be clear about the goals and objectives for your web site. What are you trying to accomplish with your web site? You need to have a clear objective in order to build an effective and successful web presence.

Make sure your web site looks professional and competent

Many customers will get their first impression of your company from your website. For this reason, you want to make sure that your web site presents a professional image. There is nothing worse than having a web site that looks like it came out of a box or some pre-designed template. A professionally designed web site will always create a better impression than a home made web site.

Ensure that your content is effective and powerful

Content is one of the most overlooked components of web design and development. As a business, you should ensure that your web site contains powerful marketing content that will engage the viewer and prompt them to take action. What is it about your business that will want to make someone contact you or buy from you? What do you do better than your competitors? Convey this message powerfully and clearly.

Put your biggest benefit on your home page

Your home page should clearly state what benefit you are offering potential clients. It should only take a visitor a couple of seconds to know what your company does, and what goods or services you have to offer. The goal of the home page is to get the user’s attention, and entice them to take action.

Promote your web site

You could have the best web site, but of what use is it if no one can find it? Search Engine Optimization and web site promotion are critical to your success. With the number of web sites growing exponentially, you need to ensure that your web site is easier to find than your competition’s.

Contact us to learn more about building a great web site.