The Internet is Still the Information Highway - Not a Marketplace

Information marketing is still the key to success on the Internet. Too many small businesses are unsuccessful on the Internet because they think about their website the same way they do marketing and advertising in the “brick & mortar” world. Remember, the Internet started out as a system for research universities to transfer information or post research so other researchers could read and comment on or use it.

In fact, it was jointly developed by universities and DARPA, the public arm of the military’s research branch to make it easier for their far-flung research facilities to stay in contact with each other.

Americans shop for information first

Okay, so what does any of this have to do with small business marketing? On the Web, a lot. Because of this benign, information-based origin of the Web, the Web has become the primary information source for most Americans.

Unlike TV, where people passively sit there and stare at “the Tube”, the Internet gives people an element of power and control that is lacking in TV. On TV, you can put advertising on and people will sometimes sit through it and absorb it. Not a chance on the Web.

Trust & Perception - Information is useful; advertising is useless

What does this mean for small business websites? It means you can’t treat your website like an advertisement. Nor can you treat it like a brochure. You can certainly put brochures on your site for people to download if that’s what they want. That is useful information and should be there.

But people come to the Web for information and that is how your Home page should feel. More like an article or white paper or “tip sheet” or “how-to” document. Having a Home page like this will accomplish two things.

The benefit of information Home pages

• First, it will make Google very happy to send people to your site because you have  helpful information on your Home page.
• Secondly, it will give people a serious reason to visit your site because, again, you have useful information for them.

You can then use links within your text to draw them deeper into your site and show them how your product or service will solve the problem they were searching the web to find an answer to. My WordsmithBob Home page is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

Don’t hit them with your product or service on the Home page. You don’t need to. Once they’ve clicked on a link in your informational text, they’ve committed to finding what they need on your site. Then you can present your product or service as a solution.

If you’d like to learn more about the subject, read some of the articles on my website.

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