Do online retailers really need to focus on website promotion?

Do online retailers really need to focus on website promotion?
No. I know that sounds crazy, so I'll say it again. No.

Many online retailers think that driving traffic to their website should be the number one priority. There are millions of online retailers in the United States alone and most of them spend quite a bit of time, energy, and money trying to promote their website when they should be focused on selling their products instead. Some hire SEO (search engine optimization) companies, and others spend time trying to improve their page ranking organically. If you are an online retailer there are other options for you.

Amazon.com has tens of millions of existing customers that frequent their online store on the web, and on mobile devices. Amazon.com gives users the power to sell directly on their online store. For about $40 a month you can sell a range of products on Amazon.com. There are other sites such as eBay.com that have special stores for businesses that sell directly on their site. By distributing your product on sites that have existing traffic you don't need to worry about promoting your website. This leaves more time for you to focus on your core competency and that is to successfully run your business by lowering your costs, and offering new products to your retail customers.

Of course, you can not simply sign up with these large online distributors and stop marketing and advertising. Both Amazon.com and eBay.com have thousands of users, and it can be difficult for customers to find your specific product. This is where Tonangi Media can help you. By creating an advertising campaign, both on the internet and on national television, we can generate brand awareness and increase exposure for your products. By indicating that your products are available on Amazon.com, your company will reflect a sense of credibility that you otherwise wouldn't achieve.

Vinod Tonangi | www.tonangi.com | phone: 201.252.7265 | fax: 619.566.4043

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Is outsourcing overseas worth it for small businesses?

Many small businesses are considering outsourcing their work overseas to save money on their marketing, development, and other labor costs. Outsourcing is a viable option in many cases, but not all. If clients know exactly what they want then outsourcing might be the best option due to the savings in labor. However, in some cases a project could be so complex that the constant back & forth discussions between the client and the overseas developer might outweigh the potential savings from outsourcing a project overseas. Language barriers, culture differences, and a lack of familiarity with American consumers are common problems when solutions are outsourced. If a business does not have a clear understanding of what is needed, and frequent modifications are required then working with a developer overseas could not only be frustrating, but more costly.

If you are a small business that wants a website that is both functional and creative for a largely American demographic, and the development does not need 100+ hours of labor then it might be cost effective and less frustrating to work with a company in the states. For most companies your website is the first interaction a potential customer has with your product or service. Trying to save a few thousand dollars on the creative and development processes of your website (or other project) can be extremely short sighted, and costly adjustments may be required to appropriately fit your target demographic. On the other hand if you are a business and you need frequent manual updates, or your project is very labor intensive then outsourcing will most likely be your best option. It's up to to the business to decide what is right for them based on their needs. Get multiple quotes, review portfolios, and talk to the developer's previous customers before a decision is made.

Saving a few thousand up front can cost you millions in the long run, and spending too much money on development can leave you with very little money for marketing and attracting your customers to your website, or other place of business.

Vinod Tonangi | www.tonangi.com | phone: 201.252.7265 | fax: 619.566.4043

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The truth about search engine optimization

There are many SEO companies that "guarantee" rankings and cost quite a bit of money. It is impossible for any company to guarantee something that they have no control over. Moreover, many SEO companies put your sites in what is known as "link farms". These sites typically increase your page ranking for a short while, however your website can be placed on blacklists which make it impossible for your site to show up within the Top 10 pages of related keyword searches. The new "Google formula" has been created to actively combat SEO companies from exploiting these methods to artificially increase page ranking. If your site currently has a low page ranking in comparison to competing websites with similar keywords, Google can take 6 months or more to crawl your website for an update, which is time that many businesses do not have - especially in this economy.

Real SEO happens organically. This means that you add your business on directories that already have high page ranks such as Yelp, Merchant Circle, and Yellow Pages. Don't stop with just a few - you really need to add your site on hundreds of directories. You should continue to participate in blogs (such as these), but you should try to include your URL as well as other basic company information whenever possible. This will also raise your page ranking. Have you noticed that when you search for certain terms Google will now place YouTube results ahead of other search engine results? Utilizing video can help your SEO efforts.

Many small and medium sized business do not think they can afford television advertising and resort to mediums that are simply not as effective such as artificial search engine optimization, direct mail, radio, or newspaper advertising. Tonangi Media is able to keep your advertising costs low by constantly negotiating with our local and national partners to provide targeted and cost effective advertising both on television as well as the internet. Think how much you have spent on other marketing mediums in the past. These methods may be cheaper but if they don't bring in customers is it really cost effective or is it a waste? With a budget of less then $6,000 you can obtain 1/2 a million views (in most areas) - and target ad placement based on gender, income, and geographical location. We have customers that spend as little as $2,000 a month and customers that spend well over $25,000 a month. You decide your budget and Tonangi Media will help you meet your goals.

Tonangi Media is a full scale video production and advertising agency. We can create your concept, record a custom, video complete with professional voice overs and original animation sequences that will make your advertisement stand out.

Vinod Tonangi | www.tonangi.com | phone: 201.252.7265 | fax: 619.566.4043

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