How to get website known

[sam_gates1]

<p>Recently, I got a website, <em>www.zhibit.org/samgates</em>. I have told my friends and family about it and they have been visiting. However, I was wondering how I could publicize my website even more. Any suggestions?</p>

[sam_gates1]

<p>I am sorry about putting this under photo.net site help. I just realized what it actually meant. I will just keep it here though.</p>

[michaeljlawson]

<p>You can work with the big search engines to get more visibility like Google http://www.google.com/webmasters/#utm_medium=et&utm_source=us-en-et-bizsol-0-biz1-all&utm_campaign=en</p>

<p>I printed up a bunch of business cards with different photos on them like the one below and leave them on my desk at work. It's amazing how far they travel and who ends up with them.</p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>Try shameless self-promotion such as posting questions about how to get your site known more widely. ;)</p>

<p>Seriously, as Sam Rayburn, a legendary Congersman, is supposed to have said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>He who tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The expression has also been attributed to John L. Lewis (possible) and Mondale (unlikely IMHO)</p>

[the celt 2]

<p>I've found that an eye catching business card with my website on it attrcts the hits, and I have had inquiries about a few sales too. Be sure your card has as unique a look as possible. I read some where that if you hand some one one of your cards, and they put it right in their pocket with just a glance, then it's likely to go straight into the laundry or the trash. If they take your card, and are actually intereste in the image, then your much more likely to get hits, and , or sales. Mikes card is definately an eye catcher.</p>

[katherinemichael]

<p>"He who tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted."</p>

<p>That made me laugh, but it is definitely true to a point. Having enough confidence in your work to be able to speak openly to everyone about it and promote yourself in that way is important. Being naturally shy and a perfectionist, I personally have always found this difficult. I've only been able to kind of get over that hump recently. </p>

<p>To promote my site cheaply I have:</p>

<ul>

<li>left business cards at every local business that would let me </li>

<li>handed business cards to the people who stop and talk to me on the trails I hike and shoot on</li>

<li>created a 5x7 mailer with sample images and my url and mailed them to different companies/people who I felt might be interested (through some online research)</li>

<li>put site links on my Flickr and Photo.net pages</li>

<li>created free online yellow page ads</li>

<li>sumitted a site map to Google</li>

<li>created a Facebook page</li>

<li>invested a small amount of money (like $75) into Google AdWords and Facebook advertising</li>

<li>made sure my site language contained the words/search terms that people might use to find me so my site is now popping up in organic searches </li>

<li>last but not least, I always have business cards and sample images with me (on my ipod) and will run my mouth about what I do to anyone who shows an interest</li>

</ul>

<p>I hope that helps. :)</p>

<p>Katherine</p>

[DB_Gallery]

<p>What is the purpose of your site?<br /> An amateur featuring work or is it aimed at gaining business?<br /> You are competing with thousands of other photo websites, to stand out, it should be fantastic work. Otherwise, what purpose does it serve as there are, like I said, thousands of photo websites with average photos.<br /> The impact and quality of the photos come first, how you gain accolades for them, a distant second...<br>

Show ground breaking, phenomenal imagery on your site and word will get out.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>There are plenty of unknown sites with great photography and very popular sites with mediocre photography. Like anything else, it comes down to marketing. The number one way to pop sites is not with the list that Katherine gives but instead with links from related sites. Both clicks from those sites and the effects on search engines from the links will bump you up. I get a fair amount of unsolicited work through links from some "genre-specific" sites.</p>

[mike51664877339]

<p>We may need more to go on, Jeff. I got results from Google when I searched "generic-specific", but I am clueless as to how to use the info, and how it relates to a web link. How about an example?</p>

[Spearhead]

<blockquote>

<p>I searched "generic-specific"</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /> What I said was "genre"-specific. In other words, websites that have a specific focus that would lead people to look at your site. For example, I get a lot of hits from womenkickboxing.com.</p>