So how else can I promote my website?

Aside from the search engines, you need to develop an Internet marketing plan to get the word out about your website. Kevin Costner aside, “If you build it, they will come,” is not a valid strategy for website promotion.

Remember, a great website is part receptionist, part brochure, part storefront for your business, active 24/7. You need to treat the marketing of your website with the same seriousness and effort as you would a brick-and-mortar business.

Some possible ways to market your website:

• Good, solid content for your site – inform, entertain, engage!
• Writing your own newsletter or blog that is of interest to your clients, and encouraging them to sign up for it on your website. Forward it to friends and associates, and hope that they in turn forward it along (known as viral marketing).
• Direct Mail, both real-world and email-based. However, AVOID SENDING OUT SPAM! If someone did not ask for your email explicitly (via a signup form with double-opt-in), you’re spamming them!
• Find blogs and other website where you can submit content, leave relevant comments, posts or even advertise to their target audience, which should be similar to your desired audience—find your market niche and let them know you are here.
• Write articles of interest, and submit them to various online article websites, with links back to your website.
• Set up a Facebook for Business page, custom brand it and tie your website updates to your Facebook wall. Do the same thing with Twitter. Let your content be ‘write once, post to many places’ and leverage your hard work.
• Make sure every object that leaves your office has your web address on it: business cards, letterhead, envelopes, invoices, faxes, packing slips, small children, promotions, flyers, boxes, tags, delivery trucks, uniforms – everything! (ok, except the kids).