Media Exposure

Another way to market your website and generate traffic is to produce some media exposure for the business. Keep in mind that ideally you want positive media exposure. Negative media exposure may generate web traffic, but it probably won't create a positive image of you, your business, or your product and won't generate sales. What are some ways to generate media exposure?

• Sponsor a local youth athletic team
• Make yourself available to news organizations for interviews on subjects/topics that you are knowledgeable about
• Include expert, research-based information about hot topics pertaining to your industry on your website
• Sponsor local and charitable events
• Send press releases to print and radio media.

Don't be shy about contacting newspaper editors about a possible story on your farm business. They often seek out stories to fill space in their papers. Many would welcome the opportunity to include a story on your business.

Rod Hissong said that the number of hits on his business's website (http://www.mercervufarms.com) increased substantially after an article appeared in the local paper about the farm's planned expansion. The following day the website received about 200 hits followed by several hundred more hits in the next month.