| Search Engine Tips There aren't any magic formulas to achieving success on the web,
but there are many sites that offer invaluable tips to the would be web entrepreneur. Your
success can come from three sources:
1. Search Engine Listings:
Search engine listings are free, but there is a
serious barrier to entry: there are only 30 top 30 positions and if you are not in them,
your site will not see much in the way of traffic. Considering there are hundreds of
thousands of insurance web sites, it will be difficult task to crack the top 30. We have
literally spent thousands of hours closing in on what the search engines consider relevant
pages. SIDE NOTE- if you ever come up
with a page that ranks in the top 10 consistently, COPYRIGHT IT or it will be stolen and
plagiarized! There are many books and sites devoted to cracking the search engines and I
would say this: if you cannot find their site while searching for search engine tips, or
search engine promotion, what makes you think they can help you? There are several sites
that actually offer great information on making headway in the search engines most of
which are accessible from www.searchenginewatch.com.
The most important listing you can have
according to the volume of internet users utilizing their site is in Yahoo. Yahoo is
a directory, not a search engine. What does this mean? It means that most people will find
you by navigating text links, not using a search term. This eliminates the top30 problem
mentioned above. We can tell you first hand that it is not easy to acquire a listing, but
it is possible. Why do we say this? In their Insurance
Brokerages category, there are only 147 brokerages- hardly a representative sample of
the entire country, yet it has remained at this level for some time. Your best bet is to
apply for a listing in your state and local area. Your site will be reviewed by real
people, so appearance and content count heavily.
Similar in structure to Yahoo, is
Netscape's Open Directory Project . The major difference is that Netscape's directory is actually
accepting listings! It has gained significance quickly in the search engine wars due to Hotbot and Lycos' utilization of their database. What this means is that when you
conduct a search on Hotbot or Lycos, the search results are actually pulled from
Netscape's database- so in effect, one listing gets you a position on three search
engines!!! Not too shabby...
In our opinion, there are three sites
that drive tremendous targeted traffic and deserve credit for not denying listings to
anyone who submits a page unless they violate the rules: Excite, Infoseek, and
AltaVista.
In addition to offering free search engine listings, they offer a directory of reviewed
sites, similar to Yahoo. 4freequotes.com has had the honor of being reviewed by Exite and Infoseek.
Their editors are fair in their assessment of your site, and both are equally important to
your success- the traffic that comes from them is tremendous. . AltaVista has gained
popularity and will become the search engine for the Microsoft Network according to recent
press releases. This will make any listings you are able to acquire in Altavista even more
valuable! A new breed of search engine has been created with the introduction of GoTo.com where
you bid on listings. Unfortunately, this method will eventually be owned by the deep
pockets, but while it is still affordable, is worth a try. Example: lets say you want to
be found when someone searches for "State Farm Insurance" because you're a State
Farm agent. Well, you can pay 10 cents per click to appear first in their search results,
so if someone clicks on your listing it costs you 10 cents. Hotbot and Lycos are very
important to your success as well with both offering free listings. It can take up to 4
weeks to see your listing in the search engines, which gives you plenty of time to seek
out those other search engines I mentioned above.
Often overlooked is the fact that the
more popular your site is, the more relevant your listing becomes with certain search
engines. Find any and all search engines that have a category in which your site is
appropriate and submit it. It takes some time, but there are several aids in tracking your
success, the best of which is WebPosition.
This powerful piece of software queries the search engines under typical search terms to
see where you rank and has been one of the best $100's we have spent! Most important once
you have established positions in the search engines is that the software's reports will
alert you to changes in your listing and believe me, your listings can mysteriously
disappear!
2. Links From Other Sites
Links from other sites can bring more traffic
than you would believe. Seeking out related, but not directly competing sites who will
swap links with you can make a world of difference in the long term. If you are an
insurance agent, find mortgage brokers, accountants, auto dealers, etc. who have visitors
that need your services and suggest a link swap. Create a separate page on your site for
these links once they begin to clutter up your home page. Create a small banner that
others can display on their sites. Need a program? See the list of sites in the left
column that have more software then you have time!
3. Radio & Print Advertising
While fairly self explanatory, print and radio
should not be overlooked. The radio still possesses incredible reach and print media can
have a great shelf life. Most importantly, ADD YOUR WEB ADDRESS TO EVERY PIECE OF
STATIONERY YOU HAVE- your business cards, your Yellow Page ad's, your letterhead,
envelopes, etc. This way people can look at your site and request quotes regardless of the
time of day. Not everyone works 9-5 and the internet has made a market in this fact.
ONLINE QUOTE FORMS
Once your site is established, you will need quote forms
and feedback forms to allow users to communicate with you without placing a phone call.
The forms must have clear navigation, they must be easy on the eyes and above all must be
validated. By validation, we mean that the user cannot submit them with only a first name
and the car he drives. This is useless information and you will waste precious time
chasing incomplete leads. If you don't wish to create the forms, you can lease the use of
our forms from your site for $150 per year. Try creating a form and you will see what a
bargain this is. Click here to learn more.
RESPOND TO THE INQUIRIES
Now that you have quote forms and are receiving quote
requests, it is imperative that you reply promptly to the consumers who inquire. What you
will need to do is create reply templates(similar to form letters) that you insert into
your replies to the prospects. You will soon see the need for these form replies as typing
coverages line by line will wear on you quickly. For some examples, see here.
FOLLOW UP
You will certainly close more sales if you follow up your
quotes with a call (unless the prospect omits the # or say's don't call). Any salesperson
worth their phone skills can close a warm sale. Remember, the prospect sought a quote from
you and is interested, don't overlook the fact that there is a person on the receiving end
of that email. Many agents have written off the internet because they think a rate in an
email message will sell the policy- NOT TRUE! A salesperson sells the policy, unless the
rate is 50% less of course.
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