"Gee, I really think this whole 'internet' and 'world wide web' thing is going to be huge someday." - Josh Barker, Brand Wrangler, Brand Iron, July 2008<br /><br />Of course this may be the understatement of the century.  Currently, we are evaluating web presence for nearly 75% of our client base.  There are many different ways in today’s economy to create web presence without stretching your budget thinner than it already is.   Brand Iron suggests four simple and cost-effective ways to create an online strategy for your company.<br /><br />1. Social Networking<br />Many of you notice your kids using social networks such as Facebook and  MySpace, but did you know that industry professionals are utilizing those sites for  marketing purposes?  These sites are free of charge and are a great tool to leverage when trying to expand your partner network or get some buzz surrounding your business.  For the more business-savvy professional, Linked In is a site devoted  completely to the business world and your immediate connection to thousands of  like-minded professionals in various industries.  <br />2. Blogging<br />Keeping a blog tied to your company’s website is an easy way to make a larger  presence on the web which will in turn boost organic search results of your  company.  When it comes to searches, the more words that you have “tagged” to  your blog, the more it comes up in search engine results.  By keeping your blog  consistently updated with fresh articles and topics, you will in turn draw more  traffic to your site.<br />3. Interactive Web Applications<br />Using interactive web applications is a hassle-free way to keep in front of  prospects and current clients.  For example, a <a href="http://www.maddenmedia.com/index.html">WOWget (by Madden Media)</a> is an  application that Brand Iron is set to utilize in the near future.  The WOWget  allows the user to post video to his/her website and then link it to a MySpace,  Facebook, or a Blog page.  This is an interactive video that users can view  through many different mediums. <br />4. Google AdWords<br />When on a tight budget, why not use advertising that will adhere to the  guidelines you set?  Google AdWords allows the advertiser to set a limit on how  much is spent daily on their advertising.  When a key word is searched through  Google, ads appear on the right hand side of the screen.  These advertisers  specifically chose their ad to display when that key word is searched. Google  keeps track of all of the click throughs to your sight each day, and when the  budget number is met that day, say $10, Google does not post your ad on the right  hand side of the screen.  Each click through is cost dependent on the key word.<br /> <br />Here’s how it works…<br />   - User searches a key word<br />   - Ad is displayed on the right side of the screen<br />   - User clicks through the ad<br />   - Advertiser is charged for the click through<br />   - Once the click through limit is reached  ($10), Google no longer places the advertiser’s ad on the side bar<br /><br />These are just a few ways to stay under budget and in the face of your prospects and customers in a tight economy.  Contact us to learn about all of the cost effective ways to market and advertise while on a strict budget.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">written by Nicole Salerno, Junior Brand Wrangler, Brand Iron</span>