Web Site Cookbook

Chapter 8. Promotion and E-Commerce

Introduction

Getting the word out and bringing the money in; those are the main preoccupations of many web site owners. Whether a web site sells a product, a service, a cause, or even its own visitors, the Internet provides a proven, cost-effective platform for reaching lots and lots of people and turning their visits into revenue. But before a web site visit can become a mutually beneficial exchange of dollars, information, and wares, both the site owner and its users have to be satisfied that their relationship with each other is fair and honest. Visitors have to able to trust the implicit promises of a web site; the online merchant has to distinguish between legitimate customers and those intent on perpetrating a scam at his expense. In this chapter, I'll explain the trust-building techniques and fraud-avoidance maneuvers that help secure both sides in an online transaction. I'll also explain some of the common methods of drawing an audience to your site, from search engine keywords and sponsored ads to email marketing, as well as some specific coding procedures that help ecommerce run smoothly.