The best way to promote your business online is with your own business website, but you do not need a website or blog to promote yourself online. In the coming months I will go into a number of ways to promote your real-world business online.

The first step is to be sure your business has a listing in the search engines. This is easy to do and can be updated regularly to keep the listing current.

Make Your Business Appear in Search Engines

When a client searches for “pizza” he is usually looking for a listing for a local pizza restaurant. If you operate such a business, you need your business to appear in the list, preferably at the top. One way to achieve this is to add your business to the Google Local Business Center. You will need a google account (free) to enter as much information about your business as possible, including a photo if possible. Once you have verified the information, your listing should appear in approximately 12 to 24 hours.

Don’t stop with the google pages. Enter your business with Yellow Pages and other similar directories. This first step may not bring you a lot of extra business, but it will make it easier for customers to find you and contact you for more information.