Setting up a new on-line store or service is easy. Website builders and e-commerce carts are plentiful and offer great looking easily customizable websites. Once set-up, however, getting customers to your store isn't so easy. Don't delude yourself. The internet is incredibly competitive. Most people search for information through the major search engines. Don't you? If you are not on the first page on at least a couple of your keywords, your chances of selling in volume through organic search results are slim.

Still, you want to do what you can to optimize your pages for the search engines. You stand a better chance if your store sells unusual niche items that don't have tons of competitors. And there are other ways to reach customers. Here are the areas you need to focus on both in optimization and marketing.

Page Optimization - Meta tags are the words and phrases (invisible to viewers) on each page of your web site that most search engines read to help them categorize and rank the many millions of pages. You could hire someone to do this task or you can try the basics yourself. You should have relevant title, description and keyword meta-tags for your home page, each category page and each information page at least. Make sure they are specific to the page content. Before you pick a store designer service or template, confirm that you will have access to the meta-tags so you can modify them.

Content - Search engines are looking for unique and quality content. This, after all, is what we as information seekers want most from our searches. Do your best to add this content at least to the pages you judge most important. Sprinkle in phrases and words from your title, description and keywords, mainly in the first two or three sentences. Don't go overboard. Make sure it reads naturally.

Back-links - Search engines value relevant links from other quality sites to yours. These in-pointing links signify importance for your web site. This process develops slowly on its own, especially as you increase the valuable content of your site. To help along the process, there are back-linking and link exchange services on-line. Or you can simply do a search for like minded e-tailers and ask for a link exchange in an email. Do not exchange or seek links from competing sites. For example, if you are selling swim wear, seek partners in general women's clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, travel and cruise agencies. Your competitors have had a head start on this process and may have hundreds of links. So think quality and quantity. Five or six links won't do it unless CNN and Amazon decide to give you a nod. Think of this as a continuing process where you are never really finished.

Here are more link building techniques.

Directories - List your site on several of the many business directories available on-line. You can do this chore manually or have a service list you in hundreds of directories.

Social networking, blogs - Seek out these specialized user content sites, register and post. There may be forums or blogs about your special field that you are unaware of. Include a signature with your URL included. Avoid strident self-promotion. The good news is that every one of your posts are a link back to your site. Articles - Write an article about your chosen field and submit it to several article directories. You will be supplying valuable content and earning a back-link as a bonus. You can do this manually one-by-one or you can choose a service bureau to do it for you in bulk. You'll do well if other sites pick up your article for content on their own site. Your bio signature with link should carry over.

Pay Per Click - For a fee, services such as Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing and others offer highlighted first page search results in their respective search engines for your chosen keywords. If you do this, bid on fringe keywords to keep your costs down. Bidding on "computers" or "swimsuits" will blow the budget. Think of two to four keyword phrases your customers might use to find exactly what they are looking for. Perhaps " Dell wide screen laptop" or "buy sexy g-string" would be better choices. Set your budget conservatively at first until you know the income potential.

Marketing your on-line business is a trial-and-error process. Keep refining your results. Toss out what doesn't work. Try new avenues of advertising and promoting. Perhaps it might benefit you to buy an advertising link or banner on a high traffic related site.

With promotion, it often takes money to make money. Regardless, every business, on-line or in the mall, needs steady promotion to reach its full potential.

About the Author

Eugene Brenner is a long time businessman with several on-line and brick 'n' mortar stores to his credit. He owned and operated a high volume successful Internet swimsuit store from 2005-2007. He is presently webmaster of a company that offers "discount camping, hunting and hiking gear." He also provides a "buy cheap links" l