In days of old, websites belonged to an elite segment of the community who had the financial means and intellectual capability to create a website for their business.

Well times certainly have changed! With the popularity of online purchases, family photo sites and general research it seems just about everyone either has a website or knows someone who does. This had created a lot of competition among those who want to create a spectacular web presence. After all, if you have a great website you want people to be able to find it, right?

If you have a website you want to successfully market online, you can do so by following a few simple steps. Before we begin, it's important to realize the results will not be instantaneous. Creating an optimal web presence and finding favor with the Search Engines can be a daunting task. This is not for the faint of heart. You must have patience and determination to succeed. Now, let's begin our journey towards marketing that spectacular website that you've created!

Article Writing: Writing quality articles is the number one way to gain exposure for your business. Rather than searching for sites to submit your articles, I highly recommend using an inexpensive program that will submit your articles to multiple sites. I personally have found Article Post Robot to be easy, effective and inexpensive.

Link Popularity: Many websites will offer a link partnership page where you can include a link to your website and a brief description of your products or services. More often than not, I have found the Webmaster will require a link for their website to be placed on your website as well. This service is usually free. The Search Engines favor sites with a lot of links and this will eventually create better placement provided your website has proper use of content, metatags and titles.

Banner Ad Placement: There are a variety of sites that will offer advertising within their site. Look for quality websites that already have good placement on the web and have a lot of activity. The sites you advertise on should be sites that will also attract potential customers to your business. If you do not already have a banner to market your business then you will want to investigate the various costs incurred. There are several sites offering free services to create your own website. However, I have noted the banners to be more professional in appearance when a few bucks are forked over to someone who is experienced in creating these types of ads.

Blogging: If you enjoy writing, take advantage of this useful tool. It seems there is an art to blogging these days so do your research to be as effective as possible. You don't necessarily have to write about your products to generate sales or leads. Write about subjects that will attract people to your blog and set yourself up as someone who knows what they are talking about. Your readers will come back if they trust you and that's crucial! The goal is to attract people to your website while building an online relationship with your readers.

MySpace: Banner ads and blogs can be posted on MySpace. Create your own account and begin marketing yourself as a solid business person with great products and services! You'll be amazed at the response!

Forums: Find forums that share similar interests with you. The forums can be anything from ‘Working at Home' to ‘Retirement Communities'. This should be a forum you enjoy posting on so you will frequently return to the site. While many forums will not allow you to sell on their site, there are many ways to get your name out there by using your website link in your signature line.

Business Cards: Placing your website address on your business card is an absolute must! If you can, think of a way to attract people to your website to drive traffic to your site. Perhaps a free drawing or a free E-Series will be popular. In fact, all of your promotional literature should have your site's information on it.

Most importantly, have fun and expect success! While this may take several months to accomplish, stick to your goals and hold fast to the dream of having your own online business. You'll look back and be glad you did!

Sabrina Coffin currently works exclusively from home and enjoys staying home with her 4 children and husband of 16 years. To learn more about her home candle business you may visit her site at http://www.Oceansidescents.com/. She also has created a site for Work at Home Moms at http://www.WahmsAlley.com/ .