Confront someone who has at least a working knowledge of web site promotion
with these words and you will probably be met with the following response,
"Well, obviously". Confront someone who is brand new to the world of web site
promotion and you will probably get a funny look...or maybe even a confused
look.
The best way of looking at signatures is to view them as the ultimate in
passive promotion (assuming promotion can be passive!). They allow you to
promote your site indirectly, by simply going about your net business.
Signatures are there to work along side all of your other marketing
techniques. The fact is that signature files are a non-aggressive form of site
promotion, and in a way this is their most valuable feature.
Their subtle role in your interaction with others on the internet. If someone
comes across a banner that you have created for your web site, they will not be
under any illusion as to why that banner is there, you put that banner there to
promote your site. The banner serves absolutely no other purpose.
Where as signature files provide information that if missing, would
actually be requested. Secondly, signatures are only additions to e-mail, they
do not form the body of the email. So if for example you are providing someone
with some valuable information via an e-mail, they are not likely to consider
themselves the recipient of an advert.
Reaction to your signature file depends on the content of the sig. file
itself AND on the content that precedes it. If you create custom graphics, you
are more likely to get people interested in your services.
The beauty of a sig. file is that you do not have to say anything about your
own site, in the body of an e-mail, unless it would be relevant/appropriate. You
could be emailing someone to tell them how much you enjoyed THEIR site, you
would not have to even mention your own site, your sig. file would have it
covered.
Some people like to just have one general signature, which they always use.
Other people have different signatures for different situations. It really
depends on the nature of your web site and where you are mailing.
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Have a sig. file
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Include the URL of your web site
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Even if there are no length requirements, do not make your sig. too long
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Include a brief description of your web site
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Regularly up-date your sig.
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Always proof-read your sig. file
The sad fact is that you do not have to look very far to find sig. files that
are too long or lacking in information or missing a URL or (and worst of all)
completely non-existent.
Your sig. file can can market and promote your website, with little effort
some just include an e-mail address, most good ones include your site address
and description often with a subtle ad often for a freebie.
This takes us to the fifth point. We all know how hard it is to change a
listing with the major search engines or directories, the opposite is true of
your sig. file, it couldn't be easier to change your signature. Take advantage
of this fact and constantly improve your site description and more importantly
use your signature to dynamically reflect your web site as it is
Whenever you change or create a sig. file proof-read it like you have never
proof-read before. A "http:/" instead of "http://", can do untold damage. Test
and test again! People expect to be able to click and go. Although, the above
typo is definitely preferable to a typo in a domain or directory name, for this
is quite simply disastrous!
If you are constantly updating your sig. file, don't ever be too busy to
proof-read. Nothing is more unprofessional than typos and spelling mistakes,
this is as true for sig. files as it is for anything else.
