.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} When it comes to Web sites, choosing just the right word is critical. You would assume that most people enter your Web page through your home page, wouldn’t you? Well, odds are, that’s not the case.

Think about how you use the Web. Imagine that you are going to buy your teenage son a mountain bike. You are just starting your online research.

When you go to your favorite search portal, do you type in a company name like “Trek” (a brand of mountain bike) or do you type in something like “mountain bike buying tips”?

Most people use search engines and enter WHAT they are looking for, not WHO they think has it. So, oftentimes, people will enter your Web site through a side door, or specific topic.

If your URL was trek.com but you also had an interior page with a URL of trek.com/buyingtips.html, guess where most of your traffic will come from. Right, the buying tips.

That means as marketers, we have to consider two factors. First, what kinds of content would a prospective customer be searching for? Second, what key words do you need to focus on?

Study your traffic logs or ask your webmaster for a report. Look for typical words that you could key on to generate more search engine traffic. One of the most common words used in search engines is “sample.” For example, “sample TV spots” or “sample patterns” or whatever it is you highlight on your site.

Bottom line: Think like a Web user when you design or refine your Web site, not a business owner or marketing exec.

Funny how it always comes back to the consumer, isn’t it?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan