Got 100 dollars? 7 Experts share budget website marketing tips: Mark Alves just pointed out this great post. It reminds me of last year when our church’s kind-hearted Finance Chair wanted to increase the website budget by just this - $100. My church’s co-webmistress and I said “Why? Our web host isn’t raising its price.” Now it’s time to start kicking myself, and maybe whip out a web begging bowl.

I’ve culled through the article, extracting the tips that strike me as most helpful to congregations. In no particular order, they are:

  • Buy a few great books on marketing and the web including Purple Cow, The Cluetrain Manifesto, and Don’t Make Me Think. [I second the vote for Don’t Make Me Think.]
  • If you don’t already have a web host, invest $7 a month in Dreamhost. Or bluehost. As Patrick Sexton points out: “If a webhost costs 3.99 per month, there is a reason and the reason is that they do not offer the tools you need.” [Note: a great host for UUs is UUism Networks.]
  • Buy a logo from a logo design firm.
  • Buy quality links. [I’m not sure how one does this. Something to research.]
  • Register your domain name for at least three years.
  • Go to a conference. If you can’t afford to register, get a press pass. [My bet is the press pass idea wouldn’t work for many of us webbish types, but consider volunteering, e.g. to help with the website.]
  • Buy Aaron Wall’s SEObook at $79.
  • Buy some $29 guides from SEOmoz.org, particularly the ones you know the least about.
  • Update: Buy other domain names that point to the homepage.  (Hat tip to Lizard Eater, who reminded me about this, and elaborated that it’s good to “find something easier to remember to someone NOT a member of your church”)

Now it’s time to stop kicking myself. Almost to a person the experts consulted for this list pointed out that it’s not so much about spending money. It’s all about content, links and working hard.