Still having problems getting your e-commerce site to show up in the big search engines? There may be some help on the way. Aplus.net, a popular Web host and online presence solutions provider, this week announced the launch of its new search marketing service called Search Engine Booster. The company said its new service enables customers to receive expert assessment of their Web sites with respect to search engine optimization issues. The program is designed "to help small businesses achieve optimal placements among search engine result listings and thus increase qualified Web site traffic," it said in a written statement.

The Search Engine Booster service includes a "comprehensive" Web site analysis and a detailed report of findings and recommendations on how the site can achieve optimal search result placement. Basic adjustments are included in the price of the service, while the more advanced work is charged on a per-hour basis. The customer can either implement the recommendations by his/her own means or utilize the expertise of Aplus.Net's "certified Web specialists." Customers then continue to receive monthly reports on the status of their site and how it is ranking on search engines with regard to specific search terms.

"Search engine marketing is a great way for small companies to gain exposure and drive quality traffic to their Web site," said Ivan Vachovsky, CEO of Aplus.Net. "Large companies generally have a large marketing budget and can utilize all types of expensive marketing methods — TV, radio, print, etc. Small companies, however, must achieve effective marketing with a small budget. Focusing on search engine marketing is the key, as research shows that over 85 percent of Web site traffic comes from search engines. Since our customer base consists mainly of small businesses, we decided to focus on an offering that would enable our customers to take advantage of the power of the Web."

Aplus.Net launched its first search engine marketing program, eTraffic, in March 2005, guaranteeing "qualified" traffic for customers. The service promises Web site owners between 120 and 6,000 visitors a year. Aplus told ECommerce-Guide.com these visitors are "qualified" — meaning the traffic comes from searches (on Google, Yahoo, MSN) that are related to the site's product, service, or business. Like many competing SEM programs, there's no guarantee to produce a certain amount of traffic resulting in revenue.

The Search Engine Booster service starts at $19.95/mo with a $245 setup fee. The price increases with the size of the Web site. For more information, visit http://www.aplus.net/search_engine_booster.html.

Devin Comiskey is the Managing Editor of ECommerce-Guide.com.

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