You've heard it before.

To be successful in business, you must become a web superstar. All you need to do is have a website and a Facebook presence and tweet every once in a while.

Think again, said Shala Graham, web instructor for the Maryland Capital Region Small Business Development Center and principal of SW Creatives, a Silver Spring-based communications design firm.

Having a presence is not enough to get the most out of your site, Graham said. You need to do something with it. With a little elbow grease, Graham took her site to the top of Google search results in two weeks with a few low-cost tricks. Half of her clients are now "complete strangers" who found her by typing relevant keywords into Google.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Plan carefully.

"The businesses that invest the time to optimize their website will have better results because it's based on research and clear objectives," Graham said. Revise your business plan to include your web goals. Establish a baseline, identify key audiences and set goals for traffic and sales.

2. Use free Google tools.

Learn the basics of web maintenance with Google Webmaster. By embedding a little code from Google Analytics into your site, you'll learn how many unique visitors there are, how they found you, how long they stay on your site and which pages they see.

"You'll want to put something you want customers to see on pages they view the most," Graham said. "Take advantage of coupons out there to buy Google AdWords so your ad has a higher chance of being seen by your target customer. You pay only when a customer clicks it. For free, you can see what words are common for your industry and how to incorporate them into your content."

3. Get schooled.

"When I was working on my own search engine optimization (SEO), I subscribed to e-newsletters such as SEO Elite," Graham said. Explore tools with social bookmarking functions, which allow visitors to share content via social media sites. Join a group at Meetup.com where you can meet other likeminded professionals and learn new tips.

4. Establish yourself as an expert in your field.

"Search engines love content," Graham said. Submit a free relevant article to a site like Ezinearticles.com, which allows you to link back to your site. Consumers will find the articles through search engines. Blogging on your site also keeps content fresh.

5. Leverage social media to drive traffic.

"Take advantage of social media, but don't only self-promote. Give advice and helpful information," Graham said. "I love LinkedIn because I can participate in relevant groups and become a point of reference." Explore Mashable.com, a chief resource for social media how-tos and news.

Go online or call (301) 403-0501 for more information on Graham's class and other resources for businesses at the SBDC.