"If you build it, they will come". This may have been true for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but it is far from true when it comes to your website. You can build the most beautiful website in the world, but if no one visits your site, it really isn't doing you any good.
It's critical to create a strategy to get more traffic to your website - you need tools, tactics, and even hacks for getting people to visit with your site - to engage with you and to buy from you! Here are 6 proven strategies for increasing your website traffic without breaking the bank!
If you want people to come to your website, you need to give them a reason to come. You need to create awesome content that attracts people and that they feel compelled to share with others. Take some time to consider how you're going to stand out from the crowd and remember that content which answers people's questions and speaks to their pain points will get more engagement. Ask yourself these questions:
The most common form of content is a blog, but can also include product demonstration videos, checklists, EBooks, or other types of reports.
If you create great content, the rest of your promotional tactics become that much easier. People want to share content that is valuable - if you create that valuable content, others will promote it for you.
Share your content multiple times across all of your social media profiles. Why? Because not every one of your followers will see every one of your posts. Sharing multiple times maximizes the chances of your followers seeing your content through social media.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different content formats to see what works best on different social media platforms. Try using links, images, video, or polls to see what drives more people to your website.
Having an email list is like having your own website traffic source. Each time you publish something new on your website, send a link out to your email list and watch the visitors come in!
Don't have much of a list? Try offering a freebie in exchange for people's email addresses. Called a "lead magnet", opt-in offers are valuable pieces of content that readers can download once they provide their email address. Examples include: Whitepapers, EBooks, Case Studies, Checklists, or Videos. Another effective way to build your list, is to add an opt-in form on your website - and give them a compelling reason to sign up by telling them what they will get in exchange.
Advertising on Facebook, Google, or other social media platforms (like LinkedIn) is one of the most effective ways to get traffic directly to your website. Yes, it costs money - but it doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and you can get some high quality traffic for very little.
The biggest advantage to using paid advertising is that you can put your content in front of a very specific audience. For example: let's say that you are a realtor who has created a checklist for helping people prepare to sell their home. Your ideal audience is a 45 year old homeowner in a specific geographic area. With Facebook, you can target this precise audience. Instead of sharing your content across your social media feeds for free and hoping that the right people see it, you can ensure that the right audience views your content.
People learn in a variety of ways. Some people are visual learners and learn best from videos. Others learn best by reading and taking notes. Still others prefer audio content. If you want to connect with the greatest number of people possible, create your content in a variety of formats.
One of the best ways to create a variety of content formats is to use the "pillar strategy". This involves first creating a lengthy, in-depth piece of content such as a video, blog post, or EBook. This "pillar" will talk about your subject from a variety of angles and viewpoints.
From there, you can take the "pillar" and break it up into smaller pieces of relevant content that can stand on their own. For example: take one point from a long blog post and turn it into a series of social media posts, all of which link back to the pillar post on your website. Take another point from that long blog and turn it into a short video or podcast.
To your success!
Laura
Some of the links in this publication are Affiliate Links, meaning that – at no additional cost to you – Next Level Advertising may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Please know that when you see an Affiliate link from Next Level Marketing it is for a product or service that we use ourselves or that we have thoroughly researched and reviewed!
Laura Olson-Oxley is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, marketing and business consultant, and sales professional. She has over 25 years experience working with small businesses in a variety of industries, focusing on strategic business growth through effective marketing and advertising. Also a strategist, numbers nut, project manager, and life-long learner, Laura looks at the big picture to analyze and recommend the most effective tools to take businesses to the Next Level.
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