6 Ways to Drive More Traffic to your Website

In past articles I’ve covered several reasons why every small business needs a website. I’ve also talked about some website do’s and don’ts as well as ways to ensure that you’re site encourages visitors to communicate with you. Problem is, if you’re not getting adequate traffic to your website, these tips are useless (and so is your site). After all, what good is having a perfect website if nobody’s bothering to look at it? The ultimate goal is to target prospects, attract them to your site and convert them into paying customers. Here are a few easy ways you can bring more people to your site.

The Key Word is Keywords – Simply put, “keywords” are the words or terms a person uses when they Google something. By identifying the most popular keywords used in conjunction with your particular business and strategically placing these words or phrases throughout your website and blog, you’ll better your chances that when someone searches, your business will show up at the top of the list of results.

To find targeted keywords for your business you can use one of the many free keyword tools available online (try this one from Google) and then aim to use those targeted words or phrases at least 4 times per page, particularly in headlines and subheadings. Lastly, include them in the description and title tags of your website code. If you’re not sure about this part, your web developer can help.

Make it Easy – If you want more people to visit your website, then make finding it easy. Include your URL on everything from business cards to packaging to signage. If you participate in any online writing, such as articles or guest blog posts, always include a link to your website. The more it’s out there, the better your chances of getting traffic.

Launch a Contest or Giveaway – I realize I sound like a broken record but the fact is these simple things can have a huge impact for very little investment. Contests generate excellent viral marketing (a.k.a. word of mouth marketing for the web), resulting in a significant increase in traffic flow to your website. Check out our recent post on how to run a killer contest to make sure you get the most out of this valuable tool.

Content is King – It’s simply not enough to have a static website anymore. People want a reason to visit your site, and more importantly, they need a reason to come back or share it with someone else. The easiest way to do this is by producing useful, relevant and regular content that benefits and holds the interest of your readers. A company blog that is frequently updated with keyword rich content is an excellent way to accomplish this, and as an added bonus, blog posts perform particularly well in search engine results because search engines love fresh content.

Join the Conversation – If you haven’t jumped on the social media bandwagon yet, you’re most certainly missing out. The more active you are on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), the more solid of a web presence you build for your business, and the easier you make it for people to find and connect with you online.

Be an Expert – Whatever it is you do, you’re probably really darn good at doing it. One of the best ways to get exposure for your website and your business is by offering up your expertise online. Join a couple of forums or search Twitter for people who are asking questions that you can answer. By becoming a valuable resource on the web, you give yourself and your business more credibility. People will also be more likely to share and link back to your content, generating more traffic to your site.

It may take a bit of time and a lot of patience, but by putting these tactics into practice you’ll begin to see the results – a marked increase in website traffic which will hopefully translate to a boost in sales for your business.

Labels: small business tips, social media marketing, web management