Having a website is like having a shop front. The only difference is there are a lot more shop fronts to compete with since there are 8.9 million websites online right now.
You can fill your website with lots of engaging content, great imagery, details about products, services, options for X, and even more options for Y. But if you don’t publicise the fact it exists nor actively drive customers through your virtual shop door, then it will just be a pretty mass floating in cyberspace achieving nothing to help entice customers and generate sales.
As experts in communications and skilled in getting brands noticed – check out our top ten techniques to increase traffic to your website, generate more leads, and improve ROI.
Content creation – in the form of blogs or case studies, for example, is your opportunity to provide something of value to a potential customer looking for information. If you’ve knowledge in a specific area – here is where you can share it with the world, adding value – this is what readers want.
SEO tools – the more tech savvy aspect of getting your epically written content through the manic, maze that is Google’s algorithm, so that those lovely humans, the ones you want to engage with, can actually find your website in the first instance. Researching keywords, key terms and search phrases is your first step here. Knowing what your audience is looking for and wanting to know will give you a great head start, so you can tailor your content to what it is that they want most.
Quality backlinks – so now your website is stocked with high-quality content, and the SEO algorithms trust and love it, by including quality backlinks can help with getting higher rankings on Google. The more links a website has pointing back to it from credible sources, the better. Basically, the higher you rank on Google, the more people will see your business, click on your website and hopefully buy from you.
Social media – think of this as your way to boost your reach of a more targeted audience, one that’s highly tailored and engaged in the industry you serve. Social media is a really great tool to home in on your target audience. The people who engage with social media are usually highly responsive, with users trusting in the brands that they follow. It’s also a great way to show your brand’s personality, open up, show who you really are, and engage with your audience through questions, comments, polls etc.
Community engagement – if the online world has a solid grip on global reach, think of this as getting your foot firmly fixed in your local area. Like an onion that grows layers, starting at your local community level is the first layer and from there on out – you expand. This one is super important if your business model operates at a largely local level. For example, a local veg box delivery service or dog walking service. Your main audience is right on your doorstep so finding out how members of your community come together, how they support one another will be key to your success.
Media coverage and public relations – the media says a lot about a lot, but the aim of the game here is to get the media to recognise your brand as a leader in its field, one to trust and buy from. This is achieved through consistent positive messaging, relevant news and valuable insight that shows that your brand stands out along with your team’s expertise.
Direct marketing – just like the name suggests, needs to be direct – direct to the right audience. Doing your research here will be crucial to avoid costly marketing that ends up on deaf ears and eyes that won’t even flicker. This means knowing your audience inside out, who are they, what do they like, what problem are they looking to solve, where do they usually hang out, what are the demographics of this group? The more you can find out, the better chance of getting the right marketing material in front of the people who will appreciate it, and act on it, the most.
Email marketing – email marketing is great for promoting your business’s products and services, as well as incentivising customer loyalty. Email marketing is a form of marketing that can make the customers on your email list aware of new products, discounts, and other services. It can also be a softer sell to educate your audience on the value of your brand or keep them engaged between purchases. But the key here is to not overdo it. No one likes being bombarded with content emails of this product or that every five minutes.
Offers / competitions – everyone loves a deal – right? And the chance to win something free – even better. During low times, when things are quiet, offers and deals are a great way to stir a little buzz around your business. But get creative, make it intriguing so that viewers know that there’s a genuine chance they could actually win, or a real deal to be had by visting your website.
Influencer collaboration – this is piggybacking at its finest. If you can collaborate with an influencer who has millions of trusting followers then you benefit from reaching an audience who is already very highly engaged in the influencer’s messaging, which will now include your brand. The key here is choosing to collaborate with influencers that align with your brand values. Think Deliciously Ella collaborating with a natural nutritional supplement brand, or Joe Wickes promoting a new sports wear brand. You don’t need to approach these top-level influencers to get great results, but you get the gist.
When it comes to getting traffic to your website, the best approach is a combination of some or all of these tried and tested techniques. But if staying on top of your brand’s comms is becoming a full-time job, instructing the professional services of experts in industry would be a considerable investment towards your company’s growth.
For expert help and guidance in all things public relations, get in touch with one of our friendly team at HeadOn PR. We’d love to help your business boom!
