Consultant’s Corner: Increasing Website Traffic
Question: What are some ways I can increase traffic to my website?
Some business owners elect to implement search engine optimization (SEO) methods themselves; however, higher search engine rankings take time to develop and there is no technique that will produce quick results. Google, Bing, and other search engines have varying selection criteria and will give higher listings to those companies that advertise on their sites, which can impact how a search will list the hits. But every business has to assess its target audience and how much of its marketing budget to spend on website marketing versus print, on-site signage, and other types of marketing.
Keywords, viral marketing, contact or landing pages, and other inexpensive tools can be used to drive website traffic. The best website marketing tools vary by website based on the purpose (e-commerce, business information, networking, blog, etc), target audience, geographic trade area, and other factors.
You can review example industry discussions on free and other website marketing tools at websites like the following:
39 Actionable Ideas for Driving Traffic to Your Website | Forbes.com
13 Ethical Ways to Increase Your Site’s Search Traffic | Mashable.com
Search Engine Optimization, keywords, banner ads, social networking websites, and blogs are the common Internet marketing tools and methods of driving more traffic to websites. However, the type of website marketing that will be most effective for your business will require analysis and experimentation just like other marketing methods in order to determine what is cost effective to reach the defined target audience and geographic sales trade area for your particular products or services. Website marketing has gotten much more complex as the Internet has matured. Search engines now look for the quality of your content, how closely it pertains to keywords, how long the site has been around, and other factors. In addition, there are also online directories that may be a good option. The following are search engine optimization (SEO) information and other website marketing suggestions to consider, including geographic and niche market SEO tools:
Search engine optimization is the process of achieving top rankings in the search engines for a website’s most relevant search terms. The most relevant search terms, which are those that you want to rank highly for, are the phrases that potential customers are most likely to type into a search engine for determining a website’s product or service offerings. Search engine optimization targets these search terms. However, there are no search engine optimization secrets, just ranking and promotion methodologies to follow in order to beat your competitors in obtaining a high ranking for desired search terms. To develop an understanding of search engine optimization techniques, you can review considerable SEO information, tips and suggestions with an Internet search. The following are example websites:
SEO information and resources:
How Search Engines Operate | MOZ.com
Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide | Google.com
[Video] Hows Does Google Search Work? | YouTube.com
Search Engine Marketing | SearchEngineWatch.com
Geographic and niche market search information:
Places for Business | Google.com
Keywords/AdWords: These and similar methods require trial and testing, but the following is industry information and suggestions for these tools:
Keyword Planning Tool | Google.com
Keyword Tool | WordTracker.com
Meta tags:
How to Use HTML Meta Tags | SearchEngineWatch.com
Meta Tags that Google Understands | Google.com
There are numerous popular search engines and directories on the Internet. Below you will find a list of links to several popular search engines and links to information and forms on their sites to assist you in submitting your website address (URL).
Submit Your Site to Bing | Bing.com
Submit Your Site to Google | Google.com
Banner ads: Though other tools have been developed in recent years, banner advertising is still one of the most common forms of advertising on the Internet today. Creating effective banners with clear calls-to-action and then placing these on relevant website can be a great way to drive increased traffic to a website. Whether or not they produce the desired results is determined by testing. You can create your own banner ads, or you can contract with freelance designers at sites like those listed below:
Hire Freelancers and Find Freelance Jobs Online | Freelancer.com
Logo Design, Web Design and More | 99Designs.com
Inbound marketing through social networking websites: Business networking and other social websites and blogs are very popular and some may be able to help you reach target customers (individuals or businesses) and create interest in certain business products or services. There is considerable competition and business networking and marketing results will vary by situation based on various factors. You would have to research and then test this type of marketing in order to determine if it reaches your target audience or can otherwise be effective for your business. These websites generally have explanatory information for business advertisers. You can learn more at the links below:
Growing Your Leads List with Inbound Marketing | GoSmallBiz.com
Consultant’s Corner: Social Media Marketing | GoSmallBiz.com
Facebook Advertising | Facebook.com
Twitter for Business | Twitter.com
