Increasing website traffic is a key challenge faced by many businesses. However, the focus should not just be on growing the number of consumers on your site but rather about building a loyal, engaged customer base who continue to use your website as a source of information, advice or entertainment.
Here are 15 quick tips from Superfast Business Wales that can help you to increase web traffic:
Get the basics right with a user-friendly website
It’s important that your website has good loading times and functions effectively – otherwise consumers will become irritated and click away from your website. It’s not just important to get visitors to your website but to keep them there too!
Is your website mobile-friendly?
Alongside being user-friendly, ensure that your website is accessible to your customers regardless of which device they are using!
Share high-quality, informational content for free
A great way to engage users and encourage them to return is to share your expertise and knowledge in the field. By generating evergreen, sharable content you can develop your authority as a reputable business and drive consumers to reuse and share your webpages.
Guest post on relevant industry blogs
Get your brand name out there within your industry by producing bespoke content to feature on other industry blogs. By including a link back to your website you can encourage interested readers to find out more about your business.
Promote your blog/website via your e-newsletter
Business emails provide a great way to stay in touch with customers. By sharing snippets of your blog and clear call-to-actions you can drive readers to your website.
Post more frequently
Don’t leave your blog to gather dust at the back of your website! The key to ensuring your visitors return is to offer fresh content on a regular basis otherwise they will become bored and forget about your site.
Optimise your posts
Ensure you’re making the most of your content by optimising it for search engines! You should include relevant keywords to help your blog and site rank higher.
Share your content on social media
A great way to direct traffic to your site is through social media. Post interesting content (both visual and text) and promote your blogs with links driving followers to your site.
Get set up on YouTube
Sharing your own videos via YouTube could prove a great tool for increasing traffic to your website as YouTube is the best network for driving referrals, according to Shareaholic.
Get involved with relevant, industry communities
Ensure you’re engaged within your field and creating awareness of your brand by joining discussions with online communities on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook or forums.
Take part in industry chats on social media
Discover the relevant industry chats taking place on social media which you could get involved with. This is a great way to get your brand noticed and encourage participants to find out more about your business. Ensure your web address is prominently placed in your profile details.
Engage with customers and followers online
Social media offers a great way to develop long-term customer relationships. Help your customers to feel valued by responding to their comments and questions. This will develop your position as a trusted brand and encourage them to use your business over competitors.
Paid for and social media advertising
Consider paid-for options which can help to directly drive traffic to your website. Start with a low budget to see how effective these methods are and increase accordingly.
Become connected with influencers in your industry
Find a way to involve influencers with your brand (for example: interviews, guest blogs or videos). People are more likely to engage with brands that are being recommended or advocated by well-respected professionals in the industry.
Test, test, test!
There are so many elements you can test that can help you understand what is and isn’t working effectively to drive traffic to your website. This could include alternative headlines, subject lines, types of content, sent times… the list goes on! Consider the various elements you could improve to help drive more traffic to your website.