How To Increase Your Website Traffic
Several months ago, I hit a wall. Month after month, week after week, I was consistently creating content for my website, spending hours of my time to pull together quick tips, and how-to advice, backed up with valuable information and sources. But, after publishing my content….CRICKETS. My Google analytics showed little to no traffic to my website! I was frustrated, and not seeing the response that I would like, especially given all the time and effort I was putting into creating my content.
Have you experienced this, too? Well, I want to share what I learned to save you time building traffic to your site.
Here's the thing - in today's content-driven economy, creating content is only the first half of the process when increasing your website’s exposure. The promotion and “marketing” of that content is the second half and it’s often completely overlooked.
“Simply creating content is not enough to get the results you want - prospects. You need to ensure that your content reaches your target audience to have the desired impact. The good news? Often times the marketing of your content can be a lot more fun!”
Once you invest your time and energy into creating an epic piece of content (and I know you have great information to share with the world!), commit to spending the time necessary to give it the epic exposure it deserves.
So, what can you do to ensure that your content gets the exposure it deserves? Here are ten surefire ways to get started!
Know your audience: Understanding your target audience is essential to creating effective content marketing that breaks through the clutter and is something your audience wants to read. Make sure you research and identify the needs, preferences, and interests of your audience before creating content. At The Marketing Concierge, we recommend every client start with our Basics Package which includes a complete Brand Identity & Messaging Guide. Our 26-page Brand Identity & Messaging Guide will define all of this for you, ensuring your content is always on course.
Optimize for search engines: Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to driving traffic to your website. Make sure your content is optimized for the right keywords and meta descriptions that match your target audience's search intent.
Utilize visual content: People tend to engage more with visual content, such as images and videos, than with text-only content. Incorporating relevant visual content in your blog posts and social media updates leading back to your website content can help increase engagement and shares. Finding great visual content has never been easier. For free visual content options check out Unsplash. If you can spend a little on the purchase of an image, I recommend iStock.
Leverage social media: Social media platforms are excellent for promoting your website content and increasing its reach. Create shareable social media posts that highlight your content's main points and link back to your website or blog. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, the best use of social media is to drive traffic to your website where you can gather their email address through a lead magnet or call to action.
Use email marketing: Email can help you promote your content and build relationships with your audience. Send regular emails or newsletters that feature your latest blog posts, website updates, and events to your subscribers. To learn how to set up a consistent email marketing, strategy read my blog on Marketing 101: Brand Messaging and Sales Funnels.
Collaborate with influencers: Partnering with influencers in your industry can help you reach a broader audience and increase your content's exposure. Look for influencers who share your brand values and have a sizable following in your target audience then consider how you can create a win-win relationship. If you are a podcaster or blogger, and obvious opportunity is to incorporate guests into your content strategy. But, if you are looking for a much easier, turnkey option, consider using Instagram’s feature.
Repurpose content: Repurposing your existing content into different formats, such as infographics, ebooks, and podcasts, can help you reach a new audience and increase engagement with your existing audience.
By implementing these tips, you can improve the promotion of your content and increase its exposure online. But, I promised you EPIC exposure for your content, so for those of you that are ready, let me share a couple of other tips to help you really get that content some valuable exposure.
Guest blogging: Guest blogging is an excellent way to reach a new audience and build relationships with other bloggers and influencers in your industry. Find relevant blogs in your niche and pitch them with your article ideas. Make sure your content adds value to their audience and includes a link back to your website or blog.
Invest in paid advertising: Paid advertising can help you reach a larger audience and drive traffic to your website or blog. Platforms like Facebook and Google offer targeted advertising options that allow you to reach your specific audience. Make sure you set a budget and monitor your results to ensure that you are getting a return on your investment.
So, remember creating epic content is only half the battle - be sure to plan accordingly and commit to giving that content the epic exposure it deserves!