Good news. Your website has the potential to be your most effective marketing tool. However, just having a website is no longer good enough – you need to make it work for you. By this I mean you need to help your website find its way to your target audience ahead of your competitors by increasing your visibility on-line.
As daunting as this sounds, It’s not as difficult as you may think. However, like anything else, you have to invest a little time to get the ball rolling.
Today, Google is more focussed on delivering the best search results possible to it’s users – and quite right too! This means its virtually impossible to get ranked high enough to be seen by the average person browsing for your product/service without paying for the privilege of being near the top. Over time you will climb up there, but it’s a long haul AND you need to make sure your site it fully optimised – But that’s for another article!
Right now, you want quick and free ways to drive highly targeted traffic to your site. The following 6 strategies are simple but effective. They all work on the principle of thinking in terms of want your audience wants and providing them with some sort of benefit.
1.Link exchange with similar sites.
Link exchange with similar sites is a great way to increase traffic. Identify relevant companies with complimentary services i.e services/products that will appeal to your audience. DO NOT put these links on your homepage. Then last thing you want to do is give people a reason to leave as soon as arrive at your site. Instead, have a links page or disperse links throughout your site.
2.Write Articles and submit to article directories.
This is a tried and tested method for attracting targeted traffic. If you write an article which offers real benefits to your audience (much like this one) you can submit it to article directories and even traditional magazines. Ensure your full contact details are included and finish by stating that more information can be read on your website. If somebody takes the time to read your article they will surely visit your site.
3.Add regular fresh content to your website.
A good way to keep your website up to date is to use a content management system. If you don’t have one, updating your website regularly is much more time consuming, however its no excuse! People like to see different content on your website each time they visit.
People generally visit a new website more than two or three times before making a purchase. It shows you are active and up to date – this breeds user confidence.
A part from anything else, if your website can be seen to be updated regularly your audience have a reason to visit it more often. Regularly changing content also helps with Google rankings too.
4.Start your own Newsletter.
To build up regular visitors and to considerably grow your prospects list you need to start a newsletter . Only 5% visitors buy from any site at first visit therefore you need to either make them come back or capture their details so you can contact them. If you get them in your opt in list, you can follow up with valuable content and they will come back again and again to your site.
5.Participate in Online Communities and Forums.
The same principles apply again here. If you take the time to participate in forums and online communities by offering up valuable information to people who need it, they will invariably visit your site. Not only that, but they visit your site with the knowledge that it is owned by a friendly helpful person. People only do business with people they like and your already half way there! Obviously you are not just attracting the attention of the people you are helping directly, your advice and/or comments are there for all to see and benefit from.
6.Viral Marketing.
By attracting peoples attention to something that is either extremely useful, or in some way entertaining you can get people to spread the word for you. You will seen them yourself, a funny video, a joke, a free little piece of software or a link to a great download. It worked for hotmail! – it can work for you.
Think carefully before sending any old rubbish to your friends clients or prospects. The safest way to attempt this is to send out something which is really useful to a wide audience.
Article Source: http://www.theukarticledirectory.co.uk/.
