How are you going to attract prospects? According to Netcraft, there are about 630 million websites on the Internet (January 2013). You should use multiple website traffic techniques to attract buyers so you are not dependent on a single method. This reduces risk because change happens fast on the web.
- Search Engine Optimization: Organic SEO means getting your website listed in the natural search results (not the paid ads). This should be your backbone strategy that attracts your best buyers when they search on Google and other search engines. Start by carefully selecting keywords that your best buyers are looking for. Generally 3-5 word phrases that are more specific will convert best. Use your keywords visibly in your Title tags, page headlines, body text, emphasized text and hyperlinks.
- Local Search: This uses organic SEO methods mixed with city, state and zip codes. These “geo modifiers” bring in searchers looking for local businesses.
- Start a Blog: Add a blog as part of your website. Each blog post adds one new page of keyword rich content to your website which helps your SEO. Blogs broadcast their message across the web using RSS so new blog postings appear in search results in a matter of a few minutes using the same mechanism as news stories. Write your blog postings to attract an audience that could be potentially interested in buying your products or services.
- Comment on Blogs: One of the best promotional strategies you can have for your blog is making perceptive comments on other blogs. Posting relevant comments on related blogs is like chatting at a networking event. By visiting related blogs and engaging others, you are networking with your peers.
- Encourage Bookmarking: Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon, and Delicious are highly authoritative bookmarking sites which can dramatically improve search engine rankings if used properly. Add plugins to your blog that allow easy bookmarking by visitors.
- Pay per Click: This is advertising on Google and other search engines. These ads come up based on the keyword query and appear under the sponsored results. You only pay for visitors that click through to your website.
- Web Directories: Submitting your site to directories is still a valid and cost effective link building method that should be part of developing your portfolio of back links. You just have to be selective on which directories you use. Find directories that are focused on your market niche
- Social Media Marketing: This includes blog marketing, social networking, Twitter and more. You can set up profiles on popular social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace , etc.
- Post Articles: Write and publish educational articles and place them on article syndication sites. Other web site owners can publish them on their web sites. Articles should be original and interesting to be successful.
- Traditional Marketing: Drive traffic to your site by including your website URL in all your other marketing methods such as business cards, brochures, flyers, email signatures, radio and TV ads, direct mail, etc. You get more results when you get all your marketing methods to work together.