You have a professional website. Phew! But you can see from analytics reports that your monthly traffic could use a boost.
True, your website is just one marketing tool that drives people to your business, but what could you do to supercharge your efforts to increase traffic this year?
1. Get your email marketing game on
You may be thinking “Email marketing…that’s a whole different ball game! I don’t have time for that!” There are two components that take time: 1. Building your list, and 2. Writing your content. Let’s look at each.
You have a call-to-action button on your website, so you’ve been collecting email addresses. You also have customers, prospects, friends, and networking contacts. Ask them if you can add them to your email marketing list (always ask!). Even if you have to start small, you’ll have some people interested in what you have to say.
For your content, keep an idea board handy (we use Trello for this at Jottful). Pick a topic you know well, and start writing. Keep your emails between 200-500 words, and you’ll be surprised at how few words you can use!
Send it out, watch your open rates, and make sure you include a nifty call-to-action on your email newsletter that will drive your audience to your website.
Still feel like you don’t have time? Hire a writer or email marketing professional from Jottful Community to do this work for you.
2. Start blogging
Once you’ve got your email marketing started, it simply makes sense to take some (or all) of that content and post it to your blog.
💡 WEBSITE INSIGHT: Your blog lives on your website. So, even after your email has long since been read and discarded, your blog post on the same topic will be evergreen (always findable) on your website, and it will be shareable!
*Bonus – you may know from other Jottful blog posts (like this one: 5 Reasons to Consider Blogging), that adding fresh content through blogging can improve your search rankings.
3. Pick a social media platform to use
Overwhelmed by social media options? We get it. That’s why we suggest picking the platform you find most comfortable to start your social media experimenting.
Share that recent blog post with a short and fun intro. Tag some folks you think would appreciate it. Depending on the platform you choose, use hashtags to reach more people.
One you’re consistent on one platform, do a bit of research to figure out which platform is actually best for reaching your ideal audience. Learn the ropes and post your content on both.
Don’t just post and run! While you’re there, look into what people in your network are saying or posting. Like, comment, share, or tweet to show your support and engagement. You’ll find they do the same.
Remember, if your blog lives on your website, and you’re sharing your blog post on your social platforms, when people click it, they will be driven to your website.
4. Invest in some basic SEO work
Cross your “t”s and dot your “i”s when it comes to SEO tactics. There are some obvious basics like, making sure you claim your Google My Business page. But, our recommendation is to work with an SEO expert who will:
- Help you with a keyword search analysis appropriate to your business and location;
- Ensure you’re on all critical directories for your industry;
- Set up Google Analytics with you; and
- Train you on what to look for and how to use your keywords in your website copy.
Some foundational SEO work can be affordable but worth its weight in gold. If you’re in a very competitive industry online, or you’re ready for next-level SEO, you’ll find several great professionals within our Jottful Community.
5. Experiment with online advertising
Are you thinking, “Sure, but where do I begin and what will work?” You’re not alone!
Go in with the mindset of: Experimenting is the name of this game. While we’ve done a lot of experimenting on our own at Jottful, we’ve also hired a few experts in this area to help us.
You can take your fresh new content from your marketing emails and social posts, and cut snippets to use in advertisements.
Overwhelmed? No need to be – you guessed it, hiring a specialist on Jottful Community is the way to go. Search for “paid ads” to pull up professionals all over the country. (You do not have to be a Jottful customer to search and hire people from the community. It’s open to the public!)
