We always strive for more; this is part of human nature. We are constantly working to reach the top and when we get there, we want to go even higher. For this reason, it comes as no surprise that business owners are always pushing the limits to bring in substantial traffic to their websites.
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After all, website traffic is a key contributor to the success of online ventures. It is an indicator and driver of business growth, allowing you to gain insight into the following:
- How well your digital marketing strategy is working.
- What drives your target audience to make purchasing decisions.
- What you can do to improve your SEO campaign and online credibility.
- How to generate leads, increase conversions, and have more customers.
Our online marketing company in Hollins, Roanoke, VA understands the importance of website traffic. But we are also aware that although we strive for more traffic, more is not always better. Business websites need to generate traffic that converts into customers and actually earns money. Otherwise, that traffic is unnecessary.
Intensive Screening: Keeping Your Business Afloat in a Sea of Competition
If you’re wondering how many websites are online right now, it is safe to assume that there are more than 1.5 billion active sites on the internet. We hit the 1-billion mark in March 2016 and it has been steadily growing over the years.
Don’t be intimidated by the number, though. Your business website is competing with many others, but not with all 1.5 billion existing websites. Your site offers specific products or services to a specific audience in a specific location. Keep this in mind so that you can narrow down your competition.
On a related note, it isn’t enough to know how many competitors you have and who they are. You also have to be observant because you can learn a thing or two from them.
To stay above the competition, your digital marketing strategy should not focus solely on how your website looks and how your social media profiles convey your brand identity. After all, your competitors could be doing something that attracts more substantial site traffic and converts more customers. So, you have to look at the way they present themselves to the target audience. And you must also study what works for them.
This way, you can confidently go up against the competition and gain the traffic you want from a relevant audience.
Interest and Engagement: Connecting with Your Target Audience
Your goal may be to grow website traffic but it shouldn’t come from just anywhere.
Maybe you’re tempted to reach out to the general audience to draw as much traffic as possible. In this case, the traffic may not always lead to conversions and sales — it doesn’t bring any value to the business. So, you have to be selective when it comes to who you want to reach. Target the niche market that actually needs or wants what you have to offer.
Just as you make an effort to determine your competition and study their tactics, you have to pinpoint your target demographics and figure out what appeals to them. As a result, you’ll find it easier to bring in relevant traffic.
- Revisit your current customer base. Look for common interests that draw patrons to your site.
- Study the competition. Take note of their current customers and who they might be overlooking.
- Pinpoint the benefits of your products and services and who might need those benefits.
- Choose specific demographics. Consider the following factors: age, location, gender, occupation, income level, education level, marital or family status, and ethnic background.
- Pay attention to the psychographics of your target audience. These include characteristics, such as personality, attitude, interest, hobbies, values, lifestyle, and behavior.
- Evaluate your decision and make sure that your target audience is easily accessible and genuinely interested in what you bring to the table.
After making sure you’re addressing the right target market, it’s time to focus on providing a positive user experience. From the way your website looks to the tone you use for your content, you have to consider whether the audience will like it. Otherwise, potential customers might divert their attention and visit a competitor website instead.
Remember: more business owners are going digital, so competition is getting tighter in the online sphere. It is now easier for your target audience to go from one website to another, depending on which one best matches their interests. For this reason, you have to consider all possible factors in catching the attention of your audience and driving traffic to your website.
Keywords, Content, and Off-Page Signals: Bringing In More Substantial Traffic
When you’re creating a strategy to increase substantial website traffic, the first thing you do is look at the competition and see what they have to offer. You might pick up some tactics or techniques that work for them. You might also pinpoint anything they have missed. Then, look at your own data and determine how you can improve and get a leg up on the competition.
To simplify the process, focus on the three major contributors to higher traffic: keywords, content, and off-page signals.
Which keywords are your competitors using? How are they using their keywords? Why are people interested in their content? You need to look into these things to know what you’re up against.
But don’t put all your attention on the competition. If you want to bring in higher, better-quality traffic and convert more customers, you need to listen to your target audience’s needs. Know what keywords they’re typing on search engines, what type of content they’re interested in, and what sites they consider trustworthy.
Keywords show search engines that your page is relevant to the user
Keywords are one of the most basic aspects of search engine optimization. If you conduct thorough keyword research and use those keywords in your content and meta descriptions, then you are one step closer to bringing in higher site traffic.
Your audience’s journey to finding your products or services begins with the words typed into the search box of Google. So, take note of what those words are and use them in your content.
- Long-tail keywords are more specific. They attract more qualified traffic.
- Location-based keywords make you more visible to searchers in a particular area.
If competitor sites are ranking higher and bringing in more traffic than your site, consider revisiting your keyword research strategy to make sure it’s still relevant to your audience.
Quality content helps you rank higher and be more visible on search results
The right keywords can make you more visible to the target audience. But it isn’t the only thing that boosts website traffic. Your target audience is more likely to interact with your website when you have fresh and comprehensive content.
This is where it gets tricky. Your competitors provide products or services that are similar to yours. Now, it is up to you to create content that one-ups what they have to offer.
- Length matters when creating web pages. Short blurbs are easy to write, but they don’t provide much for the reader. While you should always aim for quality over quantity, feel free to create lengthy copies that provide engaging and worthwhile information to site visitors.
- Freshness is something your target audience looks for. If your web content is similar to what is written on every other website, your site visitors might immediately exit and look for something more unique. For this reason, regularly update your content to accommodate both your audience’s changing needs and Google’s changing algorithms.
- Internal linking encourages site visitors to explore your website for more articles, blog posts, and pages. So, when possible, link your content to an earlier related post.
Create content that is relevant to your target audience and different from what’s on competitor sites. This way, visitors are more inclined to explore what you have to offer.
Off-page signals show that your website is authoritative or trustworthy
Some people judge an individual based on the company they keep. Similarly, search engines may determine your authority based on the volume of content that references your own. If search engines deem your website credible, your target audience is more likely to see you on the top of search engine results pages.
To increase off-page signals or gather more backlinks, consider guest blogging for another website and adding links to your website in the article. This attracts new audiences and encourages them to visit your site.
Also, look for opportunities to build relationships with other site owners. Through outreach, you can have more backlinks, cement your status as a reliable or trustworthy site, and improve your search engine rankings.
Off-page signals are just as important as what is on your website. Your target audience will be more curious about what you have to offer when more site owners are referencing your own.
Well-researched keywords, high-quality content, and authoritative backlinks bring in high substantial traffic that contributes to business growth. All three are equally important in attracting your target audience. So, use them well and be more visible than your competitors.
Digital Marketing: Targeting the People You Want to Interact With
You become more visible to the target audience when you use the right keywords, create relevant content, and have authoritative backlinks. But these are not the only ways you can gather more site visitors and increase traffic.
Your competitors use listings, social media profiles, and other branches of digital marketing to be more visible to the target audience. You also have to pay attention to these platforms. A solid presence on them might just convince the audience to find out more about you browsing your website.
Get listed
Increase website traffic through online listings and review sites. And if you’re already on them, make sure you’re actively updating your profile and getting positive reviews. This entices your target audience to explore your products and services.
Use social media
A majority of Americans have profiles on social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. In fact, 77 percent of the U.S. population has a social media profile. Your target audience is likely to have one as well.
Maintain a strong presence on social media and connect your profiles to your website. When your target audience welcomes you to their network and they are interested in what you have to offer, they will have an easy time finding your website.
Create landing pages
Discount codes, free guides, and free trials — who can resist these? Your target audience might feel tempted by such offers so consider creating promotional landing pages. These pages have the information they need to move forward, visit your website, and convert into customers.
Consider email marketing
No matter how nice your website looks or how active you are on social media, you shouldn’t rely on just these aspects to increase site traffic. Use email marketing to stay in touch with your customers and encourage them to once again visit your site.
Email marketing includes regular newsletters, promotional offers, and other useful information that link to your website. Be careful about your subject lines and make sure you aren’t always bombarding the recipients, though. You don’t want them to unsubscribe from your emails.
Make use of paid media
Paid media is one of the fastest ways you can earn site traffic. If you need a little push or a complementary tactic to your online engagement strategies, consider pay-per-click advertising to instantly become more visible to your target audience.
Look into your analytics
Regularly run through your website analytics. These numbers and data let you identify which strategies are working, which ones need improvement, and which ones you can do completely without. You can also compare them with the analytics of your competitors to know in which areas you are ahead and which you need to work on.
Competition — especially for site traffic — is not always about trying to outmatch each other
Given the large volume of active websites, you inevitably have to learn how to co-exist with your competitors. The best thing you can do is find ways to become more enticing to your target audience and make them want to visit your website. And sometimes, you have to look at factors outside your website and focus on catching attention elsewhere.
Alkries LLC: Building Your Brand’s Online Presence
The Alkries LLC team is passionate about building links, growing organic traffic, and measuring positive returns on investments. Partner with us and we’ll build your online presence and increase your site traffic. We use various tactics that put you above the competition and that satisfy user intent.
Schedule a consultation with us, today.
