For eCommerce to take off, you need customers to find you online. Driving traffic to your website is a combination of art and science, and requires both intelligence and diligence for you to succeed. That said, a tried and true path exists to boost your online presence. Focus on these techniques to lift your site performance.
1. Content Comes First
Every web-based strategy begins with content. Find a voice and a message that your customers will care about and enjoy. If you can inform or entertain, or even both, you will drive more traffic to your site.
2. Write Great Headlines
Before customers can enjoy your content, you have to catch their attention. An interesting headline can make the difference between customers reading your content and passing it by.
3. Link Inside and Out
Building links to your website helps people go from other sites to your own. In addition, creating internal links can help them navigate inside your site. Meanwhile, guiding viewers among pages builds your traffic and your readers' investment in the site.
4. Use Video
Giving your potential customers something to read is helpful. Giving them something to see and hear adds significantly to your appeal. Embed video content on your site to keep people engaged.
5. Understand Your Audience
No site has universal appeal. You need to take the time to understand who your customers are. Use demographic data and your understanding of the market in which you operate to guide your site design and content approach.
6. Build Social Media Pages
No company should operate without a social media presence. This is a key way to present yourself to the public and connect with your customers. Maintain an active presence on the social media sites that make sense for you.
7. Interact
Existing online is not enough. Use comments, threads, and other outreach to interact with those following you. This leads to both more links back to your site and a deeper understanding of your audience.
8. Comment on Other Sites
Other websites provide key opportunities for you to build your reputation. If you comment or guest post on other websites in your industry, you can show your expertise and steer more people to you.
9. Research Your Competitors
How do your competitors leverage their online presence? Take time to look. Whether you learn how to improve your presence or how to avoid their mistakes, this yields important benefits.
10. Use Analytics
You can always get better. Look at your numbers for site visits and engagement. Connect to what has worked and what has not, and keep working on your site to get better.
Your online presence matters more today than ever before. It should always be a work in progress. Focus on driving and boosting your traffic to give yourself the best opportunity to build out your online sales.
