Business name and logo? Check. Domain and web hosting? Check. Social media pages? Check.

You’ve put in the work to create your website and now it’s time for people to see it!

In a world where millions of websites live online, standing out from all of the noise is usually the hardest part of being a website owner. Having users find your website isn’t a stagnant process either; it’s something you have to work at hard consistently.

Try out these five tips to get more website traffic:

  1. Create good content.
  2. Focus on SEO.
  3. Do social media promotion.
  4. Write a guest blog post.
  5. Look for influencers.

 

1. Create good content.

Before you jump into marketing tactics, you’ll need a solid foundation of high-quality content in the form of blog posts, galleries, stories, videos, news, eBooks, tutorials, etc. Otherwise, what are visitors checking out your website for? A pretty website just won’t cut it. Your content strategy should be:

  • Consistent—Create a content calendar and write regularly.
  • Fresh—Do your research and write about new trends and topics in your industry.
  • Interesting—Write for your reader, not for yourself.
  • Helpful—Above all, your content should be informative and add to the end user’s life in some way.

Having content is great for your website, social media, and SEO alike. You can also repurpose content; so don’t feel discouraged by the amount of time it takes to create regular content.

 

2. Focus on SEO.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the best way for your website to be seen. 

SEO is the process of using content, links, and keywords to get your website listed organically at the top of search results. To be clear, SEO is no easy feat. It requires a combination of time, effort, and consistency applied to the following tasks:

  • Submitting your website to search engines
  • Doing keyword research to learn the topics your audience is interested in
  • Using keywords throughout your website content
  • Writing content on a regular basis
  • Promoting your content on social media channels
  • Performing link-building through tasks like guest blogging, creating relationships with other website owners and influencers in your industry, and posting in community forums

A good habit to get into is using an SEO plugin for WordPress like Yoast SEO, so that you’re thinking about keywords and readability with every piece of content you write.

 

3. Do social media promotion.

Once you have website content created with SEO in mind, it’s time to promote it. Social media is a great place to do this because everyone uses at least one platform. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be on every single channel. Consider which channels your audience is on and what kind of content they prefer.

Create a social media plan and keep these best practices in mind:

  • Post on a consistent basis so that users can expect your content. But don’t create content just for the sake of content. Remember: quality > quantity.
  • Promote your content, not just your website. Give users a reason to check out your website. Cool new tutorial? Interesting blog post? Let your followers know.
  • Devote time to engaging with your audience. Join relevant conversations and build relationships with followers. Social media is all about being social.
  • Pause before you share. Be mindful of what you are sharing publicly. Social media may be fast-paced, but there’s always time for a quick proofread for typos to avoid a social media faux pas.

 

4. Write a guest blog post.

Creating consistent, good content for your site is a great way to have people come back to your website. However, writing content for other websites every once in a while is a great way to reach new people who have not heard of you yet and to build up the authority of your brand. It’s also an opportunity for link-building, which boosts SEO.

Keep these tips in mind when guest blogging:

  • Look for websites that are in a similar industry to your business
  • Pitch to websites with a following that is different to and larger than yours
  • Take time to write a guest post that is well-written, interesting, and fresh
  • Include relevant links in your guest post, as well as in your author bio

 

5. Look for influencers.

Influencer marketing is not a new concept. Celebrity endorsement has been around for years. Who isn’t more likely to buy a product or service, or to donate to a social or environmental cause, if someone they like recommends it?

Look for people in your industry who have a large and authentic social following and connect with them:

  • Share their content
  • Leave comments on their posts
  • Tag them in your own social posts
  • Participate in any forums or Twitter Chats they engage in

The point is to get on their radar and build an authentic relationship with them.

You can use tools like Influence.co, Buzzsumo, and FollowerWonk, to find influencers in your industry.

 

Good luck!

If you want to get more website traffic, you need to put in the work using a combination of the 5 tips above. Building an audience takes time and effort, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see progress right away. The most important thing is to be consistent and authentic.

How do you get more website traffic? Have you tried any of the tips above or do you have different practices that work better for your site?

Photo by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash