Imagine for a moment… You have the most perfect business website.
It’s beautiful. The branding is on point, the design and strategy is unique to your target audience, you even have professional photography to help showcase why you’re awesome. Everyone you share it with agrees – your designer nailed it.
But where is the traffic? Where are the thousands of visitors that should be here? Where are the sales or abundance of new leads that will increase cash-flow and profits?
What’s with all the crickets?
If you’ve found your business website short on visits, it doesn’t mean it’s broken.
It’s still the perfect, strategic business tool that you invested in. You’re just missing one essential piece.
Marketing = Visits
Without marketing, no one knows about your beautiful website.
No one will ever see the great things you have to offer. No one will fill out a form, make a purchase, or join your mailing list.
How could they? They don’t know where to find you OR that they should be looking in the first place.
While this may feel like a huge bummer, the good news is that there is a solution. The price? A little sweat equity…
The strategies below are FREE ways you can increase visits to your website.
1. Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) is like the modern Yellow Pages. If you’re a local business, selling to a local audience, it is critical to have this profile set up. https://www.google.com/business/
Be sure to:
- Get verified and complete your listing 100% (including images)
- Keep all information accurate and consistent with your website
- Collect detailed customer reviews (more positive reviews = higher ranking)
GMB listings are typically the first results to appear on a Google search, so being here is very important. It will also allow your business to show on Google Maps (i.e. map with the pins). If you operate from your home, you can choose to show a service area instead of exact location.
2. Social Media
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok… You don’t need to be everywhere and it doesn’t have to be hard. Identify what platforms your target audience is using and set up an account or business page.
Some key things to remember:
- Your posts should do one (or more) of the following: Educate, Empower, or Entertain
- Be consistent – algorithms will work in your favour if you post regularly
- Be social – interact with others, be helpful, give compliments, etc.
Not sure where to start? Do some research and study other successful businesses or brands in similar fields. Figure out what works for them and take inspiration for your own content.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is ultimately a long-term strategy, however, some items can pay off faster than others.
Assuming your web designer has taken care of the technical items, some critical tasks you can work on yourself include:
- User experience – does the content intrigue visitors to stay and ultimately take action? Is the navigation intuitive? Is there a visitor strategy? Longer visits = more credibility with Google and higher search result rankings
- Blogging – think of each new article as a doorway for someone to access your website via Google (Bonus – it makes great shareable social media content)
- Keywords – if someone was to search for your business on Google, what terms would they type? Ensure that you’ve included this language and unique keywords in your content (this includes city names if you serve a local audience)
4. Enroll others to share your website
Word of mouth referrals are one of the most powerful tools a business has to generate new website visits (and sales!). These referrals can come from staff, family/friends, past customers, suppliers, or other people of influence.
While you’ll find many are happy to spread the word unconditionally, it can sometimes be more effective to incentivize them. Some examples are:
- Provide them with an exclusive offer not available to the general public
- Reward them if a referral turns into a customer (i.e. create a referral program)
The more people talking about your business, the more potential for increased visits.
Next Steps
Are you willing to do what it takes?
At the end of the day, the only thing standing between you and an abundance of visitors is taking action and being consistent. It’s a little like exercise for your business.
Start with the low hanging fruit. Google My Business can be an easy first win if you’re just getting started.
Take advantage of YouTube for training tutorials and use free tools like Canva.com to create graphics.
Don’t worry about being perfect – authenticity is most important.
When to get help
Most business owners I know already wear too many hats. Asking them to take on more tasks can be a recipe for failure – especially if it’s something they’re not excited about.
This is when it’s important to consider putting aside a marketing budget to hire professional help.
There are many firms, including Pixel Perfect, that can help with more or more of the strategies listed on this page. While it may cost a little to get started, if the return on investment is there it’s been money well spent.
This also opens the door for paid advertising/marketing opportunities. Social Media Ads, Google Ads, etc. are all areas where a professional can provide guidance and ensure you’re getting the most impact for every dollar spent.
Not sure what you need?
That’s ok too. Book a free 15-minute consultation with Pixel Perfect and have a high-level discussion on how to get your business moving.