The pandemic has changed the way consumers transact with businesses to buy goods and services. Electronic commerce (eCommerce) has seen a stratospheric rise in the past year as a result of lockdowns and limited consumer mobility, and experts predict that it will remain to be a viable option for consumers post-pandemic.
Because of this, a strong online presence has never been more important, especially to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that need to stand out from the competition. Just having a website is not enough; SMBs must also be able to leverage their website to generate sales, create interest in their company, and build a client base.
If you’re running an SMB, here are some tips on how you can drive traffic to your website:
Create superior content
The internet is filled to the brim with information, and chances are, your competitors are also publishing content similar to yours. To stand out from the crowd, your website must offer something new, useful, or memorable to its visitors. If you’re an engineering firm in Tampa, for instance, you can leverage recent projects to show how your company helps local communities.
You can also write general engineering topics that the public has some questions about, such as how engineering improves healthcare. People usually use search engines to look up answers to their day-to-day queries. If you publish content with accurate, detailed, and up-to-date information that answers users’ questions about things related to your industry, search engines will deem your website a good resource. Having superior, SEO-optimized content can help vastly improve your website's search engine ranking, giving your company more visibility and higher chances of being visited.
Creating a helpful industry tool or publishing seminal research will also drive the audience to your website. Other webpages may even include your tool or research in their content and link back to your site, expanding your network of readers and potential customers.
Be active on social media
Leverage social media to drive your target audience to your website. Since your potential clients probably have one or more social media accounts, use this to your advantage and cross-post blogs, eBooks, white papers, infographics, videos, or other types of content from your website to your social media pages. You can further grab your audience’s attention by interacting with their comments, sharing their posts, or tagging them in relevant content.
It’s also important to utilize your social media accounts to promote new content or product. You can use the space in your profiles' bio to add a link that directs to promotional material on your website and change your profile's cover photo or header to promote your latest campaigns.
Advertise online
Advertising online has heaps of benefits — and it doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. Social media platforms, for instance, have free tools that allow you to customize your advertising scheme down to the budget, duration, and audience reach. Be strategic in using these tools to improve your site’s visibility; for example, advertise when you have an upcoming sale to create an online buzz about your business.
You can also reach out to businesses that specialize in driving traffic to your site. If you’re part of an educational institution, for instance, a marketing strategist can position your ads on online educational boards, research sites, or other websites that your target audience often frequent.
Leverage consumer contact
Make the most out of getting a website visitor. Get visitors’ contact details by asking them to sign up for a newsletter, a free consultation, or a discount voucher. Once you have a direct line to your potential customer, you can strategically send them links, infographics, or updates that will increase their awareness of your products and offerings. Doing so piques their interest, gets them to revisit your website, and pushes them to purchase goods or sign up for your service.
Adapting to the post-pandemic shift in consumer behavior is quite a challenge. But with HERO Managed Services as your technology partner, you can count on expert IT guidance, strategy, and solutions that will help you keep delivering value to your customers. Get in touch with us today.
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