Where is everybody?
Is anyone visiting my website?
Hello?
Well, that’s an awful feeling – creating a terrific website and then being unsure whether there is actual traffic to that very site! We don’t want you to feel that way, so let’s talk about some quick (and FREE) steps to ensure you are getting traffic to your site and how to increase it.
It starts with a little abbreviation called SEO.
You know it: Search Engine Optimization
(Yeah, that does sound overwhelming, so we’ll just stick to referring to it as SEO. OK?)
If you want people to discover and visit your site, you’re gonna need to get cozy with SEO, which is simply a process for boosting one’s chances of ranking on search engines such as Google. (Heard of it?) And by “boosting one’s chances . . .” we’re talking about making it onto the first page!
Ready? Set? SEO!
Website
First, you’re going to need a well-designed website. Nothing happens until this piece of the process is taken care of. Think: sitemap, product images, relevant keywords, and pleasing to the eye (yes, it needs to look good). Oof. If this sounds like a lot, we can help. Sure, this piece involves an investment, but until your website is up to snuff, traffic will continue to be an issue.
Niche
Ask yourself – what is it that our business actually does? Being too broad is a temptation many business owners have – the thought being that they should be everything to everybody. Simply put, you can’t. Perhaps you need to, as we say, “niche-down” and get specific about what you offer and who you offer it to. Read this blog and download this worksheet. It will help that process get started.
Keywords
Once you’ve established your niche, it’s time to identify the keywords that can lead people to your site. Take a look at your website: the blogs, images, and products, and spend some time narrowing them down into what we call “SEO-friendly” terms. These keywords should be added to the backend of your site (again, need help?).
For example, let’s take someone who teaches online fitness, for example. Sure, we can start with a keyword like “fitness”, but now, let’s get even MORE specific, “virtual home fitness classes”. See what we did there? Now, search for “online (or virtual) fitness classes to take at home.” Check out who is on page one. It’s not magic that they’ve arrived in that spot. It takes keywords, content, and consistency! We use Ubersuggest to run free reports for our clients, so you can check that out as well!
Content
Now, you gotta do the work. Blogs should be consistent and well-crafted (like this one . . .). Content should be original. Information should be helpful and packed with tips for your readers. Links to articles on and off your site prove to be helpful for building traffic. And finally, you need to keep at it. This isn’t a one-and-done situation. Working off of your marketing calendar, keep the changes coming, for fresh material is rewarded! (And when you do so, don’t forget to use appropriate titles and headlines.)
Images
We are such visual people. Sure, we’d like to think that people are reading our every word, but truth be told, we are a skimming society, so you better have a great visual to hook and keep readers! And not only does a strong image support your message, but upon adding alt text to those images, you’ve gone one step further to increase your rank on search engines AND provide added accessibility to the visually impaired. Screen readers will literally read aloud the alt text attributed to your images so they understand the content. After all the work you did in the first four areas of improving your traffic, don’t forget to properly tag your images with alt text. These website image tips will help you will all the info you’ll need for proper imagery!
These few tips are just the beginning of an SEO journey. Our suggestion? Keep a list of your SEO keywords somewhere handy and test them frequently. If you sell hand-crafted pottery and focus primarily on offering wholesale accounts, do a search for just that, note WHO is on page one, the words they are using to get that notoriety and adjust accordingly.
You’ve heard wash, rinse, repeat?
Review, adjust, repeat.
Happy SEO hunting!
And don’t forget to share the goods with your small business friends!
