Struggling to generate income from your website? You’re not alone. It takes time to build a thriving business. Whether you’re running an ecommerce store or a blog, it can take a while to convert your site into a profit-generating asset. That being said, you need to take that first step, i.e. drive traffic to your website. By taking a few steps, you can increase your visibility in search engines, boost reputation among customers, and create a steady flow of loyalists without breaking the bank.
So without further ado, let’s see how you can get visitors to your website.
1. Write Long-Form Blog Posts
Part of getting traffic involves convincing search engines that you have content on your website that people will read and engage with. Although you publish several 300 words post each day, it’s unlikely that visitors will find them impressive. 300 words aren’t simply enough to convey something actionable (unless you’re a news website). Top ranking posts are usually 1500 to 2000 words in length, so if you’re going to publish something, make it both valuable and long.
2. Interview Industry Leaders
When you’re researching ideas for your content, make sure to do the following: reach out to some experts in the industry to see if they’re interested in giving an interview. You’d be surprised by how many “big-names” will be willing to do it. If you get a yes, prepare thought-provoking questions and send them out via email. After you get their answers, publish the interview on your website. The best part is that the person who you’ve interviewed will likely share your content on their social media handles.
3. Host Giveaways
Contests and giveaways bank on the FOMO (fear of missing out) and the power of urgency. Plus, they’re great for getting exposure and can provide you with plenty of valuable data that can be tracked and analyzed. To encourage more people to sign up, create a landing page on your website with a fancy copy that highlights the giveaway. Giveaways could be free ebook, a product discount, or even a product or service that’s usually paid.
4. Experiment with Live Video Streaming
Live video is still a new concept for website owners, but many social media channels have integrated it into their platform, making it easy to take advantage. You can get started by hosting an Instagram Live, Facebook Live, or a YouTube Live session. Streaming live content is a great way to connect with your potential customers. The tactic can even be used to host a content or a giveaway (now wouldn’t that be exciting?). Make sure to post the live stream on your blog and other social media channels so that new visitors can also learn about your sessions and tune in the next time you host a stream.
5. Start Using Quora
What makes Quora so good for driving traffic is that it lets you answer questions related to your exact business. Also, you can post a link of your website in your Quora profile as well as in your answers once you build some authority. Just make sure not to spam people by posting links in every answer you post. A key tip for driving traffic is to post detailed answers and ensure what you’re posting is accurate. By taking this approach, you’ll get people to trust your answers and drop the hesitation of visiting for your site when they require additional information.
6. Publish Great Infographics
One of the best content types you can post is infographics. This involves taking visuals, written text and putting them together into a format that people love, share, and like. When using this content for your website, get creative and come up with something users will link to. Don’t worry if you don’t know graphic design, because there are a range of tools you can use to create great designs. Some tools like Canva and Infographic Maker even come with pre-loaded templates that you can tweak and optimize to create shareworthy content pieces on the fly.
7. Post in Online Communities
Online communities are groups where people tend to hang out. You can find relevant communities on Slack, Reddit, LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, and general forums. Just Google “your industry name + forum” or use the search bar of the relevant community. When engaging with people on these resources, make sure to build some authority before you start recommending your website as a helpful resource. Otherwise, an admin of the community might kick you out or people might see you as someone desperate to make money. Be educational in the starting phase.
8. Cross-promote with other businesses
For many new brands, there are several non-competing entities that are after the same audience. So why not make a collective effort to reach those people? You can cross-promote with non-competing businesses via social media by co-hosting a live session, contest, or giveaway. You can also promote one of their products on your website and ask them to do the same. Events can also be co-hosted in case you want to attract an online audience.
9. Comment on Other Blog Posts
Take out 10-15 minute each day to comment on other blogs in your niche. Doing so will not only expose your name to people, but also help you build relationships with other readers and the blog owner. Of course, don’t just say I learned so much from your content, but comment on specific things that you read in the blog. Maybe someone in your own audience is suffering from the problem they’ve talked about. Think of ways you can write an engaging content.
Conclusion
Nowadays, there’s no shortage of ways you can drive traffic to your website. With a little effort and consistency, you can make it work. Start by taking the easy steps of creating and growing a social media presence, and then move towards other tactics such as creating infographics and commenting on other blog posts. Good luck!