In the last decade, internet usage has spiked. From online shopping to social media usage, the demand for online services has been at its highest.
But competition is fierce. The most challenging part of running an online business is driving traffic to your website which results in conversions. So I’ve put together some ideas you can implement to increase your online business immediately.
Ensure your website is up to scratch
One of those jobs that businesses often put to the bottom of the priority pile – tweaking/updating their website. It’s important to keep your website updated to improve SEO, but I see so many websites that haven’t been updated for months, or even years.
Speak with your website developer to ensure it is fully updated in the back-end. If your site is e-commerce, check that the journey of purchasing an item is seamless for the buyer. Also make sure the website is easy to navigate around and optimised for mobiles.
Use Google Analytics to trach website visits
Set up and use Google Analytics to view and analyse all of the important metrics on your website. This includes where your traffic comes from (i.e. social media, Google search, email, etc.), the pages on your website which are most visited, and the bounce rate (particularly important for the homepage).
Optimise your Google my Business listing
A Google my Business listing is the best way to optimise a local targeting strategy. If you already have your listing set up, check it’s up to date with the correct details, and add photos and other information that might make it stand out. Build up Google reviews from happy clients to drive credibility.
Utilise LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a fantastic tool to find targeted leads. Your profile must be fully completed with good-quality copy, perhaps professionally completed by a copywriter. Make sure you’re actively creating content too.
Search for people who might be interested in your services and connect with them. Also connect with businesses within your industry who offer different services, as a form of networking and building relationships. For example, if you run a floristry, you might want to connect with caterers, travel agents and venue holders.
Write top quality blog posts
Excellent blog content will draw traffic to your website. You can share them on your social media platforms or to your email database. If they are valuable and/or insightful to read, people will click through, resulting in more website traffic.
From a Google perspective, make sure your blog post topics are based around things that your target market are likely to be searching for. Put these search terms within your articles and headers (ensuring that the content still flows).
Set up a referral scheme
A referral programme is a good way of generating brand awareness, as well as gaining new customers. If someone is already a loyal follower of your brand, give them the encouragement to shout about you to their own contacts.
If a friend tells you about a product or service, would you be inclined to check them out? Especially if they were offering a discount or freebie? Graze snacks provide £1 for every person referred, and each new person received a free graze box. Everyone wins.
