12 Best Website Marketing Tips for 2024
So you have a website or you just launched a new website and you want your customers to find your business easily on search engines, and ideally be ranked #1 on Google and other search engines? If that’s your goal, like every other business, then there a lot more work to do! Here are 12 website marketing tips to get your site on the map.
For most businesses, creating and launching a new company website requires a great deal of blood, sweat and tears. Countless hours are spent spent organizing and getting content and photos to your web designer and developer while they build a user friendly website that will appeal to your customers. Finally, when all of this work is completed and your website is launched, it’s time to kickback and relax, right? WRONG! This is a common mistake a lot of business owners make. Although it may feel like so much time and resources have been invested to get the website perfect, this is only the first step in an ongoing process to get the most out of your web presence.
To help illustrate this point, let’s say you open a new retail store. You have the nicest looking store on the block with a beautiful interior and smartly displayed products. However, the location isn’t prime, your signage is a bit small and you did nothing to get the word out about your new business. Your beautiful little shop will likely close within a few months because no one will know it exists!
The same applies to your new company website. Building a great looking site with user friendly navigation is a good start, but now the real work begins to get the site noticed. If no one can find your website, obviously it will not benefit your business. Just like you need to market your storefront, you also need to market your website! Using internet marketing to increase traffic to your site will ultimately help move you up the search engine rankings to ensure you are front and center when people search online for terms related to your business.
To help get your site on the map, we’ve compiled our top 12 website marketing tips.
1. Keyword Research
Understanding what your customers are looking for is the key to bringing the right content to them. By using keyword/search term analysis, you will appreciate your target market, what they are looking for and how they are looking. This process takes time but is well worth the effort. Understand your audience and then use that insight to your advantage.
2. On-site SEO Coding
Ensure that your site is built with SEO coding in mind. Your site’s code can play a role in its overall optimization. It’s like building your house on a firm foundation. From ensuring your site can be crawled and indexed appropriately to providing text-based alternatives, the code is an important piece of the puzzle. You don’t have to understand all the details, but be aware and ensure your web developer does!
3. SEO Copywriting
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) copywriting is an easy way for you to direct users to your website through organic searches rather than pay-per-click advertising. After you’ve determined what keywords you need to use, focus on these words and use them naturally and in relevant context throughout your website and look at writing blogs regularly, ideally weekly and syndicate them on social media. For more information about SEO copywriting, see our article SEO Copywriting that Matters.
4. Link Building
Another important search engine optimization tactic is link building. Building strong backlinks to your new website is one of the most important ranking factors for Google. A great way to get some external links is by setting up your company social media profiles with links back to your website. Links give your business’ website credibility in Google’s eyes and will help increase traffic and generate more sales and revenue.
5. Social Media Marketing
Posting regularly on social media is a great way to direct people to your site. These users are already engaged and interested in your company, so you can leverage these networks to direct fans and followers to your website. Create great content and then share it. You can market your website through these channels by directing people back to your site to continue reading your article or to learn more.
6. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) such as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising allows your products and services to be front and center with potential clients when they are looking for a product or solution.
Google AdWords, Display Advertising, Remarketing and Facebook PPC campaigns will require an ongoing budget but can get you really targeted results. Each platform offers its own benefits but allows you to focus your marketing in an effective way and get you more leads to grow your business. Click here to learn more about our SEM digital marketing services.
7. Email Marketing
E-blasts are an effective way to promote your website on a regular basis. Be sure to abide by CASL rules and obtain permission to email your contacts. A great way to create interest and acquire consent is by offering an incentive like white papers, discounts or special offers. You can then use your email marketing list to share company events, new products, content from your website and exclusive deals. Directing all links back to your website increases the likelihood of further clicks and better yet, get more sales!
8. Online Contests
Online contests can drive traffic to your site. Be sure to start with a goal in mind and put together an integrated marketing plan with all the details before you get started. Be consistent and run contests periodically to build a following and increase anticipation. Use your social channels to cross promote the contest and drive even more traffic to your site.
9. Direct Mail
Using direct mail to send customers to your website can also be an effective strategy. “There’s no denying that direct marketing can be expensive – postage alone usually costs more than an entire e-mail campaign,” notes Chris Dugas, Partner and Managing Director at ZOO Media Group. “But if done correctly and creatively, a direct mail campaign can yield solid results.” By cross-promoting the same campaign across a variety of marketing channels, you can leverage the effectiveness of a direct mail campaign.
10. Distribute Flyers
Similarly, distributing flyers also known as unaddressed admail or Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail ™, is a similar strategy to direct mail where it allows you to market your business offering to consumers based on where they live.
Unaddressed admail is more cost efficient and works wonderfully for local businesses that are targeting consumers in their community. The mailed pieces can be in the form of a promotional flyer, brochure or postcard. No addressed envelope needed! These pieces can lead recipients to your website to redeem an offer, get to know your company and brand or make an online purchase!
11. Trade Advertising
Leveraging trade publications that are related to your industry is also a good strategy. Budgeting for some advertising in these types of magazines and journals is a great way to build your brand presence to a specific audience in a large geographic area.
12. Positive Reviews
One more bonus strategy is to leverage positive feedback from your clients. People trust people, so using testimonials from satisfied clients can go a long way to establishing credibility. Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral or post a review on your Google Business profile when you complete your transaction. If your service was great, your customer won’t hesitate to provide you with a glowing review.
Website Marketing Tips Summary
These 12 tried and true marketing tactics will get you on the right track when promoting your new or existing website.
Understand that these strategies won’t result in overnight success. Getting your website ranked highly on searches can take months if not years but if you implement these strategies into your yearly marketing plan, you will see results.
- Keyword Research
- SEO On-site Coding
- SEO Copywriting
- Link Building
- Social Media Marketing
- Search Engine Marketing
- E-Blasts
- Online Contests
- Direct Mail
- Distribute Flyers
- Trade Publications
- Positive Reviews
Need help with any of these effective marketing tactics? Contact London, Ontario’s digital marketing and web development professionals at ZOO Media Group today!