In today’s marketing landscape, attracting more online visitors is one of the most common goals shared by marketers. For you, though, learning how to increase traffic to your business website is about more than simply keeping up with the competition. The right traffic generation strategy will open the door to increased brand awareness, improved reputations, and more sales conversions. When coupled with the right web design, your hopes of winning new customers and bringing existing clients back to your doorstep will look better than ever.

Why website traffic matters

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Before looking at custom web design services or thinking about strategies that can increase traffic to your website, it’s vital that you understand just how important traffic is in the recipe for business success. 

It should not be difficult to realize that your website won’t serve its purpose without visitors, but the following statistics highlight why this should be considered a priority;

• Over 6 in 10 marketers state that gaining traffic is their biggest challenge. So, mastering this will give you a huge advantage over the competition.
• Website traffic generates an average conversion rate of between 1.81% and 3.71%. More traffic naturally translates to more sales for most brands. 
• The eCommerce market will generate US$3,178.00bn in 2024. Therefore, businesses cannot afford to miss out on this opportunity.
• Up to 92% of consumers visit brick-and-mortar stores after visiting the brand’s website. More online traffic may boost offline visits and sales.
• An average of 8 touchpoints are needed with a client. Your website is a hugely valuable asset as you look to build them.

Furthermore, higher levels of website traffic will provide valuable insights and clearer analytics. In turn, you will be better positioned to make any necessary adjustments and improvements to your strategy.

In short, if you are an entrepreneur, you should want to increase traffic to your business website. So, let’s find out how to do it in style.

How to increase traffic to your business website in 10 steps

1. Boost website traffic with on-site SEO

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SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is the process of making your website more visible on search engines. Given that over 92% of global traffic comes from Google, a strong 

SEO strategy is the nucleus of any great online campaign.

If you want search engine crawlers to find your page, you must tell them what the website and its individual web pages are about. Keywords are the most effective resource. Optimizing your page for the right keywords will give search engines a better understanding of the business while also helping users find your pages when they type those keywords and phrases into search engines.

Keywords can be defined as short tail (1-2 words), medium tail (3-4 words) or long tail (5+ words). To use them effectively, you should;

• Choose keywords that people will search for but have less competition so that you can actually rank for them – psst, keyword research tools will help.
• Place keywords in prominent places including headings, meta titles, image file names, and within the first 100 words of your webpage. 
• Be sure to target different keywords on different pages. Otherwise, you’ll be competing against yourself, which can ruin performances.

Keywords will help you climb the SERPS (search engine results pages) and increase traffic to your business website. Crucially, it will be organic traffic from people actively seeking products and services like yours. 

2. Utilize backlinks to boost your SEO and site visibility 

Backlinks are great for SEO while other on-site SEO practices include internal links, increased page speeds, and Schema markups. For the best results, though, you must also consider the use of backlinks.

Google cites over 200 ranking factors for determining which pages are shown on the first page of results, but backlinks are one of the most important. This is when you get links back to your website from other sites. Search engines view this as a vote of confidence from the website that links out to yours, which verifies your relevance and legitimacy to make you an authoritative voice in your field.

Backlinks from sites with high Domain Authority rankings will have a bigger impact but even links from smaller sites are useful. You can achieve them through;

• Dedicated blogger outreach strategies and producing content on behalf of another website in return for a link.
• Finding broken links or expired links online and offering to update the person’s content, which will then include your link.
• Creating content and webpages that other businesses in your industry will organically link to.

As well as having a direct impact on your search engine presence, this move may increase traffic to your website by gaining clicks from users who read the webpage or website that has placed the link out to yours. 

3. Increase traffic to your business website via content creation

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Content marketing has become hugely influential in recent times and is easily one of the most effective ways to increase traffic to your business website. It builds brand awareness, gains more clicks, and promotes products in a far less intrusive manner.

Your business can create many types of content including videos, blogs, audio content, infographics, and more. Tools like Haute Stock will help you create stunning visuals. When combined with a little creativity, you will be sure to capture the attention. Moreover, the content can be optimized for search engines while others may link to your content too, thus boosting SEO.

As well as boosting SEO and boosting website traffic for your business, you should find that content marketing strategies;

• Give users a reason to keep coming back to your website, especially when regularly updated with new content.
• Showcase your credentials and prove that you are an authoritative and trustworthy voice in your industry.
• Create a stronger emotional connection with audiences, thus resulting in more conversions for the company.

Consumers now interact with brands across up to 20 channels while they also connect with multiple companies daily. Content is one of the most effective ways to generate real interest, thus leading to traffic and sales. Perfect.

4. Get more eyes on your brand with directory listings

While most people do head to search engines when searching for a specific product or service, you should not ignore the impotence of directories. When looking for a type of business or an expert, many consumers still use them.

Having your business and website shown on the right directories can help you gain more traffic, not least because it stops competitors from gaining those clicks. Yelp alone is used weekly by 12% of American consumers. Meanwhile, a host of other online directories can build your brand image and set a more professional vibe. Better still, it is a very easy way to gain backlinks from sites with high DAs.

Aside from the benefits of directory listings, you should remember that not having them could hurt your band image. For the best returns, you must;

• Grab all suitable listings on large directories like Yelp, as well as local directories and industry-specific directories.
• Check that the details are accurate and content shared on the various pages remains authentic to your brand.
• Seek out further directory listing opportunities and consider using forums and similar channels for further benefits.

Directories are an ideal tool because you can take control of the pages yourself while the same content can be reused time and time again. Google My Business is another particularly important directory as it will boost your presence on local and organic SERPs.

5. Grow brand awareness and traffic through social media

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By now, it should be no surprise to learn that social media can play a huge role in your digital marketing strategy to increase website traffic figures. Better still, you’ll also see rewards that do not rely on web visits, such as in-store visits.

Around 5 billion people now use social media with most people having multiple accounts. Gaining followers will keep your brand fresh in their minds while a lot of users also equate high numbers with professionalism and trustworthiness. The same content can also be shown on multiple channels, creating additional touchpoints while simultaneously removing any threat of being ignored.

Social media platforms are some of the biggest websites too, meaning they can influence your SEO efforts. To gain the most traffic, be sure to;

• Become a part of the conversation through the use of hashtags, inviting comments from users, and being involved in the latest topics.
• Post content on the right platforms depending on your target audience. Also, make sure that posts point to the right destination URLs and use social share buttons.
• Target amplifiers like industry publications, evangelists, and influential sources to make a bigger impact with search engines and web users alike.

While content should resonate with audiences, social media isn’t limited to blogs and web content. You can also use it for more relaxed interactions that simply focus on staying relevant and developing better connections. 

6. Win new clients through affiliates and referrals

Telling consumers about the brilliance of your company is one thing, but most people will take even more note when they hear it from unbiased sources. Therefore, past customers are often the greatest asset at your disposal. 

It is shown that 83% of people are happy to offer referrals for products and services that they believe in. This can be made even more likely when affiliate marketing allows them to earn rewards for bringing new users to your door. If you want to increase traffic to your website by leveraging success from others, this is one of the most effective options. Not least because the blueprint can be reused time and time again.

Testimonials and reviews will also tell search engines that your business can be trusted, leading to improved rankings. They also;

• Build trust from potential leads who will know that your brand has already helped others with similar pain points.
• Help answer some of the questions that customers may want to ask about your business and its products. 
• Instantly give your business a visual advantage over competitors who do not have as many referrals.

You already know that your business needs a blog and marketing campaigns to spread a message. When supported by positive words from others, as well as the gentle nudge of referrals, more conversions will be made.

7. Remarket to old leads with email marketing campaigns

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When looking to increase traffic to your business website, it’s likely that you will focus heavily on reaching new audiences. However, it is often quicker and more cost-effective to focus on remarketing to people who already know the brand.

Gaining more traffic to the website from returning customers can promote shorter paths to conversion, not least if you use analytics like past purchases to your advantage. Thanks to tools like Flodesk, cheating eye-catching email marketing campaigns that convert will be far easier. You can personalize them to the user and ensure that different campaigns are triggered by different actions – newsletter sign-ups, cart abandonment, etc.

Email marketing may not seem like something that you’d want to use in 2024. In reality, it’s as effective as ever. That’s because;

• With the right tactics, email marketing can deliver open rates of 50% and drive a lot more traffic to your site.
• Cold emails and spam emails have far less chance of hitting inboxes. So consumers are more trusting than in previous years.
• People open emails when it is convenient. So, if they abandoned a previous session, this could be the perfect time to recapture their imagination.

Email marketing doesn’t only increase traffic to your business website. Perhaps more importantly, the right call-to-action (CTA) will ensure that users land on the intended page. So, you can encourage the right responses from them too.

8. Reach new audiences with collaboration and guest posts

Your business may be on a personal journey, but that doesn’t mean the process of increasing traffic has to be faced alone. Collaborations can deliver mutually beneficial results, not least in terms of your online traffic.

Collaborations can include creating social media content or blogs together. When using tools like Google Workspace, collaborating remotely becomes easier than you ever thought possible. In turn, all parties can use the content to gain traffic to their sites while also generating backlinks from their collaborators. As well as making a bigger impact on search engines, it will support social media efforts.

Guest posting is another option that can drive a significant increase in traffic to your business website. Here’s why;

• As well as gaining a backlink, there can be multiple mentions of the business and extra context.
• Guest posting gives you a chance to prove your authority and experience to the hosting website’s audience.
• You can reach a target audience in this way while simultaneously boosting your Domain Authority by association.

The right collaborations and guest posting opportunities can go a long way to supporting the on-site and internal endeavors that you’ve implemented. Some of the benefits can show with immediate results too.

9. Use in-store opportunities to bring offline visitors online

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As already mentioned, a strong digital campaign can go a long way to boosting your offline traffic. However, it is a two-way street, and incorporating digital channels into the in-store shopping experience can work wonders.

Not only do 83% of shoppers research businesses before visiting a store, but many will check out the site even when browsing. It may be to confirm prices, read full product details, or look for other deals. Once they have used your website once, there is a good chance that they will keep coming back as long as the design and navigation are under control.

However, you can give them additional reasons to visit your website either during or after their visit. Some examples include;

• Including QR codes or promo codes on their receipts that will reward them for visiting your site.
• Asking for feedback via your website in return for a competition entry or money off their next order.
• Creating in-store competitions or fun ideas like Snapchat filters that will also make others aware of the brand.

By connecting online and offline elements, you’ll create a more immersive shopping experience. In turn, this can work wonders for your post-visit website traffic, regardless of whether the user completes a purchase. 

10. Advertise your website with paid ads

Learning to increase traffic to your website through organic methods is a wonderful thing. However, there is still a place for paid ads, not least because it can be one of the quickest ways to gain visibility. Besides, digital paid ads are very cost-effective.

PPC, short for Pay Per Click, is a particularly popular choice. It averages ROIs of $2 in revenue for every $1 spent while advanced strategies are even better. You only pay for the ad if someone clicks it. So, it doesn’t matter if a user visits your site when they see the ad for the first or 51st time. PPC ads will bring more traffic to your site in a cost-effective way and can be shown on search engines, social media, and other websites online.

To make the most of your PPC ad campaigns and maximize your returns, both in terms of traffic and cost efficiency, you should;

• Create content that makes your ad stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of users.
• Build effective landing pages and sales funnels with tools like ThriveCart. This will mean that clicks lead to higher conversion levels.
• Understand your demographic, limit the reach of your ad to those people, and promote it in the right places.

Additional paid ad campaigns may also be used. For example, you could sponsor a content creator’s channel, buy an ad placement on a specific website, or pay to be one of the sponsored links on a search engine. The right ideas will lead you to greatness.

Building a comprehensive strategy

Now that you know how to increase traffic to your website, you must bring all of those ideas together for a consistent approach that will get you noticed. When combined with a good design and products that appeal to your visitors, the future of your business will look better than ever. For further advice on taking your web game to the next level, get in touch with Dainty Creative Co to arrange a full consultation.