In this article, we will discuss the top 5 most effective marketing tactics that you can use to gain web traffic and sales to your website. We’ll cover everything from SEO to PPC and social media marketing.
SEM / SEO
Search engine marketing (SEM) is the process of getting your website or blog published in the search engines (such as Google and Bing) for the keywords or phrases that you select. When a potential customer types in those keywords or phrases into the search bar on your website, your website will show up as a result.
When you’re starting out, it’s recommended to focus your efforts on getting your website published on the first page of the search engine results. Keeping your website on the first page is referred to as “organic” or “free” traffic, as opposed to “paid” traffic, which is defined as traffic that you pay for. Getting organic traffic is a lot more difficult than attracting paid traffic, so it’s a much more targeted strategy.
SEM is a lot more than just getting your website or blog published in the search engines. You also need to make sure that your website is relevant to a specific audience. For example, if you’re aiming at bakers, you don’t want to publish tips on hair styling. You want to focus on baking techniques and tools for bakers.
If you’re completely new to SEM, make sure to pick up a copy of our guide to SEM Fundamentals. This guide will teach you the basics of SEO, including how to select the right keywords, perform keyword research, and track the results of your efforts.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
Paid search marketing (PPC) is very similar to SEM, but instead of getting your website or blog published in the search engines for free, you pay for it. When someone clicks on the paid search results, they will be directed to your website.
PPC is very targeted, so you need to make sure that you choose your key words very carefully. As with SEM, performing keyword research and using the right keywords, can also improve your website’s organic rankings in the search engines. However, since you’re paying for the clicks, you also need to make sure that the key words you choose are relevant to the person clicking on the ad. Using too many key words can also hurt your website’s performance in the search engines. This is why using tools like Google Analytics and Keyword Planner is so essential.
Social Media Marketing (Facebook / Twitter)
People are now spending more time on social media than they are on traditional websites. According to HubSpot Blogs’ research, people are now spending an average of four hours and forty-seven minutes daily on social media. That’s more time than they spend on their jobs, working, and family matters combined!
Since social media can be a bit of a “chaos” (a good thing!) it’s very easy to get distracted by the constant stream of information and content that comes from all the different platforms.
That’s why it’s important to establish a social media marketing plan and stick to it. Once you have, you’ll be able to choose the right platforms to reach your audience, and you can start building a community around your brand. You can also use social media to listen to and respond to your audience. This shows the engaged user that you’re paying attention and engaging with them. Building relationships with your audience is a great way to develop trust and convince them that you are a reliable and trustworthy source of information.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing there is. Studies show that individuals open up to six email newsletters a day on average, so if you want to make sure that your email is reaching the right person, you need to consider the contents of your email more carefully. Most modern email marketing tools enable you to segment your lists and send different emails to different groups of people. This can be hugely beneficial for reaching the right audience and driving them to your website or blog. It also means that you can send out a different, more targeted email a few times a week.
Email marketing can also be very cost-effective. According to HubSpot Blogs, email marketing is 75% cheaper than other forms of digital marketing. The main reason behind this is that you’re not paying for traffic; you’re only paying for delivery of the email.
Display Advertising
Display advertising, including ads on social media sites like Facebook, is another extremely cost-effective way to gain web traffic. People often wonder what the difference is between online display ads and traditional print ads. While the formats may be similar, the targeting and results of the two differ greatly. Think about it this way: Would you rather have someone click on an ad for a hair stylist in your local newspaper or online? Most likely the latter.
The advantage of online display ads is that you can target the audience, determine the size of the ad, and get feedback on performance very quickly. Plus, you can measure the results of your ad in terms of traffic and conversions. You can’t do this with traditional print ads.
Offer Promotions
“Offer promotions” work a little bit like discounts or coupons for your customers. The idea is that you find a product that your customers might want but can’t afford, or a service that they need but can’t find the time to search for. Then, you promote a discount or coupon code for that product or service. Depending on the product and how well you perform, you’ll either get an increased order or someone to come back and make another purchase. This strategy is a lot more cost-effective than paying for individual clicks.
Offer promotions are a great way to build credibility with your customers. If your customers perceive that you’re constantly offering them deals or discounts for your product or service, they’ll begin to see you as a trustworthy source of information. Even if you don’t always end up selling the product or service, the potential for increased sales is there.
Offer promotions can also be a way to get brand recognition. If someone wants to buy a laptop but doesn’t know what model to choose, they might come across your advertisement and think, “Hey, this company is offering a great discount on that model, and I need a new laptop.” Then, they’ll click on your advertisement and learn about your offer. From there, they might visit your website or blog to learn more and make a purchase. This is why brand awareness and customer loyalty are important in today’s market. If someone wants to buy a Dell, they might not know which model to choose. So, they’ll see pictures of various Dell laptops and choose one that looks the best to them. This is called “word of mouth marketing,” and it happens naturally as people talk to each other about their experiences with products and services. When a customer purchases a laptop from Dell, they’ll often tell their friend or family member about their good experience with the brand. This is how brand awareness and customer loyalty are generated naturally between people. As a business owner or webmaster, you can encourage this interaction and gain credibility with your customers by offering promotions.
Content Marketing
“Content marketing” is quite simply creating and distributing content that is valuable and helpful to your audience. This could be in the form of an e-book, a how-to guide, an interview with a well-known figure in your industry, or something else entirely. When someone finds useful information on your website or blog, that’s usually because they were searching for that information when they visited your site.
As a business owner or webmaster, you have access to a large audience of potential customers. The challenge is using that platform to gain and retain consumer confidence while keeping your costs down. One of the best ways to do this is through content marketing. Consumers want to feel that they’re getting value for money, and content marketing gives you the perfect opportunity to provide that value. The fact is, if you want to gain and retain trust with your customers, you need to communicate effectively and consistently with them. This means engaging with your audience on social media, providing useful content on your website, and getting feedback on your product or service. With content marketing, you’re not only relying on search engines to drive traffic to your site, you’re also building and engaging with an audience of people who want to hear from you.