Targeted traffic to your website is step 1 of having the site, the other is to convert visitors to customers. The best website design and content only go so far if only friends, family and stumblers are looking at your site. There are so many websites in each industry trying to get the targeted traffic. Not all will succeed. While product or service will determine your niche, there is a niche within the niche that needs to be found to set you apart. It is not enough anymore trying to attract the masses. It is also not enough to stay within your core industry. We all have interests outside our core industry that are not necessarily easily identified. Certainly during regular season baseball and football it easy to see on Twitter which are my teams but there are other interests that are not so apparent.
The benefits of social media are still being uncovered and whether you are new or a seasoned vet, increasing targeted traffic is ongoing. Here are some ways to really reach your targeted market.
1. Brand Focused Website. Your core message and promise to your viewers/customers. Your product or service must live up to the brand and people will buy if they trust. The site looks professional, they have heard about and reaching that emotional side to make them need.
2. Traditional Marketing. The old one-way conversation still works as an introduction, enticement and a driving force to the website. This is straight advertising about how you add value to their lives.
3. Blog. Blogs create new and fresh content that bring the search engines crawling and wanting more. They are hungry for new but targeted content that you can give. Blogging is not always easy but knowing your market and what they want gets new visitors. Sometimes ones that were not necessarily sure they were being targeted.
4. Social Bookmarks. Bookmarking within your industry is first instinct. But bookmarking other interests that you introduces you to people who you may not have known had interest in your product/service. Some of the biggest clients or customers are gained from taking a step away from business and sharing interests.
5. Check Out Profile of other Blog Commenters. Not everyone leaves comments on blogs as we know but when you are leaving comments, click on the profile of others that are commenting. Not in a obsessive stalker way of looking at everyone but people you see commenting regularly. Reach out to blogs of interest and not just your industry. Time is limited between work, kids, events, etc but relaxing with interests could land some new customers.
6. Be Easy to Be Found. Add your blog to your email signature or a twitter or another profile. Not every profile url but the ones that you are active on. Be proud of what you do and what you write in a subtle way.
7. Create Newsletter. With something to say and not a sales flyer. We are bombarded with people trying to sell us and taking the tone of keeping people in the loop sets you apart and keeps them coming back for more.
These tips go beyond the ways we promote a website or promote a blog. Adding your site to local directories, adding blog to e-article sites are a part of reaching out to customers but this is about going outside of that to seek out customers. Social media is being out there for people to find you but you have to also seek them out in other areas. Keep in mind social media is the know before you sell. I always think of the person who never stops talking and dominates a conversation by talking over you. Do you really want to call that person everyday?
How targeted is your traffic?
photo credit: cliff1066
