Creating an eCommerce website is relatively simple to do, especially as there are so many website-building platforms out there designed to make it possible for just about anyone to do. Driving traffic to that website, learning more about them, and then hopefully persuading people to buy your products are more complex. The first step is to build an online presence, but this does not happen overnight. It takes time, effort, creativity, and persistence to achieve this. Your first task is to get your website in front of the right people, so here are five fantastic ways to drive more traffic to your website.
- Search engine optimization
When you are looking for a product or service, where do you start? For many, the answer to that question is typing a phrase or word into a search engine. The search engine’s algorithm then decides which websites are the best match for your query, and shows you them in order, the most relevant and high-quality ones appearing first. The big question is, how does the search engine decide which pages to display first? Answering that question is something that many people have made their full-time job, what digital marketing agencies are paid to be experts in, and what led to the birth of search engine optimization (SEO) as a term.
- Try digital advertising
You will have seen internet advertising in pretty much every corner of the internet. These adverts are placed on search engines, websites, or social media platforms, and clicking them will take you through to a website. The advertising brand only pays if someone clicks on their advert, and they can be strategically placed – i.e., where it is most likely to be seen by a relevant audience. It takes time to learn Google Ads, so it might be worth consulting a professional to ensure that you spend your advertising budget in the best possible way.
- Create content
Part of SEO is creating content that covers the topics and keywords that your audience are interested in (and are relevant to your product and industry). Keyword research will uncover which topics you should be covering so that you can create dedicated landing pages that address common questions. By showing visitors that you are knowledgeable about your industry, you can establish your website as an authority, boost your SEO ranking, and increase traffic.
- Tailor visitor journeys
You can go one step further by using the data you have about a visitor’s behavior on your site (which products they have viewed or content they have read) to tailor their experience. You can then highlight content or products that they should be interested in. If you then add tags to signup pages, you can tell which visitors signed up on which product page, enabling you to tailor your marketing to their preferences.
- Start email marketing
Email marketing is one of the more ‘traditional’ forms of digital marketing, but it can still be powerful. An email newsletter that includes information and/or promotions can encourage recipients to click through to the website. Email marketing lists should be segmented to ensure that your audience receives emails that are relevant to their buying history or behavior on the website. When emailing, remember to adhere to the law when sending marketing communications.
