There are so many ways to drive traffic to a website. Paid ads, social media, third party providers are just to name a few. But one of the best and most cost efficient (in the long term) ways to generate website traffic is to build out an effective Search Engine Optimization strategy.

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a super important part of your long-term digital marketing strategy. If you lean into it, this is one of the best ways to increase awareness around your small business without having to rely on channels like never ending PPC invoices.

1. Build a well designed website

One of the first things you’ll want to do when setting up your website is to create a sitemap. A sitemap is a file that you’ll provide to search engines, like Google, so that they can easily crawl your website and index everything form pages full of text to videos.

In addition to this technical piece to get you kickstarted, you’ll want to think about how to set up your site so that it is easy to navigate and find information from a customers point of view. Not only doe this benefit the website visitor, but Google takes a not of it too and can rank your website better based of off this. Some of the easiest website tools include Wix or Squarespace.

2. Focus on a specific niche

Google’s goal is to always provide the most relevant content to a users search queries. One way to be the most relevant is to build your website around a specific topic or niche. The more content you publish about your specified field the more you become an ‘expert’ in the that field and Google can label you as so.

So if baking is your niche, you shouldn’t be sprinkling in home buying tips in between your brownie recipes since that isn’t your forte. Doubling dow on this thought process, if you your a baker who specializes in French pastries, then hone that skillset and create even more specific content around that niche. You’ll have less competition and more likely to be deemed as that ‘expert’.

3. Choose relevant keywords

A specific topic or niche should make it fairly easy to pick keywords to build your SEO strategy around. Keywords will be the main piece of the puzzle driving organic search traffic to your site.

To get the most out of the keyword you choose, don’t over use them unnaturally in content. Instead, take the parts of your site- images, videos, articles- and summarize them to find more useful long-tail keywords to help differentiate your site more.

4. Optimize your pages

Optimizing website pages can include anything from speeding up page load times to enhancing images on the site.

By doing maintenance like reducing page load times you’ll be helping out metrics like bounce rate- where a user visits and then immediately leaves the site without looking at any other content.

If you have no idea how slow your web pages are, check out tools like Google Page Insights to gather information on where your site may be falling short and some recommendations on how to fix those issues.

5. Generate eye catching headlines

Headlines like ‘100 Ways To Make Delicious, Homemade Bread’ are really great ways to catch the attention of an audience and provide a concise snippet of what to expect to get out of a a piece of content; however, headlines a titles are two very different things.

For example, the same ‘title’ version of that previous headline may just read ‘100 Bread Recipes’. It’s concise, to the point and Google understands it a who lot better. This is what would typically show on the search results page in a search engine like Google or Bing.

Important to note- your headline and title should always accurately describe what is on that web page.Google takes notes of these types of things which can hurt your overall authority moving forward.

6. Don’t forget the metadata

Metadata! The stuff Google robots read.

Make sure that each and every page on your website is filled to the brim with unique and high quality metadata.

Things like meta descriptions should be different of every single page on the site and hyper specific to that pages topic. This will provide Google additional insight into what is on that page. If you have a good meta description, concise title, and niche keyword strategy, your site will be a triple threat to other competing for those free listings.

7. Always internally link

This is the one type of linking you have total control over since this lives on your website. The goal with internal linking is to hyperlink related articles or content to one another to create a network of communication. Typically, these links are used sparingly and implemented only when it makes the most sense to connect content without jeopardizing the readability of the content.

A paragraph full of links really doesn’t go over well with a website visitor or with Google.

8. Be sure to external link too

You also have a lot of control on your site on who you link out to. External (also known as outbound) links help build domain authority, but can seem counter intuitive since you’re trying to keep traffic on your website.

The key to this helping boost your SEO strategy is linking to trustworthy content, from authority sites- not sites perceived as spam-like. This will help your site also appear to be an authority and can help Google understand what your content is about.

9. Encourage incoming links

Creating an external network of links pointing back at your site will also help build your websites authority and will theoretically rank better from the niche keywords you create content around.

Google really prioritizes sites that have a lot of different, well established sites, publishing URLs back to one website.

You also need be careful as you try and increase those incoming links, website that are spammy will decrease your domain authority link term.

10. Consistency is key with content

Blogging on a consistent cadence can really help move the needle in regards to site traffic.

Blogs will allow you to dig deep into specific channels of conversation and provide a deeper level of insight than your website typically can. Not only can you get extremely granular with the information you’ll supply to readers, but you’ll also have the ability to create a persona around your small business and really work on developing that tone of voice.

11. Analyze the data

Make sure your website performance is being tracked. You’ll want to know exactly who, where, when, and why someone decided to visit your site so you can duplicate those efforts to being in more traffic. Google Analytics is a free software anyone can use to monitor that performance, others include SEMRush, Clicky, and Matomo to name a few.

 

These 11 ways to increase website traffic is just the tip of the iceberg. SEO can be a complex piece of the puzzle if you let it be, but these tips are here to set you and your small business up for success. Use this information in tandem with a solid SEM strategy and you’ve hit search engine gold!

 

 

References

Stibbe, M. (2022, January 26). How to increase organic traffic: 11 top SEO tips. Articulate Marketing. https://www.articulatemarketing.com/blog/increase-organic-site-traffic

Williams, M. (2021, March 23). 10 Easy But Powerful SEO Tips to Boost Traffic to Your Website. PCMAG. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/easy-but-powerful-seo-tips-to-boost-traffic-to-your-website

Search Engine Marketing is one of the most commonly used channels by business owners large and small.

It’s a great tool to reach users browsing on search engines like Google or Bing and in turn drive them to you businesses website. But wait.. every click does cost!

Before flipping the switch on your small business SEM campaigns you must know a few things!

Determine Your Budget

Determining how much you can spend on SEM is the first step in a successful SEM strategy.

If you have no clue how to determine what you’re able to afford, back track to this customer lifetime value lesson to get you started on the right foot! Once you have a good idea what type of budget you have on hand, think about the ultimate goal of the campaigns.

Are you trying to raise brand awareness? Maybe you’re looking for more e-commerce sales?

This will be a huge driver in how much budget you should allocate to the different types of campaigns you run.

The biggest tip of all- don’t take the ‘recommended budget’ from Google or Microsoft Ads to heart. Ultimately, the more you spend on Google and Microsoft, the more cash lands in their pocket. Understand that it takes more than an algorithm to properly set up the appropriate budget.

Go Local

Geography and targeted locations plays a huge part in not only how much you need to spend on SEM ads, but how relevant the users are that you’re targeting.

If you’re feeling optimistic about a 100 mile radius surrounding your brick and mortar store. Pause. Take a look at sales data and see if that town, an hour away is actually generating sales for your business. If there’s no data linked to a location, you can probably exclude it from your targeted geography when you’re getting started. There may be opportunities down the line to experiment with thise outliers and drive awareness.

Best practice here is hitting close to home- go local and hone in on the customers in your backyard, then expand.

Quality Keywords

The real meat and potatoes of your SEM ads… keywords! These are the terms you’ll be using that budget on and boy do they matter.

To make your budget go the farthest for the least amount of budget, you should be going after niche keywords related to your small business. These niche keywords typically cost less money and are hyper-focused on the audience you’re going after.

The keyword “used cars” is entirely more competitive and expensive to bid on than “pink 2001 Pontiac Firebird”. So be as specific as possible when adding keywords to campaigns to get the most for your dollar.

Don’t Forget Negatives

Just as important as keywords is negative keywords! This is a non-negotiable, must have on each an every campaign.

Adding negative keywords tells Google or Microsoft what search terms don’t align with our campaign goals. Without negatives, you’re at risk of paying for unwanted, low quality clicks to your website- especially if you’re utilizing broad match keywords.

So tidy up those campaigns and don’t spend your hard earned dollars on search terms like “used craiglist accent chair” when you were aiming for “new accent chair” clicks.

Engaging Ad Copy

Creating high quality ad copy is a key component in a successful SEM campaign. Make sure your ads check off each of these must have’s:

• Relevant to the search and contains keywords
• Headline uses a highly targeted keyword
• Create a sense of urgency  (ex. 1 week only)
• Address customer pain points and provide a solution (ex. in stock)
• Highlight your value proposition (ex. free delivery)

No matter how much budget you have invested into your campaigns, Google and Bing will still take into account the ad content when determining what ad to display to their users.

Bonus: Ad Extensions

Ad extensions won’t make or break your SEM campaigns, but can they sure can increase your click through rate!

Extensions are a dynamic part of your SEM ads and are swapped out base don a users intent. Must haves for any campaign include:

• Location extensions- these link to your Google Business Profile
• Call extensions- help users get in direct contact with you
• Callouts- highlight noticeable services to set you apart from the competition
• Sitelinks- takes a user directly to a specific part of the websites

Other extensions include images and promotions to name a few, but these are more specific to the individual needs of the business.

 

There is so much to analyze within SEM, but these must know’s are a great first step into setting up your campaigns for success. Try them out or drop a note about your favorite “must know” SEM tip!

 

 

 

References:

D&Apos;Angelo, M. (2021, November 12). Google Ads Secrets: What Works for Small Business. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7139-adwords-small-business.html

Google. (n.d.-a). 9 tips for Google Ads budget management. Google Ads. https://ads.google.com/intl/en_id/home/resources/stretching-your-google-ads-budget/

Google. (n.d.-b). Google Ads Best Practices – Google Ads Help. Google Ads Help. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6154846?hl=en

Kumar, B. (2020, April 21). 11 PPC (Google Ads) Management Strategies For Small Business. Media Challengers. https://www.mediachallengers.com/11-ppc-google-ads-management-strategies-for-small-business/

We’ve all seen it.

You’re scrolling through your timeline and there it is.

That corny, stock photo a local business shares on their profile just for the sake of posting. Bonus points if it’s a “National” Pancake-Bicycle-Chocolate Cake-Macarena Day.

Does it actually interest that businesses audience? Or do followers scroll past without batting an eye?

Chances are that generic post is off-putting to followers who actually want to engage with you. Before you schedule the next month’s worth of content put these 5 hacks to use!

 

Pick Your Platforms Wisely

First things first.

Look a what social media platforms you have an business profile on and which platforms you consistently add content to?

So many small business owners want to reach a wide range of users, but it’s important to scale and identify where your efforts go the farthest.

If your business has a page on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, but you only consistently post to Instagram- you’re spread way to thin.

Choose 2 to 3 social media channels to pour into and post regularly to get the most out of each platform!

 

Focus On Engagement

Vanity KPIs- impressions, reach, profile visits to name a few. These all play a part when used in tandem with specific social media goals, but never a good metric to measure as a standalone number.

The real measurement of successful social posts is engagement. Engagement rates, specifically, are metrics that track how actively involved your audience is with the content you post.

Engagement Rate= (# of interactions/reach) * 100

Customers who are highly engaged with your small business’ social media page will like, comment, or even share the content you post. This is how you gauge the effectiveness of your page- not by how many profiles a post reached.

This also means that you should engage with your audience!

Show users that your business is interested and eager to participate in the conversation being created. This helps you two fold with brand building and additional exposure on the post thanks to the increased interactions.

 

Share User-Created Content

Finding inspiration for continuous content can be tough. Enter: user generated content!

User generated content can be anything from a review to a video, but the premise of it’s draw is that it is original content that comes from a real person- not a brand. Having a hashtag for your small business is an easy way to help users mention your business and connect people who view that hashtag to your customer base on social media.

This can be be a real gold mine for future posts! Tap into that audience and get ready to share how your business directly affects customers!

 

Fine Tune Your Profile

Sometimes what’s not so obvious is the extent to which your profile is actually built out.

Be sure to include:

• Clear profile image- whether that be a headshot or a logo, make it readable!
• Interesting bio- make it stand out and grab the attention of the profile visitor!
• Link to your website- don’t miss out on potential website traffic. No site? Link to another social profile on a different platform!
• Physical location and phone number- great to establishing a local business to drive foot traffic!
• Call-To-Action buttons like ‘Schedule An Appointment’- if it applies of course!

Adding relevant information is key in helping a profile visitor understand your small business and make a great first impression.

 

Don’t Skimp On Stories

Make sure you’re utilizing all the tools your platform has to offer!

This means stories on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Starting a live stream on Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn. Or even polls on LinkedIn or within an Instagram story!

Using different features addresses all types of users and their browsing preferences. Just because traditional posts work great for your business, doesn’t mean your missing out on additional opportunities on the platform.

 

 

References:

Beveridge, C. (2022, January 14). What is User-Generated Content? And Why is it Important? Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/user-generated-content-ugc/

Sauthier, A. (2021, December 10). Are You Using The Right Formula To Calculate Your Social Media Engagement Rate? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/05/14/are-you-using-the-right-formula-to-calculate-your-social-media-engagement-rate/?sh=a73e85450b8c

Digital marketing can be a costly venture for a lot of small business owners and full of really important questions to be asking to get the most out of that spend.

How much money should I be spending on paid advertising? 

What providers are going to get me the most bang for my buck? 

How do I know how much budget to allocate to each channel and what can I really afford?

There are so many questions you could ask about how to cut out digital marketing waste!  I’ve narrowed it down to 3 main objectives you should be looking into to find inefficiencies and feel good about where and what you’re spending those dollars on. Every dollar counts when you’re a small operation!

1. Clean Your Data!

Having correct and clear customer data is vital to your digital marketing efforts, wether you’ve just launched you business or you’ve been established for awhile. Make sure you have a concise  way to collect and update your customer information so that you’re able to connect and target them with the most updated information. Nothing says inefficient like sending targeted ads for a new sectional couch to a user who has already purchased one!

I also highly encourage using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to organize and help automate your sales and data collection. If you’re just getting started with digital marketing for your small business, there are affordable and even free- yes, free- CRM software available to you. Check out Hubspot’s starter CRM here.

2. Understand Your Digital Channel Budget Allocation

Chances are you probably know how much you’re spending as a whole on each of your digital marketing channels. The website gets this much, social media PPC ads get that much, so on and so forth. But if you are paying others for help, are you aware of what your provider management fees are for each of those channels? What about any additional fees they may include, like creative or production costs? Maybe you’ve opted into a feature you don’t use or forgot to cancel?

Breaking down the fine print of those contracts is just as important as understanding the budget as a whole. Most of the time there are some inefficiencies and excess you’re able to cut out to improve your return on investment. Trusting digital providers to put your businesses best interest at heart is optimistic and you should be following up on these questions to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

3. Overlapping Products

If you’re using a digital provider for some aspect of your marketing, sometimes they offer a wide range of services outside of what you originally hired them for. It’s good to have on file what exactly you’re paying for before looking into other tools or services to push your business forward.

For example, if your social media marketing provider offers you a creative package for your brand and charges a fee for hosting your Hootsuite account, see if you could get that waived and ask the provider to post using tools like Meta Business Manager’s Planner tool (which is free). If your budget is tight there’s no reason to be paying for a tool very similar to one that is available to you for no cost.

 

These touch points are a great way to get an overarching view of where your budget is going. Finding ways to improve your digital marketing strategy is an ongoing process, but a worthwhile one to allow more profit to flow into your pocket.

 

References:

Barraclough, D. (2022, January 12). How Much Does Digital Marketing Cost in 2022? Expert Market US. https://www.expertmarket.com/digital-marketing/digital-marketing-cost

Hubspot. (n.d.). HubSpot | Best Free CRM Software for Businesses. https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm