By the end of this year, there will be more than one billion websites on the Internet. That’s one billion competitors vying for the time and attention of potential customers. While a powerful, user-friendly site still serves as the foundation for any solid online presence, increasing competition online, regardless of the industry you’re in, requires you to do more than simply build a site and hope customers reach out to you. In order to drive visitors to your site, you have to employ a host of tactics, including…
Search Engine Optimization
Search engines such as Google and Bing strive to index most web pages to provide users with the best search information possible. However, your site’s presence on these engines isn’t enough to drive organic search engine traffic to you. Your search engine ranking, or where your site appears in a list of search results, is crucial to driving visitors to your site. Studies show that up to 75 percent of people never scroll past the first page of search results. Appearing within those first results, or better yet, dominating the majority of results on that first page, requires a combination of well-executed tactics. Keyword targeting, on-page optimization, and search engine-optimized content development are just a few of the tactics necessary to increase your search engine rankings and, ultimately, traffic to your site.
Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing, including pay-per-click ads, the “sponsored” results you see in prime areas of a search engine results page, can be a powerful way to quickly drive traffic to your site and generate leads. However, effective search engine marketing requires in-depth keyword research and a well-considered strategy to make the most of your advertising budget and ensure your ads are appearing on the search engine pages most likely to deliver the best ROI.
Social Media Marketing
Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and other social media channels are prime locations to find customers interested in your business. A strong presence on the appropriate social media platforms builds your brand name, establishes you as a thought-leader in your industry, and serves as a lead to your website. An in-depth social media strategy also allows you to target groups with a built-in interest in your business and establish a stronger connection with potential customers.
Online Marketing Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
SEO, PPC, and SMM are only three of many options you should explore to properly support your website’s presence. However, the specific marketing channels your business requires, and the manner in which those channels are used, depend on a variety of factors, including your industry, your target audience, and your own business goals. The strategy that works for one company may not work for your business, even if you’re both in the same industry. Selecting the most appropriate marketing options for your specific needs is important ensure you make the most of your site. An integrated marketing strategy, which relies on in-depth research on your business, its goals, competitors, and target audience, is a powerful tool to produce the most effective marketing plan for your business. When you follow a well-researched strategy, your online marketing can be one in a billion instead of simply one of a billion.
