Daniel Vaczi
You’re months into your online marketing plan, and you’ve done everything by the book. You’ve put together the most beautiful and user-friendly website that you’ve ever seen, and your customers love it.
You’ve created a content calendar for your blog, which you update several times a week. You’ve put aside a healthy budget for paid traffic, and you’re actively monitoring your ad performance in your Google AdWords account. Any market expert would applaud your efforts.
Why is it that you’re still not getting traffic?
Offline, people love your brand, and business is healthy. Your store attracts people from everywhere, but on the Internet, you feel like a tiny speck. Could it be that a web presence just isn’t for your company? Absolutely not –whatever you do, don’t give up.
Your marketing plan you should have a traffic goal that you trying to reach. After all, if people are not coming to your website and learning about your value, it is doubtful that they are going to buy from you. You goal could be in the hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, or millions – if you don't reach it, it’s easy to feel discouraged.
Here are the five most common reasons why you’re not getting traffic. The good news is that with some simple adjustments, you can start seeing improvements.
1. You’re Reaching Out to the Wrong Crowd
Sure, you’re blogging, but are you actually reaching and engaging the people who are most interested in your products, or services?
When you blog are you ignoring keywords that your target customers are using to search for you? The solution to this problem is simple. Before writing, take a few minutes to research relevant keywords that you should be including. It’s a simple market research principle – know what your customers want and the terms that they use to find it (hint: forget industry jargon).
Once you know which phrases your target market is using to search, it's time to create some value based blog articles. Make sure that you use the keyword in the title and a few times in the body of the post. This will help the search engines determine what the post is about and will bring more targeted viewers.
2. You’re too Shy
You don't have to get all of your traffic through organic search. You may feel like it’s out of line to ask your customers to share your promotions, blog posts, and social media updates. You want people to spread the word, but you’re too self-conscious about asking them – after all, you don’t want to seem too ‘salesy’ or pushy.
Stop worrying so much. Of course, you shouldn’t beat people over the head with a marketing message, but every once in a while, encourage people to share. On your blog, for instance, make sure that you include social media buttons, and ask questions at the end of your posts. Position your brand as a conversation-starter, and stop lurking in the background. If you have something valuable to say, people will listen, and they’ll be glad to spread the word.
3. You’ve Lost Your Voice
Online marketing is just like traditional marketing in that it’s centered on human psychology. People are motivated by emotional, memorable, and positive experiences. When they’re happy, they’ll come back to your business – and make recommendations to friends too.
Make sure that you give your website a personal and conversational voice. Instead of being ‘just another’ commercial website, stand out from the crowd. Make people like you, and help them feel excited to do business with you.
With strategic copy writing and social media posts, the people behind your brand will shine through. Be a human being – not a company.
4. Poorly Planned Pay Per Click Ads
It could be the case that you’re reaching the right audience and that people are seeing your ads. But why aren’t they clicking through?
First of all, your calls-to-action may not be readily apparent. People need motivation to click on your ad. Make sure that you give them a compelling reason.
Second, your ads may not be conveying the information that is needed to deliver a valuable message. Your ad copy should be streamlined, simple, easy to read, and the benefit should be apparent. Stop writing so much – the core messaging should never get lost in a block of text.
5. Your Competition Is Outshining You
Have you been watching your competitors? Do you know who your top competitors are and what they are doing to drive traffic? They could be running stellar promotions and campaigns, and you may not even be aware.
Your excellent services or products alone may not be enough to attract new visitors and customers. Keep on eye on what the competition is doing. This doesn't mean just copy what you see, but seeing what they are doing may give you a breakthrough idea for a bigger, better and more successful campaign.
You Chime In
What are some of the most creative ways you have built traffic to your website? Join the discussion, and share your thoughts with your fellow readers in the comments section here.
