So, you have created your stunning new website – it looks great and works perfectly, but it isn’t driving any meaningful traffic! That is because people don’t know about it yet and it needs to be properly promoted. Here are our top 10 tips on how to market your new website.
1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO is the process of increasing your website’s visibility so it can rank higher in search engine results. Unlike Search Engine Marketing (SEM), SEO is free, however, you may wish to use a combination of both when you first start out. With SEO, we would recommend using the Google keyword planner to find the keywords you can implement in your headings and text. Look out for longer keywords (shorter ones may be too broad) that have lower competition and a higher number of searches, which indicates there is a demand for related content.
Once you have identified your keywords, you can include them in your website copy, blogs, headings and picture tags. Keep in mind that it may take time for you to see results from SEO, but, when done properly, this will yield great results for your business.
2. Start a blog
Following on from the previous point, blogging is a fantastic way to optimise your website for search engines and give them regular, new content to index. This is also a great opportunity for you to position yourself as an expert, offer helpful advice and show off your knowledge, which would build credibility for potential customers who visit your website. Blogging also allows you to use different keywords depending on the topic, increasing your chances of attracting a wider audience.
3. Reciprocal links
A great tip on how to market your new website is reciprocal linking. This can be especially valuable if your website is still new and may not have built up the credibility to convert your visitors into customers. It can be achieved via guest blogging on other sites, forum posting and reaching out to other businesses for collaboration. Be careful of the sites you are associated with – try to choose websites that rank higher than yours, as being linked on lower ranking, low quality websites can actually decrease your ranking. Remember, quality over quantity of links and content is key when you market your website online.
4. Indexing and online directories
After you launch, your site needs to be indexed with Google via Google Search Console and you can do the same with other search engines too. Without indexing, your site is pretty much invisible and will not be discovered by potential visitors. You should also do this every time you create a new page, so that it can be found via organic search. Google My Business is a great option that allows you to upload your business details and photos for free and increases your online presence. When your site is registered with Google My Business, customers can find your location and contact you straight from the search results. You can market your website online by listing it on online directories like Yellow Pages, Yelp and more, as this could be another way for your potential customers to find you.
5. Think about branding
Your branding is an important element of your website marketing. Make sure you remain consistent with branded content on social media, add your website to your email signature and include your branding in your adverts etc. This will help to reinforce your brand and, consequently, your website, so that people start to recognise it and become familiar with it, which will make your business more credible and increase its visibility.
6. The power of social media
Social media is a fantastic way to connect with your audience, attract more customers and, of course, market your website online. By staying active on a number of platforms and engaging with your audience, you are more likely to encourage them to check out your website and, hopefully, turn them into one of your regular customers.
7. Retargeting
Another great piece of advice on how to market your new website is to use retargeting ads. These work by using tracking cookies, so that if your visitors leave, you can use targeted ads to invite them back onto your website. These could include some incentive, such as a promotional code they can use when they come back. Retargeting ads is a great way to turn casual browsers into customers and increase your conversion rate.
8. Share on forums
This is another instance where having regular blog content would come in handy. We would recommend joining relevant online groups and forums as a way to market your website online, however, be careful not to spam these spaces or come across as disingenuous. A good way to share your website is to link relevant blog posts where people are looking for advice or share your business when it is appropriate and helpful to the original poster.
9. Email marketing
A fantastic way to stay in touch with your customers and audience, email marketing is also great for driving traffic to your website. Make sure you always link back to the website in your newsletters and use email marketing to share new content you have added to the site.
10. Quality over quantity
Our most important tip on how to market your new website is to choose quality over quantity. Yes, consistency is important, however, it is better to have fewer, good quality blog posts than several a week without any real thought behind them, just so you can put something out. It’s better to be featured on fewer websites with more authority than several low-quality sites. Keep in mind that building your website’s search engine ranking can take time, but it will be rewarding in the long run if you remain patient and consistently create good content.
We can help you market your website online – if you enjoyed these tips and want to find out more, contact MacMartin team today on hello@macmartin.co.uk or 01283 703626.
