There are lots of ways to choose to market your business online, but your website is the most integral part of your success. It’s the place where all of your online marketing tactics converge in one place, from your social media involvement to search engine optimization efforts. It’s also the first place most customers turn when they have a question, comment, or a desire to learn more about your Calgary company.
My job at Emphasize Design is to draw plenty of traffic to your business website. We use a wide range of marketing tactics to bring more customers to your most important online properties, but there are a few key tools I go back to every time. Here are seven of my favourite ways to market your business website for maximum value.
Eye-Catching Content
The content on your website should be relevant to your customers, and your business. It can be anything from a brief, few-hundred word blog post to a comprehensive whitepaper offering a deep dive on an important topic, but it always must provide value to the reader. The key is to offer useful advice, backed by real expertise. If you were a marketing company, for example, you might create valuable content by posting a free blog on how to generate more traffic for business websites. See what I did, there?
Blog, Blog, Blog
Much of your content will find a home on your website’s blog, and your blog should be a major traffic-generating resource. The secret to blogging is persistence. It takes time to build an audience, but you can fast-track the process by getting involved in the local blogging scene. Comment on other people’s blog posts, share useful posts from other sources, and of course create your own unique, valuable content. And most importantly, be authentic in whatever you are writing!
Get Social
Social media is a great marketing tool to build buzz for your business website, and it’s also an important communication tool. More and more, people turn to social when they want to contact your business. Just as with blogging, social marketing requires an investment in the community. Be nice, be active, and don’t be afraid to have a little fun. And again, be yourself! As prolific writer Simon Sinek says, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it”, so don’t be scared to show your follow-ship how passionate you are.
Simple Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The details of SEO can get technical, but the goal is simple – to help the right people find your website. By shaping your content to your industry and geographic area, your business website will perform better in search results. If you want your business noticed on Google, Yahoo, and Bing, it pays to land on the first page of search results. Plain and simple, you will attract vastly more visitors to your website if you are on the first page of Google (think about your own buying experiences here), so you’ve got to learn how to play the SEO game.
Targeted Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC is a bit like the sort of advertising you’d traditionally see in print or on TV, but with much better targeting. When you purchase a PPC ad, you determine who you want to see it and how much to budget for ads each day. PPC ads are a great supplement to your SEO and social marketing, especially when you’re trying to build an audience for a new website. Remember what I said above about being on the first page of Google and attracting more visitors ? This is a great way to start getting people to your website and testing if your website and conversion goals are working properly.
Build Interest with an E-Newsletter
We can help you decide whether a newsletter is the right fit for your business. To create an effective newsletter, pick a regular schedule, stick to it, and research your audience. Create content that appeals to the people you aim to reach, and always abide by Canada’s anti-spam legislation. Knowing your audience here is critical — send them valuable info that they are after! And it doesn’t hurt to survey your audience frequently as well to make sure you are providing them with the information they desire.
Join the Local Review Scene
We’ve noticed that organic reviews have gained more and more importance over the years. Sites like Yelp are a great way to generate publicity and spread the word about your business website. Even negative or lukewarm reviews present an opportunity, if you handle the response professionally. We can help you respond to negative reviews positively by listening to the reviewer’s concerns and addressing them respectfully. Even if you don’t win over that particular customer, others will see your professional, considerate response and respond favourably. Don’t forget to thank people for positive reviews, too!
The choices you make for your business website and how to market your Calgary business are ultimately in your hands. I’ve had success with each of these tactics for various websites, and it’s really about finding the right mix of tools to suit your needs. With the right plan in place, you’ll have no trouble building an effective website – and audience – for your business.
If you want to have a chat about how to implement these tips for your own business, I would be happy to do that at any time. Learn more about how our team will help you earn more leads with marketing that fits your budget.
Blogging and social media are two of the best tools that you can use to market online. These two must go together so you can maximize their use. Succeed in online marketing by following these tips.