[This article was first published here in February 2021 and has been revised and updated.]
Almost every business has a website. And websites are critical for driving traffic and for the marketing functions of most businesses. Especially the website's blog.
Unfortunately, there is constant pressure on business owners and their marketing staff to get their website seen by more people. But just how to make that happen predictably?
Got Traffic? Why Your Website Matters.
It's a phrase that business owners hear all the time: "You need to drive traffic to your site." This is absolutely true, but it is far more than just having people visit your company's website.
Getting thousands of website visits, but having no one click into your site or take action once they're there is analogous to having thousands of people walk by your brick-and-mortar store, look in the windows, and never come inside.
Traffic is essential, but your website and your service or product offerings must be compelling, relevant, and inviting if you want visitors to stay, "go inside", and look around.
This may seem obvious, but it isn't always the case with many websites. To use the our store analogy again, imagine a shop that is poorly organized, dreary and unappealing, and doesn't reflect the promised goods or services communicated by the signage.
Sound a bit far-fetched? Perhaps, yet brands do this all the time with their websites.
The point here is that not only does your website matter, but the content you publish is absolutely critical for not only "driving traffic" but also for attracting the "right" traffic and motivating them to "come inside."
And one of the most effective content tactics for a website is a business blog.
Five Tips For Driving Traffic with Your Blog
The common term used for content published on blogs is a "blog post". However, in the world of business blogging and company websites, these posts are almost always more akin to magazine articles. Consequently, in this article we use the term blog article as opposed to a post.
Semantics aside, your company's blog is a powerful tool for driving traffic to your website by way of search results from Google and others.
Here are five tips for optimizing your company blog for driving more traffic to your website:
1. Craft Compelling Content
Ensure your blog articles are informative, engaging, and relevant to your target audience. Address common pain points, provide solutions, and offer valuable insights. High-quality content not only attracts readers but also encourages them to share your articles, driving more traffic to your website.
- Know your audience: Deep dive into your target audience's pain points, interests, and search queries. Create content that directly addresses their needs and delivers valuable insights.
- Go beyond basic information: Offer unique perspectives, actionable tips, and data-driven analysis. Aim for in-depth articles that stand out from the crowd.
- Focus on evergreen topics: While trending topics can attract short-term bursts of traffic, evergreen content stays relevant and attracts consistent views over time.
- Optimize for readability: Use clear formatting, concise language, and engaging visuals to ensure your content is easy to digest and enjoyable to read.
2. Master SEO
Implement search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve your blog's visibility in search engine results. This includes using relevant keywords in your titles, headers, meta descriptions, and throughout your content. Additionally, optimize images with alt text and ensure your website has a fast loading speed and mobile responsiveness, as these factors also impact SEO.
- Research relevant keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify keywords your target audience searches for and strategically incorporate them into your content.
- Optimize titles and meta descriptions: Craft compelling titles and meta descriptions that accurately reflect your content and entice users to click.
- Structure for search engines: Use clear headings, subheadings, and internal linking to improve website crawlability.
- Monitor and adapt: Regularly check your website analytics to see which keywords drive the most traffic and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
3. Leverage Social Media
Leverage social media platforms to promote your blog articles and drive traffic back to your website. Share snippets or quotes from your articles with a link to read more on your website. Engage with your audience by asking questions, encouraging discussions, and responding to comments to increase visibility and encourage sharing.
- Promote your articles on relevant platforms: Share your blog posts on social media channels where your target audience is active.
- Use engaging visuals and snippets: Create eye-catching graphics and teasers to capture attention and encourage clicks.
- Run targeted social media ads: Consider paid advertising campaigns to reach a wider audience interested in your niche.
- Engage with your community: Respond to comments and questions on social media to build relationships and encourage further engagement.
4. Build Email Marketing
Build an email list of subscribers interested in your industry or niche and regularly send out newsletters featuring your latest blog articles. Include enticing previews or summaries of your articles with a clear call-to-action to read more on your website. Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing leads and driving traffic directly to your blog.
- Grow your email list: Offer valuable incentives, like exclusive content or discounts, in exchange for sign-ups.
- Promote your blog in your email newsletter: Include teasers for your latest articles and encourage subscribers to visit your website.
- Segment your email list: Deliver targeted content based on subscriber interests and preferences for increased engagement.
- Track and analyze results: Monitor click-through rates and adjust your email strategy for better effectiveness.
5. Collaborate with Others
Explore opportunities for guest blogging on other websites or collaborating with influencers and industry experts in your niche. Guest blogging allows you to reach a new audience and drive traffic back to your website through the author bio or a contextual link within the content. Similarly, collaborating with influencers can help expose your blog to their followers, generating more traffic.
- Engage with influencers: Partner with relevant influencers to promote your content and website to their audience.
- Participate in online communities: Join industry forums and discussions to share your expertise and engage with potential customers.
Remember, driving traffic is a continuous process. By implementing these tips, creating high-quality content, and consistently promoting your blog, you can attract more visitors, engage your target audience, and ultimately drive valuable traffic to your company website.
And here is a great "bonus" tip:
Write Useful Content - Not "Sales Brochures"
A common mistake that many businesses make with their blog posts is talking about themselves. The temptation to simply a create thinly veiled "sales pitch" and call it a blog article is too much for some business owners.
However, your readers didn't click on the link to your blog post to read about how great your company is - they came for an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, or information to help them do something or make a decision.
Company Website Blogs: Are They Still Relevant?
There are many aspects to successful inbound marketing, and having and using a blog on your business website is an effective tactic. But many people today are starting to view blogs like some see email marketing: old school tools and tactics that aren't all the effective any longer.
Really?
It is true that blogging is more than 25 years old. According to one source,
Most experts agree that the first blog was Links.net, created in 1994 by then-student Justin Hall as a place to publish his writing. The site consisted entirely of brief posts, each one sharing a link and some of his thoughts on the content within.
And email has been around for 50 years now.
But here's the thing: email marketing boasts an average open rate of 22.86 percent and manages a click-through rate of 3.71 percent. Not shabby for old-school tech! And strategic business blogs have a similar impact in terms of content marketing.
Here's a few impressive statistics:
- Blogs routinely generate 3 times more leads than paid ads
- Companies that blog are 4 times more likely to be found high in organic search results
- Content marketing using blogs costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing
The bottom line is that blogging is not only still relevant, but is one of the most powerful content marketing tools you can employ to drive traffic to your website.
Drive Traffic With Your Company Website Blog. Successfully.
The reality is that a successful content marketing strategy built on a blog can drive traffic to your website and create new prospects for your business.
And, with the proper tactics in place, your brand can have an effective and efficient content marketing process.
But achieving your marketing objectives with a great content marketing strategy takes time and know-how. And it doesn't happen with a few, random blog posts or video content you happen to upload.
The overriding fact of content marketing is that people will need to consume your content for a while before they contact you. Yet, without your content compelling them to contact you, your goals may never be met. And, without consistent, high-quality articles published at an optimum frequency, you may fall short of your goals.
The good news is that you don't have to do it all alone. In fact, one of the best investments you can make with your marketing budget is to partner with a solid firm like BroadVision marketing. Click this link to learn how to get more out of your blog posts, or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.
