How to Drive Local Traffic to Your Website
One piece of advice that most new business owners will get is that creating a website is essential for being successful. While that advice is great, it doesn’t address a major issue. How do you actually get people in your area to see your website? We’re sharing tips for getting your local target audience to your website.
Choose the Right URL
Bringing traffic to your website starts before you even create the site itself. Think carefully about your business web address. Your URL should be professional, short, and easy to remember. The obvious choice is using your business name and a simple .com address. If possible, avoid using the free URL given to you when creating a website with a design tool. The extra words are confusing and unnecessary. A custom URL will cost more, but the investment is well worth it to claim your home on the internet.
If you have a URL that you don’t love, it can always be changed. Just remember to update it online and on print materials to avoid confusion.
Connect Your Social Media
Social media is all about building connections. It’s an easy, and usually fun, way to connect with customers and people who live in your area. Use your social media presence to drive traffic to your website. The first step is linking to your website in your profiles. When you’ve established an audience on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, post blog updates as you publish them. Encourage your followers to click and read more. When followers have questions, answer them, then direct them to your site for more information.
Join Local Groups
While you’re using social media, look for local groups to join. There are groups for nearly every industry, interest, location, and demographic. Often, professional groups will choose a specific day of the week when business owners can post their information, a link to their website, or a picture of their business card. Take advantage and promote your business. You’ll benefit from the visibility and it will be easy for others to click over to your profile and find your website.
Put Your Info on Directories
What better way to share your web address than on a list meant for just that? Local business directories are a wealth of information for those in need of local services. Often, being part of a directory is free or comes with minimal cost. The lists are either location specific, or offer the option to search by location, making it easy to reach your target audience with little to no effort involved.
Use SEO Content to Appear in Searches
SEO is the key to driving traffic to your website in a meaningful way. A lot of factors go into a strong SEO plan, from keyword to image alt text to inbound links. If you’re new to the world of search engine optimization, start by consistently generating new, useful, well written content on your website.
What is a great website if there are no visitors to appreciate it? DBR Visuals can help you reach your target audience and keep visitors coming to your website. To learn more about the services we have to offer, contact us.
