So you want to be number one on google… Want hundreds of visitors a day but do not know where to start?
Allow us to piece together some of the top tips we use every day to help our clients grow and scale without even spending a cent.
A Note On Ranking Number One On Google
Now before we begin, please read the following disclaimer…
There is no such thing as an overnight success story. Whilst many claim they can get you to number one on Google in a matter of days. It truly does depend on the competition, how well you implement your strategy and damn good hard work.
Now let us begin…
1 – Plan Your Websites Foundations – links
For many just having a website makes them feel they have an online presence and can take over the world.
Whilst this statement puts them steps ahead of competitors, all it takes is one users bad experience on a website and he or she won’t come back for a visit.
The same applies to an actual shop. If you receive a bad experience why the devil would you go back?
This is why we need to plan a strategy that fits, your business model.
Begin by writing down your key areas of focus. What do you offer your customers? What must we really sing praise about and how easy is it to get them there?
You may have heard of funnels well we need to work out what page we want them to land on and what is our end goal? More on this later… Internal Links!
A great guide for building your website foundations can be found here.
Download their awesome Word Document Template.
2 – Write Down Your Goals For Your Site – Who is your key market?
So what are your goals as a business? Do you want to get more bookings for your restaurant or Bed And Breakfast? Are you planning to sell online?
And the most important… Who is your key market?
The reason we say this is… It is all well and good making a pretty technical website that you love but if your clients aren’t technical minded… Then no one will ever convert into a customer!
Write down your key goals and competitors in the field… We want to see what they are doing and do it better!
3 – Do Keyword Research
Whilst many believe SEO is dead, and keywords do not matter… They truly do! If you want to be found on Google for “Hairdresser in Plettenberg Bay” or anything in particular we need to do our research.
First things first… Get onto Ubersuggest
Search a key word and see how popular it is.
This enables us to get a better understanding on the competition and how we need to tackle the situation.
4 – Domain Name
Now this should be something you have purchased a long time ago, however if you are just starting out it will be vital to your success.
Ideally we want it to be the same as our business name, but in todays world most domain names are already purchased.
Struggling for a name? We recommend – Business Name Generator
A couple of things to remember though, often people will have to type this in so try not to make it hard to spell or mega long that people end up going elsewhere.
We can help with domain names.
5 – Hosting That Slays
Now we are down to business! With all the plans in place and your domain name ordered… It is time to find Web Hosting that not only is competitive in price but also offers all the requirements you need.
It is all well and good ordering the cheapest, but just like purchasing a cheap computer, you will always regret spending those extra few cents.
Speed is everything and we will talk about this later but key indicators to look out for include:
- Speed – Whilst the server may be cheap if it is a low specification your site will load slowly causing users to leave.
- Space – Make sure you have enough space to grow your business. The last thing we want is to have to cancel and move.
- Backups – If something breaks… It is your fault. This is why we recommend finding a hosting provider that offers regular backups.
- SLA – Service Level Agreement to ensure your site is up and reliable 24/7.
- cPanel – Whilst not vital it will help with installations and email integration
More Web Hosting Provider Should Haves can be found here.
Also be sure to check reviews as whilst any company can look professional, you only really find out about them when its too late. So check how others feel about their services.
We offer Website Hosting packages to suit all types of businesses.
6 – Create a user friendly site
With your Website Hosting and Domain name organised it is time to create the website. Whilst there are plenty of FREE Website builders out there such as Squarespace, Wix, etc we recommend WordPress.
Now that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to as a lot of this guide works with all types of platforms however below may help sway your judgement:
10 Reasons Why We Recommend WordPress For Your Business Website
One of the great things about WordPress is the fact you can expand the site facilities with a click of a few buttons. With plenty of themes and plugins to choose from it truly is an amazing CMS platform.
The Ultimate Guide To Basic WordPress Functions
You do not need to be a developer to make it work. Although if you are looking for a combination of domain name, professional email, hosting and a professionally built WordPress site then… Get A FREE Website today!
7 – Install an SEO Plugin
If you are not using WordPress you can manually add your SEO such as Meta Titles, Meta Descriptions and so on via the usual html code.
A lot of other free Website Builders offer basic functionality for this as well. However for us this is one of the key reasons why WordPress is such a fantastic platform to use. It not only enables a lot of solutions from the word GO, but also offers the ability to install additional features.
We recommend Yoast SEO, also All In One SEO is another great solution.
Both guide you through integration from the word go enabling a head start on your competitors.
8 – Security
Many think security is sorted by your Website Host, however we have often received emails from people who have hosted else where saying their website is hacked can we help fix it.
Due to how popular WordPress is online, there is no wonder why people are regularly trying to hack and cause exploitation of WordPress websites.
So whilst it may not be beneficial to you for ranking higher, but the last thing you want is to lose your site to hackers.
A great guide on hardening your security can be found here.
9 – Speed Is King
As mentioned before it is all well and good ensuring your website is fast but with a poor Website Host provider then you have no hope. This is why we recommend starting off with a company that focuses on WordPress websites.
Once you know your host is completely supported it is time to get down to the nitty gritty.
Two websites to help test your websites speed are:
Both tools are free and give you an insight into what is slowing down your site.
Usually the key factors are:
- Too many plugins
- Poorly coded theme
- Large uncompressed images
- Lack of Gzip and Minifying code
If you are using WordPress then we recommend the following plugin:
It will help walk you through the key aspects to consider when trying to speed up your site. A click of a few buttons and your speed will have dropped drastically.
If however you aren’t a fan of tweaking things yourself get in touch about our Aggressive Speed Enhancements.
10 – Plugin Updates
The more plugins you have the slower your site will become. However that being said these plugins often help build key functionality aspects to help make your site more user friendly.
Updates to themes and Plugins are vital as often they offer speed enhancements, security amendments and much more. So keep on top of things…
The Importance Of Updating Plugins And Themes
If you struggle keeping up with updates, we offer maintenance packages just for you… WordPress Care Plans.
11 – Image Alt Tags
It is all well and good uploading images to your site that are visually pleasing but what happens when they don’t load?
This is how Google sees your pages… With no images… So you need to explain the images to Google (and other search engines) in order for Google to know to show them in Search Results.
We like to imagine it as if Google is blind to images. So how would you describe the image so that it can share the image with billions online? This is where Image Alt Tags come in.
So for example if it was a picture of in Joes Pizzeria drinking a coke, you could title it “Customer at Joes Pizzeria in Plettenberg Bay Drinking A Coke”.
That way people searching Google for Pizzeria near by will see it alongside people searching customers at Joes Pizzeria etc.
Try to use keywords but do not under any circumstances keyword stuff (more on this later).
12 – Meta Titles
Each page on your website should have unique, and relevant Meta Titles. This is the blue text you see on Google when searching for a particular product or service.
It is also the title that appears at the top of your browser when on a website.
So you can begin to understand the importance, and why they must be as relevant as possible. It is best to refer back to earlier when we spoke about keywords and look into relevant words that flow.
Remember there is a character limit so don’t go too mad!
More on meta titles can be found here.
13 – Meta Descriptions
Working in a similar way to your Meta Titles, the Meta Description is just as important, offering additional space to really scream and shout about what your web page has to offer.
From a Google perspective it is the text that appears below the blue title… This is your Meta Description.
Whilst search engines claim the meta description has no relevance to Search Ranking we recommend making the most of it as an advert piece to really get the visitors attention.
The character limit varies and is often changing but as of today… it is 155 characters so make the most of it… We tend to finish with the following “…” as it teases the visitor that there is more to see.
More on meta descriptions can be found here.
14 – Mobile Responsive
In todays modern age more and more people are turning to Mobile over Desktop PC’s. Just think you are sitting on the sofa watching your favourite show and when the break comes on, rather than watch the adverts you turn to your phone.
This is why your website needs to be Mobile Friendly. There is a difference between mobile friend and responsive, as responsive adapts to your screen size.
One of the great things about WordPress is it comes out the box mobile ready. Use online test sites to check how your site looks and feels on mobile, and remember just because you may have an Android, doesn’t mean it will look and feel the same on an Apple iPhone.
Google offer a mobile tester which is great to see what they look for. You can find it here.
15 – Sitemap
A Sitemap is like a family tree for your website pages. It basically is a list of all the pages on your website with a link to it. The idea is it helps search engine bots to scrape your website and find pages easier.
Without a sitemap, your website is left in the dark as search engine bots try don’t know what pages your site has.
One of the great things about Yoast SEO (the plugin we mentioned earlier) is the fact that it creates your Sitemap for you and when you update/add new content it will automatically add this to your Sitemap saving you time and submitting it to Google even quicker!
So we advise taking full advantage of this. If however you don’t use WordPress or Yoast, then do not panic! You can create your very own sitemap free of charge online here.
16 – Google Analytics
One of the most truly underrated platforms online is Google Analytics. The fact it is FREE is beyond us. With the facilities and offerings available it enables you to drill down exactly where your customers are coming from, how long they spend on your site, what pages they visit and much more.
It is only when you truly look into the functions you begin to realise you can drill down further into demographics, such as what browsers they use, their age, language and much more.
A true marketing analysis tool that is often neglected. Take this information and amend your site accordingly based on the facts and figures.
You can access it here.
17 – Google Webmaster
Another one of Googles great tools is the Google Webmaster Console. Linked primarily to Googles search engine it enables us to look further into key functionality of our website, positions on Google, sitemaps, errors and much more.
Make sure you sign up today! You can usually verify your site via your Google Analytics account however if this is not possible then you will need to insert a bit of custom code for verification on your website.
You can access it here.
18 – Submit Sitemap
We mentioned earlier the importance of a Sitemap, but what use is it without actually letting search engines know you have one?
This is why we recommended setting up Google Webmaster. Once you have verified your account browse the left menu for sitemaps and you have the ability to add them here.
Don’t expect an instant surge from Google, but we are on the way to getting noticed!
One thing to remember is that there is more than one search engine out there… So don’t get too attached to Google. After submitting it to Google Webmaster, we recommend signing up to Bing Webmaster and submitting to their sitemap facility also. Which can be found here.
19 – Avoid Keyword Stuffing
It has been mentioned throughout but one thing to avoid is keyword stuffing… It wont get you brownie points and it could potentially get you penalised for incorrect use of keywords.
So if you are ranking for Pizzeria, don’t use the word so much that every other word is pizzeria.
Look into keywords that are similar but other words. For example people may be using like pizza shop, restaurant etc.
We also recommend the use of long tail keywords. The tool here may help.
20 – Display Pretty Permalinks
From the word go, your websites url structure should be easy to understand and relevant. It not only helps users to understand where they are on your website but also helps search engines.
In basic terms, you don’t want a link like www.domain.com/123-dkmf-13 rather have it as www.domain.com/about-us/
If you are making the pages without a CMS you can do this by naming each page as the correct title you want.
Whereas one great thing about WordPress is its ability to change these urls automatically at a click of a button. In the backend under settings there is a tab called permalinks.
Change this to the correct type and click save.
Just be warned if you do this it will change the url for all your pages so if you already rank well with the poor structured names you will need to create a redirection to the new links.
21 – Optimise Your Photos
We mentioned earlier the importance of speed and also about Image Alt tags, but one thing we didn’t mention was the size of your images and how it can affect your site.
Image load times is often one of the most killer reasons for a bounce rate. If images don’t load and it slows down the whole site then people opt to leave the site and go else where.
So ensure they are optimised. Firstly the size of your images can be reduced by resizing them. No one wants to load a 5000×5000 images when it only fits a 1200×1200 block. So get this resized.
You do not need to be a Photoshop genius to do this… We have create an online tool just for you…
https://xploited.media/image/editor/
Once you have finalised your image size then get them uploaded to an Image compression tool. This will remove any unwanted image data saving even more space. A few we recommend include:
22 – Use Location To Boost Local SEO
Now we won’t go right into local SEO as that opens a whole new list of tasks, however if you are a local business looking for more leads in your area then local SEO is your top priority.
Schema Markup is a vital part of Local SEO and more can be found on this here.
Without stuffing too many keywords, also try and include the location in your meta and content where applicable.
23 – Internal Links
When a search engine bot scrapes your website, it looks for do-follow links to take it to other pages on your website. This is where Internal links come in.
It is another reason why in blog posts you often see links to other relevant posts on the site. It helps search engines scrape more than one page.
Another reason for Internal links is to help keep users on your site for longer and go from one page to another.
So if you are writing a blog post about a particular topic and have something relevant that you feel could be linked to… Make sure you do! It will help.
We also recommend external linking to show you are confident in your work but more on that later.
24 – Broken Links
Broken links are the bane of our existence, and in many cases can often cause issues for visitors. There is nothing worse than a link that used to work and now has just disappeared!
Imagine having limited time, you search Google and find the top result for what you want… Click it… 404 – Page Not Found!
How annoying is that. Google sees this as a bounce when they go straight back after visiting a wrong page. Thats why where possible if you have mistyped something or spelt it wrong make sure to check this.
A tool we use is – Screaming Frog It scrapes your website links for any errors.
You can also use Google Webmaster, to check for errors and 404’s etc.
25 – Duplicate Alt Tags
We mentioned Image Alt Tags earlier but there is nothing like multiple tags the same, it just doesn’t seem natural and Google thinks the same. Often leading to some images skipped because Google thinks it’s the same as the image prior.
More on Image Alt Tags can be seen here.
26 – Duplicate Meta Titles And Descriptions
In a similar way to Image Alt Tags, it is best to ensure every page is unique and no duplicate content. The same applies to your meta titles and descriptions.
If Google sees two pages with the same title and description it will skip one thinking it’s an accident. This alone is bad for your site. So ensure they are all unique. Struggling for ideas? Have a browse on Google at similar posts for ideas and tweak accordingly.
One of the best tools in the game to avoid duplicate Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions is Scream Frog. It not only scrapes your website but looks for missing Meta Titles, Duplicate content and much more. The FREE version should be just enough.
27 – Use of Headers – H1, H2, H3 and so on…
Whilst you cannot keep all you keywords in your Meta Title, we can also use those low hanging fruits called Headers.
For example earlier we mentioned Joe and his Pizzeria, but maybe a long tail keyword is:
“Best Italian Based Pizza’s In Cape Town”
So use this as a Heading 2 (H2). Google prioritises these headers as it helps prioritise the page.
It also helps from a user perspective. For example this post, you will skim the headers until you find one interesting. We are lazy human beings and only read what we want to. So make it easier for everyone.
28 – Analyse Bounce Rate
Bounce rate relates to people literally bouncing off of your site.
Have you ever clicked a link from Google and straight away thought nope this is wrong and then left? Well that affects peoples bounce rate. For us this tells a lot about a potential website and where improvements need to be made.
For example:
- Are you marketing to the wrong people?
- Is one acquisition working better than another?
- Is our page optimised?
- Are you showing the wrong content on first load?
- Is your sites speed up to scratch?
All things you can gain from Google Analytics. Alternatively get in touch with us so we can audit your site for you.
29 – Encourage Social Sharing
Whilst many will argue on the importance of social media for ranking high on Google there is so much more to consider.
Firstly, pages that are shared more often are seen as beneficial pages to go and follow… So argue against that people!
Secondly, Search Engines are not always the main priority! Think about all those people you have on Social Media, that are potential visitors/clients. So making your page easier to share is key.
There are plugins that are worthwhile when you are using WordPress. Alternatively, Facebook has its own code you can embed with ease.
Make it easy for people to share and naturally they will.
30 – Social Media – Get on Facebook
Now if you don’t have a personal account on Facebook then you are extremely behind with the times!
Next step is to create a Facebook Business page. This page will be vital for sharing content, engaging with potential customers and much more.
Optimise your account by creating a Facebook Pixel for your website, which will help when you run a Facebook Ad Campaign later on. Whilst this post is all about cheap and easy ways to grow your site.
Do not forget that Facebook paid ads are currently underpriced. This wont last forever.
Once your page is created, make sure the layout matches a similar theme to your website, so use your logo and colours throughout not to confuse people, and add an icon on your site so people know where to find you.
There are other aspects we would recommend like chatbots, but more of that in another post.
For creating beautiful banners we recommend – Canva
31 – Social Media – Get on Instagram
Instagram works wonders for some of our clients, with a huge return on investment. However don’t think it is for everyone. For example some businesses are much more visually pleasing which is exactly what works on Instagram, such as Travel businesses, coffee shops and restaurants.
Whilst businesses like accountants and lawyers need to be a lot smarter with their campaign.
Still unsure how to master Instagram? See how we leveraged multiple accounts to earn thousands of follows and likes with the following guide:
Top 10 Tips To Help Grow Your Instagram & Gain More Likes
32 – Quora – Start Answering Questions
When people discuss Social Media Marketing they often forget about other big players, just because it is not seen as easy to use.
Well you are wrong. The amount of visitors that access Quora on a daily basis is astounding. Often questions asked on Google will 8 out of 10 times result in a Quote link where someones asked the exact same question and people have answered it.
A solid example is if you are looking for the best place to eat in the Garden Route South Africa… And someone responds saying they should check out Joes Pizzeria in Plettenberg Bay. Straight away this gives a backlink and potential customers a chance to see a restaurant they had never heard of.
33 – Reddit
Working in a similar way to Quora, Reddit is a great way to engage with people. Especially the American market.
Now we do not want to come across spammy here so do not just link people straight to your site. We want to become a professional and authority in a particular field. For example if you are a photographer, give tips on taking photos, this not only helps amateurs, but then they become interested and start checking out your work.
34 – Social Media – Get On Pinterest
Pinterest is another Social Media platform that may not appear to everyone, it works in a similar way to Instagram with photos, so if you’re not visually creative then it may not be the best platform for you.
However sign up and trial it out. Even creating an account and adding your website to the account adds a backlink that will be beneficial.
Going back to the Photography industry, share pictures you love and also your photos linked to your blog posts and you are laughing, people will share, browse, follow and much more.
We created an account as a test and look at our results:
How We Leveraged Pinterest To Get Over 500k Visitors Per Month
35 – Social Media – Tweet Like A Pro On Twitter
Now Twitter is an interesting platform. Whilst many say it isn’t for them, it truly stands out from the rest for its quick link sharing, hashtag searching and much more.
Similar to how Reddit works, it’s great to try and base yourself as an authority in the industry. Tweet mentioning people to help them, and retweet showing your support for others.
Make use of Twitters Advanced Search for blog posts, engagement and much more.
36 – Other Social Platforms
Just when you thought Social Media was coming to an end we highlight other platforms. Naturally there are far too many to mention however some will be more relevant than others to your business.
For example, Snapchat a platform for short videos and photos or TikTok a video app. Whilst some are here to stay many are just a phase that soon runs out. However get in early enough and you can become a leader of the pack.
Only you will know what is suitable to your business, as we mentioned earlier Quora may be more suitable for accountants looking to grow whilst Instagram a more vital player for travellers etc.
First thing to do is audit your focus and go from there. Alternatively get hold of us for more on our Social Media Marketing services.
37 – Google My Business
Google My Business is a vital player when it comes to searching. As time progresses you will see more and more accessibility via Google My Business.
For example searching a topic like “Restaurants near me” if you are on Google My Business you will appear above any other results along with other restaurants in the area.
It allows users to browse reviews, opening hours and any other information that has been added about a business.
You will also show on apps like Google Maps where applicable to make it easier for people to navigate to your business, providing you want people at your address?
To begin working on Google My Business click here.
38 – Optimise Google My Business
We mentioned above about Reviews, opening hours etc… This is where optimisation comes in.
The more information you include the more “complete” your profile is, giving you more chance to be seen.
For example someone searching opening hours for Joes Pizzeria, it will show, alongside your description and images.
Therefore we recommend adding all these details to help ensure you are seen. More on this in another post.
39 – Post Regularly On Google My Business
Up until now there was a Social Media platform called Google+ which was similar to Facebook but primarily for Google. This has recently been discontinued and now Google is working on adding similar functionality to your business listing.
One of the key updates is Posts. This enables you to post offers, events, news and much more.
It is recommended you use this service as it not only highlights key services and offers links to your website but it also can be seen by people not even searching for your business.
For example you can search “posts near me” which highlights posts and when they were posted and how far away.
40 – Reviews Shout Klout
We have all been there when we are looking for a restaurant to eat at. The first thing we do is look at Google for reviews. Naturally we pick up the bad reviews first. So even if a place has 100 good reviews but two bad reviews we read the bad reviews first.
From a Google perspective we recommend prioritising Google Business reviews as this naturally helps your rankings when people are searching for businesses like yours in the area. However there are a number of other sites to consider such as:
- Facebook Reviews
- Trustpilot
- Trip Advisor
- And many more
This is why we offer Reputation Management services to help grow your reviews, and monitor poor reviews.
41 – Link Building And Backlinks
One of the biggest factors in ranking number one on Google and getting more visitors to your site is backlinks to your site.
Whilst there is regular arguing on the importance, it clearly plays a major role in your success. However that doesn’t necessarily mean quantity over quality.
For example it is all well and good getting thousands of free links on poorly designed websites, but what does that really tell Google about your site? Nothing! This is why relevance and quality are key.
So for example if you are a coffee shop in Cape Town thousands of Asian website links wont help. However if you are linked on some of the top food and drink online magazines, as a recommended place for coffee and breakfast, then Google is more likely to want to show you at the top of searches when people are searching for the best coffee shop in Cape Town.
There are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to Backlinks. This is why we offer a professional Link Building service that can help you rank above your competitors.
42 – Citations And Directories
Linked to backlinks, are citations and directories. Whilst they do not always have the same power as high quality backlinks if your address and website is linked on a number of popular online directories it helps you to be seen and highlights you are a real business.
For example if you are searching for a Bed and Breakfast in Phalaborwa, then if a particular Bed And Breakfast kept coming up on all directories such as the Yellow Pages, you would naturally feel it must be a popular place.
One of the benefits of this, is often these directories are free of charge. So make the most of it. Never pay the premium unless you have to.
43 – Content that sells
Invest time into your content, do not just write anything and hope it will work. Spend time writing each piece of content that really proves why you are the best.
It’s the reason why some commercials on TV make your mouth water whilst others don’t. They have spent time and money a marketing campaign to make you not only remember them but want to know more.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you must pay for a writing service, however you must remember this is what will be selling the companies online presence, so ensure it is written with a professional tone of voice.
44 – Blog Posts
Content is KING, and it has been proven time and time again that the more content the better. Now that doesn’t mean just write any old piece of rubbish. It still needs to be relevant and something your customers would want to read.
So with that in mind, update customers on the latest changes, or give away knowledge that they will find useful and keep coming back.
If you are a restaurant, update visitors on the menu, and share your top food choices, or maybe meals they could try at home. Whilst its not necessarily going to bring them in straight away to the restaurant it provides value… Something we discuss later.
If however you are looking for a content writer, for Blog Writing then get in touch with us today as we offer a number of services from one off articles to regular monthly writing.
45 – Analyse Popular Pages and optimise further
So whilst we keep shouting about NEW content, we must not neglect what has been already published and what is doing well.
For example we recently had a client who had a particular blog post that was getting 10 times the amount of traffic than any other page on their site. Yet they hadn’t optimised the page, so people were reading the content and leaving.
Great for visitor count but for leads and conversions, it was not a solid strategy.
We recommend using Google Analytics to monitor what pages do well and then come back to them. See what people are doing and then optimise accordingly.
A great way to do this is with a tool called Hotjar. It offers heat maps so you can monitor what users are doing on the page, where they are going, how they engage and much more.
As we mentioned earlier, make it easier for users to go from one page to another. For example even something simpler at the bottom like… Did you enjoy reading this? Here are some other related posts.
That helps people go to other posts, and then throughout the blog post or page use internal links to keep people engaged.
46 – Guest Post and Blogger Outreach
We mentioned blogging, and also backlinks but why not compliment one another with guest posting.
For those that do not know what Guest Posting is, it is when you write a blog post for another blog. Giving them free posts (or paid) for their website.
The end goal here is to begin to let others see your name, as it will appear as the author. Often this allows you to add a bio about yourself with a link to your site, and if you are extra cheeky you can link in the post to your blog/website.
There are people out there who will do the outreach (us included) however that is usually a paid service.
47 – Constantly Update
We mentioned updating your plugins, but the same applies to your content. Google looks for relevance. So a blog post from 2016 may be great and been number one on Google for quite some time, but some of the facts and figures will be completely out of date and therefore irrelevant.
This is why often you see a website rank number one on Google for quite some time then it totally drops off the earth.
So remember to constantly update your site with new content, edit text and update pages to include relevant up to date information at all times.
Another reason why on our WordPress Care Plans we offer time to update your content. This isn’t just for your sake to update opening times but also to add new blogs, content and more.
48 – Offer value
If you haven’t learnt already we are all abut value. So none of this sales pitch in every blog post or every Social Media post. You need to offer value throughout. A very interesting book on the subject is by Gary Vaynerchuk, titled Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. In which he mentioned you must keep jabbing then drop the sales pitch.
Jabs, meaning the value… So offer value and more value and more value and finally when you feel it is ready ask for something in return.
So do not just post on Twitter or Facebook saying, “buy my product”. Offer the user value, so that they feel wow this company offers so much for FREE I wonder what they offer when I pay?
49 – Create a newsletter for lead generation
It may seem as an old fashioned approach as we move into Social Media etc, but Newsletters are continuously proving as a great way to engage with customers.
Whilst many will find Newsletters as spam, a carefully crafted Newsletter Campaign could help you outreach all of your competitors, providing value, up dates and much more at the click of a button.
Even if you don’t use all the emails at once, start collecting them ready for a campaign that will bring hundreds of visitors to your site.
50 – Create Funnels
You may have heard of click funnels online or seen people raving about them, but there is a lot more to consider. As we mentioned in the early stages of this article, that there is a number of things to consider when building your website.
The flow at which your user visits and converts is key.
This is something you can monitor in Google Analytics to see where users enter, where the drop off and what pages do well.
Linked with your page optimisation for pages that do well, focus on building a flow (like a funnel) where they fall in the large end and follow the funnel all the way to the end goal.
51 – Set Goals
We mentioned in the beginning about Goals for the website, but now we can look a step further and begin to look into how we can achieve those Goals we set out to achieve.
One key tool in Google Analytics is their Goals for conversions. For example each time someone fills out the contact form it is classed as a single Goal. So if your purpose is to get more enquiries… This is something we highly recommend.
52 – Hire a Professional
Whilst you have read all of the above, following this is another story and merely the start of a good marketing campaign for your website.
Here at Xploited Media we take your business seriously and look into the most efficient way to grow your business.
This is why we never offer a “one package fits all solution”. As let’s face it, Joe’s Pizzeria will need a much more bespoke local strategy to that of a Safari Tour operator looking to market Internationally.
Get in touch with us today to see how we can help build your online presence today.
To Conclude
As you can see this is just the start on how to grow your website, gain more visitors and rank higher in search engines.
It is the reason why SEO is still very much a live and there is plenty to consider when building a website.
If there are some key aspects to take from this, it would be:
- To Plan carefully
- Update Regularly
- Focus On Reputation Management
- And Content Is King
Good Luck!
