6 Tips for Bringing Digital Attention to Your Business and Get Out of Debt
More than 70 percent of small businesses have a website. But is your small business website working as well as you hoped it would?
If the answer is “No,” you’re not alone. Many small businesses have had to make essential changes to their online approach in order to get enough customers. Today, even for brick-and-mortar businesses, the website is crucial for getting more people through the door.
Wondering how to improve your small business website and grow your income? We can help — keep reading for the tips that will get you the traffic you need!
1. Become a Content Master
You might think of a website for a company as a static document. But the most successful business website templates actually include lots of regularly updated content to keep the site looking fresh.
That content can include blog posts, videos, and more. As long as it’s interesting and informative, it will benefit your company. The goal is to become seen as an expert by people who visit your website.
This will help both new and existing site visitors see the value in your brand. If you clearly know your industry and can share relevant information about it regularly, you’ll look more appealing than the competitors.
Content also helps with your SEO game. According to Digital Hitmen, SEO is one of the best ways to connect with the customers who are looking for what you have to offer.
To nail your content game, make sure to understand your audience and what they’re interested in. For example, maybe you can address a frequently asked question by your customers in one post.
2. Invest in Security
Today’s web users care about privacy and security. If your site makes it clear that you’ve invested in these things to protect your customers, they’ll be more likely to trust you.
Post your privacy policy, as well as policies about how you handle data or any other relevant information, where they can easily be found. If you have an e-commerce option, use a secure credit card payment method, and make sure to let shoppers know that it’s secure.
Encrypt data as needed and take other steps to make sure you won’t have a costly data breach. It’s tempting to think that small businesses won’t get targeted by hackers, but they’re often prime targets because many small business owners fail to properly invest in security.
3. Offer More for Loyalty
Your goal isn’t just to get new site visitors and customers — it’s to keep the ones you have coming back. Do you have a way to use your site to offer more to your loyal customers?
First, start by having a subscribe option for your email newsletter. In that newsletter, offer exclusive discounts, unique content, and more. Make it appealing to be a subscriber, and let people know what they can access if they subscribe.
As long as you’re providing value to those subscribers, they’ll be happy they did it. And when you can provide value in this way, they’ll also let you provide value through your products or services.
4. Start with a Freebie
Are people not sure they want to invest in what you’re selling? Use your website to leverage free offers so customers can see just how great your company is.
People love free things, and this is a great way to show customers you care about them while also getting them hooked on what you’re selling. For example, if you’re a local gym, you might offer a free fitness class to new customers. Many people will come to the class because it’s free, discover they love it, and sign up for a subscription to get more.
Although you don’t want to give away too much for free, think of these offers as an investment in the future. You’re pushing people forward into your sales funnel, where they’ll spend more later on. The free offer is just a way to get them through the door.
Just make sure your free offer actually adds value to people’s lives. A free pen with the first purchase probably won’t convert visitors to buyers. However, a free consultation where you show them how your business can add value to their lives will.
5. Appeal to Your Target Audience
You need to know your ideal audience well enough to design a website that appeals to them specifically.
This includes the strategies we’ve mentioned above, such as content and free offers, as well as the overall look and feel of your website. If your audience is older people who didn’t grow up with the internet, you’ll want to design your site differently than if you’re trying to connect with the tech-savvy Gen Z crowd.
Is your target audience “everybody”? Then you need to go back and do more research. While every brand wants to appeal to as many people as possible, trying to impress everyone at once will actually make you lose customers. Narrow down your audience, and make your site feel like an exclusive club that they love visiting.
6. Build an Online Community
Through guest posts and influencers, you can often expand the reach of your site well beyond what it had already. Use social media to connect with people even more, and you’ll soon see lots more site traffic.
Being a small business owner is all about community. However, many small businesses forget to take that community online, as well. You might show up to an industry event to talk about your business. Writing a guest post for a local blog works much the same way.
Identify the online “communities” where your target customer hangs out, such as Facebook groups and local publications. Then make yourself known in those spaces, so the right people can find your site.
Ready to Improve Your Small Business Website?
Whether you’re just setting up your small business website or you’ve had it for years, these tips will help you improve it and get the customers you want.
However, the growth doesn’t stop there. To improve your small business revenue even more, learn how to use reviews to your advantage here.
