Targeted Traffic Tips for Your Business

With millions of websites on the internet vying for your target market’s attention, you need to actively attract and convert your ideal buyers. Of course, before you started your online business venture, you created a persona of your ideal customer and developed a niche and perhaps a sub-niche, as well that will continue to drive targeted traffic to your sites..

To refresh your memory a little, an example of a broad target audience could be women. Niching that down further, an example could be middle-aged women. Going one-step further, you could target single, middle-aged, women. As you can see, you can continue niching your audience down as needed. When you know your target audience well, you can successfully market to them by providing the information and solutions they need.

While knowledge of online technology and marketing is very helpful, you don’t have to be an expert. You can learn as you go. Implementing what you learn, as you learn it, can make a real difference to your bottom line. Consider beginning with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It’s not as scary as it sounds. In fact, it’s one of the easiest technology/marketing strategies to learn and implement. With a little knowledge about how to use keywords and a keyword research tool, you can get started right away. Just place the keywords in prominent places such as in your headlines, links, categories, descriptions, etc., in order to encourage your viewers to click, read more, and take action.

1. Spread the word in your communities – Do you belong to a local community group? Word of mouth still counts today, especially when you are socially active. Make it easy for your fellow group members to find and share your business info by giving them a business card or two. Consider creating a special free product or service just for group members. This will help them to get a more personal feel for what you do and they will be more likely to share their “new find” with others. I’m a member of several local groups, including Rotary, Zonta, and Elk’s that help with this strategy for my business and personal goals, and especially when it comes to receiving targeted traffic.
2. Create a newsletter – Once your mailing list is set up, it’s time to create a newsletter. You may think these are too time-consuming or you don’t have the right skills. Don’t worry. Your newsletter can be as simple as an update or the notification of a new product. Constant Contact, AWeber, and Mail Chimp are popular email marketing platforms that help you stay connected with your prospects and loyal customers through autoresponders, newsletters, and other forms of email correspondence.
3. Keep in touch – If you are between contests or new product messages, make certain to keep in touch with your readers. Email about a good article on a related hot topic. Send a message about your latest post. Just keep feeding your readers information they are interested in. If it is a new season, send them an infographic with some interesting topic related facts. Create an infographic with one of your own sayings and pass it along.
4. Create a press release – While it may sound old school, it is still effective and can bring traffic to your website. Your press release does not have to be long. You can (and should) create an intriguing headline along with short, concise body information. I’ve created a course around this topic called Become A Local Celebrity that you may wish to consider.
5. Make your website search engine friendly – Your website content should relate to the needs and wants of your target market. While visitors will share website posts and other info, search engines play the most prominent role in your success. Keep them happy by beginning with a quality website theme or template. Poorly coded or outdated themes can do more harm than good. Learn and implement solid Search Engine Optimization practices. When you know the tried and true SEO techniques, you aren’t as easily scammed by “do-it-quick” sales pitches, empty promises, or black-hat strategies for gaining traffic or money. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
6. Create engaging headlines – Make sure your blog posts have well-crafted titles and headlines as well as sub-headings, when applicable. Your titles and headlines should be engaging, contain power words to encourage action, peak curiosity, and when possible, allude to the solution of a problem. I have a course on sales and copywriting at Really Simple Sales Copy.
7. Ask questions in your headlines – When you create a headline question, it’s important that your target market can identify with the question. The more your reader can relate to the topic or problem, the more likely he, or she is to click through to find the answer. Here is a good example – “How Are Negative Thoughts Limiting Your Paycheck?”
8. Include links to relevant posts – Links are important, both incoming and outgoing links. Make it a priority to link related posts on your site to each other. This is often referred to as “internal” linking. In addition, occasionally link to related content on expert sites. This is called “external” linking. Linking to expert or authority sites can help to elevate your authority standing. When a website refers to and links to your site, it is referred to as an “incoming” link and you may be rewarded by Google with targeted traffic.
9. Reward your target audience – Create a special thank you for your target audience and post it on social media with a request to share. A little thank you goes a long way. Provide a special link new signups can use to get the item and get on your email list.
10. Set yourself up as an authority – The topic you chose for your website is one you know a great deal about. People in your circles see you as an “authority” on this subject. To help others see you in this light, share, share, and share some more. Get out there and “be seen” in your local area and online. Share your knowledge and experiences on your website. Offer to guest post on similar sites. Team up with another authority figure. Host a webinar to teach or mentor others. Mention and quote your favorite authorities. Sponsor events. Stay up to date on your topic to keep targeted traffic coming your way. Above all, keep learning and sharing in a variety of ways and places to build your authority reputation and targeted traffic will follow.

All of these strategies are quite effective when it comes to driving targeted traffic to your site(s), courses, and products. And be sure to read another post I created with even more targeted organic traffic tips for your online business.

I’m author and online marketing strategist Connie Ragen Green. I work with entrepreneurs to create multiple streams of online income and would love to connect with you. Pick up my Online Entrepreneur’s Blueprint and get started right away.