We see regularly with our customers at IA SEO it can be really exciting when you are setting up your new business but then things can grind to a halt as you are waiting for your customers to find you.
What is the best way to help your customers find your new website online?
SEO Services is a highly competitive market:
The internet is highly competitive platform, even when focusing on a local area such as london or your local town. Having a website alone is not enough to generate business – to gain true value from your online presence, you will need to direct potential customers to your site in the first place. Obtaining this traffic will require the planning and execution of a focused online marketing strategy, with the key aim to bring relevant traffic to your site from major search engines such as Google and Bing. Here are some ways to help your customers to find you online.
1. On-Page SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is crucial to your online marketing campaign. If your website is not optimised to appear in search results on the major search engines, then you will be missing out on visits to your site from potential customers.
On-page SEO is specific to the content on your website. Your web copy should always be concise, easy to read, and of relevance to your customers. If you write in this way, your content will be viewed favourably by search engines; therefore increasing your chances of ranking. You should try to incorporate specific keywords within your copy, without detracting from its true value. For example, if you are a local hairdressing salon, you may choose to optimise a particular page for the keyword ‘hairdressers in Swansea’ by incorporating it naturally within the content, and at the recommended frequency.
2. Use Listings & Review Sites
By adding your business to listings and review sites, you’ll instantly boost your visibility online. National listings sites such as Yell and local business listings including the Swansea Business Directory provide a quick and simple way for customers to find you – often linking to your own website. Review sites such as Trip Advisor are particularly beneficial for businesses in leisure, food and services, while Touch Swansea is specific to local businesses. Make sure you are listed on every relevant site to boost your presence on search engines.
3. Embrace Social Media
Having a company Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn page can greatly increase your visibility online. Work out where your customers spend their time, and use that particular social network. For example, if you are a restaurant, you can spread the word about your cuisine by setting up a Facebook page and running offers and campaigns. If most of your clients are professionals, then a LinkedIn company profile can help local business people find you online.
4. Run a Company Blog
Having your own company blog – either as part of your existing website or on a blogging platform such as Blogger, WordPress or Tumblr – also helps your customers to find you online. If you do opt for a company blog, make sure you update it regularly with interesting, relevant articles. If you want to attract business in Swansea, focus your content around topics of relevance to the locality.
5. Pay for Online Advertising
For particularly competitive areas of business, online advertising can be a great way to direct users to your website. Google Adwords are a good place to start – allowing you to appear in Google search results for a specific keyword, even if your ‘organic’ SEO is not yet developed. Facebook also offers advertising options for businesses – allowing you to target a specific demographic on the social network. For example, you could aim to reach people interested in fashion over the age of 16, located in Swansea.
To achieve true ROI from your website, you cannot simply assume that you will be able to attract local business in Swansea without a specific online marketing campaign. Agree a strategy to increase your visibility online, and use this to drive relevant traffic to your site. Once your visitors are there, it’s then down to your website to convert this into business.
