Nicole Boyer — January 16, 2017 Follow @nicoleboyernr
If you’re building your own website, you’ve probably already run into a plethora of issues. Although there are platforms that simplify the tools to create a pretty frontend –capturing the look you want is still no easy feat. Not to mention gaining traffic, that’s a whole other battle in itself. The art of web design and SEO optimization takes a long, long time to master. At the ground level of starting your own website, you’re trudging through the muck of competition. Heavy competition too, being that every one of your ‘enemies’ has the same idea as you. At this early stage, it’s important to get a leg up on your competition. You want a better website. A strong voice. Loads of traffic. You want your audience to come and stay. Worry not. We’re here to give you five simple tips on how to improve your website.
- Understand your target audience
Although this is pretty much the capital rule of marketing, you’d be surprised at how many companies start off trying to gain everyone’s attention. The key here is to find your niche so that you can focus more on whatever that is. Who is your key audience? Male? Female? Old or young? If you do some due diligence, you can make posts on various different websites about what it is you’re trying to do, and then interview certain users who respond. This is something well within your realm of capabilities, and can really narrow down your audience, thus enabling you to generate content specific to them. After you understand your target audience you can start thinking about new and unique ways to influence it.
- Hire a Freelance Web Developer
This one is often a no-brainer. Let’s be realistic here – amidst the loads of priorities you have to deal with in your startup, the website is probably one of the last things on your mind (although it really shouldn’t be). The last thing you want to do is sit down, learn how to use WordPress, and spend loads of time perfecting your website. If you have the budget, let the professionals do it for you. They’ll certainly do a better job and take a lot of stress off your back. Hiring a professional web developer not only reduce your workload, but guarantee that your finished product will be unique, attractive, and optimized.
- Social Media
Link your company to social media as much as you can. We’re talking about the bigger platforms here (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+). The more you’re on social media, the higher you’ll find yourself on google and the more traffic you’ll generate. There’s a reason why so many websites have ‘share’ buttons. Make it easy for your audience to spread the word. Make it easy for them to access you on every platform. This also means staying current. Produce consistent streams of content (generated towards your specific audience!) and keep it rolling. Once you gain momentum, you don’t want to lose it by not having anything else to post.
- Use PPC Advertising
Yes, this involves money, but many say that the initial investment is well worth it because it creates a longstanding following that otherwise would’ve been nonexistent. How does it work? You pay to have your add featured on X(s) platform, and depending on which one you use, often you only pay when someone clicks on the add and navigates to your website. Of course, the effectiveness off PPC can depend greatly on how much you’re willing to spend. Dish out top dollar, you’re going to be at the top of the search engine. Spend very little, you’ll generate a lot less traffic. Paid search really comes down to a numbers game and producing positive ROI.
- Support A Cause.
For many individuals, this very dynamic is what brought awareness to their brand and generated a loyal following. Humanize the thesis, as they say. See if there’s a cause that aligns with whatever you’re selling, and then get involved. People love to know to that you’re not just some money-hungry-platform and that their spending goes on to support something of ethical value.
Websites are one of the most important elements of startups. The web is your playground, with countless users coming and going every day. If done well, it can be the key ingredient in the initial popularity of your brand, and eventually lead you to success.
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