So you’ve decided to take the plunge and set up your own website? You’ve sorted out the domain registration and got everything up and running. What a great start to 2023!
There’s one problem – your website is just one of several billion accessible by anyone with access to the Internet. Just how are you supposed to make yourself stand out from the crowd and attract visitors?
The answer is in promotion, getting your name out there and building a reputation as a site that people would want to visit. In this article we look at 5 simple ways that you can do just that.
Get a grip on your SEO
Search engine optimisation (or SEO as it’s more commonly referred to online) is a catch-all term for a variety of techniques you can employ to get your website ranking higher in search engine results. These include creating SEO tags, using relevant keywords and phrases naturally within your website content, making sure your page titles are clear and concise, and including hidden descriptions (known as alt tags) with any images. While there is more to SEO than that, even those few changes should see a significant improvement in your rankings.
Start a blog
A blog is one of the best ways to promote your site. It gives you a chance to talk about yourself, your business, or the industry you work in, offering your insight into what you consider to be key talking points. It lets you engage with your audience on a more personal level, which can have visitors coming back to the site to read your latest articles and, with any luck, share them to their friends and followers online. Best of all, a blog provides you with regularly updated content, which is a key consideration for Google and other search engines when it comes to ranking your site.
Be active on social media
Speaking of sharing, your website should be just one part of your online presence. If you want people to know about you and your brand (be it a business one or a personal one) you have to get onto social media and interact with others. While there are hundreds of social media networks to consider, the top five are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Having a presence on each of these allows you to promote your site to your followers by engaging with them and their posts. It can be time consuming, juggling all these sites, but you’ll soon find out which ones give you the best return on the time invested.
Get included in online directories
Search engines aren’t the only way people find businesses and services online. Plenty of people (and particularly businesses) make use of online directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Checkatrade, TripAdvisor, and so on. Obviously, not all of these will be relevant to the product or service you provide, but find the ones that are and submit, or claim your business details. These directories have an added bonus, as they often collect and curate reviews about the businesses they promote.
Put your site in your signature
Whether you’re sending an enquiry email to a prospective client or posting a comment on a message board, make sure to include your website name and URL in your signature. If someone is already conversing with you, they’re likely to want to investigate further. By including a link, you’re doing the work for them, so all they have to do is click.
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