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Oct 13
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How To Get Traffic

How to get Traffic to your site (Beginners)

By Email Marketing, Link Building, Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Website, Wordpress

Starting up a website is hard.

Thousands of people are already in your industry and have already got a strong following.

Sometimes breaking into the crowd can seem impossible.

After all you’ve checked out the leading authorities on building up traffic, they’ve all had plenty of advice to give.

Yet here you are looking for more techniques to even get started on building traffic to your site.

Nothing has worked.

You start to wonder…

Have you failed as a content writer? Is your SEO really that terrible?

“…Is my website, useless?”

Building up a following can be really tough. I mean real tough, like climbing mount Everest with banana skin shoes tough.

But it is possible, people have managed it. (Popular Blogs, not climbing Everest with banana’s. Maybe one day).

So, the question, is how?

Out of all of the building traffic techniques you’ve read about:

  • SEO
  • AMA’s
  • Social Media
  • RSS Feeds
  • Video
  • Landing Pages
  • Email Marketing
  • Marketing Automation
  • Calls to Action
  • Analytics
  • Following popular blogs

None of them work.

Most suggested traffic techniques just don’t work

Here’s the cold, hard truth.

There are only four methods which do work, for a Beginner.

“There are only four ways to get traffic to my site?

That can’t be right. Surely not.

I’ve read all of those great posts on Moz, Hubspot etc. about building traffic…

And I mean well, it all makes sense.”

So why hasn’t any of it worked?

Because the vast majority of what people are saying just isn’t effective for startups.

Think about it.

These websites are aiming their blogs at businesses which already have a somewhat popular website, who are just trying to boost their website even further.

If your just starting out and are paying close attention to your followers, then what are you doing?

You don’t even have any followers,

Yet.

You can’t waste time on lead nurturing, email campaigns etc. When you don’t have an audience.

Leading authorities don’t write about how to get traffic, they write about how to improve your traffic.

This is a massive difference and which honestly, should be made much clearer. Your not the only people who have been struggling to figure out how to get their website to take off, TCmarketing included…

How to get Traffic for a Beginner (The only Four Techniques)

…So what exactly is effective for startups?

1. Guest Blogging

If your just starting out and looking to hit your mark on the web scene. This should be your weapon of your choice. Guest blogging is extremely effective at producing unique, targeted visitors for a start up website. The best bit? There are no prerequisites, all you need to get started is a few popular bloggers in your industry.

Steps:

  • Write a Guest Post
  • Ask for a small favour of linking your guest post to related posts
  • If someone shares your post, get to know them! Chances are they will share your blog too
  • Instead of linking back to your home page, link to your email opt in. This could get you many subscribers

2. Interviews/pod-casting

Not only do a lot of people want to hear what industry experts have to say. Industry experts have a lot to say. Don’t be afraid to ask to do an interview with influential people, as long as you keep it relevant interviews are beneficial to everyone.

Steps:

  • Plan your interview
  • Get as many Bloggers involved as possible (within reason)
  • Get permission to share your findings with the world, think about putting this behind a landing page/opt-in list

3. Outreach

Generally spending the time to put out a truly fantastic and original post just does not generate the visitors to be worth while. But here is the interesting part, if you pair them with outreach and the results can be staggering. However your going to need to be prepared to face rejection. Even if your content is truly some of the best in your industry.

Steps:

  • Identify Influential Bloggers
  • Get Noticed (comments, email, social)
  • Request a share/guest post/backlink etc.
  • Build the relationship

4. Advertising

When it comes to earning traffic as a beginner, this is the real deal. Advertising greatly out paces any other technique for generating traffic to your website as a beginner. However there is one flaw with this technique, which I’m sure you’ve already cottoned on to. That’s right, money. Now I’m not going to say go and bust your life savings on advertising for your website. However if you think you are ready for that increased volume, advertising can save you months of work, that’s how effective it is.

Get on with it then!

That’s it! The four techniques you need to invest in to build up traffic to your website.

So, what are you still reading this for?

Get out there and grab that web traffic, it’s waiting for you!

 

Seriously though, I hope our guide on how to get traffic for your start-up website was useful.

I mean, I put in enough time writing this.

So give me a share! Tweet this to your friends! Recommend me to your industry leaders!

 

By Gabriel Hourigan,

Sep 03
Love0
How to write eye grabbing titles

How to write eye grabbing titles and headlines

By Marketing

People have a lot on their plates. When people have so much work to be getting on with your Blog/eBook/SlideShare title had better be good. Your not just asking for people to be interested in your title, your asking for people to actually take out the time to read your content. Here are our tips so that you’ll be bringing in and gripping readers consistently:

“What’s in it for me?”

Be precise and give a clear aim to the value of your content. When people understand what exactly they will get out of consuming your content from just a glance, they are much more likely to read.

Of course this also means that your content has to provide value. No matter how exciting a title or a headline is if it isn’t going to benefit the reader it’s highly unlikely your content is going to take off. So the first step is to find out what your readers actually would like to read. Then tell them upfront to pull them in and don’t let up!

People understand Value, not specifications/process

People are not interested in the product/service you offer, they are interested in the gain from that offer. Clearly stating the benefits of an action, rather than the action itself will have a vast impact on how many heads you turn with your titles.

For example, most businesses are not interested in how email marketing can educate and connect with your audience. However if you explain customers who receive email newsletters spend 82% more when they buy from the company, you’re going to grab their attention.

This is a really powerful technique which takes some thought but is well worth the results.

Tried and Proven Header & Title Formulas

Great! Now that you understand the concept of what your headers and titles should be including here are a few examples of precise actionable templates:

  • [Insert Number] Of ways to solve [Issue which your audience is trying to solve]
  • The Definitive Guide to [Regular problem your readers face]
  • [Insert Number] Mistakes to avoid when [tackling obstacle your readers face]
  • [Insert Number] Steps to [Resolved issue]

Numbers are a powerful tool in your titles. People tend to know what they are looking for, the more specific your title is the less likely they feel like they will regret reading your content.

This has been our tips on working towards some really groundbreaking titles. What do you think? Have we hit the nail on the head, or are we missing something? If you have any examples of great headings which worked for you let us know!

Aug 21
Love0

Why Social Media is so Important for Your Business

By Marketing, Social Media

From increased brand exposure to improved search rankings, businesses today have realised how much of a positive impact social media has.

But if you’re a small business that has yet to venture past your optimised website and your occasional e-newsletters into the world of social media, here are a few reasons why you should.

Your customers are already using it

According to the UK Online Measurement company, the average UK surfer spends 22 hours and 15 minutes on the net each month. This means there is a high chance that your target audience is already using social media websites and blogs. So to reach them, you have to join them – by using social media you can reach more potential customers and send out your marketing message on a platform they are confident with.

Increase personal communication

Forget one-way marketing channels. With the help of social media, you can reach out to potential customers and atually have a conversation with them. Answering their personal queries and responding to their posts about your business will make them feel like they are being heard and apart of a community – increasing their loyalty and trust.

Competitive advantage

Your competitors may be racing ahead of you and building up a strong online consumer relationship. So it is important to include social media into your marketing strategy – you don’t want to be falling behind.
However if your competitors are still using traditional marketing methods and have avoided social media, then what are you waiting for? Get a leg up and venture in before them. Utilise this marketing channel before they do.

Cost effective

Instead of running a paid ad or mailing out thousands of leaflets; it is much more cost effective to send a tweet or post a message on Facebook – much quicker too. Marketing campaigns can also be demographic-specific, allowing marketing messages to be targeted to a specific audience, for instance through the use of Google+ Circles.

Increase your ranking on Google search

Having your website linked to your various social media profiles (Twitter, LinkedIn etc.) will help to increase the validity of your website and boost your google authority; essentially opening up more routes for potential consumers to reach your website.
Of course having updated and compelling content on your website will help to entice other websites to find your content and link to it.

Below is an infographic which shows just how many millions of users are using social media.
If you need any more advice, contact us now.

By Lucy Bone

Aug 07
Love10

Can Google+ Benefit Your Business?

By Marketing, Social Media

Although Google+ is still in its infancy, it may be wise to hop on the bandwagon before you miss opportunities.
It is the fastest growing social networking site, having attracted 20 million users within the first 3 weeks of it being launched, and since then has grown to 540 million monthly active users – an audience your business cannot ignore.

So how can you use the features of google+ to your advantage?

Segment with circles

Circles is used by Google+ to help group people together. You can create as many circles as you want and name them accordingly to the different demographics your business targets. This effectively divides up your audience enabling you to advertise to a specific target market. For instance, if you’re having a sale on men’s bow ties, you can send a message only to men (if that is a chosen circle) and create a message which appeals to them.

However it must be noted that your business page cannot place someone in a circle until they have added the page, so therefore it is very important to make your page enticing for people to follow, with a lively stream of relevant posts and frequent conversations for them to engage with.

+1 Button

Similar to Facebook’s Like button, Google+ has a ‘+1’ button to allow people to recommend sites and parts of sites they found insightful, amusing or just wanted to share amongst their friends. There is positive correlation between the amount of +1s a website has and its Google search ranking.

So to bump yourself up on Google’s organic search list, get posting and commenting with relevant information to attract and entice users to press the +1 button on your page – give them a +1 and often they will reciprocate.

Google Authorship

Once you link your Google+ profile with other content you have written and published, that content is given a Google authorship mark-up. This means that when it is searched in Google, the result will display your Google+ profile picture. Chances are users will be drawn to the search result displaying your picture – even if it isn’t the number 1 result.

Increasing traffic to your website and also potentially leading to users adding you to their Google+ circles so they can comment on your posts or further enquire on your business.

Integration with other platforms

Linking with your other social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc. helps to boost your google authority and essentially opens up more routes for potential consumers to reach your website.

Get face-to-face with consumers

Hangouts are a unique feature which allow a free live video stream of up to 10 people. You can stream and record conversations for playback later using Hangouts On Air.

  • Question and Answer
    Through a live question and answer session, you can engage and inform consumers in a unique and fun way. Also finding out what they love and what they think you can improve upon, whilst generating further interest and stimulating conversation.

  • Crowdsourcing
    Another way Google+ Hangouts can be utilised is through crowdsourcing, as it is an ideal forum to share ideas for new products, services, and even your own knowledge to a wider audience. Providing expert and valuable advice to potential customers often leads them to becoming actual customers. A community of users discussing their interest in your product and the experience they have had using it could potentially be formed. This will most certainly increase the number of users adding your business page.

  • Behind the scenes
    Help make customers feel like they are apart of your business and get the full experience by pulling back the curtains, show them what happens behind the scenes and provide them with more information about how your company runs.

 

So jump on the bandwagon and start building relationships now – while you can still be easily heard.

By Lucy Bone

Jun 06
Love0
Type Writer Storytelling

Storytelling on your website

By Marketing, SEO, Website

While Storytelling has been a crucial point of web design for some time, recently it has become much more evident that through animations, user interactivity or photography you can portray true personality. The idea is quite simple really, a story which is visually enticing is going to appeal much more than blocks of text ever could.

The simple truth is simplicity always wins. Regardless of how impressive your product or service is, people are less likely to be interested if it requires effort to digest the information needed to make a decision. Great imagery will make your visitors feel, often in a way that words simply cannot illustrate and in less time too. So what media’s do we have available to us to make use of visual storytelling?

1. Video

Visual communication is king, and video is a king among kings. The process of recording and displaying moving visual images. Few mediums can match the immediacy and depth of storytelling which videos can offer on your website. A professional standard video is capable of attracting visitors through sharing as well as promoting your business’ credibility.

Unfortunately hiring a creative film crew is highly expensive. As a successful video requires a lot of planning, expensive equipment and many highly trained professionals. The budget is completely necessary as a poorly conducted video is capable of hurting your brand image rather than promoting yourself. If you do have the funds available however, video is a strong choice for high ROI.

2. Parallax Scrolling

Parallax scrolling is a prominent trend which makes use of various backgrounds cycling at different speeds while you scroll giving a sense of depth. When implemented correctly parallax scrolling can be quite mesmerising, but also a great way to introduce yourself/business/product.

The issue with Parallax scrolling is that while it has the potential to be a very powerful tool for storytelling on your site, sometimes it can be distracting and hard to navigate hurting your UX. When planned thoroughly however parallax scrolling clarifies your business as simply and enjoyably as scrolling down a page.

3. Photography

Images trigger emotion. Strong authentic images will pull that emotion and bring it together with your brand. Your visitors will associates the emotions you created using imagery with your business. Use that for storytelling on your website. Imagery can say a lot about your brand, make sure that you send the right message. Ensure your images meet your brand values and connect with your audience. With these factors in mind you can easily create a cost effective website while avoiding seemingly insurmountable blocks of text.

4. Slideshare

Slideshare is mostly overlooked and underutilised, most marketers are focusing on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. But are they missing out? Presentations offer a great way to provide storytelling for your business. They are fun, useful, get straight to the point and will get immediately rewarded for high quality content. Slideshare has over 60 million unique visitors a month, this might seem like a lot less than Facebook or Twitter. But there is significantly less competition than on the social media giants, meaning there is a gap in the market waiting for you.

May 08
Love0
A/B Testing A vs B

A/B Testing on your website

By Marketing, Website

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing or Split testing is the procedure intended to test the alternate versions of the elements on your web pages.

For example you may be considering to shorten the length of your sign-up form in an attempt to decrease your bounce rate and increase conversions.

When you A/B test visitors will be sent to one of two versions of the page which you are currently testing.

Effectively, A/B testing allows you to compare two versions of your page and record which version works best for your web design.

How is this beneficial?

Regularly performing the A/B test will not only improve the conversions on your website but will also keep your site from becoming stale.

Many minor changes over a long period of time will ensure that your website does not become dull to regular viewers and shows that you are a forward thinking business which is striving to give the best user experience you can.

Ultimately A/B testing is a cost effective way to raise business, you would be amazed how much of a difference something seemingly simple like changing text from bold to italics can make.

Where do I start?

One of the recurring issues amongst businesses which are looking into A/B testing is that one, they are not sure what they should change and two, what change should they make?

After all there are numerous elements to each page. To help narrow it down it’s best to give yourself an achievable aim, such as getting more people to click the link to my landing page.

By giving yourself a clear goal it not only becomes easier to monitor whether the change was a success but it’s also easier to determine what element of your site you’d like to work on.

A few examples to get you in the mood:

  •  Buttons: colour, fonts, positioning, style
  •  Images: size,  positioning, comparisons
  •  Forms: necessary questions, formatting, length
  •  Sidebars?
  •  Navigation bar: Page titles, page merging, drop down menus

Investigate your findings

Once you’ve found your aim and made the changes it’s time for the waiting game.

Promote your test as much as you can through social media or email campaigns, this will help to get significant results ASAP.  A safe bet is to wait at most 30 days before concluding the change really had a small impact, at this point it’s probably best to move on to your next test.

Remember when looking through your results that while you have a specific aim with the change that you’ve made you might have actually impacted your website somewhere else in the marketing process, do a thorough check for all differences your test might have made.

Repeat!

Congratulations, you’ve completed your A/B test.

Unfortunately this is just as much the final step as it is the starting step.

In order to ensure you are engaging with your audience continuous testing is necessary. Don’t fret though, A/B testing is proven to be one of the best decisions you can make towards a massive ROI.

Need more advice on whether A/B testing is for you? Give us a free call on 01273 328877 now.

Mar 12
Love0
TCmarketing Marketing Icon

Is Your Website an Effective Sales & Marketing Tool for Your Brighton Business?

By Marketing, SEO, Website

In today’s ‘Digital Marketing’ world it is very easy to become obsessed or at least overly distracted by Social Media, Mobile Web, Video Marketing, Email Marketing and the like.

Even marketing professionals like us can fall in to this trap from time to time. We regularly need to remind ourselves of the fundamentals of online marketing, the foundation stones if you like. For most Brighton businesses the foundation stone of online marketing is and will always be your business website!

For many Brighton businesses your website will be your primary sales and marketing tool – your social media profiles, directory profiles and everything else are used to drive traffic to your website and help build your online profile.

Unfortunately not all business websites are effective sales and marketing tools – you would be surprised just how many websites fail to ask for the business!  Take an honest look at your company website and ask yourself “Is there any call to action on this page”, “Are we asking our customers for their business.”

What is the user experience like?

Having worked hard to drive visitors (traffic) to your website, the last thing you want is for them to leave it quickly.  According to Google, you have just 7 seconds to grab and retain the attention of your visitors. If they cannot see what they want within that short timeframe they will be off to one of your competitors’ website’s, unlikely to ever return to yours.  As the old adage goes, “you only get one chance to make a first impression”.

Here are a few pointers to help you:

1. Making a good impression

The look and feel of your website and the ease of navigating between the pages are crucial components to good design and, of course, the page content must be 100% relevant to the page topic and written from your customer’s perspective.

2. Take an honest look at your website and ask yourself:

  • Has the site been designed to naturally lead your visitors to a sale
  • Are your calls to action clear, obvious and frequent throughout your sales process?
  • Is your web content presented both attractively and effectively?
  • Do your web pages include headlines, sub headings and short, succinct copy – e.g. bullet points to make it easy to read quickly?
  • Are you giving your visitors the opportunity to take the next step in the sales cycle in their preferred manner – people buy in different ways e.g. some prefer loads of detail, some prefer a video others know what they want and just want to buy it as quickly as possible.
  • Can you offer a performance guarantee to help remove any customer concerns that may hinder the sale?
  • How easy is it to buy from you?  Test your online sales process yourself by running through from start to finish – how pleasant was the experience? Now repeat the process on one of your competitors sites and compare
  • Check that all ‘contact us’ and all internal and external links actually work – we regularly find dead links (called 404 errors) and all this does is frustrate the customers

3. Keep your site up to date

A widely used Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) technique is to regularly update your website with good quality, fresh, relevant content.  When was your website last updated?

4. The Follow-Up

The ‘follow-up’) is the bridge between you, your customer and any future business they may send your way.   It is all about keeping in touch after the sale.  This could be by way of a regular newsletter, email marketing, e-zine or whatever you wish.

The point is you should have a system in place to put your new customers onto your mailing list immediately after their first purchase from you.

By consolidating your relationship with your customers through meaningful, targeted content marketing you will turn a single purchase buyer into a long-term customer – actively engaged for when you’re ready to launch your next offer.

5. Measure and monitor your website’s performance

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!”

Measuring just how well your website is performing is not that difficult, there are many good web analytics packages available, mostly free, including Google Analytics.  All analytics software will help you to track visitor numbers, how they found you, which pages they looked at, how long they spent on the website, which page they came in at and most importantly which page they left at!

Having this information will help you to continually improve and refine your web page content and is a ‘must do’ if you are serious about internet marketing.
If you would like to review the effectiveness of your website, please leave a comment below or visit Tyler Consultants – Marketing, Design, Web Development & SEO Services for Brighton business.

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