It seems like everyone is on the internet, so how do you make your site stand out in the crowd?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is probably the most powerful technique for driving traffic that’s available to e-commerce businesses today. But first there has to be something to optimize.
Today’s search engines are sophisticated and that puts extra demands on marketers. With searches increasingly concentrating on content, there are several things you can do to pump up your rankings, some quite simple, and many overlooked.
While your marketing staff needs to be aggressively promoting and selling your brand, don’t overlook using your customers as salespeople, too. Let them know you want to hear from them. Give them reasons, like prizes for the best photos of your products in use or great stories about them. Constant updates of reviews and comments keep your site fresh, search engines happy and build brand credibility and loyalty.
People buy from you because they like you and your products. Reach out to them for the reasons they choose you and feature them in blogs and on social media. A satisfied customer is your best salesperson and their stories can motivate others to buy from you.
Trying to sell your products on social media is a bad idea. It’s annoying and alienates people. Instead, use your social presence to feature the same customer-centered content you do elsewhere. Encourage them to interact with questions, comments, and even concerns. It not only builds loyalty, but can also build interest in blog posts and other content, driving up rankings and sending more traffic to your site.
Today’s buyer is more of a watcher than a reader. Short videos showing your product being used and enjoyed can really push sales. They’re not that expensive to make and you can post links to them on YouTube or Vimeo if hosting them on your site would bog it down. And don’t overlook the fact that YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google.
Did you know there’s an app that lets your customers make money by promoting your products? It lets users tag your products in their Instagram photos and earn a commission from sales made from them. It also gives you usage data. Like they say, if you’re not the lead dog, the view’s always the same, so stay up on the latest developments or risk falling behind the pack.
And finally, a clever way to get found by the spelling or typing challenged: Buy misspellings of your domain name. While it’s true that Google and other search engines will try to correct misspellings, if someone’s trying to access your site directly and can’t remember the correct spelling, this simple trick not only gets them to you on the first try, but it keeps others from having a domain that’s nearly identical to yours. It’s not that expensive if you keep it to a reasonable number.
Successful online marketing today takes a coordinated strategy that includes content, design, and technical know-how. When you’re ready to expand your marketing reach, the Unleaded Group is here to help. We have an entire department focused on the latest in content management and site optimization with an award-winning design team and industry-best technical talent to back them up.
The Unleaded Group is a global leader in high-performance e-commerce web development. We’re ready to work with you to deliver proven, tested results with creativity, precision, and ease of use that set you apart from the competition. Visit our newly-designed website for a look at the many ways we can fuel your business growth.
We’re happy to send you a free quote for designing a site that does the job you need. Or call us toll-free today at 855.865.3233 to learn how the Unleaded Group can add horsepower to your online business and simplify your life in the process. Why wait to take the lead? After all, the view’s much better there.