How to make your website attract more traffic

(And maybe even attract Google too.)

Some businesses spend thousands of hours – and thousands of pounds in designer fees – to try and make their website better and sell more, and still don’t get any meaningful results. But, usually, the simplest approaches to improving your website are the best. Here are six simple ways that cost very little yet are pretty much guaranteed to improve your website.

Firstly, think of your home page as a newspaper front page.

Have a strong headline that will encourage people to stop, think and have a peek inside.

Tip. You can get some great headline ideas just by looking at the daily newspapers and popular consumer magazines. The infamous ‘Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster’ headline appeared in The Sun in 1986 and it still attracts attention today. (Don’t worry hamster lovers he didn’t!)

Make it obvious what you do.

Make it clear to the reader what you’re selling and/or what you’re offering. There are so many websites out there where it isn’t clear. Put yourself in your reader’s shoes – is it clear what sort of product/service you’re selling?

Make it clear why customers should come to you.

Whatever business you’re in there are bound to be competitors, so try and make it clear what you’re offering that’s better.

Tip. Select 3/4/5 strong benefits of your product/service and extol these on your home page.

Add content regularly.

This keeps your website fresh and interesting, and prompts readers to keep coming back to see what’s new. Adding content that customers will find genuinely useful is good for search engine optimisation as well.

Good ideas for content include: Articles. News. Reports. Guides. How to’s. Reviews. Surveys. Press releases.

Even better, have something that changes regularly.

This is an even better way of adding interest and encouraging revisits. Good ideas include posting news that’s relevant to your business or creating a blog. (If you do, be sure you can commit to creating new content on a regular basis.)

Make it memorable.

Try to post things that are unique, that aren’t similar to what everyone else is doing. If it’s appropriate you might even be quirky …. or controversial.

Have a newsletter.

Offer a newsletter so visitors can sign up to receive news, tips, offers etc. Make it regular – monthly, fortnightly or weekly. This way you can get in touch with potential customers any time you like …. even if they’re not that impressed with your website initially.

If you’d like some help with improving your website and writing great content for it drop me an email: mark (at) markhempshell.com