As a small business owner, you may not be leveraging the full power of your website to maximize potential benefits. Let’s fix that by exploring six ways to use your website that you may not have considered.
If you don’t have a website yet, get started by choosing a domain name that’s easy to remember, brandable, and related to your business. Check out hosting and website builder packages to find one that fits your technical skills and budget.
If you're ready to reserve your domain name now, check its availability here!
6 ways to unlock your business potential with a website
Okay… now that your website’s covered, let’s explore how to get the most out of it. These are six areas of focus that every website owner should know about.
1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
SEO combines best practices for showing up on a search engine results page (SERP). People tend to choose from the first few results without scrolling further down, so getting the highest possible position is important.
Here are a few key elements of SEO:
- Keyword optimization: Make sure your website content includes keywords your audience is searching for.
- On-page SEO: When reviewing website content, also ensure that elements including titles, headings, image alt tags, and internal linking are set correctly.
- Backlinks: Get links directed to from other online properties to your website via guest posts, partnerships, or directories.
Related: Make my website easy to find using SEO
2. Social media marketing
Similar to content marketing, social media can also be used to grab more attention for your website. Once you’ve built a following, promote your website content consistently on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
Use short videos, stories, or carousels to gain attention and drive engagement. And, of course, remember to link to your site in your bio, posts, and stories.
Related: How to do social media: A guide for small businesses and entrepreneurs
3. Email marketing
Email marketing is a powerful tool due to its high return on investment (ROI). Get started by growing your list with opt-in forms and lead magnets on your site.
Once you’ve built a list of email recipients, send regular newsletters, offers, and content links to drive repeat traffic. You can also segment your list to send targeted messages that increase clicks.
Related: 18 email marketing tips to bolster your engagement
4. Google Business Profile and local SEO
It’s essential to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. This is how you appear on Google Maps, among many other places in the Google-sphere.
Once your Google Business Profile is dialed in, encourage reviews and post updates to drive local traffic.
5. Paid advertising (Google ads and social media ads)
To get started with paid advertising, set up a Google AdSense account and Facebook Business page. You can then use targeted ads to reach your ideal customers.
Spend your paid-ad dollars wisely. Promote high-converting landing pages, lead magnets, or special offers. Then, squeeze out extra value by retargeting website visitors to bring them back to complete purchases.
Related: Digital ads — Which ad platform is right for your business?
6. Content marketing
You can use content to direct people to your website and entertain or inform them along the way. Content marketing is an essential strategy for any website.
To get started, create value through blog posts, guides, or videos that solve customer problems. You can also use content to target specific keywords and share on multiple platforms.
And as you cycle through your content marketing strategy, you can also repurpose content. For example, try turning blog posts into social posts or lead magnets.
Related: Content marketing demystified
Closing thoughts on unlocking your business potential with a website
Your website can be a powerful tool for growth if you apply the steps we’ve covered in this guide. And the sooner you start, the sooner you can start seeing results. So what are you waiting for? Give it a shot and see how far you can go!
Psst… Curious about the mojo that goes into an effective blogging strategy? Check out our next episode to gain insights into taking your blogging game to the next level!
