How to Get My Website More Traffic? (40+ ideas)

Do you want more website traffic? Of course, you do! Who doesn’t?

In this blog post, we will discuss 40+ marketing tactics that you can use to increase traffic to your website, and increase people visiting your pop-up, retail store, or restaurant. We will cover a wide range of tactics, including both online and offline methods. So whether you are just starting out or have been in business for a while, there is something here for everyone!

There is something for every business.

Let’s get started.

Why do you need to get attention?

If you are in business, whether you are a solopreneur, small business owner, or part of a larger company, one of your primary goals is to get more attention for your business. You want people to know about your products or services so that they can buy from you.

Don’t worry! There are many things you can do to increase traffic to your website and get more attention for your business

Best Way to Use this Post

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer for the best traffic driving tactic. The best tactic for your business depends on your business goals, resources, and audience. However, all tactics can be classified into two general categories: short-term and long-term.

Short-term tactics usually see results quicker but require more maintenance or reinvestment. Long-term tactics take longer to see results but are more evergreen and require little to no maintenance.

The table below compares the effort, time to ROI, and cost of common traffic-driving tactics so you can decide which category is right for your business.

Tactics :
Effort: 
Time to ROI: 
Up Front Cost: 

I’ve broken the tactics into five categories: 

  • Hang with Your Customer
  • Make it Easier to be Found
  • Sweeten the Deal
  • Let Others Speak for You
  • Build Community

Hang with Your Customer

1. Email Marketing

Email marketing is targeted communication through email correspondence. The benefits of email marketing include being able to promote certain special offers and discounts to entice people to purchase your goods or services. This practice has proven to be beneficial across all major business models.

2. Social Media

    1. FB,
    2. Instagram,
    3. LinkedIn,
    4. YouTube,
    5. Pinterest,
    6. Reddit,
    7. Twitter,

Social media marketing is the promotion of a good or service on social media channels. The benefits of this include increased brand awareness and promotion for your brand. All industries should use social media marketing; however, fast food chains have been incredibly successful in recent years such as Wendy’s famous Twitter marketing campaign.

3. Listed on directories:

    1. Marketplaces
    2. Trip Advisor
    3. Eventbrite
    4. Association
    5. Airbnb
    6. Yelp
    7. Udemy

A directory (or more specifically a business directory) is an online listing of businesses where individuals can promote themselves. The benefit of marketing yourself through directory listings is an increased reach and exposure for your business. Certain directories, such as Tripadvisor or Yelp, also allow you to manage your brand through positive reviews of your business. This is most beneficial for any consumer-facing businesses.

4. QR codes

QR codes are ways that your company can place links to promotions or special offers through codes that the consumer scans on their mobile device. The benefits of this include the appearance of being technologically innovative and intelligent as well as the ability to curate more streamlined sales funnels. As well as making it easy as possible on the customer to go to a specific URL. This is great for consumer-facing companies, such as restaurants, bars, and local attractions.

5. Engage in sponsorships (school auctions, sports teams, conferences, association events, events & gala fundraisers)

Sponsorship marketing is when one brand collaborates with an aspect of another brand. This can be through school auctions, sporting events, conferences, and more. The biggest benefit of sponsorship marketing is the ability to reach a very targeted group of individuals, right where they are going to be. Meeting people where they are already going. This practice works well for a variety of industries.

6. Farmers Markets, Fairs/ Festivals, Pop-ups

Businesses are also able to benefit from setting up booths at local events such as farmers markets as well as fairs or festivals. The biggest benefit of this is the ability to sell your service in a very personal way. You are meeting people where they are already in a shopping mood. Local businesses, especially those in food services, can make great use of this type of advertising.

7. Answer questions HARO, Quora, Groups, Reddit

Answering questions on websites such as Yahoo Answers, Quora, or HARO is a clever way to secondhand promote your business. The benefits include access to the individual’s specific problem or concern and personalized promotion. This can be great for B2C models, as you have direct contact with consumers looking to solve an issue.

8. Direct Mail Marketing

Direct mail marketing is any physical correspondence you send your customers via mail. Some of the major benefits of direct mail marketing include the ability to be highly targeted in your outreach as well as personalizing it to each individual. This approach works very well for local businesses, including restaurants, bars, and local attractions.

9. In-person Networking

In-person networking is the act of engaging with other people either in a spontaneous encounter or a predetermined gathering place. Some of the biggest benefits of this include strengthening your business connections as well as raising your business’ profile through face-to-face interactions. All industries and business models can benefit from in-person networking, particularly B2B for networking events. 

10. Cold calling

Cold calling is the act of engaging with a potential customer who has previously had no interaction with your business. The biggest benefit of cold calling is the ability to receive instant feedback, good or bad. This is widely used by individuals in the financial services industry as well as insurance agencies.

11. Guest Podcasting

Guest podcasting is the act of appearing as a subject matter expert on a podcast. The benefits of this include reaching new and engaged audiences, minimal effort being required, and access to a variety of marketing collateral. Depending on the podcast outreach strategy, this tactic can be beneficial for any industry or business.

12. Guest Posting

Guest posting is the act of being quoted or writing a full-length article for another website or publication. The benefits of this include backlinks for SEO as well as exposure for your brand. This is great for B2B as well as B2C companies.

13. Guest Speaker

Guest speaking opportunities are when you deliver a long-form or short-form presentation to an audience of listeners. The benefits include the ability to position yourself as an expert, while providing social proof for your company’s credibility. This is particularly great for small to midsize companies, but even Elon Musk or Bill Gates can benefit from this.

14. Text message

Text message marketing is communication with a consumer, current or prospective, through direct messages to their cell phone. Personalized messaging as well as direct access to their primary communication method are among the most useful benefits of this strategy. Consumer-facing companies, as well as sales outreach, make the most effective use of this campaign type.

Make it Easier to be Found

15. Blogging

Blogging is the act of regularly creating and posting written content to a website or publication. The biggest benefit of blogging is SEO performance, through proper keyword targeting and other SEO elements. Every company, large and small, can find some benefit from blogging’s SEO rewards; especially those in consumer-facing industries.

16. Google Business Profile (formally Google My Business)

Google My Business is an internal software where businesses can claim ownership of their business profile. The benefits of this include the ability to provide details and photos of your business, such as your location, services, and products. Local businesses can use this to their advantage to compete with the large companies. In today’s modern age, everyone should have a Google My Business account.

17. Refresh Content

Refreshing content is the act of updating current copy and messaging, such as your blog, social media presences, and your website. The biggest benefits of this approach include the ability to improve your SEO as well as providing insight into A/B testing strategies. As we are currently seeing from the personalization of brands across the country, any business of any size can always stand to refresh their content to reflect the modern consumer’s needs.

18. SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it is the determining factor of how well your website will perform on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing. The benefits of a proactive SEO strategy include increased visibility for your business as well as brand reputation management. In today’s modern age, everyone should have an SEO strategy; especially those in consumer-facing industries.

19. Website

Having a website is arguably the most important part of a digital marketing strategy. It serves as your home base of operations both internally and externally. The benefits of having a professional website include legitimacy, professionalism, and ease of access for your consumers. Everyone from the local pet shop to Amazon needs to have a professional website.

20. PPC advertising

    1. FB ads
    2. Instagram ads
    3. Pinterest ads
    4. LinkedIn ads
    5. Google ads (includes Youtube)

PPC (or Pay Per Click) is an advertising model on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, and LinkedIn. The benefits include increased traffic to your website as well as awareness for your business. Everyone can benefit from a PPC advertising campaign; however small businesses can use it to differentiate themselves from their competitors and ascend to a new level of success.

21. Radio Ads

Even in 2022, radio advertising still has a real place in an effective marketing strategy. When done correctly, radio advertising can increase reach, sales, and traffic. You can also highly target your campaign through radio advertising, based on the audience on a particular station and timeslot. B2B businesses, including ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor, have had particularly successful radio advertising campaigns, but anyone can make use of them.

22. Writing for a magazine or newspaper

    1. Association journals, Costco, Medium, New York Times, Local newspaper,
    2. Substack or Patreon

Appearances in online publications, magazines, or even local newspapers, can be a great way for your company to increase its visibility. For online publications, an additional benefit is the SEO element, through high quality backlinks to your website, which will increase your overall performance on search engines like Google. Be sure to consider the publication’s audience when considering if this is the right solution for you. A global outlet such as Forbes might not be as good of a fit for a local Chinese restaurant as a local newspaper would be.

23. Advertising billboards, buses, cars, etc.

Outdoor advertising, such as billboards or buses, is a great way to promote your business to a very large audience. The benefits include the exposure and awareness it can bring to your brand. Some obvious disadvantages, however, include the lack of targeting apart from the geographical location of the advertisement as well as the inability to get a specific total of people reached during a given period of time. Local businesses, such as fast food restaurants or insurance agencies, can make great use of outdoor advertising.

24. Signage- Sandwich board & banners

Similar to other forms of outdoor advertising, sandwich boards and banners are great if you are looking to increase your brand visibility. The biggest benefit of this particular method of advertising is that it can be a very budget conscious way to advertise your business. Startups and local mom and pop shops can make great use of this inexpensive way of advertising.

Sweeten the deal

25. Discounts & Coupons

Discounts and coupons are ways to incentivize individuals to either return or become new customers for a business. Other benefits include relationship nurturing as well as performance measurement. Any transaction-based model can benefit from offering discounts and coupons, especially food and retail companies.

26. Survey

Surveys offers you insight into the customer experience, while providing incentive for customers to become sources of repeat business. Other benefits include feedback gathering, ease of implementation, and low costs. B2C companies can get the most benefit from this, as it helps improve customer experience procedures.

27. Quiz

Quizzes help customers feel better about themselves and personalizes the experience, while providing insight for the customer. Other benefits include feedback gathering, ease of implementation, and low costs. B2C companies especially skincare can get the most benefit from this, as it helps improve customer experience procedures.

28. Ebook

E-Books are ways that companies can offer their expertise to the consumer in exchange for contact information, usually email addresses. Some benefits of this marketing technique include the ability to provide detailed insight on an area of expertise, reputation enhancement and lead generation. National or global B2B and B2C models alike can benefit from E-Books; not so much local businesses. 

29. Contests

Contests are a great way to engage with your target audience, while instilling a sense of community. The benefits include increased reach and exposure as well as free publicity. Contests have been utilized by brands as large as Amazon, Target, and Walmart, but can be great ways for local businesses to grow their audience.

30. Webinar

Webinars, like they sound, are seminars hosted over the internet. Organizations can use them as ways to get individuals in the door to sell their products or beliefs, as well as positioning themselves as experts in a particular field. B2B companies are typically especially successful in these types of campaigns.

31. Refer a Friend or Bring a friend

Refer a friend programs are ways that companies incentivize their consumers to grow their businesses for them through special discounts and offers. The benefits include growing your consumer base through high conversion rates. This strategy is particularly beneficial for local businesses.

32. Free Trial

Free trials are the practice of providing a service for free on a trial basis with the hopes of converting individuals into long-term paying customers. This is a great way for businesses to convert new customers who are otherwise hesitant to sign up. Monthly subscription models are among those who find the most benefit from this model, such as gym memberships, streaming services, and delivery subscriptions.

33. Bundles or packages

Offering package bundles is the act of providing an incentive, usually a discounted price point, to the consumer in exchange for their business in more than one area. The biggest benefit of this is that package bundles usually lead to bigger total transactions, even if it is at a discounted rate. Two discounted services is always better than one full-price one. This is practiced across the majority of consumer-facing companies.

34. Memberships

Memberships are incentive-based programs that businesses offer to their customers that usually include some form of a discount or perk in exchange for longevity of their patronage. The biggest benefits of this include that you get long-term business from your customers and you establish a sense of trust and loyalty with them. While there are membership-based programs for a variety of industries, the industries that benefit most from this are grocery or retail stores as well as streaming services.

Let Others Speak For You

35. Influencer Marketing

    1. Brand Ambassadors
    2. Affiliate Programs

Influencer Marketing is a new way of advertising where brands or companies will sponsor a particular individual or group in exchange for promotion of their product or service. The benefits of this method include increased exposure, website traffic, lead generation, and the ability to measure results definitively, through tools such as coupon codes. Any consumer-facing business can benefit from influencer marketing, but some notable industries to pioneer the practice include skin care, beauty, supplements, and web security.

36. Reviews

    1. Google Business Profile (formally Google My Business)
    2. Yelp
    3. AirBnB
    4. Trip Advisor

Reviews can make for great advertisements for your company, as long as they are good reviews. The most important part of any review management strategy is to monitor reviews and respond timely and accordingly. Benefits of successful review campaigns include reputation management, increased SEO, brand awareness, and free advertising. All businesses and industries should place a real emphasis on review management.

37. Referral/ Word of Mouth

Resources: https://ahrefs.com/blog/word-of-mouth-marketing/

Word of mouth advertising is the means by which a company is promoted through the testimonials of their consumers. The most obvious benefits of this are the high success rate of conversion as well as free publicity for your business. All companies benefit from word of mouth; however, local and otherwise small businesses rely almost exclusively on it.

38. Partner with other relevant businesses

Partnering with other relevant businesses can be a great way to mutually grow with a business partner. It also is beneficial for networking purposes, new perspectives, and potential tax benefits. B2B companies are most likely to benefit from this model; however, even local restaurants have been known to successfully collaborate with restaurants for “dinner and a movie” campaigns.

39. User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-Generated Content is, simply put, any content that is created by individuals rather than businesses. The most obvious benefits include increased exposure, brand recognition, website traffic, and free publicity. With that in mind, any business can benefit from this advertising strategy.

Build Community

40. Start Groups (FB & LinkedIn)

Facebook and LinkedIn groups are ways that individuals can network with other like minded people, through a shared interest or profession. The biggest benefit is the ability to effectively grow your network and reach. This is great for small, local businesses looking to grow their impact within their community.

41. Host Events

Hosting events is a great way to gather a group of individuals with a shared interest or profession together. The benefits of this include networking, brand awareness, relationship building, and (of course) socialization. This is a great strategy for local services, including fire departments or police stations, who may be looking for fundraising opportunities.

42. Podcasting

Podcasting is a new and innovative way to reach a very specific target group of individuals. The benefits of podcasting include a secondary source of income through sponsorship opportunities as well as regular and personalized audience engagement. Anyone can start a podcast; however, C-Suite executives or entrepreneurs have had some of the most success with the medium.

Mistakes to Avoid

Coming Soon

Trying to do too many at once. 

Conclusion

Coming Soon

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