Drive Traffic to Your Website is simple using Social media as the perfect vehicle. You can use it to start conversations with prospects and customers. However, if it doesn’t become lead generation taking them to your website then you may not be reaching your sales and marketing goals. It may only take a few tweaks to your social media strategy may help you gain the traffic you desire.
#1 Visible Contact Information
You might be surprised how many business owners have social media pages and profiles but their website address is a real challenge to find. It’s a simple thing; make sure your URL, email address, and even your phone number are on your site. Be completely transparent so prospects feel comfortable trusting you. Additionally, the more obvious your URL is, the more likely a prospect is to click on it and visit your website. The more time they have to spend looking for information the quicker you have lost them as a customer.
#2 Create Searchable Content
Sites like Twitter allow you to include hashtags in your posts. Twitter was the pioneer of hashtags but now all the social sites use them. Pinterest allows you to identify categories and include tags. Use these features in your post so that your potential customers can readily find your information. This simple tactic will help attract more people to your social media profile and subsequently more people to your website.
Keep in mind you want to attract the right traffic.
#3 Contests and Promotions
Give your social media followers a bonus to visit your website. Host a special promotion or contest. Give something away that would entice your ideal customer. For example, you might offer a printable coupon for Facebook followers only. In your promotion, include a link to the promotional page or a contest for your services.
#4 Content – No Fluff
Before you post on any social site, make sure it provides value to your audience. If it doesn’t have a clear benefit, don’t post it. You will want to keep personal and business separate unless it represents your brand. Rinse and repeat but test and measure your posts to identify which posts generate the most traffic and interest. Also consider including a call to action and a link in some of your posts, and test and track those as well.
#5 Create Curiosity
Some posts should lead directly to your website or blog while others Include a few sentences teaser on your social media page and a link to read more. You can do this on any of the social media sites, from 140 characters on Twitter to tantalizing paragraphs on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook and now Instagram.
There is a multitude of ways to use social media to drive prospects to your website. At the end of the day, it requires two key steps. The first is to make sure you’re providing value to your prospects. The second is to test and measure your result on a regular basis so you know what works.
Karen Fox – better known as Karen THE Connector – is a social media coach, strategist and speaker. Karen works with companies and individuals to take the fear and frustration out of creating their online reputation with social media. She rescues those who are lost on LinkedIn, frustrated with Facebook, Feeling like a Twit on Twitter or Perplexed by Pinterest. Karen THE Connector
