111 Strategies to Drive Massive Amounts of Traffic to a New Site
GENERATING TRAFFIC FOR A LOCAL BUSINESS
- Use a local listing directory like YEXT to do a powerful scan in several online local directories. With YEXT you can Register your business everywhere. Then you can go into each directory and setup a new listing or pay a fee and have them do it for you. We have done the free route and while it takes time it does help. Other major local directories are YAHOO, BING, GOOGLE, SUPERPAGES, and LOCALEZE.
- Optimize your key words and your SEO for local search terms. Don’t be broad, be specific to your local area and focus on the needs of your customers in your area. If you are unsure of those needs all you need to do is ask, people love to talk about their needs.
- Get links from other businesses in your area. Make sure they are relevant in your industry but not in direct competition. For instance if you are a cake baker you may want a link from a wedding dress store but not a dog kennel. Make sure you give them a reciprocal link and you can even offer them a re-purposed article for their website.
- Ask your past customers or users for a review of your product or service. Post them on your site and you will gain credibility, post them on review sites and you will get even more traffic. If you are in an article directory give customers a link to that directory and ask them to post a review on your business. You may want to offer them something in return like a discount or a free gift.
- Focus some time and energy on Google Plus, Google Maps, and Google Places for Business. Make a business community page on Google Plus and update it and connect with others in your area of expertise. This will be time well spent.
- Optimize your site for Mobile use. This should be at the top of your list because most of your local business and traffic will come from mobile devices. Especially if they need directions to your place.
- Find and use local classified ad sites to list your products. Include your website address for more exposure.
- Make a creative sign for the outside of your business, make sure the URL is creative and easy to remember so people can look you up on the internet after the get to where they are going. The goal is to catch the drive by traffic. You can also use lawn sings, flags, and those big wavy air men.
- You know that thing you get to work in every day? Well consider getting a graphic or decal job for your vehicle to advertise your business or website. It costs less than you think.
- Try and do speaking engagements and lectures on a local level at any event that will take you.
- Give products or sponsor local charities and make sure they provide a link to your site from their website and hand out your branding and marketing material.
- Send products to forum owners to give away for contests, and raffles. This can get you a lot of hits back to your site.
- Do a product or service lecture at a local club or meeting in your particular niche. For instance car clubs meet regularly and are always looking for interesting speakers.
- I always love those sign spinners outside they get a lot of attention if they are enthusiastic.
- Offer to teach a class at the local learning or community center. I get a newspaper catalog every month of the city and county offering classes in from several experts in a particular field taught at local high schools.
GO TO #7 – GENERATING TRAFFIC FROM CHANGING YOUR WEBSITE
