8 Promotion Tactics To Skyrocket Your Small Business Website’s Traffic
Having high website traffic is the necessary condition of success for small businesses specializing in online-based services. Without a steadily-increasing stream of visitors, internet-based companies have little room for growth. However, drawing in new consumers is not a simple task in today's marketplace. There are over 1 billion websites registered in the world today, meaning there is a lot of competition to be had between online businesses.
Coming out on top is not easy, but there are steps each company can take to improve their chance at success. Specifically, companies need to utilize a wide variety of marketing tactics in order to reach out to more and more potential customers. Choosing the right approach can be difficult, in no small part due to the abundance of low-quality online articles which tend to promise wonders, but deliver only trifles. So instead of pretending to sell you marketing panacea, we will use the rest of this article to outline what are some of the most commonly used methods of increasing online traffic.
Magazine Ads
Despite what some naysayers have been telling you, traditional media hasn't quite gone the way of the dinosaur yet. They are dwindling, however, which means they are more likely to support themselves through advertising. This is where your website comes in. Advertising your website through newspaper and magazine ads has never been cheaper. Use this opportunity to introduce people to your company logo, tag-line, and website URL.
Stickers, Leaflets, Business Cards
Don't underestimate the advertising potential of small bits of paper with your logo and website address on them. Printing and distributing paper-based materials is an inexpensive way to infiltrate the pockets of your fellow city-dwellers. Make sure to include these materials in your official press-kits, as local media can be a powerful ally for getting your name heard.
Mobile Advertising
People are taught to pay attention to moving vehicles from an early age. And if you know where their eyes will be looking, why not put an ad there? A single line of text such as a web address can easily be put on a bike, a car, or on the side of a train, thus ensuring your brand is circulating on the streets.
Outdoor Panels
Placing a Display Melightbox with your company logo and a QR code pointing to your website at the entrance of your business office, combines online and offline marketing for maximum impact. Passersby who regularly move through your area will have many opportunities to check out your ad, and some might even scan the code out of curiosity. This will lead them to your website irrespective of how popular it might be online.
Search Engine Optimization
People are not going to visit your website if they can't find it. Your service might be excellent and your site might be a masterpiece of design, but if no one comes across it while browsing online, all your effort will go to waste. SEO works by making your site more visible on search engine result pages. Optimization is achieved through the tactical use of keywords and keyword phrases throughout your site's content. The better your site is optimized, the greater the likelihood of it appearing among top search results on Google or Bing, which makes it easier to find through while browsing the web.
Blogging
Incorporating a company blog in your website ensures that you have a means of expanding your content on a regular basis. Blog posts are very versatile when it comes to increasing traffic. First, they are ripe for SEO because they can incorporate trending keywords as they become popular. Second, they are a free source of content for your social media page. Finally, quality blog posts can be valuable sources of information for other blog writers, who will in turn link to them, further spreading your online presence.
Social media marketing
By creating a social media profile for your business, you are setting it up to become a part of the online conversation. If they like your social media content, your soon-to-be followers will check out your profile, which should contain a link to your website, which is where you want to lead them. The best part comes from the fact that your followers are likely to share your content with their friends, potentially creating new followers at no extra cost to you.
Celebrity Streamers
The popularity of video-based services like Twitch and YouTube in recent years has brought about the rise of a new kind of entrepreneur: the celebrity streamer. These individuals make living by creating video content for their massive audiences. Having your website featured in one of these videos is sure to give a boost to your traffic. While it can be difficult to get a hold of top-level streamers, there are plenty of young, eager celebrity-wannabes that would be willing to promote your content at a fair price.
Causing a Traffic Jam Online
Increasing online traffic is often presented as something achievable only through esoteric means. The reality is that increasing website traffic is not as difficult as it seems. Understanding the basic principles behind online (and offline) advertising allows companies to expand their traffic quickly, conveniently, and at very little extra cost.
5 Great Responsive Design Testing Tools
Consumer-grade computer devices come in many shapes and sizes nowadays. What they all have in common is the ability to access the internet, allowing consumers to browse the web whether they have desktop PC, a tablet, or a smart-watch. Add to that a variety of web browsing software, each with their own suite of add-ons, plug-ins, and extensions, and you get a digital ecosystem where everyone gets to surf the web in way they find most comfortable.On the other side of the equation, things couldn't be more different. Web developers and designers now have to create websites that render equally well across the myriad of devices in use today. Methods of input, screen sizes, and bandwidth limitations, are only some of the factors?that make the professional lives of modern website creators more difficult than they used to be.To address the issue of designing for an increasing variety of browsing configurations, a set of standards about what constitutes responsive web design were developed. These provide guidelines on how to adapt websites for optimal browsing on different devices and software. There are now various software packages on the market that allow you to test whether your website conforms to these principles. Here is a list of 5 of them that caught our attention recently.Responsinator
Responsinator's main selling point is its ease-of-use. Simply type in a web-page URL, and Responsinator will give you a preview of how the page renders on a variety of common screen shapes and sizes. The page previews are fully functional as well, allowing you conduct rudimentary tests by clicking on links, filling out search fields, etc. Responsinator also has a handy feature in the form of a button for toggling between HTTPS and HTTP modes of previewing a site. This will give you an additional perspective for analyzing web pages. Responsinator is available for free online, and is used through a browser interface.Google Resizer, DevTools Device Mode, and Mobile-Friendly Test
Google offers a variety of tools for helping web developers and designers create websites that display perfectly on a range of popular devices, with a focus on mobile browsing. Google Resizer offers the ability to test a web-page across multiple screen sizes. Google DevTools Device Mode provides software simulations of various common devices, thus providing an opportunity to see how a given website works in practice. Google Mobile-Friendly Test is not a design tool per se, but it nonetheless presents a handy tool for?analyzing whether a web site is mobile friendly. All of Google's tools are available for free online.XRespond
The XRespond app markets itself as a "virtual device lab". The app offers the standard preview features for this kind of software, giving users the ability to see how a website looks on a variety of devices. The app interface is based around scrolling sideways to see how a site displays on a variety of screens, side by side. At the top of the screen is a toolbar that displays relevant information, such as the exact screen size, pixel density, etc. Supported devices include popular smartphones, tablets, and laptops. There is the option to manually specify screen sizes as well, for conducting tests for specific devices. XRespond is available for free online as a browser app.Ghostlab
Ghostlab is something of an industry standard when it comes to testing for responsive design. It offers the ability to test a site for multiple devices at the same time, side by side, giving you a clear overview on how well it renders on a variety of configurations. Actions in one browser sub-window, such as following links, clicking on buttons, or filling out forms, will get replicated on all others, giving you an unparalleled productivity boost. Sydney based web design agency?recommend Ghostlab as the definitive tool to use when creating responsive websites. Ghostlab is a paid app, with a 7-day trial being offered as well. It is a mid-point between free online apps, and expensive corporate solutions.Am I Responsive?
If you need a quick and dirty way to check how responsive your website is, look no further than the Am I Responsive? browser app. It is not intended for serious design analysis, but it works really well for what it is intended for. You can choose between a generic desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone display, which are good enough for giving you a rough estimate on a website runs on such devices. It has a handy screenshot feature that puts the various display modes all into the same frame, which is great for creating promotional screenshots. You are not limited to testing remote websites either ? just type in a localhost address into the search field, and get a preview of how a website in progress from your hard drive is panning out.
Magento Trends That Will Shape E commerce in 2018
Magento is by accounts, the most popular and powerful eCommerce development platform available on the market. It is feature-rich, secure, scales seamlessly, and houses ample diversity in itself. In fact, even if there are thousands of virtual stores built using Magento, there are so many themes and plugins available that none of them would look or feel similar. This is also perhaps the reason why irrespective of goals, Magento development services do a pretty fine job of fitting-in in every industry and meet unique business requirements for all.That said, Magento isn?t just a static tool but an evolving technology that partly owing to its open-source tag is consistently endowed with new features. Those features when implemented, ultimately define the course of eCommerce as a whole. That is if you wish to gauge at the larger picture, just follow up with the trends on Magento. Here are the latest ones:Personalized Shopping
This has been in making for a very long time and has finally started to gain traction. Earlier online stores used to be somewhat like a warehouse where each customer was bombarded with the same set of products. And customers had to simply browse through countless number of products until they found what they were looking for.That onus now falls on businesses. With personalized shopping, eCommerce businesses now take into account the past purchases, general interests, budget considerations, among many other factors to finally curate a handful of products displayed uniquely to each customer. This is like walking into a store that may have countless number of products stored but only a few- the most meaningful to them are on display.Related: Vital Tips to Hire the Experienced and Reliable Magento DevelopersEnriched Content
Images, though important, aren?t appealing enough to persuade customers on their own. What businesses need to sell is not just a product but a story around it. Magento development is feature-rich to match that as well. Be it through animation, videos, or cutting-edge AR incorporation, we can expect more of these content to feature in eCommerce as we move further into 2018.Enhanced User Experience
From overall navigation theme to the time it takes to load a page, every aspect of an online store plays a crucial role in customer engagement and retention. For instance, if your site takes more than 3 seconds to load, chances are they won?t hang around. If they do not find their preferred payment option during checkout, they might abandon the cart.Magento development service now takes into account all these tidbits that are as important as core functionalities to improve not just the engagement but also overall business prospects. That is, as we move further, you will find Magento applications to be more engaging, faster, and all-inclusive.Notifications and Opt-in Forms
Businesses realize that people can?t and will not shop every day. But if they let them loose, they might not ever come back. To ensure engagement and nurture a business-customer relationship, notifications are newsletters are a fantastic channel.More and more Magento services are now incorporating notifications on their platform to consistently keep nudging their customers and occupy an exclusive mind-space.Opt-in forms are another sustainable channel to keep users informed by not acting just a destination for shopping but also the source of information.Mobile Commerce
Yes, there is the responsive design and the mobile-first strategy but we aren?t just talking about how the eCommerce looks and feel on mobile devices but how it works. And with the rise of wireless broadband and mobile wallets, the integration couldn?t be any easier for eCommerce to exploit. Magento, having full range of features for mobile devices, is guaranteed to fuel this segment in coming days 10 Tips to Creating the Next Great App
With millions of apps competing for user attention, the road to success is really steep that only a handful of top mobile application development companies have managed to trace. So, no matter how great an idea you have, unless it takes the shape of an equally appealing app, there is little chance that you will achieve the desired success.Here are 10 tips to ensure the success of your app, which isn?t left to mere luck:1. Design to captivate
The first thing that a user experiences after launching your app isn?t its features or performance, but the design. And it is this first impression that largely determines the appreciation it evokes in users, that may later turn into loyalty. So, be it Android?s material design or iOS?s flat design concept, be sure to exploit the full potential of the powerful UI/UX customization they offer.2. Keep it simple
In a rush to create the most appealing and responsive design of all time, do not underestimate the basics. The first rule of creating an elegant UI is to minimize the number of clicks that it takes to do any particular tasks. Expect for one-click solutions, conventionally, if it is more than 4-5 clicks to reach any particular page or task, it is evident that there is something wrong and you may need to take the design back to the drawing board.3. Target all platforms
Unless you have some specific users in mind or your app performs some functionality that?s acceptable on any particular platform, your app must be available on all platforms. Be it Android, iOS or iPad, each of these platforms has their own set of users, any of which must not be missed if you wish to create a highly successful app.That said, you don?t necessarily need to hit all those platforms at once and can take your time to test the feasibility and response on one platform and then use that knowledge for subsequent releases.4. Keep evolving
As the technology evolves, your users expect your app to provide new features. Because if your app offers the same set of functions even after months or years after they installed it, they have every reason to come out looking for a better, more productive alternative.5. Do not hesitate to experiment
It doesn?t mean you should force your whims on all your existing users. Be it a new feature or a design change, release them first to certain small test groups across different regions. And if the response is positive, you can proceed to a full-scale release.6. Keep your goals in sight
Most times, in an effort to offer something refreshing, businesses tend to betray the core concept of an app, which as expected, irks the users. If you wish to offer a new service, a separate app is the better path to take and not treat the existing app as a testing ground.7. Clear monetization strategy
There are instances when an app starts out as free and after a while, when the user base swells and they struggle with the revenues, they bombard the app with ads and in-app purchases. This is something you must not indulge into. Get your revenue channels figured out from the beginning else it will risk the credibility of your app.8. Make it secure
Perhaps, this goes without saying- no matter what your app does, if it?s not secure, don?t even bother launching it. Especially, if it collects personal, sensitive information, employ the finest encryption methods and try to store data locally than routing it to servers.Also read: How to Integrate Security in App Development at Early Stage9. Go for offline
There is possibly nothing more annoying when an app goes useless the moment internet connection is turned off. Especially if your app does something important, try to make some functionalities available offline to help users when they are off-grid.10. Retention is the key
If you know anything about mobile app business or even marking in general, you may know that referrals are in fact the cheapest way of customer acquisition. So, instead of burning your resources on acquiring users, focus more on retaining those who are already there. Because if you manage to delight a small number of users, they will work as a catalyst to bring new ones.
Business Launching on Social Media
Most marketing enthusiasts believe that business launching needs a lot of hard work. Because for these people, starting any business can be a minefield, even for experienced entrepreneurs. How true is it? Let's find out.Business Launching Can Be Tough
Launching a new business can be tough, especially when you're still trying to find your first customers. You need to be on top of so many different things. There is so much to do but so little time to do it. Also, when you launch a business, you have one objective in mind. It is to raise the profile of your company to increase traffic and most importantly, drive leads and sales. Which is truly crucial to any start-up enterprise.Aim For A Successful Business Launch
If starting a business is a new territory for you, its launching can really be daunting. Finding your bearings and figuring out exactly who and what your business adds up the challenge. So to eliminate chances of falling into pitfalls, all you have to know is how to perfectly market your brand and company on its first promotion.Remember, your business or product launch is the first impression people will remember. A memorable business launch will bring your product to the attention of more people in more locations. If you need advice along the way, help is always available. Fortunately, you found this article.Preparation is key for all new ventures. We will help you prepare. Below is an amazing and effective tip on how you can execute the best business launching for your new business venture.Business Launching on Social Media
The Power of Social Strategy
With the digital platform taking the business world by storm, business launching on social media is essential. It is a smart, strategic, and very effective way of promoting what's new. You are maximizing potential sales by targeting as many potential channels as possible. Moreover, launching your business on social media allows you to quickly respond to queries of people who are curious about what you have to offer. It's a convenient and hassle-free way to help you launch a successful online profile.Reasons why you should launch your business on social media:
Social media is important for your business.
Statistics show.
It's cost-effective.
Very engaging.
Improved brand loyalty.
SEO Rankings
Brand Authority
Help Alert!
Gearing up to launch your next business? Business launches aren't easy even on social media. So before you get too excited, here are some tips for a successful brand launch in social media.1. Create the best plan.
You need a plan tailored to what 'success' means to you. Therefore, you need to integrate your social media efforts into your company?s marketing plan. That's easy to accomplish if you include an editorial calendar and posting schedules before your launch day. You don't need a plan implementation team. Your effort is enough as long as your plan is well-organized.2. Engage with your followers.
Aside from your promotional and advertising posts, interact. Communicate with people through blog posts that answer questions relative to your product or service offering. You can also share useful links related to your niche. share links to allow distribution across social channels. When people start to connect with you, expect a huge conversation-building. Be active in listening and responding. You're launching a business. You have to attract leads right away. A great customer support is a key to gaining people's trust.3. Be consistent.
The social media personality you want to impose must match your brand. Consistency is crucial to brand recognition. You'll appear inauthentic when your social media content doesn?t seem to jive with your company?s promotional campaigns. Consistent posting schedule is an important requirement.4. Develop great content.
Media-rich content is king. Use your posts to express and resonate. Don't waste the time of your followers by posting non-sense news and outdated information. So think before you post.5. Add images and videos.
This is crucial. Images and videos are powerful communication tools. They are more engaging than words on a page. Therefore, never forget to include an image or video on your post. You can also share images and videos relevant to what your product and service are all about. Be sure to use high-quality images. When it comes to your choice of video, explainer videos are very popular. They are short but very precise communication material.'Ultimate business launching solution but needs collective effort...'
Social media is not a magic bullet that can replace your other communications activities. But when properly executed, it can be one solid foundation of a new marketing. It has become an integral part of public relations. A multi-touch approach gets the job done while complementing all other communications efforts.About the Author:
Khristine Agase is the Content Manager of izideo, a professional Explainer Video company.Best Shared Web Hosting
