We’ve created a list of 8 tips to use in order to significantly increase website traffic. They include both free and paid options. As is true with planning anything, some tasks require long periods of preparation, while others can be executed on the fly.

Optimize Your Site for Sales

Whether you’ve just launched or you’ve been around for a while, everyone is looking for ways to increase eCommerce traffic and ultimately get customers to purchase their products. But every potential visitor is different, and there are many unique ways that you can reach each of them. From social media to SEO, working with influencers and more, these proven ways will surely drive traffic to your online store.

But before you get started on trying to figure out how to get traffic to your website, here are a few things to consider in order to make sure your site is ready to turn increased traffic into increased sales.

• Organize your site with an uncomplicated structure and clear CTAs. Make sure shoppers can easily navigate your site to find what they’re looking for. If your product catalog is not directly on your site’s homepage, add a prominent “Shop Now” or “Start Shopping” button that leads customers there.
• Make it clear what you offer. Have you ever visited an online store and had to wander around before you really understood what the product was that they were selling? Don’t make that mistake. Make it clear on your homepage what services you provide.
• Speak to a specific target audience. If you’re catering to a unique group of customers, speak their language. Create compelling content that’s fun, interesting and informative for your niche. Most importantly, make sure there are no typos!
• Remember that photography is king. We’re living in a visual age. High-quality product photography is a must so customers can see exactly what they’re getting. In fact, 83% of US smartphone users said product photography is “very” and “extremely” influential to their purchasing decisions.
• Do quality control. Take note of all the products you offer and make sure they are quality items that you can proudly stand behind. Scan product descriptions to make sure they accurately and appropriately characterize your product.

OK, now you’re ready to get started on increasing your website traffic and converting it into more sales.

Here are 8 expert tips on how to drive traffic to your online store:

1. Attract Customers with a Sales Campaign
2. Target Your Audience on Facebook
3. Use Instagram’s Many Features
4. Lean into Email Marketing
5. SEO Optimize Your Site
6. Utilize Content Marketing
7. Engage with Influencers
8. Advertise on Google

01. Attract Customers with a Sales Campaign

When shopping online, do you immediately click the “sales” tab to find the best prices, or is that just us? By creating the right sales campaign, visitors will come running to your website looking for a good deal. Whether that campaign is planned just in time for the next holiday season or for no particular reason, people will respond.

To get you started, here are some campaign ideas you can implement:

• Offer a competition or giveaway: People love being rewarded. You can offer an incentive in which visitors receive free shipping or a coupon towards their first purchase if they sign up for your mailing list. This move motivates them to enter your site and shop.
• Create a coupon available on your website only: Speaking of coupons, they’re also a surefire way to lure guests in, whether it’s 15% off or 50% off. By making the coupon accessible through only your website, you can ensure that more visitors will come your way and find themselves shopping. For MamelodiBiz eCommerce users, check out the “Promote” section of your Store Manager to create a coupon.
• Create a sense of urgency: Whether it’s a flash sale, free shipping until the end of the month or announcing a huge upcoming sale, urgency is a tactic which is sure to drive visitors to your site. When you input a countdown clock on your website for a particularly exciting event or sale, users will be motivated to continue to re-enter your website again and again waiting in anticipation.
• BOGO (buy one, get one) deals: Whether it’s scarves, notebooks, chocolate bars or plants, most of us are more inclined to buy when we know we’re getting something for free. At the very least, we’ll come check out the website to see what this deal is all about.

However, just creating a sale is only step one. Without a proper promotion plan to back this action up, you can end up running down lost roads. This is especially true when you don’t have a brick and mortar shop with a huge sign out front screaming “SALE NOW.”

That’s where marketing promotion comes in. Whether you conduct your advertising efforts via social media, email marketing, or other efforts, this promotion is the missing ingredient to your sales’s success. So, are you ready to get more website traffic? Combine the efforts of a creative campaign with the following promotional tips, and you’ll have the formula for success.

02. Target Your Audience on Facebook

Did you know that 75 percent of consumers turn to Facebook before making a purchase? That’s reason enough to be active on today’s most popular social network. Plus, it’s one more way for customers to hear from you and stay up-to-date on your business’s news. The following methods will help you utilize this social network to the fullest.

Create a Facebook page

In 2020, having a Facebook page for your business is not a recommendation, it’s a requirement. Customers will look to your store’s Facebook page for crucial information, like your website’s link, phone number, reviews and customer support.

This is also a good place to publish and promote any content that links back to your website, such as a sales campaign (as mentioned above), a blog post (providing a link straight to your site), or a new item available in your store.

Run Facebook ads

Pay-per-click advertisements on Facebook have become fundamental to businesses seeking to broaden their target audience. Set a budget, a campaign objective (like traffic, engagement, conversions, etc.), a timeframe and then pay for and run your ads. The difference between promoting ads and simply publishing to your Facebook page is the difference between night and day—whereas only your followers (and not that many of them) will see posts published on your page, you can target anyone on Facebook, anywhere in the world with your Facebook Ads.

The advantage of Facebook is that it allows you to target more specifically than any other platform based on the huge amount of data that it holds. So, since these potential customers are on Facebook to leisurely browse, it’s the perfect place to whet their appetite for your product.

If you’re looking for an easier way to create and run ads, you can use Facebook Ads tool, which uses AI to A/B test your ads, track sales, and locate the ideal audience to target. You can also set the ads to run on Instagram.

Integrate Facebook shop

Let customers browse your products when they’re on Facebook, then automatically direct them to your site to checkout.

If you’re using Wix, you can integrate Facebook shop with your eCommerce site in just a few clicks. Then your inventory will all be managed in your site’s backend and any updates you make to your product listings will automatically appear in your Facebook shop. Once your shop is created and integrated, don’t forget to add a Shop Now button to your Facebook business page that’ll direct customers to your catalog.

03. Use Instagram’s Many Features

Depending on your business, Instagram can be a huge asset for increasing traffic to your website. Use it to cultivate your brand and to give people a look into how your product is developed and how your store is run. Let your customers fall in love with your business and with you.

There are several ways to link your Instagram account to your website (and vice versa) in order to best use the social media channel to drive traffic and sales.

Optimize your Instagram bio

Make sure your Instagram bio is optimized for your business, including a link to your store, other contact info, and perhaps some witty content. In fact, customers will expect to find that info there.

Use Instagram stories

This is probably the most popular feature on Instagram and one businesses should definitely make use of. Develop the human element to your store by showing your day-to-day life behind the scenes. You can also use it to showcase new products, designs or offerings.

Business accounts with more than 10,000 followers or verified accounts can add a link to their CTA and utilize the ‘Swipe Up’ feature. To do so, you’ll want to build a story with your slides. You can draw customers in with relevant and exciting content crafted for your brand, from videos to pictures, hashtags and more. Then, conclude with a CTA to your online store, like “Shop Now,” or “Link in Bio.”

Integrate Instagram with your site

Sync your Instagram feed with your online store so that customers can shop your products from your Instagram posts as well as on your website. Similar to Facebook shop, this let’s customers find the product they love on your social media channel and then click on the image in order to see more details and check out. So once you’ve posted your pics on the ‘gram, half the work is already done.

04. Lean into Email Marketing

Although email marketing may sound outdated in the world of TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, this marketing channel actually boasts the highest return on investment (ROI) of all, with an average of $40 earned for every dollar spent. As one of the most successful ways to direct your customers to your online store, it’s definitely worth implementing. Plus, it’s completely free, so what do you have to lose?

The first step you’ll need to take, is to grow your email list. One way to get people to sign up for your emails is by adding a lightbox to your site that promises a discount on their next purchase if they provide their email address. You should also add the sign up form in your site’s footer so shoppers can opt in to learn about your store’s updates and promotions.

Once you have your list of emails, you’ll need to make sure that the emails you send are opened and the links inside of them are clicked. Here’s how to run your eCommerce email marketing campaign in 4 simple steps:

Decide on a direction.

Will you be holding a holiday sale that you want to promote? Do you want to showcase your new product line? Do you have a product that is ideal for this specific time of year? Make sure you have a clear goal for your email.

Choose a platform to design your emails.

Pick one that’s simple to use and lets you customize templates, easily sync contacts, and track your stats. There are many free options available, including MailChimp Email Marketing tool.

Write your subject lines, CTAs and content.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Subject lines: This is hands down the most important element to your email marketing campaign, so don’t mess this up. The subject line is what your customers will see before they decide whether they’ll even open the email. Make sure you keep the text short, punchy, provocative and engaging.
• Calls-to-Action (CTAs): The entire reason you’re writing an email is to get potential customers to visit your site and buy. Therefore, you should not only link every photo and important piece of text to your website, but also include a prominent button with clear directions on what the reader should do next. For example, if you’re showcasing different sale items, include a “Shop Now” button near each one that links to the product page.
• Written content: Don’t overdo it with the text. People have short attention spans, especially for promotional material. Make sure every word you write is useful, eye-catching and geared towards getting visitors to click on your CTA.

Don’t skimp on the visuals.

As an online store, people want to see exactly what it is you’re selling them. You should include visuals within your email of your products. And if you’re launching a new product, photos and videos are the way to shine the spotlight on it.

05. SEO Optimize Your Site

Your potential audience is already searching Google for products like yours anyways. You just need to find a way to be one of the first online stores that they see in the search results. The way to get your business to be featured prominently in Google’s search results is through a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO is the process of increasing eCommerce traffic through efforts to get your site high on the list of specific search results.

To ensure that your SEO plan is effective, begin by understanding some critical SEO terms, like keywords. These are short phrases or individual words that make it possible for people to find your online store via search engines. Some are more popular than others, so it does take some digging to find the most suited words. You can use programs like Google Trends, SEMrush or Ahrefs to help you do your keyword research.

The link between your keywords and visitors happens when you add these short phrases to your site’s metadata. Metadata refers to your SEO titles, descriptions, slugs and headings throughout your website’s pages. Make sure each page of your site and each product page is optimized. For example, if you’re selling t-shirts with an illustrated poodle design on it, your SEO title for the product page should be something like “Poodle T-Shirt” (depending on your keyword research).

If you’re just getting started, make use of a program that will tell you exactly what to do, like the Wix SEO Wiz. This tool creates a free personalised SEO plan for you, with a checklist and suggestions for every step of the way. Let it guide you through everything, from using keywords in your headings to optimizing the alt text for your images.

Keep in mind that even when SEO efforts are done correctly, landing a seat on page one results can take time, so you’ll need to be patient.

06. Utilize Content Marketing

If you’re a newer company trying to compete with bigger brands or if you’re trying to increase your brand recognition, a great way to grow your website traffic is through content marketing.

Content marketing refers to any content your business creates that offers valuable, relevant, and engaging information that’ll attract your targeted audience to your online store and your brand. The immediate goal isn’t necessarily to get them to buy, but to stimulate interest in your products and to present your business as an authority within your field.

Some of the most common forms include blogs, videos, and infographics.

Blogs

Blogging is great for SEO when done correctly because the more content you produce, the more links you’ll have that lead to your online store. Both Google and potential customers will be attracted to this.

Blogging is also a way to give customers a reason to keep coming back to your website for something more, aside from when they are looking to purchase another item from your shop. You can use your blog as a way to provide insights within your field, offer extra information that’ll help build your brand and promote your products.

You can write about anything that relates to your business. For example, let’s say that you sell hiking gear, you can blog about “The Best Hiking Trails in South America” or “10 Hiking Essentials That You Need for Your Next Adventure.”

Write blog posts and submit them to external publications focused around your industry. Do some research specific to your industry by searching for publications that share a similar audience to yours. Then, make a spreadsheet listing all the companies and your contact points to get started. Although this is a timely process, doing so usually results in publicity in the form of backlinks (links that lead back to your online store) or a chance to leave a short bio at the end of your post talking about you and your business.

Videos

Create short, engaging video content that’s related to your field of expertise and your business and post it on your business’ YouTube channel, social media and on your own eCommerce website. You can use videos to answer frequently asked questions about your business, explain how to use your product, or just provide interesting or engaging information. Just make sure the tone of your videos match your business’ overall brand.

Infographics

What have you learned about your industry that you can pass on to your customers? Publish key insights and stats in a visually compelling and easily shareable way by creating infographics. It’s a great way to grow your business’ sense of authority in its field, as well as to spread awareness about your business. Make sure you brand your infographic with your business’ logo and a URL to your site so that when people share it, you’ll gain brand recognition.

07. Engage with Influencers

Stepping out of your network into someone else’s is a great way to gain traffic to your site by expanding your reach to a whole new audience. Like guest blogging, working with social media influencers is an outreach marketing tactic that does just this for your reach. Influencers are those that have established high credibility in their industry as trend-setters, with a large following of users (typically on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube). Consumers tend to take their advice seriously – especially when it comes to their shopping experiences – since it’s usually honest, relatable, and unbiased.

Start by researching your social platforms and looking for popular accounts related to your industry. A tip for Instagram is to use Webstagram, an Instagram web viewer with advanced features, and type in keywords related to your business.

After you’ve created a list, you’ll want to start conversations with them, letting them know why they will find your product useful and worthwhile, as well as negotiating how both of you can work together. Common ways to get them to speak about your brand is to send them product samples, pass along special discounts that they can distribute exclusively to their followers, or offer commission for every new person that they get to make a purchase from your store.

It’s also possible to create an affiliate program to automate the process, allowing you to work with a large number of influencers in the most efficient manner. These efforts usually lead to them discussing your product in their Instagram stories, or tagging you in a post, both of which are excellent ways to drive traffic to your online store.

08. Advertise on Google

Whereas with SEO, you garner traffic organically, here you pay Google to show your site to your target audience. Each click you receive due to their ads costs a specific amount depending on the keywords you’re targeting, which is why they’re called PPC (paid-per-click) ads. You’ll need to budget a bit more money for this method, but the results can be significant.

This method of advertising can be performed via Google Ads, an online advertising platform where users pay to share their content to a massive span of potential site visitors across the Google Ad Network. (It reaches over 90% of Internet users worldwide.) It’s not just about being able to access nearly everyone online, but the fact that you can target as specific criteria as you want (location, demographics, keywords, etc.). To get started, check out this step-by-step guide for advertising on Google.

Ready to build your eCommerce site? Start selling on MamelodiBiz today!