Leveraging your Website - Back to the Basics

By Tyler Hawkins

Failing to leverage Internet technology, many companies are being rapidly left behind. Slowly but surely, businesses large and small have been coming to this realization. Without question, the cornerstone of an effective Internet presence is a polished and professional Website.

However, many companies fail to realize that building a dazzling, user-friendly Website is only the first step in establishing and maintaining an optimal Web presence. The bottom line: A Website that no one visits has entirely no value.

In order to best utilize your Website it is imperative to maximize quality traffic to it. Your firm may choose to go about this in any number of ways, some incredibly powerful, others not so much. Many companies choose to overemphasize online strategies, such as pay-per-click ads, to the neglect of tried-and-true, traditional "offline" methods. As part of an overall marketing strategy, it is important to maintain a firm-specific mix that is based upon sound market research.

Online strategies
One of the best ways to drive traffic to your site is to have it rank highly on respected search engines such as Google. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important. However, not everyone can be in Google’s top ten. So, where does that leave you? One possible solution is to buy high ranking paid search results through pay per click (PPC) advertising.

PPC, in which you pay a set amount each time a user clicks on your ad, can be an effective component of your marketing strategy. Unfortunately, PPC ads are inherently limited by the fact that most people are leery of clicking on what they know are paid advertisements. Aware of the fact that these ads may lead them to a Website without relevant content (as opposed to organic search results) potential clients are reluctant to click on them.

Online directories and link sharing sites are two other avenues that, though valuable as a component of an overall strategy, often tend to be over-emphasized when it comes to maximizing Website traffic.

These valuable online marketing and advertising strategies should be supplemented with the effective use of traditional strategies in order to maximize quality Website traffic. This is especially the case with small businesses and those seeking to reach a local target market.

Traditional strategies
Even today, in the midst of the “digital revolution,” companies choosing to disregard traditional marketing and advertising strategies do so at their own peril. Well conceived and implemented strategies to achieve maximum Website traffic should always include “offline” traditional components.

Successful businesses utilize proven methods such as radio spots, print advertising, targeted mailers, and even innovative mobile advertising. A disciplined public relations campaign, capable of generating publicity through third-party validation can also be invaluable in generating a buzz and driving traffic to your Website. These avenues provide the ability to reach large chunks of a target market that may otherwise go untapped by an over-reliance on Internet marketing strategies. They should not be overlooked.

Take action
Has your business put all of its stock into Internet marketing? Are you missing out on reaching a sizable chunk of your target market by failing to utilize tried-and-true methods? An honest appraisal is in order. Re-visit your marketing strategy to ensure that you are delivering the maximum amount of quality traffic to your Website. If you need help, seek out a firm that specializes in providing integrated Website development and marketing solutions.

Tyler Hawkins is Strategic Communications Director at 1Degree, a Bellevue-based provider of Website development and integrated marketing solutions.