By Maryann Lawrence, Startup Rep, Direct Incorporation
These days, having a good website is critical. According to eMarketer the number of consumers researching or shopping online will surpass 200 million by 2015! But how do you get people to visit your website? And, once there, how do you get them to stay?
How to bring people to your website.
To bring people to your website, you’ll need to make sure you rank high in the search engines. (When your target market performs a Google or Yahoo search, the goal is for your site to show up on the first page of the search engine’s results.)
To do this, you’ll need to do some on-page search engine optimization. This starts with brainstorming the key words for which people are searching and sprinkling those keywords throughout your website headlines and body copy.
Another way to attract more traffic is to tag your graphics. This means, naming your image files with the same relevant keywords mentioned above.
For more information on optimizing your website for search engines, downloadCopyblogger’s free guide: How to Create Compelling Content that Ranks Well in Search Engines.
How to get people to stay.
When a visitor jumps ship in less than eight seconds, it’s called click-off. Solving click-off can be a challenge. But there are some things you can do.
- Get rid of slow-loading, high-resolution images.
- Deliver high quality content that provides answers to what your target market is searching for. This includes providing a clear description of who you are and what you do.
- Be sure your site can be easily navigated. For more tips on setting up your site navigation, see Entrepreneur’s article on 10 Things Every Small-Business Website Needs.
Need a new website? Contact Direct Incorporation for cost-effective website design and hosting services. Thanks! – Maryann
