Effective Ways To Increase Your Engagement And Traffic

In terms of marketing and business growth, websites are easily one of the most powerful tools made by man. Yet for something so useful, it’s often underutilized, which is why you see a lot of websites that are un-engaging, lackluster, and oftentimes look underbaked. Even more unfortunate is that a lot of companies still fall prey to this.

This is bad practice, of course, because in the content marketing world, nothing you’re doing matters a smidge if your site isn’t created and optimized with the intention of finding users, engaging them and then converting them into returning users/customers.

Engagement and traffic is one of the key ways to ensure your content grows, so how do you get them? Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

Remember that when it comes to content marketing, customer experience should always be the deciding factor, and that easily falls under the umbrella of website engagement and traffic.

But how do you increase traffic and engagement in the first place? Here are some tips that will point you, and your potential customers, in the right direction. Read on:

1. Strategize, strategize, strategize

Making a content marketing strategy ensures that you don’t fumble along the way as you strive for engagement and traffic on your site. Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

When it comes to making a content marketing strategy, always write with intent and purpose and be specific with what you want to say. This removes the need to create a long-winded presentation with little to no substance.

The numbers speak as well, as data from the 2020 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs reveal that an astounding 69% of the most successful companies have a documented strategy, while 16% of the least successful ones lack it.

While having a content marketing strategy does not ensure success, it does help you plan your actions better, which increases the likelihood of growth.

2. Dip into multimedia content  

Don’t be afraid to use other forms of media to market your content, such as animation videos and even infographics. Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

The beauty of modern technology and the internet is that marketing is no longer bound to simple posters and ads. In fact, a recent report by Contently reveals that at the moment, videos and infographics are the formats that are most utilized, so why not make use of that momentum to engage with your target audience?

The possibilities are endless in these formats as well, especially for videos. You can use animations, live videos, educational videos and other engaging content. Just make sure that the information is precise and straight to the point.

3. Maximize your visitors’ time on your page

As per a benchmark report by Brafton back in 2017, B2C buyers only spend an average of 2 minutes and 47 seconds when visiting sites, and even shorter on sites that are complicated or take too much work.

So why not maximize that time spent on your website when customers come to you? You can do this by making sure that pages load quickly and putting informative and valuable content front and center. Make the UI intuitive and interactive as well, but don’t place too much on your front page as this might overwhelm your visitor.

The amount of time they spend on your site might be short, but if what they see entices them to come back, then you’re definitely on the right track.

4. Get mobile-responsive

Making sure your site is optimized for mobile design ensures mobile users are likely to spend time on your website. Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

Don’t neglect your mobile visitors as well. Statistics shows that mobile traffic now accounts for 52% of all website traffic, so make sure your site is optimized for handheld screens, meaning it should load quick, have simple navigation and only takes minimal steps to complete an action.

5. Think (and act) like a teacher

According to business author and professor Adam Grant, “good communicators make themselves look smart, while great communicators make their audiences feel smart.”

Remember that when it comes to content marketing, the best ones always have an educational nugget or two that audiences can pick up and find useful. Similar to a teacher educating their students, there simply is no way to build a better relationship with your audience, especially since that interaction is indirect.

But how do you do this in the first place? First, you meet your audience where they are, which means you need to use simple language. Effective teachers use visual aids and powerpoints as well, so don’t be afraid to create content in a variety of formats. Lastly, consider hiring a ghostwriter that’s an expert on the matter.

6. Make sure that your customer’s trip is smooth and consistent

This may sound harsh, but in today’s digital world, where at least 547,200 websites are created daily, you simply can’t afford hiccups, even minor ones.

This means that your visitor’s trip to your website should be smooth, consistent and easy-to-follow. If your visitor is coming from an ad you posted from social media, make sure the channel switch is quick, and make sure you use similar language. Make sure that your landing page is a continuation of the conversation you started on the ad as well.

7. Focus on better and smarter distribution

Facebook is one of the most cost-effective platforms for paid distribution, so make use of that. Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

And don’t ever make the mistake of failing to invest in your content’s distribution. There’s nothing more disheartening than writing engaging content and getting unnoticed, so don’t be afraid to use paid distribution to have that content placed on channels like Facebook.

And if you’re confident that your content is truly engaging, paid distribution can easily provide a trickle-down effect in the form of more followers, email subscribers, an SEO boost, and of course, customers.

8. Understand consumer psychology

Comment sections are one way to engage with your visitors directly. Photo: Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

From an overarching scope, consumer psychology lets you see whether your business strategy aligns with target customers’ needs or butts heads with them. Are you going for the hard sell by constantly pushing products and figures? Or are you taking your time to understand what they actually need — and then delivering that exact need to them?

One easy way to gauge customers’ needs while also engaging with them firsthand is by placing a comment section or chatbox. Doing so will give you a direct insight into your audiences’ minds, and will not only show you what they want, but also what you need to do in order to provide it, be it in the form of a product, service, or overall visitor experience on your website.

Time to take the reins

So with all of our tips out of the way, it’s time for you to actually create content that will drive traffic and engagement. Know that it’s a gradual and, given that you follow these tips, organic process that will have you constantly giving and taking from your visitors.

It’s not always easy, but the rewards should be worth it. And we look forward to visiting your own website in the future… and maybe become a returning customer ourselves. Good luck!