5 Effective Ways to Promote Your Website in 2023
Considering the current expectations of customers from the most popular industries, you will conclude that Internet advertising is a more profitable solution than radio or TV promotion. By deciding to advertise on the Internet, you can easily reach your dream target group, build an image of an expert, start selling more, and, most importantly – measure the exact return on investment. In today’s article, we will tell you the 5 best ways to promote your website on the Internet! Enjoy reading!
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
One of the most popular ways to promote your business is SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Thanks to this form of online advertising, you will acquire regular and determined customers, which will translate into maximizing the conversion rate.
SEO optimization consists of consistently implementing on-site (on-page) and off-site (off-page) changes.
The most important on-site and off-site activities include content optimization (on-site), technical SEO (on-site), and link-building (off-site). They lead to an increase in the value of your website from the point of view of Google robots, which may result in a higher ranking in organic search results in the future.
Content Optimization
In this case, SEO specialists pay attention to, e.g.:
- Saturation of content with keywords – long tail SEO keywords (consisting of at least 3-4 words) and general (based on one or two words);
- Visual diversification of the content – with tables, bullets branding, and justification;
- Implementation of internal linking – to the most important categories and blog entries;
- Verification and elimination of duplicate content – so that Google robots (so-called crawlers/spiders) correctly index each subpage and see the value on your website;
- Extension of the texts on the website – with additional graphics, screenshots, and instructional videos.
What is also crucial in terms of content optimization is the header structure. Why? Because correctly implemented headings (H1-H6) make the text more useful (UX aspect) and transparent.
Important!
Correctly prepared headlines with keywords are also important for spiders. Then there is a high probability that the value of your website from the SEO point of view will increase significantly.
Technical SEO
Web developers and SEO specialists are mainly responsible for implementing changes related to technical optimization. They primarily work on:
- Adapting websites to the current responsiveness standards – according to the mobile-first principle (thanks to this, users can seamlessly display the content on a given page not only on computers and laptops but also on smartphones and tablets);
- Implementation of HTTPS encryption – websites that have SSL guarantee security for users (e.g., when shopping online);
- HTML and CSS code compression – to make the website more efficient (and better suited to UX);
- Optimization of the URL’s structure – in such a way that they are user-friendly, i.e., short, without unnecessary characters;
- Implementation and improvement of meta tags – in this case, specialists pay attention to the meta title with the appropriate keyword (affecting SEO and UX), as well as the meta description describing the content of a given website (it does not affect SEO).
Core Web Vitals measures are also crucial in terms of technical optimization. They are responsible for the website loading speed (LCP – Largest Contentful Paint), interactivity (FID – First Input Delay), and visual stability (CLS – Cumulative Layout Shift).
Important!
Core Web Vitals metrics have been Google’s official ranking factor since 2021.
Link-building
Link-building is one of the essential activities influencing SEO, and it’s about getting links pointing to your website. Among other things, thanks to this, its value will increase from the point of view of indexing robots, which will translate into higher positions in organic search results (the so-called SERP – Search Engine Results Page).
If we consider the current standards, links should be obtained from natural sources, paying attention to their quality and diversity. The most popular ways to get links are, among others:
- Creating viral content – this type of content should attract your customers’ attention, be tailored to the selected target group, and be a bit controversial (so that people start talking about it and, consequently, link to your website);
- Relinking – it is about verifying competitors’ links (e.g., using Majestic SEO) and then obtaining links from similar sources (this will help diversify your website’s link profile);
- Guest blogging – creating a guest article with a dofollow link in the content will improve your website’s link profile. Additionally, you will reach a new audience (this will also affect the popularity of your offer).
A properly optimized website in terms of SEO (following our guidelines) will be displayed on Google for key phrases that are valuable for your company in terms of sales. Thanks to this, the customer will find your company on the first page of the search results after entering any words in the search engine, the visibility of which you are working on (e.g., home furniture).
Pros of SEO optimization:
- Greater visibility of your website in organic search results;
- Increasing the popularity of your offer;
- Reaching strong customers;
- Developing a competitive advantage;
- Building the image of an expert;
- Maximizing conversions (e.g., by purchasing a product, using a service, or filling out a contact form).
Remember that Search Engine Optimization allows you to get long-term results. What does it mean? You will also see the results in additional conversions after the termination of cooperation with an SEO agency (usually for the next 6-12 months).
Cons of SEO optimization:
- SEO is a long-term process – it means that you will see the first SEO results after 2-3 months (in the form of additional entries from organic search results);
- SEO results are not guaranteed – high ranks in SERPs (e.g., TOP 10 for essential keywords) can be achieved quickly after a few months (but often it takes much longer and cannot be accurately predicted);
- SEO work can be expensive – especially at the beginning (when your website needs to be correctly optimized for technical SEO).
Independent SEO activities will not bring the expected results if you have no experience in website optimization. Search Engine Optimization is not a magic wand – the process requires meticulous and regular actions by SEO specialists, web developers, content marketers, and copywriters.
2. Google Ads
Google Ads is an excellent addition to Search Engine Optimization. This form of online advertising lets you get immediate results. After you’ve optimized your campaign and achieved a high-quality score, your website or online store will reach the top ranks in the paid search results for selected keywords.
Google Ads allows you to advertise your products and reach potential customers through text, Google Maps, and video ads. It is also possible to display ads in various places, such as YouTube, Gmail, or Discover tabs.
Google Ads – billing models
Advertisers often settle in the CPC (cost per click) and CPV (payment for viewing an advertisement) model. Google Ads also provides other forms of billing, for example:
- CTR – Click Through Rate
- CPA – Cost Per Action
- CPL – Cost Per Lead
- CPO – Cost Per Order
- CPE – Cost Per Engagement
- CPS – Cost Per Sale
You can also use the flat fee model. In this case, the advertiser pays a specific rate for the duration of the ad broadcast (no limit on page views).
Pros of using Google Ads:
- Instant results – your business will be visible in paid search results within minutes of launching the campaign (as long as you pay enough and get a high-quality score);
- Measure results – if you connect Google Ads account with Google Analytics 4, you will be able to successfully measure the conversion (this makes calculating the return on investment very easy);
- High ROI potential – comparing other forms of promotion to Google Ads (e.g., TV or radio advertising), we can confidently conclude that the return on investment for advertising in paid search results may be even several times;
- Geographically diverse reach – Google Ads allows you to determine where your ad appears precisely (if you want your website to be displayed only in a specific state in the US – you can do it);
- Various payment models – you can settle accounts with Google for a click, display, or acquired customer (thanks to this, you will choose the most profitable solution in terms of the specifics of your business).
Cons of using Google Ads:
- If you have no budget, your ads will stop
- Your landing page needs to be well-optimized
- You need to invest your time
- You can end up paying for poor-quality clicks
Also, remember that Google Ads entail certain restrictions related to, among other things, the volume of headers (maximum 30 characters) and descriptions (two large 90-character description lines).
3. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing facilitates the creation of an expert image on the web. Thanks to the steady development of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok, you will build trust among potential customers, become an industry leader and increase your company’s profits.
In addition to routine activities in social media, i.e., adding posts and replying to comments, we recommend investing in paid advertising. You can choose from, among others:
- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
- Twitter Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- TikTok Ads
Considering the current trends, it is worth considering investing mainly in Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, or possibly TikTok Ads (if you prefer short forms of video communications).
Important!
Through LinkedIn, you can get valuable employees.
Pros of social media marketing:
- Direct contact with the client
- Increase trust among potential customers
- Reach a large group of recipients
- Better customer satisfaction
- Higher conversion rates
- More inbound traffic
- Generates conversation around your brand
Marketing in social media is a relatively cheap and very profitable form of promotion on the Internet. However, this requires experience – to use your marketing budget wisely.
Cons of social media marketing:
- Negative feedback – in social media, you will not please everyone (in some cases, this results in a tarnishing of your brand name)
- Time-consuming – developing an advertising campaign or writing a post on Facebook requires prior preparation of a marketing strategy and regular adaptation to the current trends
- Difficult to measure – while the ROI from paid ad campaigns on Facebook is easy to measure, you cannot be sure of conversions related to routine activities such as adding posts or interacting with your audience (even with many reactions to posts and hundreds of messages, the resulting company’s profits can not be clearly defined)
It is also worth mentioning that social media does not give freedom of speech. If your message is too controversial, you can lose your Fanpage irretrievably (e.g., due to many reports resulting from violating Facebook’s regulations).
4. Guest Blogging
Publishing guest blogs is a very good way to improve your brand credibility, increase your domain’s SEO authority, build an expert position, and increase your business profits. The content you create should engage the readers, be useful and stylistically correct and, above all, bring real educational value.
Pros of guest blogging:
- More unique content – by guest blogging, you will present the topic from a different perspective (it will be appreciated by the recipients, which will make you become an industry expert from their point of view)
- Establishing your online authority – by creating guest content, you build trust among your audience, increase the SEO value of your website, and, consequently, have a chance of getting a higher ranking in organic search results (guest blogging develops domain authority)
- Greater likelihood of maximizing conversions – people who see value in your guest blogs may become your potential customers over time (this will translate not only into purchasing a product or using a service but also subscribing to a newsletter, filling out a contact form, or e-book download or appointment booking
Cons of guest blogging:
- Difficult to understand the audience – creating guest content cannot be spontaneous (before preparing guest copy, you should get acquainted with the selected target group and find out about their interests, expectations, and needs)
- Sacrifice link quality – if the website on which you are going to publish a guest post is of low quality, your credibility among existing customers and the value of your website in terms of SEO may significantly decrease (which is why we recommend that you publish entries only on high-quality websites that rank high in SERPs – crawlers more appreciate these websites and the links from them will help you in your SEO activities)
- Time-consuming – creating high-quality content takes time and commitment (also remember that guest blogging results are spread over time – the former may appear up to several months later)
5. Google My Business
A Google My Business (GMB) profile is beneficial for increasing your visibility locally, and it’s free advertising for you from Google. It is a tool that provides essential information about your business. These include:
- Phone number
- Website
- Address
- Review ratings
- Hours
- Photos of your premises
- The type of services provided or products offered
Have you set up GMB? Great! In that case, buyers can leave references about your business, which increase the trust among new customers and your brand’s reputation.
Google My Business profiles appear above text-based search results (only the three best-optimized GMBs in the industry count).
Pros of Google My Business (GMB):
- GMB is completely free (and easy to use)
- Google My Business gives you valuable statistics that provide essential information (e.g., views, engagement, audience, search queries, and click on website link)
- GMB is highly visible (Google My Business profiles take up a huge part of the search results – it’s the first element users will see after entering the selected keyword)
That’s not all, because Google My Business can increase audience engagement and traffic on your website!
Cons of Google My Business:
Google My Business has no cons! It is an excellent tool for creating your brand image, building relationships with potential customers, and intensifying traffic. Thanks to visibility in Google Maps, you will increase your revenues.
Final thoughts
The website advertisement should be based on SEO and Google My Business (the profile in Google Maps is particularly useful for entrepreneurs providing local services). Other forms of promotion, such as Google Ads, social media marketing, and guest blogging, should come in addition to search engine optimization.
You should spread your monthly on-site advertising budget at 70% for SEO and 30% for Google Ads, Social Media Marketing, and guest blogging.
FAQ – Frequently Answers Questions
- What are the most common questions and answers about promoting businesses online?
One of the best ways to promote your website is SEO. This form of advertising allows you to obtain long-term results that will translate into building your brand’s image, strengthening the ties between recipients, and, above all, increasing the financial profits of your business. If you have an e-commerce store, you should also opt for Google Ads and Social Media Advertising.
- How much does SEO cost?
SEO prices vary from $1,000 to over $10,000 per month, depending on your needs. A number of factors can affect prices, such as the number of subpages on your website, the type of positioned keywords, and the industry’s competitiveness. We set SEO prices individually – to get a custom quote contact us today.
- How long does it take to see SEO results?
It depends. Website owners in less competitive local industries can count on the results 4-6 months after starting cooperation with an SEO agency.
However, suppose you have an extensive e-commerce store with over a hundred products that you position and your industry is highly competitive (e.g., furniture). In that case, you will notice the first results in increased visibility in SERPs after 8-12 months.
- SEO or Google Ads – what is better?
Both can be effective, and when used in combination, you may see extremely good results. It depends on how aggressive or patient you want to be. SEO is used for long-term results while using Google Ads, you can see results almost instantly. The long-term benefits of SEO can ultimately be more profitable, but if Google Ads are done correctly, you can see a return on investment within a few months.
