We don't just build amazing websites - and make them work hard. We also provide the infrastructure to get visitors to go there. There is a health warning though - if you build it, they won't really come unless you do something extraordinary! Whatever 'Field of Dreams' told you.

We are back with the three areas of digital marketing I have written about before - owned, search and social - and how you structure your activities to exploit them.

In short - you own a website and you need to work hard to get the right people visiting it. Not just anyone - but visitors who need what you offer and like how you do it.

Owned - Your website is in your control. make sure it is not blocking visitors, and make sure you consider both types - humans who need to visit so they can buy from you and robots (search engines) who sift through the millions of options on the web to put your site in front of those people. If a robot cant read your site, it won't list it. If a human is confused about what is expected of them - they won't stick around anyway. Use phrases people are actually searching for to inspire your content (blogs or articles are great here) and you are more likely to be found. This overlaps with search but these are the areas you can control.

The other element of owned is the contacts and email lists you have worked hard to build and maintain - always use them as a conduit to your site (links and buttons)

Search - Stepping away from your owned blogs - vital - and your on-site SEO - also vital - there are some key things to consider in your strategy for search. You don't own the search engine so you can't control it - but you can nudge it.

Remember your NAP. Not an after dinner siesta - but your [business] Name, Address and Phone number with the addition of your web address. Make sure this is consistent every where you are listed - and get your listings in as many directories as you can. Inconsistencies will throw search results off and the wrong web address is a dead end for both humans and robots.

Start with Google My Business - use it to post updates and make sure it is accurate. Google will reward you - it is their tool after all. It is also a great place to gather reviews - they pop up next to the search results - and you should have a way of gathering positive feedback for others to see so they trust your website is a safe place to go.

Some of you can get a massive return from paid advertising. We will always tell you if it's likely to be successful - if no-one is looking for what you offer, the ads are pointless and you need to educate people first - but many of you will get far more back than it costs if done properly. Which links with:

Social - the biggest market place there's ever been! Make sure it is easy to navigate back to your site - link back to it from ads and posts. Be careful on LinkedIn - there's a reason everyone puts links in the comments - but get used to talking about your website and the treasures that can be accessed via it. The reason it links with paid is that the companies quickly realised their business model relied on people being social (positively and - unfortunately - negatively) as this brings them back again and again. It also relied on revenue from advertisers targeting those visitors. The upshot is that they don't allow virality like we saw in the past and you need to pay to increase your reach. On Facebook, especially, it's not that expensive. If your market hangs out there - go for it.

The thing to remember with social media is that it looks easy but requires sustained and hard work. Don't expect quick results - there are many overnight successes who spent years and years becoming one. Just like Instagram lives are far more shiny and plush than the real thing. But it is worth it in the long run.

Which leads me nicely to my final point. All routes need to lead to your website. You have planned it to work hard for you - delivering personalised experiences for all your visitors. Make sure you maximise the impact. Put your site address on everything - pens, mugs, your Zoom background, your company uniforms. The cross over between 'real' and 'digital' life is well worth nurturing as the visitors who find you like that have a real life connection to you - they are a prime prospect.

Think about why you visit physical places. You have heard about them. Others have said they are worth seeing. You are emotionally impacted by the prospect. You have the opportunity. The online world is much the same, just with a lower barrier to entry than a intercontinental air ticket. You need to cover all these bases as well as you can.

Do not forget - if you change your web address, you must make certain it is changed everywhere!!!

If you'd like to know more, DM me to discuss how we can help put this into action - the first step is a no-obligation, free audit of your current position which we use to diagnose where we can deliver results for you. Then the choice is entirely yours.



Good luck, and keep safe.