E-Commerce and your Business
When you are in the business of making money on the web, your primary goal is to make others aware of your website. Without site traffic, it is impossible for your online business to be profitable. The E-Commerce industry’s secret weapon is generating targeted traffic, and your ability to attract focused visitors will make or break your online business.
What is Targeted Traffic?
The difference between your site receiving general traffic and targeted traffic is seemingly small, but the impact on your online business is sure to be monumental. Targeted traffic consists of consumers who are specifically searching for the products, services or information that your site has to offer, whereas general traffic consists of internet users who are just passing through and taking their money with them. Targeted traffic is the only web traffic that will contribute to your online sales.
Generate Targeted Traffic for your Online Business
Here’s how to generate qualified traffic for your online business and how to continue to build regular traffic organically over time. If you are anxious to get the ball rolling due to the seasonal nature of your business, then buying web traffic might be the right solution for you.
In fact, paid traffic is a wise marketing option for all levels of the E-Commerce industry. If you are committed to building your online business, rather than just exploiting the E-Commerce industry to make a quick buck, you will have to spend at least a modest sum of money and a considerable amount of time. Many forms of paid traffic will yield faster, more profitable results than cost-free methods of generating traffic. Exercise caution, however, and invest your time and business capital wisely when purchasing web traffic.
Paid Traffic
No matter how much capital you have set aside for marketing your website, you will see little to no profit or returns on your INVESTMENT unless you target the individuals or businesses that are actually interested in your products or services and willing to pay for them. This will require some research and advertising on your part, and that comes at a cost.
This does not need to be an astronomical INVESTMENT, however, because when you are committed to targeting traffic, you should invest in advertising to a specific (and often smaller) group of people who might buy from your site, rather than shelling out big money for advertising to the masses that have no use for what you are selling. Put simply: targeted traffic converts to online sales. Do not throw away your business capital on non-targeted traffic.
Purchasing ad-space on sites relevant to your own business is an excellent means of generating a profitable return on your investment. Similarly, pay-per-click marketing campaigns, when placed in front of the targeted consumer, may yield some return on your investment.
Keep in mind that your investment in PPC marketing is ongoing and can be quite costly because you pay a fee each time someone clicks on your ad, so be sure that you are targeting the right consumer and that your website is professional in appearance and contains well-written, relevant content.
An email marketing campaign is more complicated, as it requires more thought and a greater investment of time and money. Make an effort to build a legitimate list of consumers who express an interest in receiving emails and newsletters from your business. Spam email marketing will waste your money and everyone’s time. Your goal is to attract positive attention to your site and to build a positive reputation for your business. When done properly, an email marketing campaign will pay for itself.
Approach website administrators and propose affiliate marketing. Ask an affiliate within your industry to place your link on their page, and if a sale results from traffic clicking-thru from their page to yours, your online business will reward your affiliate with a percentage of the sale.
Affiliate marketing is often a reciprocal arrangement, but it does not have to be. This sort of marketing allows for money to trickle in overtime and the income generated depends largely upon the affiliate site successfully advertising to your targeted consumer group. Affiliating your online store with a well-known and well-trafficked site with relevant content will generate interest in your site from qualified, targeted consumers.
Free Traffic
Research your targeted consumer. Find out what trends and interests are developing in your market. Join niche forums and bulletin boards to determine your potential consumers’ needs, and those that have yet to be addressed or fulfilled by other sites in your industry. Frequenting niche forums and boards will also help you to identify well-trafficked and relevant sites, and to help you keep track of your competition.
Self-promotion and word-of-mouth are proven methods for securing focused consumers. A cost-free way to get your site in front of the relevant market is to join forums that are related to your niche market and the interests of your targeted consumers.
Participate in discussions and niche events, and build a positive reputation among those interested and involved in your industry. If people like what you have to say and feel that you are knowledgeable about your common interests, they are more likely to give you their business and to refer your products and services to others who might want what you have to offer.
SEO and targeted traffic
Write articles that are specific to your industry and of interest to your potential consumers. Provide interesting dialogue and advice in a well-written format. Establish yourself as an expert or experienced in your field and you most likely win the trust and confidence of your business’ key demographic.
Update the content, products, and services on your website on a regular basis to keep interested consumers coming back. Do not limit your original content to your own website; submit your articles to well-trafficked sites, industry journals and blogs directly related to your business in order to expand your name and brand awareness.
Also, consider offering to provide original content for affiliate newsletters in your industry. It is a win-win situation if the site is popular and relevant: your affiliate receives fresh, new content and your name are posted with a link to your online business. You will receive free, targeted traffic, and will establish your online store as a preferred resource for your industry.
If you choose to write articles as a means of advertising your site and winning the attention of targeted consumers, you must first educate yourself on the basics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It is important that you take the time and consideration to compose original and well-written content for each article or newsletter.
Equally important is learning to identify keywords and phrases that are most likely to be used by consumers searching for the information and services that your business has to offer. Use appropriate and relevant keywords in your original content in order to boost your online business’ rank in search engines and to attract free, highly-qualified, targeted traffic.
To get up your E-Commerce website the right way contact our team of E-Commerce Builders today for a free consultation!
