Let’s step back in time, shall we? To the early aughts, when websites were a company’s undisputed calling card.

Back then, exorbitant resources went into developing, maintaining, and driving traffic to websites, and optimizing for a new-fangled concept called SEO.

Today, by contrast, omni-channel marketing reigns supreme. By definition, omni-channel sends users across a sea of messaging platforms, from social to mobile to e-commerce to, yes, websites. With resources now divided among all of the above, though, OG websites sometimes start collecting dust.

But here’s the thing: Businesses – mid-sized businesses especially – cannot afford to “set and forget” their websites, or let them fall to the bottom of the priority pile.

You see, website traffic is the most influential factor in search engine optimization, or SEO – the algorithm Google and other search engines use to determine which websites come out on top. A website that ranks high in search results is primed to receive consistent, qualified user traffic– a sought-after reality no business should kick out of bed!

And SEO holds particularly high value for enterprise companies. After all, mid-sized companies almost inevitably lag behind household name counterparts on search engine result pages (SERPs). They therefore must aspire to the coveted leading space among their competition.

Getting people to your website is a key step toward that goal. Here are five actionable strategies mid-market companies can implement to enhance website visibility and website traffic, and, in doing so, boost SEO:

Optimize for Search Engines

Optimizing SEO keywords is one part art, one part science.

It starts by conducting comprehensive keyword research to identify relevant search terms and phrases that forge a connection between your business and target audience. In other words, pinpoint the words, questions, and phrases being searched by people who might be looking for you.

Once keywords are determined, optimize them on your site. Weave them into copy your website visitors see (website content and headings, for example) as well as copy they don’t (back-end meta titles, descriptions, and image alt texts).

It’s crucial to realize, though, that SEO is determined by more than just keywords. Remember we mentioned that site traffic influences SEO? So do the technical aspects of your site – things like website speed, mobile responsiveness, and crawlability. Rule of thumb: The better these things are optimized, the easier it will be for your site to  rank.

Amp Up Content Marketing

When your website collects dust, the resounding benefits of content marketing pass you by. Beyond driving SEO, content marketing is a fantastic way to show off what your company stands for and does best.

First, consider: What do your qualified prospects want? What pain points might compel them to consider your business, or at least swing by your website?

From there, come up with content ideas to attract new users – content gap analysis is a helpful exercise when trying to plan a content calendar that best suits your potential customers’ needs.  Blog posts in particular are ripe for creativity. Articles, how-to posts, guest and stakeholder interviews…these can help you showcase credibility and excellence, and give SEO a boost, to boot. Beyond your blog, downloadable PDFs, infographics, and embedded video are other possible customizable content additions.

Once it’s up, let the people know! Create a plan for leading users to your site via multiple channels: email newsletters, industry forums, and, of course, social media.

Harness the Power of Social Media

Social media is arguably the best way to drive traffic to your website – and goes hand-in-hand with content marketing.

Take Hammer Marketing’s recent and award-winning Banned Books digital campaign for MGS Consulting: Former parole officer, bibliophile, and MGS Consulting owner Marilyn Stein is passionate about the dangers of banning books. Eager to spur on conversations, she tapped Hammer Marketing.

Our team spearheaded a Facebook campaign that drove users to her Banned Book Journal page on MGS Consulting’s website – a campaign that saw an astounding 58,740 impressions and dramatically increased traffic on MGS Consulting’s site overall.  

Of course, to leverage social media you first must establish a presence on social media platforms likely to be used by your target audience. Overwhelmed? Start here. Follow the golden rules of social for business: Regularly share engaging content, participate in conversations, interact with followers to foster community engagement and brand loyalty, and use care in every post or comment. 

Once you’ve set up shop on right-fit social media platforms, utilize organic and paid advertising options to compel targets to check out content on your website. Last but not least, monitor social media analytics to track performance metrics, identify trends, and optimize your social media strategy for maximum impact.

Invest in Paid Advertising

Remember the MSG Consulting Banned Books campaign? One Meta ad designed and managed by Hammer Marketing had more than 400 comments, with an engagement rate of roughly 55% – almost unheard of!

It underscored this point: Allocating a portion of your marketing budget towards paid advertising channels like Google Ads, Bing Ads, and social media advertising platforms is often a high-return means of driving traffic to your site.

Start by setting clear objectives and target criteria for your ad campaigns, ensuring they align with business goals and your target audience demographics. Then, yet again, monitor and analyze ad performance metrics, including click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS) to optimize campaign effectiveness and maximize ROI. Experiment with different ad formats, placements, and messaging strategies to identify what resonates best with your target audience and drives desired outcomes – which should include driving traffic to your site.

Build Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

Partnerships with brands and influencers require careful consideration – but when successful, pay big dividends!

Identify potential strategic partners, complementary businesses, and industry influencers who share your target audience and brand values.

Reach out and propose collaborating on win-win co-marketing initiatives, joint promotions, and cross-promotional campaigns to expand your reach and tap into new customer segments. Carefully leverage these partnerships to gain access to new-to-you distribution channels, customer networks, and promotional opportunities that can enter your funnel and ultimately convert to site traffic.

Implementing all or even a few of the five strategies above is almost guaranteed to increase website visibility and therefore website traffic – a key driver of business growth in today’s competitive digital landscape.

Want to hand it to the pros? No one is better suited than Hammer Marketing. Drop us a line or swing by for a visit today!