Creating a website without defining your inbound 
marketing strategy is like owning a Lamborghini without your driver’s license. You could launch the finest website in your industry, but if no one visits, it’s essentially useless. It is absolutely critical that your company develop a strong inbound marketing strategy in order to increase website traffic and achieve your business and marketing goals. Some fundamental inbound marketing strategies include:
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization is the practice of optimizing your website and digital presence as a whole in an effort to increase your search engine appeal, and consequently, your ranking on key terms and phrases in search results. SEO can be an incredibly effective approach to increase website traffic. However, the process is not as simplistic as it once was, as search engines continue to evaluate an increasing number of factors when determining the relevancy of a site to a particular search. In order to develop a powerful SEO strategy, you must consider all aspects of your online presence including the size, structure and content of your website, your linking strategy and your social media presence, among many other things. At the very least, be sure to do your keyword research, have a multitude of themed landing pages, and include unique, keyword-rich content and meta data on each page.
Social Media
Social media is obviously a pretty big deal, and it has become a powerful inbound marketing channel. Over 15 million businesses, companies and organizations are using social media¹. 52% of marketers have found a customer via Facebook, 36% of marketers have found a customer via Twitter, and 43% of marketers have found a customer via LinkedIn². If you’re a business with a social media presence but no social media strategy, pay close attention. Social media provides strength to your SEO strategy, as search engines consider social cues when determining search results. Also, by regularly posting content that is engaging, such as interesting facts, helpful information, funny jokes, current news or anything else that your followers can relate to, it helps bring awareness to your company and can drive traffic to your company’s page, and subsequently, your website.
Blogs
Blogging is an inbound marketing tactic employed by many successful companies to increase website traffic. Additionally, 57% of marketers have acquired a customer from blogging on monthly basis². Achieving inbound marketing results from blogging, however, requires extensive research and a comprehensive, in-depth understanding of your target audience. You can’t just write about how awesome your company is and expect it to generate meaningful traffic, if any, to your site. Your content should be specific to the needs and wants of your target audience. Try blogging about problems that your products or services could solve, tips and tricks that may help them achieve their goals, and other topics of that nature. Don’t forget to optimize these blogs for search engines so your target audience can find them. Do your initial keyword research to ensure there are searches for what you intend to write about, and optimize for key terms with high search volume and low competition by writing strategic titles and supporting keyword-rich content.
Landing Pages
Companies with 30 or more landing pages generate 7 times more leads than those with fewer than 10². Landing pages are a crucial element of effective inbound marketing, as they can help your company be found on search results, and subsequently, drive traffic to your site. Optimizing landing pages for search engines requires highly focused, keyword-rich headlines, content and meta data. Additionally, landing pages can be easily and discreetly linked to other relevant, digital content that your company produces, which can help drive traffic to your site. Not only do landing pages help increase website traffic, but because they are very specific and action-oriented in nature, they are likely to generate desirable results.
There are endless inbound marketing strategies that companies can utilize in order to increase website traffic and drive conversions. However, the specific tactics that will be most effective are often dependent upon the nature of your business and the industry. The strategies discussed here are fundamental inbound marketing strategies that should be integrated with your overall marketing plan.
Need help developing a powerful inbound marketing strategy and increasing website traffic? Contact ZAG Interactive for a free consultation.
¹VentureBeat
²HubSpot