The thrill of starting your own blog, product, or service is so exciting! But it can be really frustrating when you have no (or very little) sales. Finding profitable marketing ideas for a new small business is not as easy as most new entrepreneurs realize in the beginning.
Trust me – I get it!
In this article, I’ll share 19 different marketing ideas that will drive more traffic to any new business venture. Whether you’ve just launched a new blog, or you’re selling a brand-new product and/or service, these tips will serve as an excellent resource to increase traffic & sales – that you can start implementing today!
In this article
Be strategic with what you publish
You’ve probably heard the saying “Content is King!”, right? Well, just know that along with being epic, your content must also meet a specific need for your target audience. The more you are able to solve a problem and/or answer a question for your audience, the more you will drive traffic to your site.
Determine where your target audience hangs out online
Doing research is key if you’re a new entrepreneur and don’t have an established targeted audience (having very little or none at all). To know where your targeted audience hangs out online, join a few relevant FB groups and/or look to other social platforms. If you already have some traffic, use google analytics to find your target market’s preferred platforms. If you have an email list, another great way to know is to just ask your subscribers! There are actually several ways to do this. If you want more ideas, check out this post!
Evergreen content is ideal
Evergreen content is the ultimate way to keep your audience engaged. This type of content is always relevant and lives on forever – just like how evergreens trees never die or shed their leaves with changing seasons. They’re constantly alive year-round!
Use compelling headlines/titles
Are you looking for a way to drive more traffic to your website? Well, headlines are one of the most important components because they’re what will attract readers. If headlines don’t catch their attention, then there’s no desire to go any farther!
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended – at no extra cost to you, of course. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can check out my disclosures here.
Looking for more sales?
I personally love to use all of the following ways to increase traffic but I currently get the most traffic from Google, Pinterest, and my email list.
For clarification, it’s one thing to drive traffic to your blog but it’s another to convert that traffic. Converting the traffic that lands on your site could mean actually clicking on an article and reading a post, or signing up for your opt-in. Either way, this list of catchy headlines/titles will do the trick!
Optimize your site
Why is it that people are always looking for the next best thing? The answer may be in a single word: impatience. It’s no wonder, then, why if your site takes too long to load or has something affecting performance – visitors will quickly leave (yes, even if they were really interested in that page).
To get an idea of how fast your website loads and any problems you might have with speed and design features check out Google Page Speed Insights or this – which can score sites based on their overall performance as well as offer advice on improvements needed.
19 Effective Marketing Ideas To Generate Traffic & Sales When You Don’t Have Any [or not enough]
1 – Search Engines
There are several ways you should optimize your blog. SEO (search engine optimization) is one main way that you will do this. Once you optimize your blog, the traffic will increase over time from readers doing good searches and landing on your page. . .
This is why applying SEO affectedly throughout your blog/website is soooo important! Keep in mind, SEO is a long-term strategy so you won’t see the increase until later on down the line. Depending on how good the content is and how well SEO is applied will determine how long it will take for your post to rank [in a google search].
There are many ways to optimize your website so that your content ranks (on the first page of Google). One of the best methods for this is SEO (search engine optimization). Achieving a higher ranking on google search results will make it easier for people to find you and also increase traffic over time.
While there is a lot that you’ll need to learn to do for SEO. I wish I would’ve learned more about SEO in the beginning. I ended read this SEO ebook and taking this SEO course – which help me start ranking way more.
Keep in mind, SEO is a long-term strategy. It’s a process that takes time [usually 3-6 months] so don’t expect instant gratification – but once the SSS strategy is applied throughout all aspects of your website, you’ll be so glad when you eventually start seeing the results. This basically creates a passive stream of income . . . which is always a plus in my book!
2 – Pinterest
Can be one of the most ESSENTIAL resources that you will need to use to increase blog traffic however it takes a good Pinterest strategy and time. Pinterest can be a little overwhelming at first so take it little by little and take a course that will show you exactly what you need to do. There are some important things to learn and implement in order to really utilize Pinterest.
I really wish I would have implemented a Pinterest strategy from the beginning! When I implemented a strategy, I started seeing an increase in my monthly page view within months of implementing a really good Pinterest marketing strategy! I purchased and use the strategy from this Pinterest course and it has really helped me grow.
I started out using a Pinterest scheduler however I no longer do so. I only manually pin now (which is really easy and doesn’t require a lot of time).
As with a lot of the different platforms, they are always changing. Pinterest has had major updates over the last few months and has changed the way most of us use the platform.
The way things are now, you. don’t have to post a gazillion times a day/week to perform well on Pinterest. Because of this, you don’t need to use a scheduler.
If you decide you want to, sign up for Tailwind and utilize Tailwind Tribes. Signup for a free 14-day trial with Tailwind.
3 – YouTube
Videos are where it’s at right now! YouTube is a great way to increase your online presence however it is very time-consuming in the beginning. As a new entrepreneur, you want to focus on 1-2 platforms to prevent yourself from getting too overwhelmed.
4 – Your Email List
This is one of the most CRITICAL parts of running a successful business. If you are just starting your business and/or you don’t have an email list yet, no worries. . . You can start building it TODAY! You’ll need to create a lead magnet and choose an email marketing provider (aka EMP).
Side Note: Only keep the email subscribers that are actually interested in you and your brand. When I say interested, I mean remain engaged and want what you have to offer. I’ve wasted time over the past year worrying about how many email subscribers I have. I later realized I ONLY need to focus on the quality of email subscribers. Don’t be like I was . . . Be strategic!
5 – Chatbot/Facebook Messenger
I’ve personally seen an increase of larger brands using chatbots as a form of making more of a connection with their audience. Nowadays it’s said the open rates with chatbots are higher than the open rates with email marketing. I’m just getting my feet wet with using chatbots. I recommend checking out Sheptanie Rollins to get a better grasp of the impact that you can make by using chatbots.
6 – Establish an Affiliate Partner Program
If you are selling a product and/or service, I highly suggest you create an affiliate partnership/ambassador program. This is an EXCELLENT way to extend the reach of your business – and it’s a win-win for both you and the other blogger/entrepreneur.
7 – Guest Posts
Another great way to increase blog traffic is to write and publish an article on someone else’s blog/website. This is as they say ‘GOLD’. This is a great way to connect with new readers and get your brand out there. You could also write a round-up type post (ie. Best of _____ ) that includes a collection of other bloggers. The bloggers featured in your blog post will more than likely mention/share your post.
8 – Webinars
This is a really great way to get in front of and connect with your audience and prepare them for a pitch to sell them something or to provide them with a load of value in exchange for something from them [ex. join your FB group, buy something, etc].
9 – Business Facebook Page
Facebook is a VERY popular social media platform that will allow you to connect with your audience and drive your audience to your website but unfortunately, the percentage of traffic that comes from Facebook is extremely low – unless you’re doing paid ads.
It’s a good idea to create a FB business page for your blog. While providing value to your audience, you will also promote your blog on your blog’s page and your personal page. You’ll eventually consider using FB ads to leverage your brand.
How to Drive Traffic to Your Website
10 - Social Media Paid Ads
If you learn how to set up paid ads [properly] then it could create a really good flow of traffic to your website however I would not suggest it long term – focus more on SEO. The key here is that you MUST learn how to actually use it in order for them to work properly. If you are not looking to spend money on ads, I completely understand. . . I started using FB ads myself back in 2019. I use to feel there was no need for me to spend money with ads – especially since I didn’t really have a large budget for marketing.
To be honest, I feel I’ve really been missing out all this time. Some people LOVE using FB ads and others not so much. You can always revisit the idea of using paid advertising later on down the line once your blog business has grown a little more. If you don’t have the budget for running paid ads in the beginning, there are many ways that you can make extra money on the side to do so. If you choose not to go this route, that’s absolutely ok because there are still many ways that you increase blog traffic without paying for ads.
11 – Blogging Networks (online and locally)
The more people you collaborate with other entrepreneurs – the better. I’ve joined a couple of different local and online blogger’s network groups and have connected with amazing some individuals. I highly recommended it!
12 – Your Brand’s Instagram Profile
Instagram is another great social media platform that will allow you to connect with your audience and drive your audience to your website. Your IG feed/timeline is great to showcase how your brand benefits your audience however insta stories are where you share more things about YOU. People see you in videos and feel they know you. . . Be sure to utilize Instastories!
13 – Facebook Groups
Leveraging FB groups can be very rewarding. You can definitely promote your blog posts and increase your email list by using FB groups. You will want to utilize the right groups and stay active in order to build relationships.
Find a few FB groups in your niche. Preferably a group that has a large number of members and is engaging (ie. 5+ posts a day).
14 – Instagram Shoutouts
An Instagram influencer is an individual and/or a brand that has a following on Instagram that they basically influence (in some way form or another). A shoutout is when you reach out to an IG influencer that has an engaged following [of your target audience] to promote a product/service or brand awareness. The preferred size of their account will vary from person to person however you want to reach out to accounts that have an engaged targeted audience. Don’t get caught up with how many followers an IG profile has! Focus on how many comments and the quality of the followers an Influencers has.
These accounts can utilize Instastories by posting videos while using the swipe-up feature. This may take some work because you need to do a little research on each IG influencer and pitch to many different ones before you actually get a ‘yes’. You can offer them your product/service in exchange for their services -OR- you could just ask as a favor. Now, I personally prefer the option of offering a product/service. I feel it’s the best way to build a long-lasting relationship with an IG influencer. This lets them know it’s a win-win for both parties involved.
19 Creative Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website
15 – Twitter
Twitter is another social media platform that allows you to connect with your audience and drive your audience to your website. It is not as popular as Facebook and Instagram [to some], however, depending on your audience and the brands you are working with, a TW profile may be necessary.
I personally don’t care for Twitter but I have an account because it’s a way of driving traffic and some of the brands that I will be working with will require me to post on all social media platforms.
16 – Podcasts
Create a podcast. These have become very popular. A podcast is basically a free service that allows your audience to access audio files to listen to at their convenience. You can subscribe to a few podcasts of different brands that you like and see which are the right fit for you.
17 – LinkedIn
A network/database of professionals. You will want to create a LinkedIn profile because the easier it is for a brand or a potential customer/client to find you . . . the better. Be sure to put a lot of thought into your profile bio and write it so that it converts.
18 – Snapchat
A social media platform similar to IG stories however it’s currently not as popular. A possible option for you, depending on your target audience.
19 – Face to Face
Nowadays, during the pandemic, there are as many face-to-face events however you can still make this work for you. Once you get business cards you will want to give them out to anyone that fits within your target audience. This may not have a significant increase at first but this is a GREAT way to make a direct connection with your ideal target audience.
Next Steps for Creative Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website
Apply these tips and you’ll generate blog traffic significantly [some faster than others]. Please be sure to leave a comment below should you have any questions.
=> If you find this information helpful, please share it with other bloggers and new entrepreneurs on Pinterest!!!!
