small biz website tips Archives - How to Start a Small Business

Within this article, I’m going to show you how to improve your business website pageviews. Addedly, you’ll see how I use these exact tactics to grow my website pageviews from 308 to 2216 in 18 days! Even Better.... All these methods can be implemented in minutes. Without further ado here are: 17 Tactics You Can Use to Improve your Business Website Pageviews “Today”: Hands-Free Notification Re-Bound Bounce Rate Technique Page Speed Instant Modification Mobile Responsive Fast & Friendly Method Can Fix-It 404 Errors Tell the Truth Testimonials and Reviews Un -Undisguised Call to Action Button Highest High-Quality Photo Benefits UX = User Experience 10 Top Hits ONLY Headlines Dress-up Page Technique Homepage Beautiful Improvement Straight shooter Website Content Established Clear Call to Action Broke NO -MO Broken Links Tactic Website Safety Patrol Officer SSL Cert My Case Study: The Ultimate Social Secret “Quora” Let’s get started: 1.Hands-Free Notifications Here’s the unfortunate reality... ...once a visitor lands on your business website page there’s a 95.5% chance of them not returning. That’s a HUGE Problem, that means that you will have to keep your foot on the peddle forever!… According to research, it cost 10x more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer. The Good News… … there’s an easy “FREE way to keep your site visitors coming back for More! ….Push Notifications Follow these simple steps for setup: Step 1. Create an account in OneSignal Step 2. Add your website to this account Step 3. Connect the account to your WordPress site. Go to your admin/plugin and click on OneSignal Click on configuration and add Id numbers ....................or Follow Below Step-by-Step Push Notification Video That leads me to Tactic #2...... 2. Re-Bound Bounce Rate Technique Are your visitors coming to your site... sticking their heads in the door then... bouncing?.... Bounce rates doesn't necessarily hurt your search ranking directly, .......HOWEVER, it does affect your UX and Googles is all about the user's experience!!!!! These strategies will Help~ Disadvantages of High Bounce Rates Poor user experience Loss of sales Potential Google penalty Low Page Rankings Here’s everything you need to know to reduce your bounce rate and increase “SaleS” ….. Know your Customer’s Search Intent... Types of Search Intent Informational intent Transaction intent Commercial investigation Keyword intent …IS YOUR SEARCH INTENT IN LINE WITH …… GOOGLE’S SEARCH INTENT… Start Here! #1. Insert your keyword in another browser to ascertain Google’s intent… (use an incognito browser) The easiest way to open an Incognito window is with the keyboard shortcut combination Ctrl-Shift-N (Windows) or Command-Shift-N (macOS). Another way is to click on the menu on the upper right - it's the three vertical dots - and select New Incognito Window from the list. #2. Analyze the results. Which search intent is the most dominant. Is it informational, transitional, etc.? Are there videos or images? Further, which intent type is most heavily used. #3. Next, view your material, (existing or coming attraction) does your intent matches the search intent? If not make the necessary adjustments, to compete and potentially rank higher in Google search! ***Pro Tip Keep in mind Google has an army of bots that patrols billions of results. Without doubt, they know better than we, the interpretation of a search. 3. Page Speed Instant Modification We’ve all heard the adage: Time and money…. But there was never a number associated with that quote, until NOW! Did you know; Slow-loading websites cost retailers $2.6 billion in lost sales each year. Click To Tweet Now let me read your mind…… You want to know how to Fix it ASAP!!!!!! Let’s get on the road!!! …..Here’s how to improve your page speed immediately~ Start by checking your page speed… Google speed tester Upgrade to the latest version of PHP (Update your website’s code to the latest version. This won’t affect your site. It’s all beneath the hood! ……But there’s a trick!!! …………………This may sound complicated but it’s not. Here’s what I did! You can: Reach out to your web designer who can upgrade your site. Or do what I need, chat with my hosting company…. finished in 5 minutes Lastly, if you have PHP skills you can upgrade it to the latest version yourself. (Disclaimer: if you are not a web developer there is a chance of losing your data. Before making any changes always back up your data. Place your backup (2 copies) somewhere other than on your website server). 2. Optimize Images Before Uploading Before uploading your images to your site, resize them. The below link is to one of my favorite FREE resizer websites. Go the compressoir.io Locate and select your photos, (only 10 at a time) Click on resize and save to folder 3. Employ the Minifying Strategy ………………….(Estimated fix time… 5 minutes) 😊 What is minification? It’s the process of removing all unnecessary characters from the source code of interpreted programming languages, without changing its functionality. (Minification definition according to Wikipedia). For WordPress Users Install any minification plugin Ex. Google WP-Plugin Non-WordPress Users Consult your site builder (It’s still a simple process) ****Note, if those strategies don't improve your website speed into the good range, you'll have to hire a freelancer or web dev tech. Try UpWork! ................or for DIY'ers ...follow this video Ready for the next Strategy…… 82% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, including 93% of people aged 35-54. (Source: BrightLocal) Click To Tweet 4. Mobile Responsive Fast & Friendly Method He who owns the Gold Rules…in this case it’s Google…. New rule #1 Google penalizes websites that are not mobile responsive. To improve rankings your site must be user-friendly. Non-friendly sites result in low search visibility. Test Your Site Here Google Mobile-Friendly Tester Quick Fix 1. Start with mobile-first indexing and design in mind In 2019 Google started mobile-first indexing VS desktop. Hence when planning to build a 2022 and beyond website build it with as many mobile functionalities as possible. 2. Existing PC designed Websites For existing websites, the most cost-effective solution is to transform or redesign for Mobile responsive. According to recent data, more customers make purchases with mobile devices. ** Keep in mind for WordPress websites, changing your site to a mobile-friendly design is easy. Just change your theme, or you can use a plugin such as WPtouchPro. 3. Avoid Using Flash Most of your major browsers no longer support Flash. It’s an outdated technology, Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari has abandoned it. Grab more mobile-friendly tips here: If you're uncomforable with the above tips: Seek the help of your web developer Or hire a freelancer Moving on…. 5. Can Fix-It 404 Errors What are those annoying 3- number codes …? ....that Google deems important enough to give us a warning! .. 404 errors is what populates when the webpage you are looking for has either been removed or relocated. How does it affect you? Can increase your bounce rate Discourage UX Can impact your score or rankings Negatively affects your search rankings Here's an easy fix Estimated fix time- (15 minutes) Step 1. Go to Siteliner Step 2. Insert your URL, the broken links will populate. Step 3. Click on the live links, highlighted in red are the broken links Step 4. Fix, replace, or remove the broken links. Done…. On to the next Strategy 6. Tell the Truth Testimonials and Reviews It doesn’t matter what you say about yourself .. ….what matters is what others say about you. 97% of consumers depend on reviews for purchase decisions. (Power Reviews) Click To Tweet ***Pro Tip … A Harvard Business Review found that business ratings increase when businesses respond to customer reviews, NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE. Benefits of Reviews Boost customer retention Cultivate customer engagement Instant overview of what’s right or wrong Enhance your company’s online reputation Expand business visibility Nurtures your customer base Plays a significant role in SEO ranking factors The purchase likelihood for a product with five reviews is 270% more significant than a product with 0 reviews. (Source: Spiegel Research Center) Click To Tweet Want instant alerts when you get a customer review? Create an alert: (Be sure to Turn on “notifications” on your Google Business Profile). Follow below! Step 1. Sign into your Google my Business Step 2. View the menu on the left and click “Settings” Step 3. Set your email address and language preference Step 4. Tick the box for each type of notification you’d like to obtain On to the next … 7. Highest High-Quality Photo Benefits Never overlook the obvious. Images are everything and Google demands great-looking photos. Pro tip: According to Airbnb, listings with professional photography earn on average 40% greater yield than other listings in that same area. 80 percent of all searches come from either Google, search, maps, or images. The old saying rings true: A picture is worth a thousand words. What to do Take more photos Hire a pro photographer Regularly update your website photos Properly size photos Moving on: 8. Crystalize Call to Action Since we know that confused people do nothing.... That being said; when visitors arrive at your page and there isn’t a clear CTA, they are baffled. ....Your CTA helps direct your visitors, to stay on track to maintain a single purpose. CTA Stats Placing CTA ‘s above the fold decreases conversions by 17% (Neil Patel) Emails with a single call-to-action increase clicks by 371% and sales by 1617% (Wordstream) More than 90% of visitors who read your headline also read your CTA copy (Unbounce) Adding CTA’s to your Facebook page can increase CTA by 285% (adRoll) Reducing clutter around the CTA increased OpenMile’s CTA by 232% (VWO) Use These Quick Fix Include your anchor text on your CTA button Create an image button vs text only Place the image button below the fold Use Bold contrasting colors Remove clutter from around the button Speak in the first-person phrasing It takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they like your site or not and whether they’ll stay or leave. On to the Next Tip 9. UX = User Experience Google is all about User experience which is an vital SEO onpage element.... What’s the meaning of user experience? Simply, it’s anything that can affect your visitor’s safety, ability to read, understand, or navigate your site. Negative effects of Poor UX Result in poor search rankings Significant increase in bounce rate Google penalizes poor performance Negatively affects your SEO 3 Ways to Improve your User Experience Increase your loading time use a Content Delivery Network or (CDN) Basically, it’s a collection of servers in different locations that work together to ensure quick delivery to your host server. Here’s a video for step-by-step instructions 2. Reduce image sizes I know we talk about this constantly but it’s the biggest culprit of slow-loading sites. Resize photos before uploading them to the server. (Use Compressor. oi for resizing) 3. Maintain website security and SSL certification Security is a great concern of Google. Maintaining a malware-free experience is vital. Perform regular scans and employ an SSL certificate. That Brings Us To… 82% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, including 93% of people aged 35-54. (Source: BrightLocal) Click To Tweet 10. Top Hits Headline Generator Undoubtedly, we’ve all heard, that first impressions are lasting impressions. So how can you catch your audience’s attention, long enough to look your way? Let me help you…. It has something to do with that 4 – 8 well–planned, perfectly executed words, the first text they see when landing on your content. So, are you wondering, how to cut through the rubbish to get seen...? Let’s Get Started: Step 1: Identify your customer’s intent (Discussed in strategy #2) Step 2: Go to Medium.com for headline title inspiration that you can use as templates. (Keep in mind we never copy… +Google rewards originality) Step 3. Next test your newly formulated headline aim for a score of 70 or above. Free Headline Tester 11. Dress up Page Technique Easily improve your pageviews with visual elements…. Incorporate an array of: Bullets Icons Images H1 tags Short sentencing Most website visitors don’t read they scan. And what’s a better way to scan than with bullet points. Bullets Benefits Bullets break up text Provide a digestible read Makes for a more attractive appearance Easily Understood Add persuasiveness Helps to convey messaging Provide transparency Additionally, They offer…. Offer a professional look and feel A simple way to display key points Helps readers to scan at ease Breaks up a copy A good way to convey a clear message Use icons Have you noticed the big-time marketers lately? they’re using a multitude of small icons. Icons are a distraction and an expression. This is a super slick method to spruce up your copy. It gives your eyes and brain a break from the text. Our attention spans are getting shorter by the minute. One icon can replace an entire paragraph of text. (Maybe I’m exaggerating a little…LOL!!) Grab FREE icons below Small Icons & Symbols (flaticon.com) Add H1 and H2 tags H1 Tags are usually the size of the text in the title of the content. There’s normally only one H1 tag. This tells Google that it’s the title and the most important aspect of the page. H2 Are subtopics usually used to break up the content? This turns your content into mini-stories. H2 TAGES MAKES YOUR COPY SKIMMABLE… 12. Homepage Beautiful Improvement Many of us have seen famous folks with faces, butts, toes, and nose lifts. .....Truthfully, father time lay hands on us all. But since we’re talking about how to increase pageviews, a homepage facelift could be the answer. The great news: if you’re on the WordPress platform it's silly simple. …… Just switch themes. THERE ARE 1000’a of PAID AND FREE THEMES For a custom-built website, contact a competent developer. Or you can use a freelancer, try Fiverr, Upwork, or iWorker, I’ve used all three my preference is iworker, a smaller company. Even better you can request a zoom call before hiring A freelancer. (Disclaimer: if you are not a web developer there is a chance of losing your data. Before making any changes always back up your data. Place your backup (2 copies) somewhere other than on your website server). Homepage Improvement Tips Modernize your theme, plugins avail. Add mobile-friendly features Spiffy up homepage content Upgrade photos Include current events 13. Straightshooter Website Content Remember how you use to take an old outfit add modern accessories and BOO-YAH!!!!? Today, we’re applying that same concept to your website content. Keep your core vitals and add new vibrant images, latest stories, or events., that without a doubt will increase your pageviews. What type of photo events….? Recent photos of you Family fun time New products listings Menu change photos Customer engagement and events… Now to get Google’s love re-write your most popular pages: website page content Refresh Website Content Tips Rewrite your homepage content Add optimized-sized photos Modernize your image selection Renovate content with bullets & icons Moving on… 14. Polish Your Button One of my hubby's fav quotes he coined. “Don’t make it hard for me to spend my money”. Have you ever gone to a website specifically to make ….a purchase and the website navigation is so convoluted you don’t know where to start? Don't you hate it!!! Here’s what that little mistake can cost you: Loss of sales High bounce rate Negative reviews and feedback Bad UX How to Make your CTA Stand Out KISS – Keep it silly simple Select the Best shape, a pillbox with rounded corners Choose the correct size. Bigger is better Incorporate one single call to action Use contrasting colors- Bold but not blinding Employ a Button image not words That leads us here… 15. Broke NO -MO Links Tactic Here’s another quick way to improve your small business website pageviews, fix your broken links. You may be wondering what are broken links and why should I care? Broken Links occur when internal website pages have been moved or no longer exist. Unfortunately, broken links can hurt your SEO rankings and deflates user experience. Broken links increases bounce rate. Loss of customers Deflate sales Create an unwelcome UX Broken Links Quick Fix….. Insert your URL to find the broken links Siteliner Follow the same steps as with 404 errors On to security…. 16. Website Safety Patrol Officer SSL Cert Unfortunately, in today's world, everything needs to be locked! When you type in your website address, do you see a little lock in the search bar? If not, we have a problem…. But with an easy fix…. What is an SSL certificate? An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a web site's identity and enables an encrypted connection. It’s a website security protocol, to help keep the transfer of server’s encryption secure. Can a lack of an SSL Certificate be harmful….? Disadvantages Affect domain rankings Potential loss of sales Penalized by Google Encourage spoofing Personal info can be hacked Visitors may see a warning sign Discourage savvy visitors Who to call…? Contact your hosting co. to add the SSL to your site Hire a freelancer to install the certificate or Reach out to your web developer Benefits of SSL Certification Aid users’ data protection Authenticate ownership of the website Gains users instant trust Gain Google trust Potential higher rankings More protected against hackers Gain visitors’ confidence Website safety checklist? Run your website on HTTPS Avoid uncommon sites Download if you 100% trust the website Keep passwords in a safe place Be leery of sites that are not HTTPS Perform regular antivirus scan Use passwords generators Avoid self-identifying passwords 17. Case Study- How I Increase my Pageviews by 508% in 18 Days I’ve been running around like a headless horseman. Implementing every strategy imageable. Why not focus on ONE Strategy at a time to see what happens. ……A scientific approach! Here’s the exact strategy I followed to grow my website pageviews from 358 pageviews to 2218 in 18 days. First: What I did wrong, I jumped from tik to tack… TikTok: Great opportunity, but it took too long to edit my videos… Youtube is the same as TikTok Pinterest, will return after stabilizing this strategy I enjoyed making pins and have gotten up to 6.5 impressions. But you really can’t take your feet off the gas~ (on my return list) Joint ventures and collaborations This is one of my fav marketing strategies. Click the link above to get more info. SEO, the current marketing strategy. MY initial excitement came about from the volume of feedback I received from one of my articles. (117 comments) Here are a few comments: STOP!!!!….. I STOPPED EVERYTHING Here’s what I did… As opossed to TikTok, which is the lastest craze. I decided to optimize Quora to do all my marketing. (Membership since 2017, I rarely used it until 2.5 weeks ago) Step 1. Create an account with Quora, follow their instructions, and maximize all options. Step 2. Create a space, this is an area designated for you where you can post, answer, and ask questions. Step 3. Choose 5-7 marketers to follow - (more if you have time) Step 4. Post every day, (M-F) on all spaces that you follow. Addedly, post an article to your space. Be mindful, that your post should be on relevant topics… your area of expertise. Step 5. Answer as many questions as you can 5-10 per day. Your answers don’t have to be long, just authentic, and helpful. Step 6. Comment and engagement with the community. Once you start answering questions, some questions will be addressed directly to you. Visitors will request your answers. Now you’re cooking with grease. Your followers are now viewing you as an authority on that subject matter. Step 7 The biggest tip, post consistently. In about 2.5 weeks I gain 1.1K views. Summary: Talk about what you know Know your call to action for each post Post consistently Follow the leaders in their field While I was in the process of posting and engaging on Quora I noticed my website pageviews increasing. So, I kept posting, answering questions, and engaging. If you’re like me who’s trying to figure out how to improve your small business website pageviews… follow the above steps, I’m sure it will help! Be sure to follow and comment. I’ll continue posting consistently for another 30 days. More data to come! Quora is a social networking site that addresses questions. Additionally, you can build communities and post in other spaces. There are a few strategies to optimize Quora. Post to active spaces Find and answer relevant questions Follow those with at least 1000+ followers Be certain to participate in active posts Conclusion: Now it's time to hear from you. Which strategy will you employ first? Let me know by leaving a comment now! Don't forget to share this post~ Practical Ways to Improve your Small Business Website Pageviews