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March 15, 2009
Part 1 - Simple Ways To Attract New Web Visitors
For many folks here is what the main challenge is in attracting new visitors.
It is in seeing beyond the product or service we are trying to offer and expanding our scope of research beyond our own objectives for our Web site. If I sell insurance, what else is there beside "insurance quotes?"
The challenge for most of us is that we can't "shift our focus" to something that does not seem to immediately serve our interest. If it does not make sense and tie in directly with the sales objectives for our Web site, why even bother exploring it, right?
Think about this. Many of us only tend to focus on the audience that we are "in the habit of serving" from recent and past experiences.
The truth is that we often may not give all future potential prospects our full availability (or visibility) because of the very narrow focus that our recent experience tends to limit us to. Now think about this for just a minute or two.
Do you just have one specific audience? There may be some who feel they have a product that only services one audience. In fact I know some who may be convinced of it. But with a little brainstorming and research, you can explore and find entirely new audiences that need your product or services. There are new audiences out there right now that are searching for your solution, but the only trouble is, you are not making it very easy for them to find you because the focus of your Web content may be far too narrow.
Part 1. Simple Ways to Shift Your Focus and Attract New Web Visitors
1. Shift your focus by stopping the hunt for "keywords" and start thinking about "behaviors."
Realize that people are using the Internet to perform research on topics that are "important to them" and "based on the conditions and circumstances in their lives." Stop thinking so mechanically about "what keywords people are putting into that search box in Google" and begin to understand that it is the conditions in the searchers life that are dictating how the searcher is using the Internet. It is fascinating research!
For Insurance Web sites - Perhaps all you've been thinking of is trying to optimize for a phrase like "insurance quotes."
Instead, you consider exploring other terms like VIN (Vehicle Identification Numbers) and ask yourself how this might fit into your Web. Ask yourself "Is it not likely, that people searching for a VIN number, probably own a vehicle?" Then why not create a helpful database to identify where those VIN numbers are located on various vehicles. (This is just meant to be a simple example, there are many other behaviors you can learn from.) But serve the needs of the searcher first and in the meantime, if they want an insurance quote, they can request it with the right type of compelling ad copy contained in the site. Trust me it works. Focus on satisfying the searchers needs before your own objective. That can be hard to do if you don't perform excellent research and stop relying on guess work.
For Travel Web sites - Perhaps you've continually focused on keyword phrases involving "travel" or "cheap airfares." You think to yourself that this is all there is. Expand you scope of research and begin to explore other topics and alternatives that can bring you a whole new world of travelers (who are not necessarily looking for the cheapest flights.) What else might they be looking for? Think behavior. One of the things travelers might like to search for are "Things to do in Toronto" or Things to do in Alaska or wherever their destination is. They might be looking for directions or maps or even reviews on entertainment. By creating alternatively focused content that is researched and well written, you will attract people to your travel center that you would otherwise completely miss.
For Solutions based Web sites that are selling a product or service. If you selling an SEO tool that is made for the Webmaster community, that's great. But what about the other businesses that could benefit from your tool? You won't attract them with a bunch of SEO related jargon. Let's say you are trying to attract people to your health product? Okay, so it's a new vitamin supplement that helps provide some kind of solution (let's say it helps fight off symptoms of depression.) Is your only buying audience the "heath food" conscious crowd? Not at all. You might want to explore the search habits of those who are going through some trauma in their life. Mortgage foreclosure, relationship breakups or even those who have recently been downsized from their job. Don't you think these people might have the use for a health product that helps fight depression?
If you are a Real Estate agent who is convinced that the only valuable search terms that are available are MLS Listings or other industry related jargon, listen to this short interview on "Keyword Forensics" which includes many tips for Real Estate Agents.
There are nearly always more than one audience for your product or service or information. Sometimes multiple audiences that could benefit from what you have to offer. Want to read more about expanding your research capabilities based on user search behavior?
Stay tuned for another 4 parts to this article coming up next.
John Alexander
http://www.SearchEngineWorkshops.com
Like the only REAL magic - the magic of knowledge
Posted by John at March 15, 2009 12:47 PM