If you are owning a blog or business site of any type, there’s a good chance you have tried hundreds of ways to make your site stand out online. The problem is that all owners are trying to do the same, so there are very few original ideas to follow that can bring your site to the masses.
Despite this, there are some promotional ideas that go overlooked by most site owners. In some cases, this is because they cost too much time and money, or require too much effort. Others are simply more traditional techniques that get pushed to the sidelines in favor of the latest new tool or platform.
Whatever the reason, there are ways to get your site noticed that others aren’t using. Let’s take a look at some of these techniques and how you can use them.
Any promotional approach depends on how much time you have and what resources you have available. Nonetheless, there should be something for everyone to try among the following five ideas.
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1 – Video marketing
Vlogging is an art in its own right, but that doesn’t mean that video as a medium is mutually exclusive from blogging. In fact, video ads or clips can be an extremely effective way of bringing new visitors to your site.
Even if you only have a smartphone and a few minutes to spare, try recording a video that discusses the subjects in a recent article. Offer short insights that compel the viewer to dig deeper and read the full piece via links in the video or its description field.
2 –Build a brand
Contrary to popular belief, brands aren’t just for global companies with billions to spend on creative advertising. If you think about your favorite bloggers in any niche (e.g., Darren Rowse from Problogger or Pete Cashmore from Mashable), the chances are you associate them with certain character traits and qualities. These writers become a trusted resource because they have built a brand around their work. With a little planning and the right marketing tools, you can do the same. Small things like consistent colors, fonts, a tag line, memorable contact details, and a clear mission statement will make you stand out in a crowded field. Take some time to brainstorm what makes your site uniquely compelling for readers and review your promotional channels to make sure every one of them consistently reflects those qualities.
3 – Be Everywhere
If you really want to standout, you need to be everywhere! Consider marketing gurus like Sam Ovens or Neil Patel. You can find them everywhere, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and so on. This creates a compound effect. Once people start seeing your face everywhere, they start wondering what is going on, and that is when they start paying attention to what you have to say. Make sure to list the social networks and platforms that are relevant to your niche and business, and make sure to create a strong presence there!
4 – Reach out to readers personally
Writers often focus on the anonymous audience; unidentified readers who arrive at their blog via search engines, social media, and the many other platforms we use to move around the web. In reality, the most loyal and valuable readers are likely to be those we already know. Have you ever reached out to individuals in your contact list to briefly explain why you wrote an article that you know will help them? That combination of targeted writing and personal outreach is a powerful way to re-connect with contacts and win new readers. Yes, it takes more time than posting to your social profiles, but that’s one of the reasons so few site owners take advantage of this simple idea. And why you should!
5 – Write companion content
When you have your own home on the Internet, it’s hard to think about writing anywhere else. After all, the goal is to build an audience around your core content, right? Not entirely.
As discussed in point 2, building your brand is a bigger prize than attracting a short spike in traffic to your site. By writing shorter versions of your longer articles or companion pieces that introduce related ideas, you can tap into existing audiences on platforms like Medium, Linkedin, and Quora. These can also be linked to original articles on your site, providing a new stream of traffic in the short term and developing a wider audience your work in the long term.
Bonus – Add articles to your e-mail signature
Most of us send out scores of e-mails every day. Even so, very few see this as an opportunity to promote a link or raise awareness. By their very nature, e-mail signatures are supposed to be informative. Adding a short note about your latest writing gives contacts a chance to dig deeper into your ideas, just as they would with a social media profile or direct website link.
The key is to make sure that your chosen link is intriguing but not intrusive. It should attract the eye and pique interest, rather than demand attention or distract from your original message. In most cases this will only add a trickle of traffic, but over time some of those visitors could turn into your most dedicated readers.
These ideas are by no means exhaustive. If you try one and don’t see a sudden influx of traffic, don’t give up! Continue to adapt the technique to your own style and find new forums in which your latest ideas can be shared and discussed.
As you add more and more untapped areas to your promotional strategy, traffic will build and your site will become a trusted resource.
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