How Can Online Stores Attract More Traffic

Traffic is the fuel source that generates sales for online stores. However, acquiring traffic can be expensive or time-consuming depending on what industry you’re operating in. You don’t have to break the bank going after traffic sources that will bleed your marketing budget dry. Instead, target strategic traffic generation methods that provide the most visitors whilst spending the least amount of money.

Implement a long-tail SEO strategy

Going after highly competitive keywords requires a lot of resources because the top companies will not let you have them without a fight. However, you can acquire a flood of traffic from long-tail keywords. These are longer and more specific which have less competition. There are countless long-tail keywords that you could rank for in a given industry and they are responsible for 70% of all internet traffic.

Implementing an effective long-tail SEO strategy requires patience since it takes a long time to rank for keywords. Also, spread your effort among hundreds of keywords because it’s a numbers game. You won’t know which keywords will rank, but use the right approach and you’ll get a few winners out of the bunch.

Running an online store is challenging enough without having to worry about ranking for long-tail keywords. Ecommerce SEO is easier with the help of a service that will give your website the best chance of ranking. Make sure to choose a company that has a proven track record of success and understands your project.

Write about popular products

Content adds value in a variety of ways to any website, which includes eCommerce stores. Writing product blog entries is inexpensive and you don’t need a lot of posts to make a difference. Here are a few reasons why blog posts are great for attracting more traffic:

• Educate your audience: Buyers looking to learn more about your products need informational content before buying. Therefore, if your blog provides the help they need, they will be more likely to use your store to buy.
• Search traffic: Creating blogs gives you more ways to rank for industry-specific search terms. Write product blog posts that optimize for keywords with high traffic and low competition to increase online store traffic. You’ll acquire leads at an earlier stage of the sales funnel, which gives you time to nurture them before they are taken to the buying page.
• Be an authority: Posting knowledgeable blog posts about your products establishes you as an authority in your marketplace. It shows that you have a detailed understanding of how your products work. Therefore, customers are more likely to think that your products' quality is worthy of their attention.

Don’t limit yourself to the products you are selling but also consider the problems your customers are having. For example, if you are selling inflatable outdoor swimming pools, then write blog posts on how to wash them. Research your industry to find many supplementary blog posts you could write to increase search traffic that inevitably navigates to your online store.

Contact influencers

The growing number of influencers in many industries provides additional traffic sources for businesses ready to capitalize on their audience. Influencer traffic is one of the most affordable ones because they are not estimating their value correctly. Some do charge a premium for the collaboration while others view themselves as beginners with not enough authority in the industry.

Look at the size of their audience to estimate how much money you should spend to secure their endorsement. Also, how related is the link between their content and what you are selling. A big overlap is desirable because a larger proportion of their audience is likely to buy.

Influencer traffic works because the audience trusts the person suggesting the product. However, you need to agree upon the extent of the endorsement. A quick 5-second mention of your product or services might not be worth your time. Instead, search for influencers that are willing to spend up to a minute explaining the benefits of your offer.

Personalized email marketing

The email marketing game has evolved greatly over the last decade. You can’t send generic mass emails and expect audiences to respond with a high engagement rate. Personalization is the buzzword around email marketing and it has the power to drive highly-converting traffic.

Here is an overview of personalized email marketing strategies that you can use to increase website traffic:

• Real-time data: 60% of marketers share that real-time data is highly effective in email marketing. That’s because marketers can send behavioral emails shortly after an action. For instance, if a visitor showed an interest in the garden lawnmower category, then a follow-up email with the best deals for that category is a good idea.
• Cart abandonment emails: Dig through your data and you’ll see a significant percentage of your traffic is abandoning their shopping cart. Don’t let those potential buyers get away without a fight. Send cart abandonment emails that nudge them back in the direction of their cart to complete the transaction.
• Buyer persona: Create buyer personas based on your audience demographics. Your email recipients are more likely to engage with emails that have a targeted buyer persona. They are relatable and can help highlight industry-specific problems.
• Dynamic product images: Based on user browsing behavior include relevant product images. They will immediately be noticed once the email is open and increase the engagement rate. It’s a commonly used technique among the best eCommerce stores to increase traffic.

Combine several email personalization techniques into one email to get the best results. You can also segment your email list based on customer demographics. Send different offers to each list to receive open rates that would make your competitors jealous.


Final thoughts

There are a lot of opportunities out there to attract new traffic to your online store. You need to be creative and look for methods that provide the best ROI. Explore marketing channels such as influencers, personalized email marketing, writing product pages and long-tail SEO. Do your own testing to determine what traffic method provides the best ROI.

Stay updated on the latest trends to find new traffic methods. Also, check out other industries to see what traffic methods are popular there. You may find a few that your competitors are not using, which means you can be the first one to profit that way.