Listen to this blog post on our podcast below.

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“If you build it they will come” doesn’t quite apply to websites; especially brand new ones. Make sure you follow these 4 steps to start driving traffic to your new website.

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1) Tell EVERYONE about it!

Once your website is live, the crucial first step is as simple as letting the world know that it exists. This will help your website show up in Google quicker, which will improve your SEO rankings quicker. 

You can spread the word about your new website by:

• Word of Mouth: The world’s best advertising method. Tell your neighbor, your barber, your mailman, everyone! You never know who is in the market for what you are selling.
• Email Marketing: If you have a newsletter, be sure to send an email to your list(s) letting them know your new website is live. If you don’t have a newsletter, 2 good starting points for small business are Constant Contact or Mailchimp.
• Post on ALL your social media networks: You never know how far your post will go. Make the most of your network of friends & family on Facebook, professional network on LinkedIn, and more. Share it everywhere!
• Add your new site to Google My Business: When people search for your business online, you want to make sure they are pointed to your new website for accurate information.
  
  

2) Ask for Feedback and Reviews

Ask everyone what they think of your new website. They may have some great feedback to keep in mind when managing your site going forward. 

Then ask your current customers to leave you a review. Online reviews are everything to a business’s reputation, and there are many ways you can go about receiving them:

• Google My Business: Reviews left here are what people will see when they search online for your business. When you sign up for GMB, you’ll get a link to your online profile where you can point people to leave you a review.
• Facebook Reviews: If you have a Facebook page, you can point people to your page to leave you a review. Your ratings can show up in search results too, which is a big plus.
• Video Testimonials: Videos can be a powerful way for customers to share their experience with you. You can ask customers to record a video on their phone and send it to you, or use a software like boast.io to collect testimonials.

Bonus tip: Once people leave a review, ask them if you can share it, and use it as a social post! And of course, make sure you have a page or other place on your website where you share reviews about your business.

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3) Keep Your Website Updated

Listen to feedback given to you when you first told everyone about your website. Every 3-4 months, be sure to:

• Update your business’s information: Have your hours changed? Has your phone number or email address changed? Have you changed or added locations? Old staff member’s picture still on your site? Any new reviews? Nothing will ruin your business’s credibility more than outdated information on your website. Be sure to keep things fresh and update your site when new things happen.
• Switch Up Images: Sometimes you need to spice it up to keep people engaged and coming back to your website. You can switch up background images, colors, and more to keep breathing life into your website.

4) Add New Content

Along with switching up existing content, you should keep adding new content to your website too. Some ways you can do this are:

• Blog Posts: It may sound like a drag, but blogging is an easy and relatively quick way to add new content to your website. Be sure to spread the word about your new blog posts using methods in step 1
• Add New Pages: If your business is growing, your website should be growing too. Add new photos of projects you may have done. Make a new page for a new service you provide or product you offer. 

Need help promoting your new website? Get in touch today!