You’re websites live and now you’ve got to drive traffic to your website as fast as possible. Your business depends on it.
Ask nearly anyone who runs an online business what their biggest struggle is, and chances are they’ll say “more traffic.”
When you’re just starting out this is even more of a challenge. You want to get your content in front of your people quickly and start to build your business. But when you have no audience and no reputation, you have to find creative ways of getting in front of the right people.
You need traffic to build an email list.
You need traffic to make sales.
You need the traffic to fill your coaching programs.
So the big question is, where do you get all that traffic, especially when you’re new?
Yeah, you could buy ads on Facebook or Instagram, but when you’re just starting your business going this route can be costly. Especially if you’re trying to figure out what you’re doing.
You could focus your time and energy on search engine optimization but unless you have years to build your business (and who does?) then SEO should not be your top choice. Yes, it’s important, but this is a long-term strategy not a short-term, right now strategy.
So what do you do to start getting traffic to your new blog or business? Well, there are a few good options and they all involve borrowing other people’s audiences and platforms.
Please note: before trying any of these strategies, make sure you know who your ideal client is. This is fundamental when you choose which platforms to use and whose audience you want to get in front of. Cause if you’re selling bikini’s you don’t want to be featured on a dessert blog.
Tips to Drive Traffic to Your Website
The first thing you’ll need to do is make a list of 10 – 20 bloggers, brands & influencers that currently work with your ideal customers and audience. This list will then help you with the below steps.
1: Be a Guest
Everyone needs content. It’s the one thing that remains consistent among all content creators—there is never enough. That’s where you can help.
That’s where guest posting comes in. Many big and small brands are constantly looking for content.
By guest posting on other coaches’ blogs or brands with larger audiences, you can “borrow” some of their traffic.
Head over to the blogs of the people and brands you added to your list to see if they offer guest posting opportunities.
Hint: There’s usually a write for us or contribute link somewhere on their site.
If not, see if anybody else other than them has ever written a post on their site. If the answer is no then you can work with them in other ways [we’ll cover that later.]
If the answer is yes to both those questions, then go ahead and write a post you want to offer. Start a conversation with them via their blog. And submit your post or idea [Depending on what they ask for on their contribute page].
When guest posting you can’t simply copy and paste old content and send it out to several different sites. To get the best results, you’ll want to:
- Create custom content designed with your host’s unique audience in mind.
- Provide great value with actionable ideas and strategies not found everywhere else.
- Inject your personality so those new to you will instantly connect with you.
- Offer a compelling reason to click through to your website or blog for more information.
Read through their content, get to know what they write about and who their audience is. Ask yourself is this going to be a good fit for my brand? Can I provide value to this person’s audience?
If you do get to write your guest post, create a freebie just for that audience and drive traffic to your website with a call to action.
2: Partner Up
No mailing list? Well you need to drive traffic to your website to get people to sign up.
Here’s a quick way to “borrow” someone else’s list to kickstart your own: Schedule a free event with a partner.
Here’s how it works.
- You (as the one with the small list) create a compelling, free training which leads naturally to a low-cost, no-brainer product.
- Install an affiliate tracking system such as Post Tracking Pro or use one included in the software you’re using to sell your product/service.
- Offer your best affiliates a higher percentage of profits in exchange for co-hosting your webinar and bringing their traffic along for the ride.
This is a win/win for both of you, as you gain the traffic while your affiliate gets a bigger payday. Just be sure you have a good funnel in place so that your new list members can benefit from all that you have to offer.
3: Get Interviewed
Want to really show off your expert status and bring traffic back to your site, too? The easiest way is to get on the interview circuit. Just like authors with new books and actors with new movies, coaches and service providers can get in front of new audiences simply by answering questions about what they know.
I’m not talking about breakfast television, the news or a talk show (although it’s not impossible), but there are still plenty of opportunities out there for coaches and consultants in every niche.
Look for interview and speaking opportunities on:
- Podcasts
- Other blogs
- YouTube
- Local events
- Industry conferences
- Online Summits
Again go back to your list and start by reaching out. The key is to be selective with those you’re reaching out to, so that you know your ideal audience will be listening.
Even if you don’t have a list of your own yet, it can be easy (and fun) to kick-start your audience growth simply by putting yourself in front of other people’s audiences. Making yourself available for opportunities where you can provide value will increase your tribe and your bottom line.
The bonus to this is that you’re building your network and connections in your niche. With every guest post, podcast interview and webinar you do, you get another chance to get in front of a brand new audience, who could become part of your tribe, so take advantage of it!
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