5 Ways to increase traffic to your online store: Free and paid methods

(Last Updated On: April 28, 2023)

You’ve just launched your online store and are anxiously awaiting for your first order. But customers aren’t visiting it yet. But all hope is not lost. There are many different ways to increase traffic to your online store.

Let’s explore 5 free and paid techniques to drive more visitors to your store. Try one or all of these technique to see results.

The two main ways you can drive traffic to your online store

You can drive traffic to your store in two main ways: organic and inorganic methods.

Organic methods are marketing techniques that put your store in front of your target audience without running ads. These methods are both cost-effective and bring long-term results. Some organic methods to increase traffic to your online store include SEO and social media.

Inorganic methods are also known as paid advertising. You run ads on different platforms and reach people who might be interested in buying from you. This would require a budget and it will bring quick results as compared to organic methods. However, the results will stop showing after a short period of time.

Tips to help you increase traffic to your premium online store with SEO

With more and more eCommerce websites being created every single day, how do you stand out?

First,

1. Find a reliable online store platform

You need to create an online store on a secure platform. For example, if you use Instamojo’s premium online store option, you get access to in-built SEO elements that will boost your store automatically in the search engine rankings. 

Watch this video to learn how you can use basic SEO settings to your Instamojo online store.

2. Improve your store’s SEO

SEO ( Search Engine Optimization) is a way to optimize and design your website and branding in a way that search engines like Google, Bing, etc, understand it better and give it higher rankings.

Higher rankings automatically signify more traffic on your website. Organic traffic to your website means there are zero spendings on ads or promotions. your customers find you mainly with keywords.

Here are a few steps to take to increase your online store traffic with SEO:

Target relevant keywords 

SEO is not a shortcut for you to get on Google’s first page. The first step to increase organic traffic to your online store is to start targeting relevant keywords. How do you know what people are looking for? What is the most frequently searched keyword by your customer base? Here are a few of the best SEO tools to help you find relevant keywords for your store (to get the ball rolling):

• SEMRush
• Google Keyword Planner – Free keyword tool
• MOZ Keyword Explorer 

Write SEO Friendly Content

Now that you know what keywords work for your brand, how do you distribute it in your content? Let’s explain this with an example for your premium Instamojo online store.

To generate content, you need a Content management system. With the premium online store on Instamojo, it comes with the package. So, when you set up your store, you will see the ‘Add Add the basic SEO meta tags to set up basic SEO for your store.

• Title – This is the title of your web store that will be visible on the search page of search engines. Make sure to include the keywords you enter later in your title.
• Description – Give the meta description of your store in approx 50 characters. Make sure to use the keywords you enter later
• Keywords – The words that appear in your title, description, and your homepage should be entered here. Keywords are important when you optimize your website and thus choose them wisely. Search engines optimize your website by considering the keywords only.

Also, when you ‘Add a product’ to your online store, you get an SEO option available. Here, follow the same pattern. Do not waste your words. Focus on exactly what you wish to communicate to your audience.

Add images, videos, and quotes to your online store

Go beyond words. While working on creating SEO-friendly content, ensure you work on your image optimization. Add videos to your online marketing game, and ensure you add a title to every image you upload in your online store. Here’s a tip: always name your image with a targeted keyword before uploading it to your e-commerce website.

Use a Simple URL Structure

A simple URL structure not only enhances the user experience but also improves your SEO eCommerce efforts to some extent.

When your eCommerce site has a simple URL structure, it’s easier to share products on social media and other websites. Additionally, it can also improve SEO for eCommerce as it provides more relevant data for search engines.

Here’s a guide on eCommerce SEO to know more about this method.

3. Make use of social media

To bring traffic to your online store from social media, focus on creating engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Make use of the link in bio feature and the link sticker in stories to lead your social media followers to your website.

Also encourage user-generated content and engage with your followers to build a community around your brand.

You can also collaborate with influencers to reach a wider audience, and offer exclusive discounts or promotions to incentivize followers to visit your website.

Also read: How a strong social media presence is brilliant for generating organic traffic to your online store 

4. Run paid ads

Start by identifying your target audience and selecting the appropriate platform(s) to reach them. Set a budget and create compelling ad copy and imagery that speaks to your audience’s pain points and interests.

Related read: A complete guide to running PPC ads

Use targeting options to narrow down your audience and increase the chances of conversion. Track and analyze your ad performance to optimize for better results. Consider retargeting ads to bring back visitors who have previously shown interest in your website or products.

5. Keep an eye out for competitors

What are your competitors talking about? Do not copy them, get inspired by them. Why? Two words. Referral traffic. Referral traffic is the traffic that arrives on your website via another external source, through a link. For example, if you have mentioned your competitor or another brand in your content, they could mention you back via a ‘backlink‘.

Besides focusing on your online store, work towards generating external content too. Write blogs, ebooks, guest blogs for other websites and maintain a network of businesses similar to yours. When you ‘spread the word’, keep your customers in mind.

Most importantly, give it time. SEO delivers results if done right. You just need the right platform, so why not get started with one you are familiar with most?

Increasing traffic to your online store is a gradual process

If you’re looking to increase traffic to your online store, it’s important to remember that it won’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and a lot of patience to see significant results.

However, by implementing the strategies discussed in this blog post, such as optimizing your website for search engines, engaging with your audience, and analyzing your data, you can gradually grow your audience and build a successful online business.

Having an online store with features to improve SEO along with a responsive will also help speed up the process. Create an online store on Instamojo and get this and much more!

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