5 Smart Ways to Drive Website Traffic Through Social Media

Website traffic depends on multiple forms of digital marketing – from paid advertising to SEO to content, there are numerous ways to get your brand’s message across. But in truth, unless all of these are equally represented, you’re always going to be missing out.

When it comes to social media, it holds a particularly fruitful ground for you to build upon. Not only is social media the place where your audience is likely to be hanging out, but even more, it’s the one digital space where you can directly engage with followers, ultimately building an authentic bond.

But how can you make the absolute most of social? And is there anything you can do on social platforms that will reflect on your traffic, or even better, conversion rates?

In fact, there is. If you’re interested in boosting website traffic, here are the social media strategies to focus your efforts on.

1. Choose the Right Social Media Platform

Globally, the number of people who use social media amounted to 3.5 billion in 2019. That’s 45% of the population. In the UK, statistics show even higher numbers. According to estimates, the percentage of the UK population using social media goes as high as 71.64%. It is known that most of these people use:

• Facebook (over 43 million users)
• Instagram (32.05 million users)
• Twitter (25.45% market share in January 2021)

But does that mean that a brand’s focus should automatically be on one of these three social networks? Not necessarily.

In addition to creating content for the three biggest platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), businesses should also do their research regarding where their audience is most likely to spend time.

For example, for those who have the means to produce video, YouTube is one site definitely worth looking into. With over 2 billion active monthly users, it’s a place with almost unlimited potential, seeing that it serves a varied demographic. Additionally, companies can use YouTube in one of three ways:

• A paid advertising platform
• A space for posting original content
• A way to collaborate with influencers and use user-generated content (as shown in this example by JerryRigEverything)

Other potentially viable social media platforms include Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Before you start posting your content, however, make sure you’ve decided whether it’s the right place for you and your brand. You can do this based on the people who make the majority of users.

Furthermore, don’t forget that it won’t do you any good to copy and paste the same content on five different websites. Instead, try to make adjustments, all the while retaining consistency both in language and visuals.

2. Optimize Your Profile

Sure, you need to be on the right platforms. But besides sheer presence, you also need to consider the connection between your profile and your website. A way to go about it is to treat your social media profiles both as mini websites and extensions of your domain.

Think of it in these terms. Some of your users may land on your social profiles after browsing your website’s contact section. However, the reverse is actually more likely to happen. And the only way to drive website traffic, in that case, is if your customers’ journey is all set up in advance.

Check whether you’ve included all relevant information in your profile. This should include your website address, main points of contact, physical address, and anything else potential clients may need.

Zoma is a great example of a company that has set up its social profiles well. On Zoma’s Facebook page, they have all the pertinent contact information along with a link to a special landing page on their site. This allows them to easily track which of their site visitors arrived from their Facebook page.

3. Focus on Your Customers

There’s a difference between posting on social media for the sake of being active and actually sending a message. To avoid the former faux pas, every single post you make needs to be created to offer value to your followers.

Yes, the type of value will clearly differ between industries, niches, and brands. Nonetheless, the fact remains that if you want users to take action (e.g., visit your website), you will need to intrigue them first.

There are many creative ways you could do this. For one, you could go with the standard blog post share. It’s a tried and tested way to get your website content seen (and maybe even shared). For example, if your digital marketing strategy includes the creation of educational content, you could do what Agorapulse has done on their Twitter profile.

Alternatively, you could tie in content from your website with that on your social media accounts, as done here by Opera de Paris. It works well because it combines the reach you can achieve with a giveaway with important information regarding the rules for entering.

Another user-centric way to incorporate social media into your reach is to invite customers to submit content. GILI, a company that manufactures inflatable stand-up paddleboards, created a hashtag #gilisports on Instagram and asked users to tag them to be featured.

This way, they are doing several things:

1. They’re engaging with their followers.
2. They’re making the most of social proof.
3. They’re posting content that is likely to be shared by followers, thus organically widening their reach.

4. Always Check the Data

Once you’ve covered the basics: identified the place where your audience is, set up your profile, and started posting content that is relevant to your audience, it’s time to see how your efforts are working out. Most social media platforms have insights sections. These are going to be valuable sources of information to ensure you’re getting the absolute most out of your investment.

For example, the Twitter Analytics tool allows you to explore your followers’ interests, locations, and demographics. So, not only could you use this info on-platform, but even more, you could potentially extend it to your paid marketing efforts. Both Google Ads and Facebook advertising allow you to target audience categories of interest. Unfortunately, without an insights tool, these are very difficult to get 100% right.

Another must-explore feature is learning about your followers’ habits. Obviously, you will rely on consistency to make sure social media algorithms allow for your posts to be seen. But even more, with the right kind of information, you can make sure you’re posting when it’s best for your followers. By keeping in check with when your followers are online, you are giving your posts a better chance to be seen. And this is especially true for ephemeral content that is only around for 24 hours.

Of course, don’t forget to integrate all analytics tools to work together. Not just so that you can make the most of social media traffic, but so that you can actually track website events back to their origins.

5. Improve User Experience

According to statistical data, 67% of consumers will seek out customer service through social media networks. With this in mind, it becomes apparent that social media isn’t merely a place to promote deals and post engaging content. It’s also going to be a crucial part of your customer retention strategy.

Of course, if you are unable to offer customer service through social media, make that clear on your profile. FantasyJocks, for example, relies on email for customer questions and support. So, to avoid possible frustrations, the company states so on its Instagram page. It’s a 2-minute job to add such a point to your profiles, but it goes a long way in providing a better user experience.

Moreover, remember that most users expect to receive a customer service response within 60 minutes. So always aim to go the extra mile.

In addition to responding to issues promptly and offering efficient solutions, businesses should also incorporate social listening in their strategy. This will present them with opportunities to reach out to customers who haven’t directly tagged them. Moreover, they’ll be able to pinpoint users who are dissatisfied with the service they’re getting from competing brands.

For example, you can look up to RØDE Microphones. Their Twitter page doesn’t just answer user-submitted questions. It also actively listens to anyone searching for advice on recording equipment. This way, they’re able to quickly identify and help out potential customers, directing them towards specific products on their website.

Final Considerations on Smart Strategies to Boost Website Traffic

There are many ways social media activity can influence website traffic. From raising awareness to boosting customer retention, it’s a powerful tool in any entrepreneur’s arsenal. But most importantly, social media platforms can be tailored into anything your company needs.

So, when coming up with your strategies, make sure you combine originality, value, and analytical data. In the end, you’ll find that this type of activity is going to be just as effective as paid advertising, if not more.