You’ve put a lot of work into your brand’s website. The design stands out, the copy speaks to your ideal audience, and the content reflects everything your business stands for. Now all you need are visitors.
With nearly two billion websites in existence on the internet, competition for online attention is steep. This means if you want to get your website in front of the right people and grow your business online, you need to know how to promote your website.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to promote your website and increase traffic to your business — many of which are free.
Here’s an overview of the best ways to promote your website and increase traffic:
Table of Contents:
- 1 – Target keywords your audience is searching for online
- 2 – Write blog posts
- 3 – Optimize your website
- 4 – Make your links easy to share
- 5 – Add website link to your social profiles
- 6 – Guest blogging
- 7 – Contribute quotes to industry articles
- 8 – Create a free resource
- 9 – Build an email newsletter
- 10 – Partner with another brand for a webinar or online event
- 11 – Engage online
- 12 – Create shareable content
- 13 – Encourage sharing within your content
- 14 – Repurpose your articles on LinkedIn
- 15 – Publish articles on Medium
- 16 – Join online communities
- 17 – Start your own community
- 18 – Update old blog posts
- 19 – Attend networking events
- 20 – Write a Twitter thread
- 21 – Answer questions on Reddit
- 22 – Create content for Instagram and TikTok
- 23 – Share blog posts directly with your network
- 24 – Be a guest on a podcast
- 25 – Create an email series
- 26 – Share website updates
- 27 – Include your website link in your email signature
- 28 – Pitch your brand to be featured in product round-ups
- 29 – List your business on Google My Business
- 30 – Submit your business to online directories
- 31 – Distribute your press release far and wide
- 32 – Add a countdown timer to your site
- 33 – Invest in high-quality website design
- 34 – Social media ads
- 35 – Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
- 36 – Create an online course
- 37 – Run a giveaway
- 38 – Partner with an influencer
- 39 – Try affiliate marketing
- 40 – Hire a PR firm
Free Ways to Promote Your Website
If you’re on a budget, there are several ways to spread the word about your business at no cost to you.
Here’s how to promote your website for free using a variety of tactics.
1. Target keywords your audience is searching for online
In an online world, search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best ways to promote your website. SEO is simply the process of making your website searchable and visible on internet search engines to increase website traffic.
To take advantage of SEO, start by coming up with a list of keywords that your audience is searching for that are relevant to your business. For instance, let’s say you create an online course geared toward graphic designers. On your course website, you’ll want to use keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for.
Incorporating these keywords throughout your website can increase the chances it’ll show up in the search results and ultimately generate more traffic to your site.
2. Write blog posts
Blog posts can help support your new list of target keywords and ultimately boost your website’s SEO.
To get started with a blog for your website, start by coming up with blog post topics for each of your keywords. Then, regularly write and publish valuable content that your audience wants to read.
3. Optimize your website
Relevant keywords should also be used throughout your website to help increase the chance that your website will show up in your audience’s search results.
Sprinkle in keywords into your website copy and page headers where they make sense. Just be sure not to force it. Use keywords organically, so your main message still comes across in a natural way.
4. Make your links easy to share
A small yet impactful tweak you can make to promote your website is to make your links short and digestible — this makes them easier for people to share.
You can use a link shortener like Bitly after you’ve already published something on your website or customize your URLs when you create a new page or blog post.
5. Add website link to your social profiles
Another minor but necessary way to promote your website is to make sure your website link is listed in every social media profile your business has.
To get the most traffic to your website, you need to make sure your target audience can easily find it, which means it’s essential to have your links on your social media pages.
If you have multiple links you want to share at once — maybe you want to promote a recent blog post but also want your email newsletter sign-up page to be easily accessible at all times — use a free tool like Linktree or Later’s link in bio tool.
6. Guest blogging
Guest blogging is a great way to spread the word about your business and establish credibility within your industry. Not to mention, having your website linked to another brand’s website can help boost your own site’s traffic by giving it a “vote of confidence,” according to SEO tool Moz.
Make a list of websites with active blogs that produce content around topics your target audience is interested in. See if they have information about submitting a guest blog post or reach out to find out if they accept guest blog posts.
7. Contribute quotes to industry articles
Another way to establish credibility as an entrepreneur or business owner is to contribute your expert opinion to a relevant industry article. Not only does this help your online brand, but getting quoted in a major news outlet can give your website a much-needed boost in traffic.
Use a free tool like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to connect with journalists who are looking for expert sources to contribute a quote to their online articles.
8. Create a free resource
If you already have an email list, you’re probably familiar with opt-ins. These free resources — usually in the form of a PDF — are a great way to grow your email list, but they can also help boost traffic to your website.
Whether you create a checklist or a short ebook, make sure your website is clearly displayed in the free resource, so people know where to go to learn more about your business.
9. Build an email newslette
Speaking of emails, an email newsletter is another great way to promote your website on a regular basis.
If you send out a newsletter on a weekly or even monthly basis, make sure to direct subscribers to your website by sharing a recent blog post, a free resource, or anything else that promotes your business and drives traffic to your site.
10. Partner with another brand for a webinar or online event
As they say, two heads are better than one. The same can be said for online audiences. By partnering with another brand for a marketing event like a webinar or an Instagram Live, you get in front of a new audience which helps promote your website.
Consider joining forces with a brand whose audience is similar to yours and whose business is complementary to yours but isn’t direct competition.
11. Engage online
Assuming you’re active on social media, take advantage of your online presence to help promote your website.
Actively engage with followers by liking their posts, responding to questions and comments, and keeping them updated. Whenever possible, direct people to your website — but only if it comes up organically. If you mention your website too much, it can come across as spam.
12. Create shareable content
The best way to promote your website is to get other people to do it for you. How? By creating shareable content.
Shareable content is something that people can’t wait to share with their own audiences because it’s either entertaining, helpful, or even controversial.
This can be anything from a data-driven infographic to a blog post that covers a hot topic.
13. Encourage sharing within your content
Once you publish content on your website, the goal is to get your audience to read it and engage with it.
One way you can do this is by adding a widget to each blog post that says “Click to tweet” or concludes with a CTA.
You can also encourage engagement when you share your content on social media by asking your audience for their thoughts.
14. Repurpose your articles on LinkedIn
If you take the time to write blog posts or share your thoughts online in some form or fashion, make the most of your efforts through repurposing.
Reshare a shortened version of your blog posts on LinkedIn as either a post or a LinkedIn article.
You can then include a link to the full article on your website if people want to read more.
15. Publish articles on Medium
You can also share original articles (or a condensed version of your published blog posts) on a third-party site like Medium.
A benefit to using a platform like Medium is that it already has a built-in audience, so you can get in front of more people without building an audience from scratch.
16. Join online communities
There’s an online community for every type of interest, industry, or niche. If you’re a business owner, join a few relevant communities on Facebook or Slack to connect with your target audience.
The goal is to be a helpful resource. Engage in conversations and answer members’ questions. This way, members of the community may naturally seek out your website to learn more.
You can also reply to people’s conversations by directing them to your website. Just be careful to do this sparingly (and be sure to check the community’s guidelines around link sharing) as this can come across as spam.
17. Start your own community
If there isn’t already an online community that meets your and your audiences’ needs, a great way to promote your website is to start your own membership community.
When you build an online community, your website acts as the central hub for members, which means your website will generate consistent traffic for as long as you’re running your membership business.
18. Update old blog posts
If you already have a blog, you don’t always need to create new content from scratch. If you’ve had your blog for a while, you can also update old blog posts.
The key is to use relevant search terms and update old information with fresh insights, data, or stories to breathe new life into old articles.
19. Attend networking events
At the end of the day, people are the foundation of your business — even if you run an online business. A tried and true method to promote your website is to increase word-of-mouth marketing by attending networking events.
Events can be in-person or online — as long as you’re there to represent your brand and have an opportunity to mention your business and website.
20. Write a Twitter thread
If you’re active on Twitter, you’ve probably noticed the growing trend of threads. If not, let us fill you in: A thread is when a thought leader posts a series of tweets that present unique insights and tips that people can apply to their own lives. Think of them as mini, digestible blog posts.
For example, a thread on productivity hacks would be a series of tweets that offers one tip per tweet.
If you want to promote your website for free, create your own thread on a relevant topic and conclude it with a link to your website.
21. Answer questions on Reddit
If you’re not familiar with Reddit, it’s a massive online community where people discuss and rank all types of topics. For example, here’s a glimpse of a Reddit community that’s specifically geared towards Shopify users.
Users can submit their own questions and answers, as well as share links, images, and videos, and then vote on each other’s content. Long story short, if you want to get your business in front of a large and active community, consider engaging on Reddit.
22. Create content for Instagram and TikTok
While LinkedIn and Twitter are great social media platforms for entrepreneurs and B2B companies, Instagram and TikTok are essential for eCommerce and consumer brands.
If your business falls under one of these categories, use Instagram and TikTok to promote your website. Create helpful or entertaining content that engages your audience but doesn’t directly promote your links.
23. Share content directly with your network
Every business owner has at least a few people they turn to when they have questions or want to bounce ideas off. Lean into your network to help promote your website.
Share recent blog posts, landing pages, new services, resources — anything you think your peers would want to share with their audiences.
24. Be a guest on a podcast
To get your website in front of a wider audience, switch up your marketing format by going onto a podcast.
Make a list of podcasts that your ideal audience listens to and reach out to them to learn more about guest opportunities.
25. Create an email series
Email campaigns are an opportunity to get your website directly in front of potential customers by landing in their inboxes consistently.
When it comes to types of email campaigns, you can create anything from a welcome series to a series of emails that are triggered by an action in your eCommerce shop.
26. Share website updates
Another great way to send people to your website is to let your audience know when there’s an update to the site.
Updates you can share include a new product in the shop, a new service, etc.
Sharing a quick update on social media or through an email serves as a gentle reminder of your business and may entice people to visit your website.
27. Include your website link in your email signature
Another simple yet effective way to promote your website is to make sure it’s clearly listed in your email signature. This way, every email communication you have with people one-on-one is an opportunity for people to click on your URL.
28. Pitch your brand to be featured in product round-ups
If you have a product or eCommerce business, holiday gift guides or “Top 10” lists are a great way to get your business featured and promoted. Gift guides are especially valuable because it helps get your product in front of customers who are ready to buy.
You can pitch your product to journalists or editors of magazines and online publications to try to get a spot in a gift guide.
29. List your business on Google My Business
Google My Business is a free business profile that shows up in Google search results. You’ve undoubtedly seen these profiles when you search for a business near you.
Listing your business on Google My Business is a great way to promote your website for free, especially if you have a local business.
30. Submit your business to online directories
There are several directories that highlight all types of businesses, whether you run a local coffee shop or are a website designer.
Many directories are free. However, some may require a paid membership.
31. Distribute your press release far and wide
Whether you work with a PR firm (more on that below) or handle press outreach yourself, a press release is bound to be created at some point.
Use a press release distribution service to increase the reach of your press release. PR Newswire, Business Wire, and Newswire are just a few distribution sites.
32. Add a countdown timer to your site
Not ready to launch quite yet? Even if you’re still working on getting your website and business off the ground, you can still promote it.
Create a landing page and add a countdown timer to generate buzz and encourage website visitors to come back when your website is ready.
Paid Ways to Promote Your Website
If you have the budget, it may be worth it to put some money behind your website promotion.
Here’s how to promote your website and grow your business using paid methods.
33. Invest in high-quality website design
You can promote your website all day long, but if visitors don’t like what they see when they get there, they aren’t going to come back.
High-quality website design is essential for optimizing for search, generating traffic, and keeping visitors on your site.
If you’re ready to invest in your website, hire a designer to make sure your site is mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and designed with the user in mind.
34. Social media ads
One paid way to promote your website is to invest in paid ads on social media, especially if you run an eCommerce business.
You can create and share ads that promote new products or boost your recent business updates in order to increase your website’s reach and visibility across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
35. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
You can also create pay-per-click (PPC) ads for search engines. These ads are based on search term keywords that you want your business to show up at the top of the search results for.
Google AdWords is the primary way to do this.
36. Create an online course
Online courses are a great way to grow your business.
If you’re interested in creating an online course, it’s essential to not only share your expertise and insights but also to position your business — and ultimately your website — as a resource on the subject.
While online courses take upfront investment in the form of time, resources, and potentially a hosting platform, they can have a valuable ROI in the long term.
37. Run a giveaway
Giveaways are a tried and true way to generate engagement on social media and get a boost of followers. But they’re also an effective way to promote your website and increase its visibility and reach.
While the giveaway itself doesn’t necessarily cost money to run, you will have to give away a product or service — which is a small investment when you consider the potential results.
To double the impact of your giveaway, consider partnering with another brand so you can get in front of a new audience and potentially gain even more leads.
38. Partner with an influencer
Influencer marketing is another paid way to get more eyes on your brand’s website. Influencers are skilled at building a loyal audience and promoting brands that they believe in.
The key is to partner with influencers that have a similar audience to you so that their audience will be more likely to visit your website when prompted by the influencer’s posts.
39. Try affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of online marketing that’s based on referrals. Brands partner with affiliates — these can be influencers or websites — and compensate them for the traffic they drive to their website.
In other words, affiliate marketing is a great way to grow your business and increase website traffic.
40. Hire a PR firm
If you have the resources and budget to outsource, consider hiring a PR firm. A publicist or PR team is responsible for press outreach and has built-in connections to media outlets.
A PR firm can help get your business featured in major outlets, which can help build backlinks and credibility for your brand’s website.
Your website is an essential part of your business. But in order to drive traffic, convert visitors, and grow your business, you need to have a plan to promote your website on a regular basis.
Whether you try one of the many free ways to promote your business or explore putting some money behind promotions, MemberSpace’s flexible membership software offers the integrations and expert guidance you need to make your website the ultimate hub for your business.
Want more tips for marketing your membership business? Check out these 16 proven marketing strategies for subscription businesses!
