Directing traffic to your site is always a battle, but with increased usage of mobile devices and apps the already difficult task of driving consistent traffic to your domain has no-doubt become even more difficult. This article will, in part, discuss how properly using custom content can counteract traffic diversion and also touch on the statistics you should pay attention to for increased knowledge about how, where and why your site is being viewed.
NOT ALL TRAFFIC IS CREATED EQUAL
To understand your traffic, you must first understand that not all traffic is equal and that getting 500 clicks via an AdWords campaign may not be the best use of your marketing department’s time or money. Increasing traffic isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept, so what works for one financial institution may not work for yours. It’s also worth noting that the audience for your FI’s site is probably markedly different from the audience of the FI down the road; each digital channel has a very different user base and that is crucial to keep in mind when updating content on your site.
Speaking of content, let’s first discuss the current content on your site because your site’s traffic is a direct reflection of how effective the contents of your site are. Does your content merit daily use and reference or is it content that has a very finite use? The answer to that question may be the root of your traffic problem. If your site only contains a loan application and online account logins, I wouldn’t be surprised if your traffic is lower than you’d like it to be.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Understanding who reads your site’s content is the second step in improving its worth. Do your research and figure out what you should be publishing and how often it should be published. To take it a step further, your content should be formatted according to the needs of your readers. Via your research, you should know whether or not they prefer mobile to desktop, when they read your content and why they are reading it; in essence, developing content that is mobile optimized will fix the issue of diversion for the sector of your audience it affects. Make your website the resource they find on any device by publishing often and publishing effectively. Knowing your target audience and developing resourceful content with their eyes in mind will help your FI slowly become a consistent online destination.
TRACK THE TRAFFIC
So now we know who is reading your site and the content that is driving them to your domain, but how should you measure its effectiveness? There are five main types of traffic you should keep track of on a weekly basis:
- Organic
- Paid
- Social
- Direct
By understanding who is using each of these channels, when they are being used and why they are being used, you can use this information to constantly revise your efforts. If you see most traffic coming from organic search and social media, allocate more of your time and budget to developing organic and social efforts.
The secret to understanding and improving domain traffic is becoming better in tune with what your customers or members want; the rest will slowly, but surely, do itself.
Questions about where to start and how to develop custom content, contact us. We’re happy to help!
