Creating a website does not necessarily mean that you’ll automatically have visitors. “If you build it, they will come” certainly doesn’t apply to website traffic. This is a common misconception we encounter daily at Phoenix Web Design.
It’s easy to get frustrated when the visitors you hoped for somehow haven’t found their way to your site, but there’s a reason for the lack of traffic. Here are 5 of the most common causes of low website traffic.
1. Your Website Was Poorly Designed
There’s a chance that you’re not getting much traffic because your website wasn’t designed well. One of the factors that Google takes into consideration when ranking sites is how long people stay on a web page.
If those who visit your site find it hard to navigate and leave pretty quickly, Google will take note of that and direct people away from your website. To keep new visitors on your site, you need to make sure that it’s user-friendly and easy to navigate.
You also need to make sure that response times on your website are fast enough. If your site has a tendency to run slowly, visitors might become frustrated and leave. Change servers or update your website if you need to, but make sure that its response time is fast.
2. Your Website Isn’t Very Interesting
Not only does your website need to be user-friendly, it also needs to be engaging. People are much more likely to spend time on your website if they find it interesting. When visitors are bored, they’ll quickly click away to something else.
One great way to maintain interest is to include pictures and videos on your website. Studies have repeatedly shown that people spend a lot more time on web pages that have some sort of visual element.
You should also make sure that the information on your website addresses your target audience. Don’t just make the site all about your company. The goal is to provide information that relates to the user’s experience. Do this, and visitors will stay longer, leading to even more traffic in the future.
3. Your Content Is Lacking
Years ago, all it took to get your site noticed by Google was a few keyword-stuffed pages. Those days are long gone.
Google’s algorithm has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years. Instead of prioritizing keyword usage above all else, Google now prefers sites that provide high-quality, in-depth content.
If your website doesn’t offer any content or if the content is weak, then Google probably isn’t going to send much traffic your way.
4. You Aren’t Sharing Like You Should
Every good little boy and girl was taught to share. When we were kids, sharing what we had helped us to make friends.
The exact same principle applies to your website. If you want to make friends in the online world, share what you have.
Write awesome content that addresses the questions, needs, and concerns of others and then make sure to share it socially. Sharing your content on a variety of social media platforms will significantly increase your site’s visibility and bring new friends to your online home.
5. You Didn’t Hire an SEO Firm
It’s possible to do the SEO yourself, but it’ll require a large investment of time and energy to learn the skills you need. That’s time and effort that could be used on other aspects of your business that are more in-line with your expertise.
When you hire a reputable SEO company, you’re more likely to see positive results than if you just do it yourself. An SEO professional has already acquired the education and experience needed to help increase traffic to your website. It may cost you a bit of cash, but the time and energy you’ll be saving will be worth it.
