In the fourth quarter of 2013, the year’s prime holiday shopping season, a whopping 32% of Google search traffic came from mobile devices. One study showed that 30% of all e-commerce website traffic came from mobile devices in 2013. And with so many holiday gifts being smartphones and tablets last year, it stands to reason that those statistics will only increase for the 2014 holiday season.

Now that November is here, the 2014 Holiday Shopping Season is in full swing. Is your website ready for online customers this year? Whether you have a retail or service business, online holiday marketing is essential. Even though you may not plan to sell products on your website this year, you will likely see an increase in website traffic this quarter. Shoppers are not just looking for gifts this year – they are also shopping for home improvement projects, plumbing fixes before holiday guests arrive, carpet cleaning services, car detailing, restaurants to stop at between gift-buying outings…and the list goes on.

Below are 6 simple things you can do to make sure your website is ready for your customers this holiday season:

1. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile viewing.

This sounds like a no-brainer, but so many e-commerce websites are still using software from 2009 (or earlier!), and haven’t yet invested in modern website programming or design. If you’re a business owner with an online storefront, do you know how easy it is for your customers to purchase from their smartphones? Give it a try – pull out your own smartphone, and see how many clicks it takes, and how much you have to pinch-and-zoom just to add a product to your shopping cart.

Mobile friendly websites are not only good for customer sales and retention, but they also increase trust for your business and your brand. Consumers want to feel safe when purchasing from their smartphones, and if your website has been built so smartphone shopping is simple, your customers will know your site has been built with mobile shopping in mind.

2. Update your home page for the Holidays

First impressions are crucial – and your website visitors are going to be influenced to act within 3 seconds of loading your website. Do you have a slideshow on your home page? Incorporate some fun new holiday-inspired photography into it! Showcase some of your products or holiday specials.

A basic re-design of the home page of your content can attract clients without breaking the bank. Looking for ideas? We can help give you some suggestions!

3. Spruce up your SEO with some holiday marketing language

Did you know that you can control exactly what Google displays to your customers? Give your business a search online – the title of your website pages and the description that falls below them are all things that can be edited by your website developer. Marketing a product or a service specifically for the holiday season? Have a great Christmas promo going on? Say so (in less than 150 characters) right on Google’s organic search results.

If you don’t have an online store, but want to encourage people to call or e-mail you for seasonal specials or holiday orders, publish your contact information directly in this description so people can contact you fast.

4. Get your online inventory and shipping schedules together early

Nobody likes it when they purchase a product online, only to receive a phone call three days later to find out that their item is out of stock or won’t be delivered until December 26th. Make sure your holiday shopping schedule, shipping expectations, and return policy are clearly stated on your home page and thought the checkout process on your website.

5. Publish a Holiday E-mail Newsletter

An e-mail newsletter is a great way to contact potential customers directly and inexpensively. A branded e-mail newsletter cost less to send out than printed postcards and letters – and recent research shows that the return on e-mail marketing is actually higher than that of postal mail.

People are more inclined to impulse shop during the holiday season, so if you send out an e-mail newsletter featuring some great, inexpensive holiday gifts or must-haves, you may find some new customers visiting your online store this season.

6. Spice up your Social Media posts

Create funny, themed Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ posts this holiday season. Fun facts, jokes, and information are great ways to engage comments on your social media profiles. And don’t forget the picture! Adding a picture to a social media update will increase the post’s chance of being seen and shared. There are a number of websites that offer free holiday stock photographs (like this one) – or be creative and hire a photographer to come out and take some pictures of your staff dressed in Elf suits.

Need some extra help with your holiday marketing?

You can accomplish a lot of these things yourself, or with a little help from your website developer. Need some more inspiration or help with marketing this holiday season? Contact us for a free website consultation – we would be happy to talk about your current website, offer some suggestions for how you can make improvements, and talk about a long term marketing strategy to bring you more business.

And most importantly – don’t forget to have a happy holiday season yourself!

The post Website Marketing Strategies for the 2014 Holiday Season appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

Most of your customers will spend a few minutes reading your website before they pick up the phone to call you. So when you have a website that you are proud of, driving traffic there is one of the most important things you can do to market your business. Iceberg Web Design can help with a number of online SEO strategies, and we always give our customers some tips for marketing their website online once the development project is complete. But there are a number of things you can do to drive traffic to your website without being tied to your computer and social networking sites.

This week, Iceberg Web Design has gathered some great tips that will help you promote your website offline.

Print Items

Most businesses already put their website on their business cards or company brochures but you can take that one step further: make sure your website address is on every printed material your company uses. For instance, faxes, company letterhead, company newsletters, shopping bags… the list goes on. Whatever your business specializes in—shipping, commercial goods, food—put your website on it. It’s a simple way to include your website with promotional items that you are already using.

Swag and Prizes

What person doesn’t like free giveaways? Printing your website and company details on inexpensive pens, pencils, calendars, and mugs is a great way to market your website. These are great handouts when attending promotional events like job fairs and local events such as art fairs, festivals, and/or county fairs.

Networking Events

A great way to get the word out about your company’s website is word of mouth. There are a number of networking organizations available locally – no matter where you live! We have seen excellent results from attending BNI meetings. You can also check meetup.com to find business networking opportunities in your area. When you’re visiting trade shows, craft fairs, or other events, get in touch with the organizer and see if your company can set up a booth. Talk to people and hand out goodies all while creating a good face-to-face relationship with the community. For a creative spin on this, volunteer at schools, libraries, community centers, and churches and teach a half an hour to an hour lesson or workshop based on a topic that is related to your product/company. An example of this would be a young adult author who gives a talk on how to create memorable characters or how to write good dialogue. This author is talking about what he knows and would use his own books as examples. It’s a great way to give to the community while stirring up interest in your company. At the end of the talk you can direct people to your websites and even hand out some of the promotional items from the previous tip.

Office Signs

Place signs around the office, on outside windows, or in your store directing people to your website. If you really want to drum up extra foot traffic with this tactic indicate something on the sign that would draw people in. For instance, put on your signs specials only available online, tips, special online coupons, or any kind of information that would be available there.

Online Coupons and Mailings

Increase foot traffic on your website with the use of print coupons with specials that can only be redeemed online. These coupons can be sent through direct mail via coupon packs such as Valpak or print an advertisement with your website through mail advertising print. One great idea for this would be to mail out a postcard announcing your business’s website. Your postcard can include online coupons, only accessible through your website. For a fun twist, include trivia questions where the answers are only available on your website. Offer a prize, or incentive, for people who spend time reading your site to find the answers to your questions and e-mail you with a response.

T-shirts

This is a great way to utilize friends and family as well as yourself. Creating T-shirts with your company’s website is a great way to get the word out. Easily distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd at any work related event. T-shirts are great to wear at a job fair or local event where you might not be able to talk to everyone.

Vehicle Decals

We’ve all seen cars, trucks, and vans with company ads painted directly on the vehicle in eye-catching colors. The ad did the trick and caught your attention. Maybe it even tempted you to Google them or look up their website on your smartphone once you’ve reached your destination. Putting your ad on a vehicle is another great way to get your website out to many different people. Since the majority of Americans commute to work, having your vehicle splashed with your company name, info, and website is an easy way to tell people about your company and your website.

Use Domain-Specific E-mail Accounts

Ditch Yahoo and Gmail, and start using an email address that matches your website domain! This is critical for establishing credibility, as well as consistently pushing your website domain. If your e-mail address is [email protected], all of your promotional items and business cards that include this address will automatically include your website domain. A potential customer will pull out your contact information, notice your e-mail address, and check out your website to learn more about your business.

Website promotion both online and offline is critical for driving traffic to your website. Iceberg Web Design can help you with your online marketing – but there are a number of simple things you can do offline to increase your website’s return on investment. For more information on how you can better market your website, please contact us at 763-350-8762.

The post The Top Offline Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.