If you are reading this blog on our website, there’s a very good chance you entered our website from a channel other than typing in our homepage URL. We post our blogs on our social media, tag our posts for Search Engine Optimization and send blog articles out in our monthly email publication, The Absolute Truth. As a business, it’s important to understand how people interact with your website. And now that the Web offers  multiple points of entry, it’s important to understand how people interact once they get there.

Here are five ways a company can get to your website without looking for you by name or generic search.  *To learn how to keep them there once they arrive, check out Luke’s blog this month.*

1. Keyword Search

Unless you have top-notch brand recognition within your market, most people will come to your website via keyword searches. Often times that keyword search will direct a user to your homepage. But there are certain times when specific keywords may lead a person to a specific part of your site such as a products, services, employment or employee profile page.

This is good. Chances are, the user had a specific question and your website is answering it. Direct them to the next step, which may be to contact you or purchase the product online.

2. Blogs

Blogs are everywhere. Sometimes you have to dig to find one that shares new information. Generally someone seeks out a blog to discuss a topic. Someone subscribes to a blog if that author consistently has something relevant to say. If your blog gives valuable insight to the user, that user may view you as a credible source for information. Take advantage of the immediate credibility and have them explore your site. Offer ways for the user to keep engaging with your point of view through RSS feeds or links to similar posts.

3. Social Media

Social media offers a variety of touch points. Everything from video and photos to relevant articles is shared through these networks. The reason a user explores your website is a result of this shared information and how it relates to the user. The way an idea is presented can provoke the user to dive into your website. A good rule to follow is to be consistent with your message and tone in both your website and social media executions. Maintain the same online personality and you will be rewarded.

4. Image Search

Google Images was set up as another way of driving Web traffic. Most of the random blogs I read online come from a Google Image search. To successfully engage users on your site make sure images relate to the content on your site.  A picture is already worth a thousand words. Make it worth a thousand clicks.

5. Product Search

I touched on this point briefly in the keyword section; specific products or services drive website traffic. A good way to keep a user interested in your website is to keep your services and products in tight categories. If I run a search for vintage leisure suits and find your website, I want to see all the vintage leisure suits you have. If there is one suit on the page and I don’t care for it, I’ll leave. To avoid a quick exit, include links or images of similar items on the page. Invite your user to keep shopping.