NH-26-Ways-to-Get-More-Traffic-to-Your-Agent-Website
October 31, 2017

To get more traffic to your website, you have to think like a consumer.

How do you find websites? Chances are, you were referred there. Perhaps you found it through a Google search, maybe a YouTube video sent you there, or maybe a link on someone else’s website.

The bottom line is that you need to get your website out there, and it’s not impossible. This article will take you through 26 traffic-generating tips.

Download "26 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Agent Website"

Share Valuable Content

One of the best ways to put yourself out there is to offer value with no strings attached. This can be done in a variety of different ways, including a blog, a YouTube channel, social media accounts, and email newsletters.

1. Keep a Consistent Blog

If you want your website to generate consistent traffic, there needs to be a reason for people to 1) come to your website, and 2) come back to it.

If all of the content on your site is static and never changes, people will visit once, and that’ll be it.

A blog changes the game.

Not only do people have a reason to come back, but they’re much more likely to find you through a regular Google search.

For example, here at New Horizons, we’ve written an article about CHAMPVA. When people search on Google, our blog post shows up on the first page of search results, and people who have never heard of us before end up on our site.

CHAMPVA Article

We have never run any paid ads to this article, yet we see a consistent amount of traffic there, to the tune of about 500 page views per week.

Think like a consumer – how often have you ended up on a website from a simple Google search?

Tip: Try to make your articles longer. The more in-depth your article is, the more likely it will rank higher in Google’s algorithm. About 800 words is excellent, but if you can creep up to 1,500 or even 2,500 words, it’s more likely that your article will see more consistent traffic.

2. Create a Facebook Page

Facebook is arguably the best place to advertise in the 21st century.

New Horizons FB Page

However, simply having a Facebook page can make a huge difference, even if you aren’t paying for ads.

If you have a presence, you automatically show credibility. People want to know you’re a real company, and let’s face it – real companies have a Facebook presence.

3. Share Articles on Social Media

If you’ve taken the time and energy to produce a blog post for your website, share it!

LinkedIn

 

People are much more likely to be receptive to you when you consistently share bits of value, and they’re more likely to appreciate that if you make it easy to find.

Sharing on social media helps you reach more people, which brings in more traffic.

Always start with Facebook, but if you can handle it, Twitter and LinkedIn are also fantastic places to share content. There are dozens and dozens of social sharing platforms, but these are the 3 we devote our energy to.

4. Use a Social Sharing Tool

If you don’t have the time or staff to be constantly managing a social media presence, there are tools available that makes things much more manageable. Some examples are MeetEdgar, Buffer, or HootSuite.

These platforms can cost a whole lot less than hiring a social media assistant, and they post your content for you in the background. This allows you to focus on more important tasks.

5. Post Videos on YouTube

You don’t need a professional video camera and a green screen to make a fantastic video.

YouTube

Many modern marketers are predicting that video content will soon take over written content. While copywriters like myself would like to think otherwise, they’re probably right.

Video requires zero effort for the consumer, and today’s world appreciates that.

Set your phone up on a tripod, and record in a space that isn’t cluttered. Lighting can help the quality of your video as well, so try to take advantage of natural light if you don’t want to invest in professional lighting.

Any topic is fair game – if you’d write an article about it, you can make a video about it.

Post your videos on a YouTube channel, and share them on your other social media platforms.

6. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

There’s a lot more to LinkedIn than just putting your name and resume on your profile. We recently teamed up with 4 LinkedIn experts and coaches who shared all the tips and tricks for generating leads and moving traffic through your LinkedIn profile.

You can read their coaching secrets here.

7. Send Newsletters to Your Email List

Email is one of the leading ways to stay connected with your clients. You should absolutely have an email for all existing clients, and you should be capturing their emails on your website (we will explain this later in this article).

When you generate new content, send it out to your list!

In a recent article titled Does Having a Website Really Make a Difference?, we interviewed 10 business owners. Many of them explained how email marketing has kept them in contact with their clients, and it’s even helped them make more sales.

One agent explained that he sends out a quarterly newsletter with a few articles about Medicare, a few articles about general interest subjects, and one article about him or his agency. All of these articles should link back to your website, ensuring that your clients stay active and involved.


Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is a surefire way to get your website in the eyes of prospects. The downside, of course, is that it costs money, but the upside is that you’re able to reliably and effectively send the right people to your site.

8. Run Facebook Ads

Our favorite advertising method of them all is Facebook. Here’s why:

  1. 250 million people log into Facebook each day,
  2. Ads are inexpensive, and
  3. Ads are highly targeted.

This means that you – yes, you! – can afford to buy ads and send them directly to your target audience.

For as little as $5 per day, you can run advertisements. You can monitor their effectiveness and tweak as you go.

The best way to begin is by running an ad to a blog post. This helps people get familiar with you, and it’s not begging for an insurance sale.

Ideally, your blog post page would have some kind of call-to-action. Whether that be to contact you, to ask for a quote, or to download a free report (we’ll explain this method later), you want to constantly be asking people to take action.

Facebook Ad

Facebook advertising is our main method of paid advertisement, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.

We’re currently working on a guide to help you put together your first local Facebook ad, so stay stuned for that.

9. Use Google Search Ads

Google search ads are incredibly powerful. Here’s why: people are typing in their specific questions and problems, and your website is popping up with the answer or solution.

Google Search Ad Example

It might sound too good to be true, and it sort of is… Google search ads are expensive. What’s worse is that ads in the insurance space are some of the most expensive ads out there.

However, if you want to see some action, this could be an incredible place to invest your money.

You can begin by setting up a Google AdWords account. From there, you can set up your first campaign. Before long, you’ll be getting notifications that people are clicking on your ad.

Would you be interested in seeing a separate article on how to set up a Google advertisement? If so, let us know by commenting at the end of this article. We read every comment!

10. Buy a Billboard Space

If you’re primarily local, a billboard space can be a great investment.

Many local businesses find a huge jump in prospective clients when they invest in a billboard. While they can be expensive, they’re well worth it, especially if you have a great design.

With billboards, it’s important that you say the most with the least amount of words, which can be tricky. A designer or even the billboard provider can help you fine-tune your message.

In general, a quick Google search in your area will show you how you can start advertising on a billboard. Get ready, though – it can be pricey, with the average cost being about $500 per month.


Share Your Insights

11. Engage on Quora

Quora is today’s popular version of Yahoo! Answers.

Regular people ask questions, and experts flock to answer them. The real draw of Quora is that if your answer is really well-thought out, people will “upvote” it, and before long, it’ll be the top answer.

Quora

People will seek you out, and you can generate a lot of traffic to your website.

Recently, guest Eirini Kafourou wrote an article for us, and she explained how Quora alone generated a large number of sales for her platform. You can read about that here.

12. Post to Reddit

Similar to Quora is the most popular forum of all time – Reddit.

The key to being successful here is to NEVER sell. The users of Reddit are very antsy about salesmen infiltrating their area, so always come with value and value alone.

For example, if there’s a senior asking a question about insurance, don’t say “Get a quote from me now!” Instead, explain their options in a helpful, educational way.

It may seem like a waste of time, but your helpful answers can turn you into a mentor, and people may soon be flocking to you for professional help.

13. Get Featured on HARO

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is an outlet for news reporters. Reporters submit their questions, and subscribers get a list of them 3 times per day – morning, afternoon, and night.

HARO

If a topic shows up, and you’re an expert in that area, you can “pitch” your contribution, and the reporter can follow up with you. If the reporter likes your pitch, you may be featured in their publication.

It’s a great opportunity – the reporter gets the story finished, and you get free press.

You can go the HARO website, click “I’m a Source,” and you’ll start receiving these emails. You can also filter the topics so that the emails you get only show pitches in your industry.

14. Reach out to Local Radio Stations

Radio advertising is expensive, but what if you were part of the radio show?

A great method for successfully being featured on the air is by doing something called “newsjacking.”

You take a breaking news event and use it to generate media coverage for yourself.

Here’s a random example: It’s the weekend of the 4th of July. A local hearing aid specialist reaches out to the station to speak about the importance of protecting your ears during the fireworks show.

And another: A hurricane just passed through and devastated many homes. A Homeowners Insurance agent reaches out to the station to speak about how insurance can save families from this financial devastation.

15. Be a Guest On Someone Else’s Podcast

Unless it’s a one-man show, podcasts usually feature some kind of interview. While there aren’t a ton of podcasts that speak directly about insurance, there are ways to get yourself out there.

There are insurance agent podcasts out there, such as Agency Nation, but you really want to find a podcast where your potential customers are hanging out.

Half of the battle is awareness – you want people to recognize your name. Being interviewed on a podcast is a great way to do this.

16. Get Featured on Someone Else’s Blog

Most niche blogs are begging for free content. If you can come up with an article idea, and perhaps an outline, start reaching out to blogs.

A short email about how you love the blog’s content and would love to contribute is all you need. Just be sure that you’re allowed to link back to your website. Even if the article doesn’t get many views, the simple fact that it links back to your website helps you.

Blog Outreach

Part of the Google Algorithm is about how many websites point back to you. The idea behind this is that if your content is really valuable, other websites will refer to it. The more links you can point back to your website, the better.

Just don’t get your hopes up when it comes to big players – they’re very picky about their content, and it can be very difficult to even reach the right person.

17. Write Insightful Comments on Other Website’s Articles

People do read the comments. If your comment is thoughtful and adds to the discussion in an interesting way, people might think twice: who is this guy?

It might sound far-fetched, but it happens all the time. While your energy is probably better spent crafting your own articles, a fantastic comment or two could pay off in the long run.


Optimize Your Website

18. Add Social Media Share Buttons to Your Website

A few months back, we did a giant study on independent insurance agents’ websites. We graded them using a variety of factors, and one was all about the social media.

Out of the 50 websites, 15 of them didn’t link to social media, or their social links were broken.

While that’s not too bad, there’s no reason you shouldn’t advertise your social media on your website.

Even if you can only keep up with Facebook, make sure there’s a social media share button somewhere on your site.

Social Sharing

19. Ask for Emails

If you have a website, you absolutely must be asking for contact information. A lot of people get this wrong, thinking that a Contact page is just fine.

However, it’s not enough. People who are ready to buy generally fill out the contact page. Everyone else? They leave your site. And they might never come back.

Your best bet here is to try to capture something about them in order to follow up and nurture that relationship. The answer is email.

People are very hesitant to give our their information – unless you have an irresistible offer. This is pretty easy for ecommerce stores, because they just offer a percentage off the first purchase. 20% off my first order? Take my email!

However, insurance is a lot different. You can’t exactly run a promotion for 10% of a Medicare Supplement.

The pain points of Medicare-aged seniors are confusion and uncertainty. Perhaps you send out a weekly newsletter on Medicare for Dummies, or maybe you’ll send this awesome guide on Medicare as soon as they give up their email.

Whatever it might be, it needs to be a strong offer, and it needs to be all over your website.

There are plugins that help you add this feature to your site, and there also professional services, like Sumo, that offer “welcome mats” and various other ways to capture more email addresses.

Whatever it is, make sure you’re asking for emails, and make sure you deliver on that promise.

20. Offer Something for Free On Your Site (eBook, checklist, report)

Hand-in-hand with email capturing is offering something for free. We briefly mentioned in the last tip that you could deliver something like a “Guide to Medicare.” This could be in the form of an eBook, or maybe it’s just a short PDF, but offering something for free puts you in the best position.

Lead Magnets

It gives you leverage for capturing people’s emails, and it gives you an opportunity to follow-up.

Start brainstorming what free offers you could feature on your website. Is there a checklist Medicare-aged people would appreciate? A report on the health care industry this year?

Let’s be honest here – people love free stuff. And offering something for free (in exchange for an email address) is a great way to drive traffic to your site.

Tip: Run a Facebook ad to your free offer. Once you have their email address, you can start sending weekly or quarterly newsletters.

21. Add Names to Your Images for SEO

If your website is already up and running, I want you to take a look at your image names.

For example, maybe you have a photo of yourself on the “about” page. What’s the photo named?

If you’re anything like me, it’s probably something like “IMG_3926.” That’s bad news for SEO.

Before you upload images to your site, name them something meaningful.

So, for your headshot, you might name it “Insurance Agent in Decatur Illinois.”

Now that’s a powerful keyword. Google notices these things, so you might as well capitalize on them.

22. Link Back to Other Blog Posts On Your Website

If your blog posts relate to each other, include links to them. Interlinking your blog posts helps immensely with SEO, and it also helps keep people on your website longer.

Backlinking

So, perhaps you wrote an article about Medicare Supplements. In the article, you might talk about how much they cost. Here, you could link to another article you wrote about the costs of Medicare.

The more your articles link together, the better your website will rank on search engines.

23. Use Facebook’s Pixel to Retarget Website Visitors

We already know that Facebook is a very powerful way to reach your target audience.

However, it’s not just about traditional Facebook ads – retargeting ads are a fantastic way to reach people who’ve already visited your website.

Facebook uses a pixel that you install onto your website. When people visit your site, the pixel basically jots their name down and adds it to your Facebook account.

Once you have at least 20 people that have been pixeled, you can run ads to them. Perhaps you’ve even experienced this – it sort of feels like the internet is following you around.

It may seem invasive, but it’s incredibly powerful – you’re reaching people who are already familiar with you, and they were interested enough to poke around your website. Grab their attention by following up through a Facebook ad.

Link to Your Website

24. Update Your Email Signature

It’s easy as pie – make sure your website URL is in your email signature. This is simply another way to send traffic to your site. And it couldn’t possibly be any easier.

25. Include Your Website URL On Business Cards

If you have business cards, add your website URL to it. Most people want to feel you out before they make any decisions, so a phone number and email usually isn’t enough.

By adding your website to the business card, you give people an opportunity to check you out – what’s he all about?

We recommend Vistaprint for ordering inexpensive business cards. Their website makes it easy to design one – you don’t need a professional designer for this.

26. Any Flyers or Direct Mailers Should Have Your Website Link

If you invest in flyers or mailers, make sure you include your website URL.

Mailers with Link

You want to give people every opportunity to be exposed to you and your services. So, before you send off any marketing materials, be sure your website link is included.

Download "26 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Agent Website"

Related Posts