When most companies think of website marketing, search engine optimization is usually the first concept that jumps to mind. That’s a very fair response. After all, search engine optimization is arguably the most important new development in marketing since the first TV advertisement. However, it’s easy to become lost in search engine optimization and lose focus on the bigger website marketing picture. This week, we’re going to step back from our focus on pure search engine optimization. These tips will help you integrate your existing search engine marketing campaigns with your other efforts and provide ideas for new ways to drive traffic.

Tactic #1: Use A Lot Of Website Marketing Media

It’s an internet world, but people still trust videos and (to a lesser extent) audio presentations with an accompanying slideshow. If at all possible, you should be using YouTube and other platforms like it to accent your website marketing endeavors. YouTube allows you to embed movies that you upload on your own homepage, so it’s easy for visitors to watch the footage. In addition, many YouTube website marketing videos can be inexpensively produced using just a rental camera. The surprisingly low cost has driven many website marketing customers to jump on the chance to be on screen.

Tactic #2: Make Every Step Of Navigation And Checkout As Smooth As Possible

As website marketing experts, we often look at the website as a blank canvas. The trouble is, by the time a website exists, it’s not a blank canvas. It’s more like a landscape scene, and we’re responsible for drawing in the town and the villagers who live there. But in order for the ultimate picture to look good, that foundation has really got to be solid art. The same is true for website marketing. Search engine optimization can be done on virtually any design, but not every design will be friendly to people.

Visitors do not want to have trouble navigating your website. Marketing in the internet age means that you’re competing directly against your competitors — if people are willing to look you up on the internet and buy from you remotely, they’ll be just as happy going with one of your competitors. That’s why it’s vital that you look over everything, and if possible get others to try it out before any kind of website marketing or search engine optimization. If people are complaining that it isn’t logical or doesn’t flow right, then you might need to hold off on the search engine marketing until you’ve got a new design.

Tactic #3: Don’t Let Your Website Be Driven Purely By Search Engine Optimization

This tactic has been mentioned in previous blog posts, but it really can’t be stressed enough. In website marketing, particularly search engine marketing, the first goal of your program should always be to help consumers understand how your product will benefit them. A traditional salesy pitch tends to fall flat, but an unenthusiastic statement of facts won’t do well either. Most companies find that the best option is a happy medium. Your business writes honestly about what makes your product great, and people recognize that and start buying it. If you focus too much on search engine optimization, you’ll quickly lose any human element that you had. People will see right through it, find it odd, and turn to your competitor before you can even blink.

These three rules are by no means a comprehensive list. Search engine marketing itself is complex, but when considered alongside the many other website marketing techniques that exist, it’s clear that it is only one piece of the puzzle.