How to get more followers on your website

There are so many reasons why you want to get more followers to your site. Maybe you have something great to share. It’s your passion and it really helps people. The more people who see your message—the better. 

On some level, it’s a matter of stewardship. You should want to help more people with your message as a leader of your own community. You do this by gaining more followers and getting your message to a wider audience. 

So, you want to know how to get more followers on your website? Great! Here are a few real-life ways to grow your followers today and over the long term. 

How to get more followers on your website

#1 Create relevant content.

My guess is, you're already doing this fairly well. The point is—write about what people are asking about. If you follow this blog, you already know how to create content that Google ranks you for. So, for the people around you, think about your blog, through email, social media...what are the questions people are repeatedly asking you? Make a list and write about those things. 

Don’t have anyone asking you questions? No problem. Ask your followers! Survey your followers to learn more about their needs. For example, if you don't already have an email list of thousands, crowdsource on social channels like Facebook and twitter asking questions to learn more about what people who already follow you would like you to address. 

#2 Push lots of content online. 

Rule number one: be helpful. Don’t say stuff just to be saying stuff. Offer helpful advice. Engage. Space out your content so you’re always working ahead. This helps me. It’s always easier to start with some content, no matter how small, than it is to start from scratch. Here’s the point: make your content valuable by being helpful to people. 

#3 Use your content for multiple purposes.

Once you’ve written a piece of content, use it for several purposes. Write once—use the writing several times. Craft your content for a blog post and then chop it up in snippets for social media. You can get days, weeks, and months out helpful content.  

#4 Use lead generators to your advantage.

After answering some questions from your followers, over time, you will develop content that is more popular than others. Learn from this content what is most helpful for your audience and create an asset your followers can download or watch which provides value to your visitors in exchange for their email. 

Don’t overthink this. If you make it super complex, you won’t start the project and you won't finish it. Be as simple as you can and race to finish. You can get a ton of use out of a lead-generator on your site. 

#5 Use compelling and clear CTA’s.

Create clear and compelling calls to action (CTA’s). Then, place them everywhere as fitting. Be sure you have them on your homepage and on many other pages of your site. 

Be sure you’re not asking a ton of information. The name and email of contact will be fine. You want to convert your visitors, so make it a low barrier to entry. Don’t ask a visitor to do too much too soon. 

#6 Create a simple flow on your website.

If you’re selling a product, course, event, or trying to monetize your website and gain more followers, be sure to make it easy to find your products.

Also, use simple navigation and clear messaging. Don't clutter your site with a ton of different products or messages. 

#7 Equip your audience to be advocates.

Once you have an audience. It doesn’t hurt, if they are following, to ask them to share certain messages. Your followers are the most likely to share your content. So, don’t be afraid to ask them to share.

For some of your top followers or fans, consider asking them to become guest bloggers for your site. You never know the power of the community until you connect with several different writers. 

#8 Be a guide for your followers.

You are the guide for your followers. Where are you taking them? Consistently be a guide to your audience with your content. Be a teacher. 

When you write, always consider what will help your readers know how to take the next step. Work hard to keep the follower engaged by laying out the next step. 

#9 Be sure your SEO keywords are optimized.

If you’re wondering where to start, create a list of potential keyword phrases that fit what your followers are interested in. Use keyword tools like Moz or Google for doing the keyword research. 

Things like search volume and searcher intent will be vital for you to write about, so you’re the most helpful to your followers. And, doing this will give you a leg up because if you pick the right keyword for the post, you already know, because you’ve done the research, that folks are searching for it. Win-win. 

#10 Engage your audience with giveaways. 

Giveaways can be done on your website and on your social media channels. Find some things that you sell or partner with a fellow brand that your followers would enjoy. Do it at random, or even on a monthly basis. 

The point is to be helpful and have fun. Giveaways will create engagement! Doing giveaways will not only be helpful and encouraging to your followers, but it will increase your reach as your current followers share your giveaway.

#11 Study what’s working and do more of it.

Be sure, through all of this, that you have installed analytics on your website. This way, you can look back through all of these great things you’re doing and learn what’s working and what’s not working with your followers. 

You may like some content you’re churning out, but if it’s not getting any visitors, something needs to change. Study what’s gaining traction and what isn’t. You don’t have to stop creating content that isn't getting visitors. But, you may have to step back and look at what you’re doing to grow your email list or how you're sharing on social media. 

Do more of what’s working. Stop or improve what’s not working. You got this. 

Need more help taking your community digital?

You want to have a dynamic and multi-dimensional community that thrives. In order to do that, you need a strategy of both online and offline engagement. This guide will help you think through your approach to engaging a virtual community. Download the free eBook: How to Take Your Community Digital.

About the author: Will Rogers is the Founder and CEO of CauseMachine. Will’s career has been spent leading organizations and helping to mobilize communities to a shared vision. He has served in various leadership roles to build community engagement and movements teaching him valuable hands-on skills and experience. Will has developed business and community engagement strategies for dozens of organizations in nearly 50 countries. He and his wife have two sons and now live in Kentucky after two decades in Colorado.