Developing a website marketing strategy: a step-by-step guide
In today’s digital world, every business needs a website – it’s the beating heart of your marketing strategy. But with over 1.1 billion websites live on the internet as we speak, developing a beautiful site is just the start – you also need a savvy website marketing strategy to attract visitors, engage them, and convert them into loyal customers or supporters.
Here, I break down what’s what:
1. Set clear goals
Before diving into ‘doing’, define what you want your website to achieve. Are you looking to increase sales, build brand awareness, generate leads, or support existing customers? Your goals will shape every part of your strategy, from content creation to advertising campaigns.
Your website should ideally have just one goal that serves one audience, but business models are often more complex than that. So if you have multiple goals for multiple audiences, try to define your goals in a hierarchy so that you clearly understand which areas need to be a priority and why.
Tip: Use SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — to stay focused.
2. Understand your audience
Knowing your audience is key and something that many business owners forget about. Build detailed buyer personas to define who you’re talking to: What are their demographics, interests, challenges, and online habits? The better you understand your audience, the more you can tailor your website’s content, tone, and design to meet their needs and expectations.
3. Audit your current website
If you already have a website, start with an honest audit. Evaluate your site’s design, speed, navigation, content quality, SEO performance, and mobile friendliness. Identify what’s working and what’s not. You can then do more of the good stuff and drop the bad. Tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, and SEMrush can offer valuable insights.
4. Focus on SEO
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the foundation of long-term website success. Research relevant keywords and weave them naturally into your pages, blogs, and metadata. Invest time in technical SEO — like improving site speed, optimising images, and ensuring your site is mobile-responsive. Tools like SEMrush and Google Ad Words are essential for a task like this.
Bonus Tip: Consistently publishing helpful blog content can supercharge your organic traffic.
5. Create valuable content
Content is what brings people to your website — and keeps them coming back. Build a content strategy that includes blog posts, videos, downloadable resources, case studies, and more. Focus on solving your audience’s problems, answering their questions, and showcasing your expertise. Ensure your value proposition and key messages are strong – you have around 5 seconds to engage someone when they first land.
6. Build a conversion path
Attracting visitors is only half the battle — you need to convert them into leads or customers. Use clear calls-to-action (CTAs), landing pages, lead magnets, and easy-to-navigate forms. Make the user journey from visitor to customer smooth and intuitive – otherwise you’ll lose people to your competition.
7. Promote your website
Once your website is ready, promote it! Use social media, email newsletters, paid ads, guest posting, and partnerships to drive traffic. Think of your website as the hub, and every marketing channel as a spoke leading users toward it.
8. Measure and optimise
A good strategy is never ‘set it and forget it.’ Regularly review your analytics to see what’s working — and what’s not. Track metrics like traffic sources, bounce rates, time on page, and conversion rates. Use the insights to refine your approach and improve results over time.
Final thoughts
Developing a strong website marketing strategy isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing process of learning, optimising, and adapting. By setting clear goals, knowing your audience, focusing on SEO, and delivering real value, your website can become the engine that drives growth for your brand. Start small, stay consistent, and remember: every great strategy begins with a single step.