I wanted to take a moment to give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of what I’m doing to get traffic to my three brand new “calculator” websites. If you’ve been following along, you know that these sites were designed to help people make specific calculations for their needs. Now, it’s time to make sure they actually reach the right audience.
In this email, I’m breaking down every single step I’m taking to attract visitors and build momentum for these sites.
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1. Google Search Console and GA4 Setup
I’ve set up Google Search Console (GSC) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) accounts for these sites.
Seems obvious, but it’s easy to put this off for down the road. No sense in that, if you’re going to do it at some point, you might as well do it now.
Plus, I get to see how the sites are responding right away. One of my calculator sites is getting consistent traffic from the beginning (albeit it’s not much)!
2. Indexing the Sites
First things first, I made sure these websites are indexed on search engines.
I submitted the sitemap to Google Search Console (GSC) and Bing Webmaster Tools. Getting sites indexed on Google is no small feat these days.
It got indexed right away, thankfully. If it hadn’t, I would have turned to an indexer like IndexMeNow.
Getting indexed is the first critical action to ensure the sites are part of search engine results.
3. Press Release
Next up, I’ve written and distributed a press release about the launch of each site. I’ve landed on EIN Press Releases for these more basic ones. For the price, they get a lot of coverage.
The goal here is to get some initial buzz and valuable backlinks. The press release highlights the unique value of the calculator and is targeted at media outlets.
Press releases serve two purposes: they spread awareness and help build credibility. They also generate backlinks, which are important for SEO. These backlinks will not only improve search rankings but also bring in traffic from the media outlets where the press release is published.
They are an investment, but it helps to put the site on the Google’s radar, and is very natural for a brand new announcement.
4. Content Creation (Articles & Blog Posts)
I’ve been creating blog articles that are directly related to the calculators on the sites. For example, if one of the calculators helps with mortgage calculations, I’m writing blog posts about the mortgage process, tips for first-time homebuyers, and case studies. Internally, link to the calculator and related articles on the site.
Not sure if this will help or not. But it’s pretty easy to do nowadays using Koala, and if I can get each of the articles indexed, it could have great ROI.
*Heads up, you can get 15% off Koala with code “JARED”
5. Listing in Directories
To increase visibility, I’ve listed the calculators in business directories that are relevant to their niche.
When you list your site in directories, it’s like casting a wider net. These directories often serve as a gateway for people who are looking for practical tools like calculators. Plus, directory listings provide quality backlinks that boost your website’s authority.
And as we know, backlinks are a key player in SEO rankings, which will help get these calculators in front of the right audience.
6. Building Local Citations
Another strategy I’m using is adding local citations. I’ve made sure these calculator websites are included in local directories and citations, especially if they cater to users in specific geographic areas.
Local citations are vital for appearing in local search results. They help people discover the site when they search for tools specific to their location.
My calculators aren’t really regionally focused but it should still help build some foundational online mentions.
7. Engaging with Blog Comments
Another strategy I’m using is publishing blog comments. I’ve been actively commenting on related blog posts and articles about online calculators, tools, and the industries my sites focus on.
By contributing thoughtful comments and linking back to my calculators, I’m creating a direct path for people to visit the sites.
Blog commenting is an old school, low-effort but highly effective way to get more relevance for your site because you’re sharing it on industry specific sites.
8. Adding Inbound Links
I’ve focused all 3 calculator websites in niches where I already have a successful (or somewhat successful) website.
This means I can add links from these established websites to the corresponding calculator.
Relevant backlinks for the calculator site, and value add for the established site.
9. Adjusting Page Text for Optimization
Here’s where having GSC set up really helps. After a few weeks, I can begin to see which keywords the calculator site is getting impressions for.
Often times, these are phrases that I’m not even using on the calculator site! I found several of these, and immediately when and added a short section addressing it.
In one situation, it was for something my calculator didn’t cover, but it was easy to add.
What’s Next?
Sit back and wait.
Most of what I shared above is super simple and quick. Many of the tasks a VA can do. My goal is to do things that are quick and easy, I don’t want to put too much time or money into these until they are showing growth.
Hope this gives you some actionable ideas to implement on your own projects. I’ll keep you posted on how everything is progressing!
