Here’s a question that keeps popping up in my consultations with business owners: “If I buy a new domain name for my product, will it automatically bring me traffic?”
Let me share a story I recently used on FIVEaa with Richard Pascoe to explain why domain names alone won’t drive traffic to your business.
Imagine our mate Richard decided to venture into the confectionery business. His grand plan? Creating an all-day sucker to rival Willy Wonka’s Everlasting Gobstopper. Filled with entrepreneurial spirit, he purchases richardsalldaysucker.com.au. Job done, right? Traffic should start flowing in any minute now…
Here’s the truth: having just a domain name is like placing your business card on your front porch and expecting customers to magically appear. Unless people are already climbing your front steps, they’re not going to see what you’re offering.
Success Requires More Than Just a Web Address
To get Google (and potential customers) to notice Richard’s magnificent creation, he needs to do more than just stake his claim to a domain name. He needs to:
- Move that business card from the porch to where people actually are – think footpath presence, local shop noticeboards, market stalls
- Host tasting events where people can really get into Richard’s all-day sucker
- Run workshops showing the craftsmanship behind creating the perfect long-lasting treat
- Share creative ways to enjoy his all-day sucker at home (taking inspiration from Kytons Bakery, who’ve mastered showing customers how to transform their lamingtons into summer berry sensations)
Making Your Presence Known
On the website front, Richard needs to go beyond just having a pretty digital shopfront. His website should be as satisfying as his confectionery, with specific pages that address:
The Perfect All-Day Experience
- A homepage that cuts straight to the chase: one piece of confectionery that keeps going and going
- Clear descriptions of when to enjoy it (during those marathon work meetings, on long-haul road trips, or while waiting for the fish to bite)
- Customer stories about their longest-lasting experiences with Richard’s creation
The Crafting Story
- The moment of inspiration that led Richard to pursue the perfect all-day satisfaction
- His journey of testing and refinement (because Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the perfect sucker)
- The careful selection of ingredients and crafting process
The How-To Guide
- Tips for getting the most out of your all-day experience
- Creative ways to enjoy Richard’s special treat in different settings
- Troubleshooting guide (because sometimes you need to pace yourself)
Where to Get Your Hands on One
- Direct online purchasing with clear pricing and shipping information
- A map of retail locations stocking Richard’s creation
- Wholesale inquiries for those who want to spread the joy
- Special bulk orders for corporate events (because sharing is caring)
Getting People Talking
Finally, Richard would need to generate buzz beyond his website.
Imagine going your hardest with Richard’s all-day sucker and having such a great time that you can’t help but tell your friends about it. He might encourage this through social media competitions or engagement campaigns.
Another option might be Richard working overtime to get his creation into the hands of FIVEaa announcer, Stacey Lee. She could see if it lasts all through her shift and share her thoughts about getting the most out of Richard’s special treat, though perhaps we’d need to workshop the phrasing of that segment carefully.
The lesson here? A domain name alone is just an address in a vast digital landscape. Without content, engagement, and promotion, it’s like having the world’s best lolly shop hidden in a maze with no signposts.
The Bottom Line
Success in the digital world requires more than just an address. You need substance, satisfaction, and a way to let people know you exist. Your domain name is just the beginning – it’s what you do with it that counts.
This is why one of the things we work with you to produce is content and specific pages that speak directly to your ideal customers about what they want and need, and how your product or service can “itch that scratch”, as it were. [I wrote about this in my Dog’s Breakfast article].
And Richard’s all day sucker might just do that but until he gets it out there, we might remain none the wiser.