When you were a kid and had your first party, you (or maybe your parents!) did all you could to make it perfect: decorated, made snacks, put on the best tunes, etc. Yet, your party would only be a success if you had guests, LOTS of guests, attend. Although you sent out dozens of invitations, in the end you could only wait and see if people showed up.
The same is true in marketing your website. You can dress it up and invite dozens, hundreds, even thousands of people to check it out, but there is no guarantee people will reply; unless you ask the right people. Think about your party again-you knew your friends would show, but what about the prom queen or the quarterback? If these “influencers” were coming, you’d be sure to have a high turnout. Again, the same is true for your website. If you can get industry influencers and thought leaders to accept your invitation, you can bet those following these influencers will be close behind.