Content Marketing

35 Ways To Increase Your Website Traffic

CopyPress

July 30, 2021 (Updated: May 18, 2022)

Quick Navigation

• What Is Website Traffic?
• What Elements Do I Need To Increase Web Traffic?
• 35 Ways To Increase Traffic to Your Website

Starting a website or blog is one of the first steps you can take to create an online presence for your company or brand. It can also be the easiest part of the process. Figuring out how to drive traffic to your website is more complex, but it’s important. Learning credible strategies for driving traffic can help you get more site visitors, leading to more conversions.

What Is Website Traffic?

Website traffic is the users who interact with a particular site. We measure traffic in visits and sessions. Visits often include any person who clicks on a page on your site, no matter how long they interact with the content. Sessions typically measure the time people spend on a certain page or website. You can source web traffic in two different ways:

• Free or organic: You can earn this type of traffic without spending money by using your current resources and creative team. It may include methods like search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing.
• Paid: You can earn this type of traffic through paid options, such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements.

Reaching a larger audience through quality traffic can help you increase your conversions. Quality traffic includes visitors within your niche or target market who have a use for, or who can enjoy, your products and services.

What Elements Do I Need To Increase Web Traffic?

Here are some elements your content can have to increase traffic:

• Credibility: Online credibility can help ensure readers that you share factual information. It can also encourage repeat visitors to your website.
• Planning and organization: Create a plan to drive traffic to your website. This can make implementing, testing, and changing information easier.
• Key term knowledge: Learn the meaning of terms like “conversion” and “click-through rate.” This can help you understand the benchmarks for assessing your traffic.

35 Ways To Increase Traffic to Your Website

Use these strategies to increase your organization’s web traffic:

1. Advertise

A simple way to increase your web traffic is to advertise your site. There are a variety of different advertising types you can use, including:

• Display ads: These ads promote products and services through visual media. Examples include images and video.
• Paid searches: Paid links appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) and partner websites. Some paid searches, like banner ads, have a flat pay rate. You pay for others each time someone clicks your ad or link.
• Social media: You can advertise on social media with images, text, and ad locations.

Advertising lets a large group of people know your site exists. When combined with other traffic strategies, it can also encourage people to complete conversions or return to your site.

2. Get Social

Social media profiles for your business can promote your content to followers organically. Each channel appeals to a different audience and demographic; the more platforms you use could correlate to more web traffic. Some social media outlets you may use include:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Snapchat
• Goodreads, Spotify, or other niche market platforms

3. Vary Your Content Length

Websites that provide content of different types and lengths can be more appealing to readers. You can also incorporate media content, like video and infographics, for more variety. Consider an external source, such as CopyPress’ resource article writing service, to create this content for you.

4. Write Irresistible Headlines

Headlines are the first piece of your content that a reader sees. Headlines make people ask questions like “Does this content matter to me?” or “Should I care about this topic?” Create a list of many headlines, 10 or more, to help you choose options that may best attract readers.

5. Practice On-Page SEO

Websites optimized for search engines can attract more organic traffic. On-page SEO can affect elements like images, text, links, and even source code. To increase your visibility to search engines, consider:

• Using alternative text for images
• Linking internally to your own content
• Linking externally to high-quality content
• Targeting meta descriptions

6. Target Long-Tail Keywords

Image via SEMrush

Long-tail keywords get their name from the way they appear in a search volume vs. conversion rate graph. Typical keywords have a high search volume and low conversion rates. Long-tail keywords have low monthly search volume but a high probability of conversion. They may be longer, like phrases or full sentences rather than one or two words. For example, a traditional keyword might be “email newsletter,” but a long-tail keyword may be “how to write a good email newsletter.”

7. Start Guest Blogging

Consider guest blogging on other industry-related websites to grow your audience. This tactic allows you to encounter new potential customers where they already visit. Posts with engaging content could encourage them to follow you back to your own site and increase traffic. Consider blogging only on related sites to avoid spam and provide high-quality content.

8. Invite Others To Guest Blog on Your Site

You can invite subject or industry experts to guest blog on your website. These writers may attract their current audience to your site to view their content, increasing your traffic. Providing a high-quality experience once they visit can encourage them to return. Guest bloggers may also link back to the posts on their social media accounts or blogs, giving you the potential for more exposure.

9. Go After Referral Traffic

Referral traffic comes to your website from a link in another domain. One of the easiest ways to gain referral traffic is to write or create content that encourages users to link to it. Also, consider where these types of links may receive views and exposure. News aggregators like Reddit and Hacker News allow users to submit referral links. Others can upvote quality content, which earns the publishing website more exposure.

10. Post Content To LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social network that offers connections with potential business associates and job opportunities. LinkedIn also has a native publisher for sharing industry-related news with your network. Link back to your website with this content to increase your quality traffic.

 11. Use Schema Microdata

Microdata is a specific type of HTML, Atom, RSS, or XML code that’s nested within existing content on web pages. These tags flag data and state information about certain elements on the page. Web crawlers and search engine bots read this information to understand website content. Schema is a popular type of microdata for web and social platforms. Some types of microdata to include on your pages are:

• Event
• Offer
• Organization
• Person
• Place
• Product
• Review

 12. Link Internally

Backlinks or inbound links are those that point to your content from another website. Internal links are those on your site that lead to other content in the same domain. Using a combination of both links can help your SEO rankings. Internal links can also make for a better user experience and increase site traffic.

13. Interview Industry Experts

Your readers may enjoy interview content from industry experts. Subject experts and industry thought leaders can provide thought-provoking and innovative content. Different from guest blogging, with an interview, your writers control the story. This tactic allows the writer to share the piece on their own channels, which can add to your backlink profile to boost credibility and drive traffic.

 14. Use Email Marketing

Emails can serve as little reminders for your subscribers to visit your website. You can reach a list of subscribers who enjoy your content through email blasts. Promotional emails may also invite customers to browse your website, increasing traffic. Consider what events are most worth email notifications to avoid spamming your subscribers.

 15. Go Mobile

More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. Sites optimized for mobile devices can make for a better user experience. To boost traffic, ensure your mobile site is easy to navigate. Also, check that it works across a wide range of screen sizes.

 16. Watch Your Speed

When you encounter a slow website, do you wait patiently for it to load? Chances are the answer is no, for both you and your users. Slow websites can increase your bounce rates and chase traffic to other websites. Large images, page structure, and third-party plugins can decrease page loading speed. Optimization that eliminates these issues can keep your browsers onsite and engaged.

 17. Foster a Sense of Community

Opportunities to join a community online may encourage customers to visit your site. Message boards, comments sections, and live chats encourage visitors to interact with others. Users may then return to continue the conversation or get more information. Consider guiding user interactions to keep them respectful and on-topic.

 18. Leverage the Comment Sections

The comments sections of other industry-related channels can help increase your web traffic. Use your business profile to establish a presence in these areas. This can get you noticed by other commenters who may then visit your website. You can share insights, thought-provoking questions, and content links relevant to the community.

 19. Examine Your Analytics Data

Analytics programs can tell you what pages and content earn the most traffic. They can also show you what’s popular with specific demographics. This information can help you tailor new and revise old content to meet visitor needs. Focusing on what draws people to your site and replicating it can help increase traffic.

 20. Follow Social Media Protocol

More than being active on social media, learning how to leverage these tools can benefit you. Each platform has different tools and procedures that best engage its audience. Understanding things like the text-to-image ratio and using the right hashtags on each channel can help increase your engagement and appeal to a bigger audience.

 21. Submit Your Content to Aggregator Sites

Learn how to use aggregator sites to your advantage to increase traffic. On sites like Reddit, you can share useful links that point to your content to answer user questions. Aggregators don’t repost content, so people have to click your link to read further. 

 22. Incorporate Video into Your Content Strategy

Social Media Today says information retention may be higher for visual material rather than text. Providing video content, then, can make your site more engaging for users. Those who find a site engaging may be more likely to return, increasing your traffic over time.

 23. Research the Competition

Researching how competitors attract traffic can give you adaptation ideas for your website. Software programs like BuzzSumo can show you useful social performance data. Other services, like SEMRush, show similar data for websites. This information can help you understand the content that appeals to people in an industry or niche and drives traffic.

24. Host Webinars

Webinars coupled with social promotion campaigns can increase traffic. Hosting a webinar or another online event gives you something to plan content around. It also provides opportunities for advertising through social media, emails, and other channels. If you record and archive your webinars, new users may find them later and sign up for your next one.

25. Attend Conferences

Attending conferences in your niche can help you get tips for how to better connect with an audience. These events also have opportunities for sharing company information with potential connections. Speaking at conferences is another way to increase traffic. Often, your social media handles appear on the speaking engagement slides and materials. This allows interested users to find you online after the conference.

26. Target Topics with Search Traffic Potential

An easy way to increase traffic is to write about content that interests your audience. Invest time in researching keywords and searching for trending topics. This can keep you relevant in your industry and encourage visitors to use you as a credible source.

 27. Promote Content in Online Communities

Like leveraging comments sections, you can use preestablished online communities to increase traffic. Any sites with forums, messaging platforms, or groups are places to promote content. Consider online communities like networking events. Instead of securing business contacts, you’re building a network of potential customers. Sharing information about your company but also asking about the customers’ needs is beneficial. 

 28. Answer Questions on Quora

Quora is a question-and-answer website people use as a source of information. All content on the platform is user-generated. Answer questions in your subject area and link back to relevant content on your site. This allows you to provide a service, strengthen your reputation, and increase traffic. Review how to use the right anchor keywords in your responses and avoid spam tactics to get the most out of the platform.

 29. Appear on Podcasts

Statistics show that over 44% of Americans listen to podcasts. Whether you create your own or do a guest spot on someone else’s podcast, you can share your message with a curated audience and increase your reach. To become a guest on a podcast, search for ones in your niche. Look for those advertising for talent or create a pitch for the creator about why they should invite you to speak.

 30. Collaborate with Other Brands

You can work with other companies to cross-promote services. Look for companies that share your target audience but aren’t direct competitors. You can share users or visitors and increase traffic without stealing one another’s customers. Consider holding an event that benefits both organizations to draw new customers.

31. Rank Videos on YouTube

YouTube has its own SEO preferences for the platform. All creators have equal opportunity to rank high in these searches and statistics. While keywords and search intent are important, high engagement drives YouTube SEO. Metrics like click-through rate, watch time, likes, and dislikes can help increase ranks and traffic.

 32. Update Outdated Content

Older content on your website can benefit from updates over time. This helps your information stay current to increase traffic. Though some content is evergreen, or rarely changes, you can optimize this content for the latest SEO best practices. This can help save you time in content creation using resources you already have.

33. Merge Similar Posts

If you have two articles on similar topics that don’t have much reach, merging them could help SEO rankings. Combine the content of both posts to make a more dynamic article. Then point both URLs to the same content to merge the “authority” under a 301 redirect. People using either URL will then see the same content, increasing its reach.

34. Repurpose Content on Other Channels

Save yourself time during content creation by repurposing existing information in different formats. For example, if you’ve written an article about SEO best practices, you can take that content and turn it into a video or an infographic. This helps promote your content in formats that appeal to more customers. Better accessibility can lead to more traffic.

 35. Create “Thought Leadership” Content on Medium

Thought leaders serve as trusted sources of information and opinions in their fields. They also teach, inspire, and engage with others to bring change. The blogging platform Medium gives these leaders a place to share their information. This site has a captive audience with which you can share your content. The more views you receive, the more credible they rank your information. The “top writer” distinction appears for the top 50 most-read authors for each subject. You also can link back to your website and increase traffic.

Using one or many of these strategies can help increase your website traffic. Building a quality audience and permanent customer base may increase conversions, which can help sustain the longevity of your business.

CopyPress

July 30, 2021 (Updated: May 18, 2022)