Did you know if your link isn’t appearing on the first page of Google’s search results, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of internet users’ attention?
That’s right.
Websites on the first page of Google’s search results enjoy 95 percent of web traffic attention while everyone else competes for a paltry 5 percent.
But there’s a secret to this, and you don’t even have to pay a dime. The trick is to find the best way to generate organic traffic and to do that, you have to understand the ins and outs of search engine optimization.
This guide will reveal the importance of organic traffic and how to use SEO to your advantage. If you follow these tips and tricks, your content will be sure to appear on the first page of Google’s search results in no time!
It’s Not Just the Algorithm
Yes, you will have to make use of Google Analytics to see what parts of your website users are the most and least attracted to. But, if you have hardly any users to measure your analytics with, then Google Analytics won’t help you find out much if anything about your own site.
Here’s a little hint. At the start of it all, the missing link is empathy.
Not only do you want your content to appear before your target audience’s eyes, but you’ll also want your brand to be the first name that pops into their head. Here are 3 steps you must know to get this right. They go in this order:
- Intent
- Content
- Present
Delving into research on your intended audience while using these three terms can make a world of difference. This is because you’re taking the time to understand your target users so when you’re ready to provide your services to them, you’ll know exactly how to provide value to them.
1. What Is Your Target User’s Search Intent?
Search intent is the goal a user has when typing something into Google’s search query. Common types of search intent include navigating, transactions, information, and commercial.
If you know what your users want, and you also know how to meet their wants and needs, they will be attracted to your content by default.
For example, let’s assume your target user is looking for a quick banana bread recipe. They’ll type in “quick banana bread recipe.” If the first link that appears includes a total prep and cook time of 4 hours, they’ll look elsewhere.
If you can provide a banana bread recipe that only takes 1.5 hours to make, and your link says, “Easy and Quick Homemade Banana Bread Recipe”, then your target users will flock to your link instead.
2. Why Good “Targeted” Content Matters
Users will leave bad reviews if your link says the banana bread recipe is quick and easy to bake, but it’s actually taking users forever to bake it. It’s one thing to attract your users to your content, but your organic traffic will stagnate by default if you aren’t honest about what you can provide.
If your current banana bread recipe takes too long to make, you’re going to lose traffic organically. Google’s guidance on SEO ranking is tailored specifically toward value. Their SEO Starter Guide even says, “You should build a website to benefit your users, and any optimization should be geared toward making the user experience better.”
This means the user experience is much more important than generating backlinks and creating clickbait titles to get users’ attention.
3. What Will You Present to Your Users?
Providing high-quality content isn’t just about providing products that work. Think of your entire website as your brand. Your entire website plays a major part in the customers’ experience. If they don’t like what is being presented to them, you won’t be able to grow your traffic.
For example, you might have excellent banana bread recipes, but if your users are having a hard time finding your recipes page, or worse, your website looks outdated, they won’t care if you’re the greatest banana bread baker in the world. They’ll hop off of your page as soon as possible.
Make sure your website:
- Looks appealing
- Is easily navigable
- Has working links
- Has pictures
- Has CTAs
- Is communicative and friendly
If none of these qualities are apparent, your website will suffer for it and you won’t attract highly qualified users to your content. It will remain stagnant if it looks stagnant.
Using Relevance to Your Advantage
You’ll want to keep your content fresh. This is because search engines, especially Google, prioritize new and engaging content. With the hustle and bustle of the internet these days, everyone is constantly updating and repurposing their content.
For instance, if you are writing an article on the latest news, constantly update it if the news changes.
Let’s pretend a celebrity figure just announced they were pregnant. After nine months, the information used in your original article can be repurposed and used for your new article celebrating the birth of this celebrity’s baby.
But until that time comes, constantly make updates to the original article, highlighting the interesting events happening up to the delivery.
Using Social Media to Stay Relevant
Nowadays, just having a website isn’t enough to generate a loyal following because social media sites outrank other domains. Having multiple social media sites branding your company is a surefire way to get you noticed and drive more organic traffic.
The three best sites for this are:
- YouTube: Videos drive a 157% increase in organic traffic from search engines.
- Twitter: Set up a public Twitter list people can subscribe to.
- LinkedIn: Form partnerships with other competing companies and brands.
You’ll want to create a social media schedule where you post varying content daily, weekly, and monthly. Not only will these posts attract people to your website, but you’ll also find, as you continue to consistently post quality content, your social media presence will grow.
Your website’s organic traffic will inevitably follow suit.
Change the Way You Approach Organic Traffic Today!
When you realize increasing your website’s authority is more like putting a puzzle together than sailing across an empty ocean without a compass, getting started isn’t so scary.
It’s very simple, even though it takes a lot of boilerplate work in the beginning.
- Figure out what your audience wants.
- Provide valuable “targeted” content to your audience’s needs and wants.
- Figure out how to present it to them in a way that’s visually and navigably appealing.
- Use social media to create an online presence.
If you’re doing all of these things, you’re on the right track!
Remember; your empathetic and hard work will result in invaluable content that should be targeted intelligently and aesthetically toward a specific group of people.
That is the key to growing organic traffic.