I’ve worked with many clients over the years who want to increase their website traffic, but they didn’t know just where to start. To get started on this journey, it’s critical to understand that there are three separate and different main sources of website traffic: traffic that you own, traffic that you earn, and traffic that you pay for.
Knowing about the three main sources of website traffic is crucial for any business owner who wants to scale their business. With such knowledge, you will then be in a position to focus your marketing efforts and resources in the most effective way possible.
Traffic that you own refers to visitors that come to your website via channels that you control. Email Marketing is the core focus here, and also social media, and direct traffic to a lesser extent.
Traffic that you earn refers to the visitors that come to your website through the organic results on the search engines, as well as visitors coming from other external websites.
Finally, traffic that you pay for refers to visitors that come to your website through paid advertising, such as pay-per-click (PPC) ads. With a good understanding of these different sources of website traffic, you are in a position to make informed decisions about where best to focus your time and resources to drive the most traffic and grow your business.
In this post, I’ll break down these three sources and explain why they are important.
Traffic That You Own
The first source of website traffic is traffic that you own. This includes traffic that comes to your website through your email list, social media channels, and other direct sources. This traffic is valuable because you have complete control over it. You can target your audience and tailor your message to them. You can also use this traffic to build relationships with your audience, which can lead to more conversions and sales over time.
When I helped a Brisbane service-based business, we focused on building their email list. By creating a lead magnet and promoting it on their website and social media channels, we were able to grow their list to over 10,000 subscribers in just a few months. This resulted in a significant increase in direct traffic to their website, which helped to boost their sales and revenue. This is a key component in my Digital Growth System.
Traffic That You Earn
The second source of website traffic is traffic that you earn. This includes traffic that comes to your website through search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and other organic sources. This traffic is important because it shows that your website is valuable and relevant to your audience. It also tends to have a higher conversion rate than other sources of traffic.
I worked with a non-profit organization that wanted to increase their online presence. We focused on creating valuable, high-quality content that was optimized for SEO. Over time, this content started to rank well in search engines, which led to a significant increase in organic traffic to their website. This not only helped to raise awareness for their cause, but it also helped them to generate more donations and support.
Traffic That You Pay For
The third source of website traffic is traffic that you pay for. This includes traffic that comes to your website through paid advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. This traffic is valuable because it can be targeted to specific audiences and can be used to drive immediate results. However, it can also be expensive, and if not managed properly, can result in wasted ad spend.
I was working with a start-up that had just launched a new product. We decided to use Facebook Ads to drive traffic to their website and generate sales. By targeting a specific audience and using persuasive ad copy, we were able to generate over $50,000 in sales in just one month. However, we had to carefully monitor our ad spend to ensure that we were getting a positive return on investment.
In conclusion, there are three main sources of website traffic: traffic that you own, traffic that you earn, and traffic that you pay for. Each source has its own benefits and drawbacks, and it’s important to understand how they work together to drive traffic and sales to your website. By focusing on all three sources and using a strategic approach, you can create a well-rounded traffic generation strategy that will help you achieve your business goals.
