growing organically.
I’m often asked how to increase traffic to online websites. It’s a common question many publishers bring up because that’s the common goal. More website views, more opens and clicks on newsletters, increased brand awareness; they all can help boost business.
organic growth.
Bigger brands are at an unfair advantage simply because of their advertising budgets. But spending to sell, is not always the best solution.
Organic traffic is much more sustainable.
Organic traffic is much more authentic.
And most of all, organic traffic is FREE.
publish, share, grow.
Your content marketing strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler the better. I always suggest producing any content from the original source; your own website, first. Publishing content on your own website gives you an on-going portfolio of creative output.
Have a new workout routine? Write about it and share it with your peers.
Started a new business? Share your stories so your audience can connect deeper with your journey.
Document your doings and share them with your peers.
search.
Being found on Google is one of the most challenging and rewarding media channels. Google has highly advanced algorithms that take into account many different factors to be seen on Google Search. For example, the age of your website, the amount of external websites pointing back to your website (also known as back-links), the amount of time users are spending on your website; these are just a few factors that you have to consider.
The good news is that Google will reward you over the long-term if you put effort into your content and your other media channels that point back to your website.
social.
Instagram is a beloved platform by some while others loathe it. Instagram is often a very good traffic source to drive web page views. Influencers can leverage their audiences from all around the world and share relevant content on their website to drive FREE traffic. The key here is relevance.
Pinterest is a highly underrated media platform because it’s not social media, it’s more of a discovery platform to get inspired. Pinterest gives you opportunities to reach people across the globe based on similar search-related algorithms like Google, yet it’s filled with big images, videos and other inspiring media content. It’s also much less saturated than an Instagram or TikTok. Put time into Pinterest, it can pay off in the long run.
email.
An email newsletter is similar to a website in that it is yours. You don’t rely on social media algorithms, you don’t even compete with other websites trying to out rank you on Google; you are simply maintaining your relationship with your audience. This a direct line of communication where you can say whatever you want to your readers and point them back to your website or any other destination.
Email newsletters have been around for years yet are becoming prevalent again. With the spread of fake news, click-bait headlines from the media and the saturated inauthentic content; many people are choosing well-written newsletters these days.
carving your own path.
Don’t get bogged down with the idea of trying to play keep-up with other brands or publishers. It’s better to carve your own path and find what works best for you.
If you are in a professional field like insurance or medical practice, perhaps Pinterest and Instagram is not the best media channel. In this case, Facebook and LinkedIn might be a more suitable channel of communication due to their audience demographics. There is no right or wrong answer. It’s a matter of testing what works, what doesn’t work, and finding the happy medium.
Moving forward, I will continue writing more about content marketing strategies and the best ways you can build relationships with your audiences. Rather than answering one-off questions from people, I am going to start publishing my responses here as my form of documenting my doings.
If you have any questions or would like to speak more about content marketing and connecting with your audience, please feel free to reach out.
Thanks for reading.
- mm