The three pillars on which you can build your organic traffic
Creating organic traffic isn’t as easy as it used to be even a few years ago. With the onslaught of websites and content online, it isn’t just about ranking higher, it’s about ranking higher consistently across multiple areas. There are no quick fixes in the organic traffic space, as there is a larger demand for more time and investment. When it comes to organic traffic generation, there are multiple avenues of growth and agility, but the three pillars which hold the segment up are content marketing, SEO, and social media. So if you wish to create a multifold impact, then a combination of the three is the way ahead.
Content marketing needs to focus on marketing too
When delving into content marketing, one must be aware of all the pitfalls they can fall into. Content marketing is not only about creating content for audiences but also about promoting it. You can’t create a sound in a jungle – you need to create a buzz where your audience resides. The content marketing strategy must be aligned with your company’s goals and overall marketing KRAs.
According to online marketing influencer Jeff Bullas, when it comes to content marketing, the goal must be clear. He firmly believes that marketers should focus on the money, as well as the social impact of the content that you’re producing and promoting.
“I think that we need to be careful when it comes to the ‘shiny new toy syndrome’, which is when we only aim for traffic and engagement. The last piece of the puzzle is to actually convert that content engagement into leads and sales. You don’t want to get addicted to likes and shares because eventually, you need to generate money. So, make sure that you are doing both, but that you’re keeping your end goals in mind.”
Not just social media handles, but online following
Rand Fishkin, CEO of Moz, believes that social media may have taken time to take off, but in recent years it has become a key component for attracting organic traffic.
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much directly, but indirectly, it may be more troubling, depending on your niche. For example, if you’re competing against sites and players that do really well in social, they may be out-earning you in attention and traffic, branding and editorially given links. It’s tough to win if your competition’s got the edge in social (media) because it can drive so many positive signals (links, engagement, etc.) that search engines might use.”
It’s an irrefutable claim that social media plays a huge impact on generating organic traffic to your website and domain. While most e-commerce and tech companies focus heavily on social media handles, building an online following is also important, something many brands overlook. When customers are glued to online platforms for researching and pursuing products, your brand needs to ensure access to what they require. This can be done by means of blogs, podcasts, collaborating with multiple media platforms, etc.
Also, remember that social media also impacts SEO. So the more the shares an article gets, the higher its ranking on SERPs (search engine result pages) for organic growth.
Mix and match SEO and PPC for best fit
SEO is a massive channel for organic growth and exploration. However, SEO without pay-per-click (PPC) may not give you the best results, according to Larry Kim, CEO of Wordstream.
“There are times when it makes more sense to use SEO, and times when PPC is just a better fit. It’s about finding a match between your different business goals and the intent of the searcher, depending on where they are in the funnel. Overall, I think PPC is an important skill to have for any Internet marketer, especially as Google evolves along with the way people search.”
There are also instances where SEO organically creates traffic that seeds social media and content marketing efforts. But companies must form clear distinctions between them to create multifold value for their customers.
Generating organic traffic is all about mastering the three pillars of growth. If a brand can function well on social media, SEO, and content marketing, then it has created a successful strategy for development and barriers to entry for the competition.
