How Do You Increase Website Traffic? Optimize for Search Engines
Reading Time: ~4 Mins | Written By: Jason Serafica
Increasing website traffic has many benefits for your business. “Organic traffic” refers to website visitors coming from unpaid sources; it targets users with specific search intent. Additionally, it opens up opportunities for potential customers to see your website, understand your service(s) and/or product(s), and further build a sense of connection, leading to purchase.
Optimizing for Search Engines
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), is the primary tactic used to increase organic website traffic. It emphasizes increasing visibility through search engine rankings, making your website more visible to potential customers.
Key Considerations:
Organic search appears because of relevance to search queries, decided by Google’s Algorithm
SEO does not involve paid advertisements
Requires a long term strategy for compounding effect
Types of SEO Tactics
There are two main types of SEO tactics you can implement to increase your organic website traffic: on-page optimizations & off-page optimizations.
On-Page SEO
Optimizing elements on the website’s content to increase organic traffic and search visibility. On-page SEO focuses on analyzing internal pages on the website to find opportunities maximizing traffic.
Keyword Targeting
Targeting for the proper keyword is a big factor when it comes to on-page optimizations. Keyword targeting allows you to inform search engines what the page is about and show up when somebody searches for a related term or topic.
You can use Google’s Keyword Planner to begin your keyword research and brainstorm relevant terms people search for.
Ensure keywords can be found in the following areas. Note: Only include keywords if applicable, avoid keyword stuffing which may result in a penalty from Google.
Page title
Meta description
Headings
Paragraph
Alt tags (if applicable)
Unique Content
Publishing unique and engaging content can increase organic traffic. A strong content strategy allows search engines to understand more about your pages. Therefore, allowing you to show up higher on the results page, increasing your website visibility.
Answer The Public is a great tool you can use to brainstorm content ideas based on a specified keyword.
User Experience
It is important to consider user experience when optimizing for search engines. There are multiple factors you can consider to analyze user experience:
Bounce rate
Average time spent
Pages per session
Exit rates
Website speed
Optimizing for user experience allows you to fulfill the users need, and ensure a positive experience with your brand’s digital presence.
Structured Data
Implementing structured data on your website allows search engines to better understand content, by providing an additional script of data about your business.
Common Types: Article, Local business, Recipe, Organization, Person, & How-To
Example: Recipe - Includes 5 star rating, cooking time, & image.
You can use Merkle’s Schema Markup Generator to easily create your structured data. Once generated, simply add the script on the back end of your website. You can also test by using Google's Rich Results Testing tool.
Off-Page SEO
Optimizing for search engines using off-page tactics emphasizes on gaining quality backlinks from relevant websites to increase authority in the industry. Relevant backlinks increase search credibility, which can boost organic website traffic.
Backlinks: The number of links from other external sources pointing to your website.
Local listings
Registering for local listings is a big factor when it comes to off-page SEO tactics because it can help your business appear for local search terms. Boosting visibility can attract potential local customers and increase credibility by providing local data to search engines.
With that being said, Local SEO relies more on directories (Google My Business, Bing Places, Foursquare, YP, Yelp, etc.), local backlinks and mentioning local areas you serve on your site.
Tip: Register for a Google My Business listing, to increase visibility. Once registered, ensure to optimize by sharing photos, business updates, and ensure to add links to your website.
Other common off-page tactics:
Brand mentions from relevant publications, supported by a strong PR strategy
Earning links by promoting content on social media platforms
Key Takeaway
To optimize for search engines, a consistent SEO strategy can assist with boosting organic website traffic. By ensuring to implement both on-page and off-page optimization tactics, you can start building search credibility and long-term growth.
Want To Learn More?
You can further optimize your website, supported by other digital marketing tactics to hit business goals. Learn from industry experts and upgrade your digital skills today.
