Whether you're running a passive income website, an
informational/affiliate blog or are an online retailer, traffic is key.
In short, we all want to increase our online traffic, but where do you
turn for answers?
There are countless gurus and blogs offering
hundreds of tips, suggestions and solutions. In fact, there are so many
different ways to get the information it can be overwhelming. From
guides offering various SEO techniques, or ways to 'buy' organic
traffic, there's a lot of options available to you. While there are some
sources you can find that are free, others are paid, perhaps even
membership type services, to help you.
But none of that matters.
As
we said, with so many different resources available, there are some
great resources out there if you know where to look. There's a whole
cottage industry online, and a simple Google search will provide a
wealth of options. A great one that I've followed for some time is by a
man named Pat Flynn. You may have heard of him but if not, Google his
name. What you'll find is that he runs a blog called Smart Passive
Income and that he also runs a Podcast among other things. These are all
designed to help share techniques and tactics for everyone from the
newbie to the experienced and are great resources to start.
Know Your Audience
In
order to know how to increase website traffic, you need to understand
your audience. Who is trying to find the solutions you have, what do
they want to do with that information, and are you offering it in a way
that makes sense to them?
These points are as important as
anything else you can learn. If you're not sure who may be interested in
what you have to say, how do you know what promote, market or what
solutions you may offer them? Knowing who your audience helps you focus
your attention on their needs and wants, and in the end, everything you
offer is ultimately about what's in it for your audience.
Think of
it in another way. If you had a degree in math and science, would you
walk into a Spanish class or Literature class and lecture on abstract
mathematics? It wouldn't make sense to your students, and you'd be
wasting their time as well as your own. However, if you were a Professor
at an institution known for its science and mathematics, say M.I.T. for
example, then speaking about abstract math in the right class would be
right on target.
And Hitting Your Target Is What Your Aim Should Be
Another
way to think about the importance of knowing your audience is like an
archer shooting at a bale of hay. Unless you're the fabled William Tell,
who was an archer of unparalleled skill, you probably won't blindfold
yourself before using your bow. You'd like to focus on your target;
breathe slowly as you pull the bowstring taut, aim your arrow and
release the string.
Not knowing your audience is much the same
thing as shooting arrows blindfolded. You may get lucky, but more likely
than not you'll miss the hay and miss your target. Without knowing your
target audience, not only will finding online traffic be difficult, you
may miss the bale of hay altogether.
Understanding who your
audience goes a long, long way toward helping find a way for you to help
them. Is your audience new married couples about to start a life
together and to look to buy their first home? Are they college educated,
pregnant, like to cook at home or dine out at restaurants? Do they like
to play sports or have get-togethers on the weekends? Do you have an
idea of their income, and do you know about their fears about paying for
their debts? Do they prefer wine, micro-brewed beer or don't drink
alcohol? Getting an idea of who your audience is and what makes them
tick will assist you to offer tips and will assist you in getting the
right type of traffic.
What that means is the more you know about
your potential audience, the better solutions you can offer and the
closer you are in hitting your targets.
Keyword Research As A Guide For Content
After
you get an understanding of who your audience is, you can now go to
writing, recording, and filming some great content. At this point, a
little keyword research here is critical to helping promote the content
you're offering. From using any number of paid services or simply the
Google Keyword Planner to find some keywords to help you focus on your
audience's needs.
Keyword research will list a number of search
terms and ideas. It's a great way to find some topics, some solutions to
problems and suggestions for ideas about what type of content to offer.
Being
able to focus on your audience, their wants and needs, will help you
find the right keywords to target in your content. In addition to
understanding your audience, this is a way to understand what they may
be searching for already. This research will help you find the right
subjects to write about, and help you provide the best solutions for
your audience's needs.
For example, on one of the niche sites I
run, keyword research has helped me find what the audience is searching
for and how they find my blog. This has been invaluable toward
generating traffic to the 10 Best Smartphones website and has driven an
increase in my organic traffic. I've used these tactics to find relevant
issues, interesting topics and solutions that have helped my traffic
grow in the short time I've had it running.
Once you see a sizable
amount of traffic, you can begin to consider different ways to monetize
your site. One way is from placing ads such as Google AdWords or
placing individual ads on your site, you can begin to make a small
income just from traffic alone. Another way is to consider an affiliate
agreement from any number of producers and sites. Here you promote a
product and work to drive traffic toward a sale.
While affiliate
marketing is a ton of work, it's often more lucrative than placing ads.
Ad placement is easier to begin, but it won't be enough to live off. One
last way is to create your own product, whether physical or digital,
and sell them on your site.
Either way you choose to go, beginning to monetize your website is the first step in generating a passive income.
So
to answer the question how to increase website traffic, you first need
to know who you're addressing. Who is your audience, what do they want
or need and how are you going to make it something they can absorb and
implement? You can have a Ph.D. in IT, be a master of SEO techniques,
and still not get the online traffic you want.
Why? Because you forget the most important thing, your audience and what they need.
Answer that question first and foremost, and your organic traffic will skyrocket.
