Boosting organic website or blog traffic proves to be the most effective long-term approach. While it might require some patience, search engine optimization (SEO) can yield superior results compared to paid advertising, guest blogging, and most other online marketing strategies. However, the challenge lies in the absence of shortcuts when it comes to acquiring the skill of augmenting organic traffic.
To harness more visitors from search engines, you must grasp their inner workings and develop a comprehensive strategy. Crafting a content plan and monitoring post performance is an excellent initial step. But there exist lesser-known techniques that should not be overlooked.
👉 In this piece, we will guide you through five tactics for enhancing your website’s organic traffic. Let’s commence by exploring the ‘People also ask’ sections!
Targeting ‘People also ask’ sections 🎯 Focusing on keyword gaps ⛳ Reviving outdated content 🔄 Identifying low-competition, quick-win keywords 🏆 Revamping post titles and description tags ⚙️
1. Targeting ‘People also ask’ sections 🎯
You may already be acquainted with the ‘People also ask’ sections in Google’s search results. These are information boxes that appear below the top result, containing inquiries related to the initial query. Each query comes with a concise answer extracted from a webpage and a link to that page:
Optimizing for the ‘People also ask’ results can enhance organic traffic to your blog. These sections show up in approximately 43% of all searches [1]. The user engagement varies widely, with some sections seeing as little as 3% interaction, while others reach up to 13%. Out of these interactions, roughly 40% result in clicks.
If your content already ranks high for a specific search, the benefits of appearing in the ‘People also ask’ section may be marginal. However, if your content doesn’t rank at the top, securing a spot there can generate organic traffic that would otherwise be elusive.
To increase your chances of inclusion in this section, you must optimize your content to provide succinct answers to users’ queries. Valuable questions can be found at the bottom of Google’s search results page under ‘Related searches’:
‘Related searches’ from a Google SERP can offer insights into how to increase organic traffic to your posts. This section often overlaps with the ‘People also ask’ boxes. You can also utilize keyword research tools like AnswerThePublic to uncover related queries for any search:
The AnswerThePublic website can be a valuable resource when pondering how to increase organic traffic. Once you’ve compiled a list of targeted questions, it’s advisable to use appropriate formatting, such as subheadings for questions and concise answers below. Incorporating a Frequently Asked Questions section into your pages is an effective method.
2. Focusing on keyword gaps ⛳
The concept of a keyword gap is straightforward. It consists of the keywords that your competitors are targeting, but you are not. Excluding branded keywords, this results in a list of potential topics that users are searching for but finding no content from you.
Closing this gap not only augments website traffic but also enhances your competitiveness. Furthermore, researching this gap can lead to valuable content ideas that might otherwise be overlooked.
To analyze these gaps, access to a keyword research tool like Ahrefs or SE Ranking is essential. While these tools can be expensive, you can utilize a free trial, especially with SE Ranking, if you’re on a tight budget.
If you have access to SE Ranking, employ the Competitive Research tool from the dashboard, entering your domain as the first and the competitor’s domain for comparison:
The competitor analysis will reveal shared queries, areas where your competitor outperforms you (and vice versa), and keywords the competitor ranks for but you don’t. Focus on the ‘Missing’ tab to scrutinize these absent keywords:
Equipped with this data, filter out keywords that may not align with your target audience or those that seem excessively competitive. Concentrate on the remaining keywords to drive your content strategy.
3. Reviving outdated content 🔄
Refreshing outdated content is a frequently overlooked practice among bloggers. As you continue publishing new blog posts, some of your older content may become obsolete. For instance, a WordPress cloud hosting comparison published two years ago may no longer recommend the same providers due to significant changes over time.
This principle applies to posts offering specific advice, product reviews, comparisons, listicles, and similar content. Even if such posts continue to attract traffic over the years, there may come a point where visitors cease to use them as references due to their outdated nature.
Our recommendation is to systematically review your entire content library at least once a year. Create a list of posts that may be outdated, with a particular focus on those referring to specific years, product reviews, comparisons, listicles, and similar articles.
Once you’ve compiled this list, prioritize posts that receive the most traffic to your website. These posts are your valuable assets, and you should ensure they remain informative to retain your audience. Examine each post, ensuring its information remains accurate and relevant. Implement any necessary updates to make your content effective, thus revitalizing the post.
4. Identifying low-competition, quick-win keywords 🏆
When examining keywords, many individuals opt for high-volume searches or moderate-competition options. These keywords typically receive substantial monthly searches (in the hundreds) and feature moderate competition. Depending on your domain authority and backlinks, it can be relatively straightforward to rank for moderately competitive keywords by creating well-structured articles.
Nonetheless, low-competition keywords with modest search volumes are often overlooked. These keywords typically have search volumes ranging from 100 to 200 searches per month:
You can ascertain the search volume for specific keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner. With this tool, you can arrange keywords by average monthly searches, from lowest to highest and vice versa.
Low-competition keywords, by definition, should be easier to rank for with well-researched and well-structured content. However, many overlook these keywords due to the additional effort required to produce content, which needs to be weighed against the potential traffic gains.
For a new website, targeting such keywords can provide incremental traffic boosts. To maximize results, identify keywords that can be grouped together, allowing you to target multiple options with a single post.
5. Revamping post titles and description tags ⚙️
If you’re crafting posts around specific keywords, it’s crucial to monitor their performance. A key performance indicator for posts is the number of clicks they receive on search engine results pages (SERPs).
As you may be aware, the top results in SERPs garner the most clicks, with 75% of all clicks going to the first three results [2]. Therefore, for effective SEO, your primary goal should be to secure a spot on the first page of results to ensure at least some click-throughs. To enhance your ranking, consider optimizing the title and meta description tags for your post:
Fortunately, the process is straightforward. The Block Editor allows you to change blog post titles at any time. Moreover, if you utilize an SEO plugin, you’ll typically find an option to modify the meta description for each post during editing:
In essence, search rankings significantly influence the success of your posts, with titles and meta descriptions playing a pivotal role. Eye-catching blog titles are more likely to capture user attention, thus boosting their click-through rate (CTR).
If you’re uncertain about monitoring click-throughs for your WordPress site, Google Search Console is recommended. Access the Performance tab in your Search Console dashboard to view the average CTR for your site’s pages:
This section also provides a breakdown of CTRs for individual keywords further down the page. This data will aid in identifying which articles are performing well and which ones require improvement.
Boost your website’s organic traffic today!
There’s no secret formula for increasing organic website traffic; it boils down to research, content planning, and consistent posting. Over time, a well-crafted content strategy will yield dividends in the form of sustained organic traffic, ultimately building your audience.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is organic traffic, and how does SEO work? A1: Organic traffic refers to visitors who find your website through unpaid, non-promotional search engine results. SEO, or search engine optimization, involves strategies and optimizations to make your website more visible to search engines. It includes elements like keyword research, content optimization, and link building.
Q2: How can I gauge the success of my organic traffic strategies? A2: You can measure the effectiveness of your organic traffic strategies by monitoring key metrics such as organic search traffic, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates. Organic search traffic shows the number of visitors from search engines, CTR measures the percentage of clicks, and conversion rates indicate actions taken by visitors, like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Q3: How long does it typically take to see results from SEO efforts? A3: The timeline for seeing results from SEO efforts can vary, but it often takes several months. This patience is necessary because search engines need time to crawl and index your site and for your optimizations to take effect.
Q4: What tools can I use for keyword research? A4: There are several tools available for keyword research. Google Keyword Planner helps you find relevant keywords and assess their search volume. Ahrefs and SE Ranking provide insights into your competitors’ strategies, helping you discover keywords they may be targeting that you’re not.
Q5: What are the common challenges in SEO? A5: SEO can be highly effective but comes with challenges. Common pitfalls include keyword stuffing (overusing keywords unnaturally), neglecting mobile optimization, and ignoring technical SEO issues. These challenges can impact your site’s performance and visibility in search results.