Competing online to grow your business is a never-ending story, especially when your competitors are just as ambitious as you. One of the most worthwhile efforts is working on getting inbound traffic organically. Yet, it is the one thing most organizations fail to maintain effectively. Acquiring an interest in your site through a non-branded, unpaid search means that people are more likely to be genuinely interested in what you have to say – At least hope you are interested.
One of my favourite clients asked me recently, How can we close in our competitors with respect to organic traffic?
Let’s take two steps back. Before answering the question, let’s ensure we understand two things. What is Organic Traffic, and how do we earn it (hint: “SEO”)?
What is Organic Traffic?
Organic traffic refers to the visitors who arrive at your website through unpaid, natural, or “organic” search engine results.
In the digital realm, organic traffic plays a pivotal role in driving visibility, brand awareness, and business growth. To thrive in the competitive online landscape, businesses must continuously strive to outperform their rivals.
In this article, we will delve into effective strategies that can help you close in on your competitors with respect to organic traffic. Implementing these tactics can increase your website’s visibility, attract a larger audience, and ultimately surpass your competition.
When users search for information, products, or services on search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo, they are presented with a list of relevant web pages in the search results. Organic traffic is the portion of website traffic that comes from users clicking on these unpaid, non-advertising links in the search results. In other words, when users search for something, they skip the “ad” section on their search engine and find you!
Organic traffic differs from other traffic sources, such as paid advertising or referral traffic from other websites. It is driven by the relevance and visibility of your website in search engine rankings. When your website ranks higher for specific keywords or search queries, it has a greater chance of attracting organic traffic.
The quality of organic traffic is often considered higher than other sources because it is typically driven by users actively seeking information or solutions related to your business. Organic visitors are more likely to have a genuine interest in your content or offerings, making them potential leads, customers, or engaged readers.
What is search engine optimization (SEO), and how does it help Organic Traffic?
The second step that will help with my answer below is understanding what SEO is. Before we can close in on our competitors for organic traffic using SEO, let’s understand what SEO is.
If you are trying to compete online, one of your goals is to rank higher than your competitors on search engine result pages (SERPs). Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential tool or set of skills to help you achieve this objective. SEO involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher on search engine results pages. This strategy can help you attract more visitors to your website, generate more leads, and increase your revenue.
Generating organic traffic requires effective (SEO) strategies, including keyword research, on-page optimization, content creation, link building, and providing a positive user experience. By optimizing your website and content for search engines and meeting the needs of your target audience, you can increase your organic visibility and attract more relevant organic traffic.
Great, so now we can drive ahead.
How do we close in on competitors using organic traffic?
1. Thoroughly analyze your competitors:
To gain a competitive edge, start by conducting a comprehensive analysis of your main competitors. Dive into their traffic sources, demographics, content strategies, and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. You can identify gaps and opportunities to leverage by understanding what works for them.
2. Harness the power of keyword research:
Keyword research is the cornerstone of successful SEO. Conduct in-depth keyword research to identify relevant, high-volume keywords with moderate competition. Focus on long-tail keywords that align with your target audience’s search intent. Incorporate these keywords strategically into your content to improve search engine rankings and attract organic traffic.
3. Optimize your on-page SEO:
Ensure your website is optimized for search engines. Optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and URLs to include relevant keywords. Craft compelling and user-friendly content that aligns with search intent, utilizing keywords naturally throughout. Improve the overall user experience by enhancing website navigation, site speed, and mobile responsiveness.
4. Develop exceptional content:
High-quality, engaging content is key to attracting organic traffic. Create comprehensive and informative articles, blog posts, videos, and guides that cater to your audience’s needs. Craft compelling headlines and introductions to captivate readers from the outset. Incorporate relevant keywords and provide unique insights to establish authority and encourage organic sharing and backlinking.
5. Build a robust backlink profile:
Backlinks are a crucial aspect of SEO success. Seek opportunities to earn high-quality, authoritative backlinks from reputable websites within your industry. Guest blogging, content partnerships, and collaborations with influencers can effectively build backlinks. Create valuable content that naturally attracts attention and encourages others to link to your site.
6. Leverage the power of social media:
Social media platforms are invaluable tools for driving organic traffic. Identify the channels your target audience frequents and establish a strong presence there. Share your content, engage with followers, and participate in relevant industry conversations. Cultivate a community of loyal followers who can help amplify your message and drive traffic to your website.
7. Optimize for local SEO:
Optimizing for local SEO is crucial if your business caters to a specific geographic location. Create a Google My Business profile and ensure it is complete and accurate. Optimize your website with location-specific keywords and generate positive online reviews. Leverage local directories and listings to improve your visibility within your target region.
8. Stay abreast of algorithm updates:
Search engine algorithms constantly evolve, impacting organic rankings. Stay informed about major algorithm updates, such as Google’s core updates, and adapt your SEO strategies accordingly. Monitor industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies to ensure you’re always ahead of the curve.
9. Analyze, iterate, and refine:
Regularly monitor and analyze your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics. Track organic traffic, keyword rankings, and user behaviour metrics. Identify patterns, strengths, and weaknesses. Based on data-driven insights, refine your strategies, experiment with new tactics, and continually optimize your website for better organic traffic results.
Just as it takes time for any individual or company to demonstrate experience to the world in real life, organic traffic growth takes time and patience. You must demonstrate your authority by consistently producing high-quality content, adapting to search engine algorithm changes and staying updated with the latest SEO best practices. You can increase organic traffic and close the gap with your competitors by implementing a holistic SEO strategy.
