Organic traffic defines the natural and unpaid visitors to a website. It interprets the usability of it as the higher the organic traffic, the better SEO ranking. This article outlines the beneficial aspects of organic traffic and provides a preliminary guide to get started.
What is organic traffic?
Organic traffic refers to the visitors that land on your website as a result of unpaid ('organic') search results. Organic traffic is opposite to paid traffic, which defines the visits generated by paid advertisements. Visitors who are considered organic find your website after using a search engine like Google or Bing, so they are not 'referred' by any other website.
The importance of organic traffic is directly related to its relationship with the Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Major search sites like Google and Bing rank websites based on several criteria, one of the most significant being the number of organic site visits. Effectively, the more the organic traffic, the higher the ranking.
In the digital age, driving organic traffic is crucial for the overall success of online businesses and blogs. An increase in organic traffic indicates that the content published on the site is relevant, well-optimized and adds value to the search query of the user.
Why is organic traffic important?
Organic traffic is important for numerous reasons. Firstly, it is inherently free; unlike paid traffic, no costs are associated with driving organic traffic to your website. This makes organic traffic an important aspect for small businesses or startups which may have budget constraints.
Additionally, organic traffic brings highly relevant and targeted traffic to your website. Being the results of search queries, these users are actively looking for information, products or services consistent with their query. This means they’re more likely to engage with your site in a meaningful way – making purchases, subscribing to newsletters, or sharing your content on social media.
Finally, a steady stream of organic traffic can improve your website’s SERP ranking, increasing your visibility online. High visibility in the search engine results pages can boost your brand’s credibility, as users often associate ranking with reliability and trustworthiness.
Types of organic traffic
There are multiple types of organic traffic, each with its unique features and characteristics. They can be broadly classified into three categories: Direct traffic, Referral traffic, and Search traffic.
Direct traffic refers to visitors who arrive on your website by directly typing your URL into their browser’s address bar or through a bookmark. This type of traffic shows high user engagement and brand loyalty since the user must know your URL or have your site bookmarked to visit in this manner.
Referral traffic is the traffic that arrives to your website from external sources or links on other websites. This traffic indicates that your website is being referenced around the internet, implying that your content is valuable and worth citing.
Search traffic, or organic search traffic, is the traffic that arrives on your site through a search engine’s organic results. This traffic type is particularly desirable because it tends to bring in users who are actively seeking out the type of products, services, or information you offer.
Examples of Organic Traffic
Search query traffic
A user enters the keyword ‘healthy recipes’ in a search engine like Google. Your website, which is a cooking blog specializing in healthy recipes, appears on the first page of the search engine’s results. The user clicks on your link and browses your website. This visit will be considered as organic traffic.
Direct traffic
A user already knows about your website and instead of searching for some keywords, directly types your website’s URL in the browser. This type of visit will be considered organic traffic as it was not influenced by any paid promotion.
Referral traffic
An influential food blogger links to your website in one of their recipes. One of their readers clicks this link, leading to your site. The visit generated from this external linking will be recognized as organic traffic.
Handy tips about organic traffic
SEO optimization
Ensure your website’s SEO is optimized. Use meta-tags, add alt text to images, and make sure your content is keyword optimized. Poorly managed SEO can lead to lower rankings in SERP, resulting in decreased organic traffic.
Content quality
Quality content is the best way to increase organic traffic. Compelling and valuable content will keep users on your website longer, increasing the chances of conversion. It also increases the chance of repeat visits and shares, leading to more organic traffic.
Regular updates
Frequently update your website with fresh content. Keeping content fresh attracts search engines, as they prefer websites that consistently deliver new content. This leads to better rankings and, therefore, more organic traffic.
Conclusion
The significance of organic traffic cannot be overstated. As discussed, organic traffic is the backbone of SEO efforts and critical for visibility online. The various types – direct, referral, and search traffic, each play a role in driving traffic to your website.
Examples provided illustrate how organic traffic works in real-world scenarios. Lastly, tips shared provide a starting point for those interested in growing their organic traffic. Remember that SEO optimization, quality content, and regular updates are key to draw and keep organic traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to increase my organic traffic?
Increasing organic traffic involves various techniques including SEO optimization, generating high-quality and relevant content, updating your website regularly, and building a strong backlink profile.
Does paid traffic affect organic traffic?
Paid traffic does not directly affect organic traffic. However, they can be complementary. For instance, a paid ad might initially bring a user to your website, but high-quality and engaging content may encourage them to return, contributing to organic traffic.
How long does it take to see results from organic traffic strategies?
Organic traffic strategies usually take longer to show results compared to paid strategies. Depending on the competitiveness of your industry and the effectiveness of your strategies, it could take three to six months to see significant improvements.