15 Ways to Grow Organic Traffic + Pro Tips from Our SEO Team

This information lays out methods our staff of search engine optimisation specialists use each day to extend natural site visitors, in addition to beginner-level steps you want in place to succeed.

Right here, you’ll discover 15 confirmed methods to develop natural site visitors (+ bonus: 6 tips directly from the experts):

1. Optimize your website with the user in mind
2. Make sure each page has its own target keyword
3. Leverage analytics to prioritize optimizations
4. Focus on quality content over quantity
5. Keep landing page content minimal
6. Build out your content library with internal links
7. Use the Link Intersect tool to create a backlink outreach plan
8. Feature guest blogs from industry experts (& become a guest author yourself)
9. Become a thought leader
10. Be active on (the right) social media channels
11. Make connections as an industry expert through Quora
12. Use Answer the Public and People also ask to inform new content
13. Use long-tail terms
14. Implement secondary keywords
15. Polish up your on-page SEO

However first, take a look at our search engine optimisation staff’s favourite ideas and methods to herald extra (conversion-ready) site visitors.

Our search engine optimisation staff’s favourite tricks to enhance site visitors quick

In search of higher-level methods to spice up your natural site visitors?

The staff of search engine marketing (search engine optimisation) specialists right here at HawkSEM share their favourite strategies they use for purchasers each day — with case research as well.

“Create a content material advertising technique and inner hyperlink construction based mostly totally round consumer intent” -Sonya Gonzales

Greater than key phrase search quantity, “it’s essential to think about consumer intent and the way it interprets to enterprise conversions,” explains Sonya Gonzales, search engine optimisation supervisor at HawkSEM.

First, “outline what sells and make sure these suspicions and educated guesses utilizing [Google] Analytics.”

In different phrases:

• How do individuals come to your web site?
• The place do they stick round?
• What incentivized them to click on by from SERP?

“Asking these pointed questions can present priceless perception when doing content material/key phrase analysis,” Gonzales continues.

Primarily based on the information you uncover, “construct out a full content material technique that’s designed to assist a tree-structure of content material.”

This implies broad and aggressive topics or merchandise ought to at all times reside in the primary stage navigation, with niche-specific silos that time as much as the primary stage.

As at all times, “blogs ought to steer away from fluff content material and be hyper-focused on educating — both shifting customers to most important stage/silos or to transform instantly.”

And that is true for ecommerce, service, and some other line of enterprise.

“Consumer intent can also be the important thing to not solely carry site visitors however conversion-focused site visitors” -Madison Scherner

Senior search engine optimisation Supervisor Madison Scherner echos the significance of search intent when constructing natural content material that converts.

“Our purchasers often have a number of kinds of conversions and funnels, so it’s important to focus in on what’s bringing in the popular conversion.”

Right here’s what we imply:

Considered one of our purchasers is a recruitment and advisory agency. Scherner seen they’d over 70 pages centered on bringing in candidates versus bringing in job orders from corporations.

“With some slight optimizations and key phrase integrations, we have been in a position to create important carry in not simply natural site visitors, however most well-liked conversion-focused natural site visitors,” says Scherner.

To not point out the key phrases they have been going after beforehand (“govt assistant jobs”) have been extra aggressive than the brand new focused key phrases (“rent an govt assistant”).

“So not solely did we modify the precedence of the web page,” Scherner says, “we additionally higher aligned with our aggressive market.”

“Consider high rivals to emulate methods (however level-up the content material)” -Alissa DeGeorge

“A key methodology I’ve had nice success in is evaluating high competing content material and seeing how we will emulate their methods however make our content material even higher,” says Alissa DeGeorge, search engine optimisation supervisor at HawkSEM.

First, assess what questions these high performers reply by their content material. Then, contemplate what’s lacking and the way you might add extra element and context.

A good way to do that is so as to add statistics, information, photos, or video as a visible help to make the content material extra digestible, participating, and credible.

“Ecommerce companies: Prioritize class pages” -Alissa DeGeorge

Ecommerce companies, this one’s for you.

“For class pages particularly, it’s worthwhile to use information to find out your prioritization,” says DeGeorge.

“All the time start by evaluating the present positioning of every web page for his or her main key phrase. Deal with enhancing the pages in decrease positions in your highest changing classes.”

After getting that listing, you’ll be able to optimize the content material so as of precedence.

“While you optimize content material, ensure you embody the important thing particulars which can be essential to the buyer concerning the merchandise in that class,” DeGeorge explains.

For instance:

1. Product advantages
2. Worth vary
3. Supplies
4. How the supplies are sourced
5. The place the merchandise are made
6. What sizes/shapes/colours they arrive in

“This ties into what I discussed about making your content material higher than rivals,” she says.

Right here’s an instance:

Considered one of our ecommerce purchasers is a number one tub and kitchen hardware provide firm. In April, our search engine optimisation staff used a mix of an AI-powered content material instrument and created refreshed, modernized graphics (and a shopping for information) to be extra useful to the consumer.

By June, there was a 76% enhance in natural site visitors to this web page year-over-year and a 38% enhance period-over-period.

“Native companies: Use zip code evaluation to develop focused search engine optimisation content material” -Charlotte Soto

Google Enterprise Profile (GBP) permits native organizations so as to add as much as 20 native area focuses. However chances are high, you aren’t capturing all county-level or city-level targets out there to you.

Enter: FreeMapTools, a zipper code evaluation instrument.

“For certainly one of our purchasers, we have been in a position to determine new counties inside California to focus on by search engine optimisation content material and [GBP] creations,” says Lead Strategist Charlotte Soto.

“This will act as a key phrase analysis instrument on a localized stage,” says Soto, “and assist with writing descriptions to incorporate particular city names; that approach we’re squeezing the lemon as greatest as we will.”

“All the time request indexing for brand new URLs” -Samantha Ridgway

“This can be a tremendous easy one, however at all times request indexing for brand new URLs through [Google Search Console]!” says Samantha Ridgway, search engine optimisation supervisor.

In different phrases, merely submitting particular person URLs by the URL Inspection tool inside Google Search Console (GSC) is a brilliant quick method to let Google know that you’ve up to date web site content material. This significantly will increase your chance of getting the next rating on the SERP.

Right here’s methods to do it:

1. Login to GSC
2. Inspect the page URL.
3. Request indexing on the inspection consequence web page for the URL

Easy? Sure. Efficient? Right here’s a case examine for proof:

Considered one of Ridgway’s purchasers not too long ago “gained 100 key phrases in two weeks simply by getting a number of blogs listed that Google wasn’t choosing up by itself.”

15 methods to develop natural site visitors: The fundamentals

Not able to deal with these higher-level methods simply but? Let’s take it again to fundamentals with the highest 15 methods to extend your natural site visitors:

1. Optimize your web site with consumer expertise in thoughts

To extend natural web site site visitors, you first want to make sure your web site’s messaging is evident, the navigation is intuitive, and the design is aesthetically pleasing.

This implies when a consumer lands in your web site, they instantly perceive:

• Your provide (what you do)
• Your name to motion (what you need them to do)
• The place to go in your web site to study extra
• Find out how to contact you if they’ve extra questions

Relying in your web site platform, you’ll be able to add a plugin like Yoast for WordPress that’ll offer you optimization and readability ideas whenever you’re importing or enhancing an online web page or weblog.

A sitemap can even preserve issues organized and, because of this, assist you rank larger on search engine outcomes pages (SERPs).

If this looks like rather a lot to maintain observe of, you’ll be able to at all times create an internet site guidelines to tick off to verify every web page is optimized earlier than you hit “publish.”

2. Make sure that every web page has its personal goal key phrase

Pages in your web site with the identical goal key phrase will compete with one another in search engine outcomes.

Every web page and weblog publish ought to have its personal main goal key phrase (or set of key phrases) when doable. You should use a program like Semush to find out whether or not or not you have got any key phrase duplications inside your web site pages.

When you do, don’t panic! You possibly can consolidate these pages.

For the pages with much less site visitors or conversions, you’ll be able to merely transfer that content material to the better-performing web page. Then, you’ll be able to redirect the previous URL to the brand new one-stop-shop web page.

In fact, you need to use related key phrases all through your web site and weblog. Nevertheless it’s a good suggestion to not have two pages focusing an excessive amount of on one key phrase. That may set off Google to ding the pages for duplicate content material.

Professional tip: You possibly can overlap goal key phrases if the content material is exclusive sufficient to not be flagged as duplicate, however it is best to purpose in your focused key phrase web page to rank highest in your web site for that particular key phrase.

3. Leverage analytics to prioritize optimizations

Free platforms like Google Analytics will present you insightful natural metrics akin to bounce rate, site visitors sources, and time on web page.

When you see patterns in your site visitors metrics, you’ll be able to create a plan for optimizing accordingly. For instance: Received a web page with a excessive bounce charge? Revisit it and ask your self issues like:

• Does the web page title match its content material?
• Visually, is it laid out properly?
• Is it straightforward to learn?
• Does the web page load too slowly?
• Is there a transparent subsequent step for the reader?

4. Deal with high quality content material over amount

Loads of websites are responsible of “key phrase stuffing.” This can be a black-hat SEO tactic that entails repeating the identical key phrase a number of instances on a web page.

Not solely does any such content material come off as inauthentic, Google is aware of what you’re doing — and they don’t like it either.

Flooding your web site with key phrases isn’t going to get you the natural site visitors you’re searching for. It’s a greater use of your time to give attention to creating nice content material that may result in distinctive rating enhancements, akin to content material that follows E-E-A-T (expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness) requirements.

Professional tip: While you focus extra on producing related, in-depth content material that educates and helps your target market fairly than what you assume the algorithm needs, you can begin to see your natural site visitors develop steadily over time.

5. Maintain touchdown web page content material minimal

Landing pages must be minimalist and have a transparent name to motion (CTA). An excessive amount of textual content can distract guests from taking that subsequent desired motion.

That’s why it’s a good suggestion to maneuver a few of your key phrases and phrases into blogs. These pages assist enhance your search rankings with out inundating each web site customer with an excessive amount of data directly.

6. Construct out your content material library with inner hyperlinks

When creating content material, make sure you hyperlink internally to your individual content material in addition to authoritative exterior web sites. This will set up companion relationships and encourage others to provide you high quality backlinks that direct to your web site, which is one other method to enhance your site visitors numbers.

Looking to up your SEO game? Check out our guide: 10 Quick Tips to Improve Your SEO Today.

7. Use the Hyperlink Intersect instrument to create a backlink outreach plan

Talking of backlinks, we all know Google values these sorts of hyperlinks (that hyperlink to your web site from one other authoritative web site) when related. They present the algorithm that your web site is credible.

Sadly, there’s no shortcut to getting them. You possibly can, nevertheless, set your web site up for straightforward backlinking.

A platform like Ahrefs can present you which internet sites and pages are linking to your rivals, however to not you, through its Link Intersect tool. From there, plan your outreach technique to counsel backlinks in conditions like:

• Somebody linked to competitor content material however you have got related content material that’s extra up-to-date and higher-quality
• You linked to somebody’s content material and given them a related backlink already
• Somebody created an trade listing you’d wish to be included in
• Somebody gave you backlinks earlier than and is prone to do it once more

8. Function visitor blogs from trade specialists (& develop into a visitor creator your self)

Quoting an trade professional or having them pen a visitor weblog in your web site provides credibility whereas permitting your model (and viewers) to learn from their data. Alternatively, visitor posting on excessive domain-authority websites can probably deliver you site visitors for years to return.

Professional tip: When brainstorming matters to write down up for different websites, it’s a good suggestion to pitch content material consistent with key phrases which can be related to your online business but in addition extremely aggressive. The extra established web site might rank higher for these phrases and ship a ton of site visitors your approach.

9. Grow to be a thought chief

Relying on how saturated your trade is, you will have stiff competitors in the case of garnering site visitors. So it’s no shock that typically, you’ve acquired to go above and past to face out.

To place your model as a thought chief:

• Apply to talk at conferences, podcasts, and occasions
• Put up authentic, high-quality content material

Use Help a Reporter Out (HARO) to be cited as an trade professional in related publications

10. Be energetic on (the fitting) social media channels

An energetic social media presence is one other helpful approach for corporations to spice up model consciousness and get the phrase out about their merchandise or choices. It’s additionally an important place to participate in trade conversations.

Alongside together with your web site, many individuals will take a look at a model’s social media accounts to see how they current themselves. You possibly can have an edge over less-active rivals by posting on a constant foundation, no matter which means in your and your bandwidth.

Examine hashtags for related trade conversations that might profit out of your insights. It’s additionally price noting that completely different industries leverage social media in numerous methods. Furthermore, completely different viewers demographics gravitate in direction of completely different platforms, like LinkedIn for more B2B brands and Instagram for ecommerce.

Professional tip: Assume exterior of the Massive 4 (Fb, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn) by posting visible content material on Pinterest, akin to an unique infographic, with a concise description and a hyperlink again to your web site. You might be stunned on the site visitors that outcomes.

11. Make connections as an trade professional by Quora

In case you’re unfamiliar, Quora is a well-liked Q&A discussion board web site. Customers pose questions on all the things underneath the solar and others (ideally, subject specialists) reply with solutions.

Quora is a good place to seek for questions associated to your trade, after which present your insights together with a bit about what makes you certified so as to add a response.

You possibly can then hyperlink to your web site and increase, you’ve simply linked with somebody (or a number of someones) who might not have recognized about your organization in any other case.

12. Use Reply the Public and Individuals additionally ask to tell new content material

The aim of your content material is to supply worth and reply questions. To find out what searchers are asking, we advise heading to Google first:

Enter some frequent questions associated to your online business into the search engine and take a look at the “Individuals additionally requested” SERP feature part. What different frequent search queries pop up, and how are you going to reply these by your individual content material?

Subsequent, have a look at the featured snippets (a field of chosen search outcomes that seem above Google’s natural outcomes to supply a concise reply to a posed query) that present up.

Try the outcomes: How is the featured content material formatted? This perception may also help inform the way you strategy future related content material concepts so you’ll be able to work in direction of your online business showing in these sections as a substitute.

One other useful gizmo to get into the minds of your viewers is Answer the Public.

13. Use long-tail phrases

In the case of key phrases, the extra particular you will get, the much less competitors you’ll probably be up in opposition to.

Long-tail keywords are typically three- to four-word phrases on a selected subject, fairly than one thing extra generic like “paid search.”

They may also help you rank for trade phrases over your rivals as a result of you have got extra room to discover a distinctive angle that hasn’t been completely explored but. See what gaps there are, then decide how one can greatest fill them.

While you examine long-tail phrases constructed round particular key phrases to key phrases with the perfect search site visitors, you’ll discover that conversion charges with the previous are usually larger. Whereas these key phrases might have a decrease month-to-month search quantity, they’ll have the next likelihood of conversion.

Wish to know extra about enhancing your natural site visitors and your general digital advertising ROI? Let’s chat.

14. Implement secondary key phrases

Once more, key phrase stuffing is a no-no. On the similar time, repeating your key phrase phrase helps Google and others perceive what your web page or piece of content material is about.

That’s the place secondary key phrases are available in. These are key phrases much like the primary one you’re attempting to rank for, with barely tweaked phrasing. This additionally helps break up your copy and makes it sound extra genuine.

A straightforward method to decide useful secondary key phrases is by looking for your main key phrase on Google, then referencing the ensuing listing of associated searches.

15. Polish your on-page search engine optimisation

From updating title tags and meta descriptions to creating distinctive content material and descriptive picture alt textual content, optimizing your on-page search engine optimisation is a hefty job in and of itself.

Fortunate for you, we created a information that walks you thru methods to tick off each rating issue so you are able to do a deep dive (whenever you’re prepared).

Check it out here.

Why natural site visitors issues

Natural site visitors offers your web site (and enterprise) authority in a extremely aggressive panorama, rising your possibilities of conversions general.

Whereas the method is admittedly sluggish going, the reward is elevated credibility, sustainable outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and improved pay-per-click (PPC) efficiency.

The takeaway

Like search engine optimisation, stable natural site visitors takes time to domesticate. Don’t get discouraged in the event you put effort into your search engine optimisation technique with out seeing speedy outcomes.

Over time, in the event you monitor your web site efficiency, you’ll begin seeing these strains transfer up. On the finish of the day, the method of enhancing your site visitors is a marathon, not a dash.

It may be so simple as choosing the methods that give you the results you want, making a plan to implement them, constant monitoring, and iterating based mostly on the information you collect.

However if you need assist from our staff of specialists, we’ve got you.

 

This text has been up to date and was initially printed in September 2014.