Google handles more than 8.5 billion searches worldwide every day.
You can explore what people are searching for right now with tools like Google Trends, which highlights trending topics in real time.
Many businesses struggle to come up with new and innovative ways to get more traffic to their sites. There’s a lot of misinformation online about how to attract more visitors, which can lead to using the same tired strategies over and over and not seeing positive results.
That’s not you, though. You’re a savvy marketer who is looking to make the most out of your website. And you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve gathered 10 website traffic growth methods to increase visits to your site. Ready? Let’s go.
1. Think About SEO (in the Age of AI)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is key to attracting visitors to your site. On-page SEO may be the single greatest factor in determining where your website ends up in the SERPs (search engine results pages). The higher up the SERPs you are, the more likely Google surfers are to click through to your site.
Make sure each of the page elements — including title, h1 or header, meta description, alt-text and URL — are keyword-rich and focused on the user intent of the page.
The actual content on your site is also a significant factor in how you’ll rank in the SERPs. Always include relevant keywords in your content. Keywords should be used naturally, not stuffed into the content so much that they detract from the main idea or distract the reader. (Remember, when it comes to content, quality trumps keyword quantity.)
Understanding the AI of It All
The rapid advancement of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI has touched nearly every aspect of digital marketing. SEO is no exception.
Google launched AI overviews in May 2024. You’ve likely noticed that your Google searches no longer feature the blue links right at the top of the page. Instead, you’re met with an AI answer to your question.
This year, Google is rolling out AI Mode, a built-in AI search experience designed to answer complex, multi-step queries within the search engine itself. It’s not available to every Google user yet, but be on the lookout for AI Mode to pop up just under the search bar in both desktop and mobile search.
While some marketers fear this will reduce traffic to traditional webpages, the reality is more nuanced and filled with opportunity.
Here are a few SEO tips to boost visits in the age of AI-powered search:
- Prioritize authority. Google’s AI Mode pulls from a blend of high-authority, information-rich sources to come up with answers. Expert, well-sourced content will rank higher in AI-powered results. To ensure that your content offers original insights, not just regurgitation of what’s already there, add unique data points, quotes or case studies.
- Mark up everything. Schema is more important than ever. Use structured data markup to help search engines understand your content and recognize it as valuable.
- Go deep on authority. AI Mode doesn’t just recognize a single helpful post; it favors publishers who show expertise across a topic cluster. Build out interconnected, expert content that answers primary and natural follow-up questions.
- Optimize for conversational queries. AI search favors natural language. Aim to answer specific, human-sounding questions in your content, and integrate question-based H2s and H3s (e.g., “What are good digital marketing traffic hacks?”).
- Keep users engaged. AI Mode favors content that satisfies the user’s intent fast and fully. Use visuals, break up your text and get to the point quickly — always with an eye toward delivering value.
- Track impact. Keep an eye on your rankings as AI Mode rolls out. Adjust your strategy as needed.
Pro Tip: To conduct keyword research, you can use tools like Moz, Ahrefs and SEMrush. These sites show what keywords competitors are using, how often people search for keywords, how expensive the keyword is for pay-per-click ads, related keywords and much more valuable information to guide keyword strategy.
The SEO landscape is rapidly evolving. Don’t get left behind. An SEO agency (or even an SEO-focused expert boost) can offer valuable insights and perform audits to identify issues that may be keeping your site from being shown in SERPs.
2. Create Awesome Content
A robust and regularly maintained blog is one of the most reliable ways to increase organic visitors to your site.
Not only does awesome (relevant, meaty, juicy) content increase your SERP rankings, it’s also good for keeping visitors engaged once they click through to your site.
That’s why it’s not enough just to post any old content; you need to create content that’s memorable and cuts through the noise. Do this by digging into what makes your company unique and why you’re the best at meeting the needs of your customers.
Pro Tip: Brands (especially B2B companies) are increasingly using video to offer insights into who they are and what they do best. Adding video to your landing page and embedding it in blog posts increases visibility on Google and encourages visitors to stay on your site longer.
People use Google to find specific, thorough and accurate answers for their questions, and your content should be there to provide those answers.
The bottom line is that when you care about the content you produce, post regularly and research what your audience wants to see, web traffic should improve.
3. Refresh Outdated Content
Hey, we’re doing that right now!
Not only will your readers appreciate updated content, Google — and its ever-changing algorithm — also loves a new take.
You don’t need to limit your content refresh to tweaking blog posts either. Try repurposing blog content as an infographic or even an explainer video.
4. Get Social
That’s a lot of eyeballs. Businesses that know how to leverage the power of this captive audience have the opportunity to foster brand awareness, affinity and loyalty — and, of course, draw more website traffic.
The key to social media is to be authentic. It can be tempting to jump on every trend and fad, but savvy scrollers see right through that and aren’t impressed. If it doesn’t fit with your brand — it’s not true to who you are — it’s not for you.
Here are a few social media traffic strategies to get you started:
- Share with intent. Instead of just posting a link, give readers a reason to click. Share a key takeaway or insight that encourages them to click through to your content.
- Create snackable videos. Short-form video (30-60 seconds) still dominates. Think quick tips, BTS or reactions to industry news. Captions are non-negotiable.
- Talk with your audience, not at them. Prioritize engagement over broadcast. Reply to comments, ask questions, join relevant conversations on your target audience’s posts.
- Make real people the face of your brand. Humanize your posts by featuring team members or your CEO. Have actual humans from your company share and comment as well.
- Include a clear CTA. Every post should guide your audience to what’s next — whether that’s “read the full story,” “download the resource,” or “tell us your take in the comments.”
5. Use Advertising to Increase Web Traffic
While organic search is still better at driving traffic (about 5.66% better than paid), paid advertising like pay-per-click (PPC) and social media ads can help you connect with a larger audience while targeting your ideal customer.
When used together as part of a content-driven digital marketing strategy, organic and paid search dominate website traffic. In fact, combined paid and organic search earn about 76% of total traffic for B2B companies.
Keep Reading: How to Run PPC Ads as Part of Your Content Marketing Strategy
6. Send Email Newsletters People Will Open – and Read
Where social media can feel like shouting from a soapbox in the town square, email is a one-on-one conversation. It’s personal.
Automation has certainly made it easier to send emails en masse, but tools like customization and segmentation mean that you can address the specific needs and pain points of your target audience. Promoting content through email newsletters is an effective way to increase website traffic and ultimately yields one of the highest ROIs across all marketing methods.
Keep Reading: How to Create a Newsletter That Connects With Your Audience (and That They’ll Actually Read)
This example email uses simple best practices: clear subject, strong CTA, mobile-friendly design, and consistent visual style to drive traffic back to the website.
7. Give Away the Good Stuff
Giving prospects something of use is a great way to drive more traffic. For example, we created a digital marketing masterclass built specifically for busy marketers who need a clear, actionable framework that actually works. We packed it with resources and strategies that we use every day to help B2B clients grow without burnout or guesswork.
By posting gated content/tools (offering the content and tools in exchange for the user’s contact information), you can maximize your returns and find new leads. Another way to increase website traffic is to promote the content/tools on relevant LinkedIn Groups or forums where people in the industry interact.
8. Write Guest Posts
Guest posting for other websites is an effective way to generate backlinks, boost referral traffic and increase SERP rankings. You should always thoroughly research websites within your industry to pitch.
First, look at a website’s content and make sure it’s high-quality, check its domain authority and study its guest posting guidelines. Also, ask the publication if they’ll promote the post on social media and tag you.
9. Help a Reporter Out
You’re an expert in your field — that means you’re a source in high demand for reporters. Register as a source on sites like HARO and Qwoted, and journalists can find you when they’re writing stories that fall within your area of expertise.
Getting quoted in trade publications and major news outlets sets you up as the industry leader you are and cultivates interest in your business (thus, your website).
10. Exchange Backlinks
There are a bunch of benefits of backlinking for your business. Among them are greater SERP ranking and increased visibility. One study found that the top search results in Google had 3.8 times more backlinks than those in the No. 2 through No. 10 positions.
Backlinks can come in the form of directory listings, but the best way to start earning backlinks is to produce top-notch, evergreen content that adds value to your niche market. Then, reach out to others in the industry and ask them to share. To add an extra incentive, you can propose a mutually beneficial backlink exchange by offering to add one of their links to a post of yours as well.
That’s exactly what we did for one of our clients, Rainbow Muffler & Brake. We created a blog post for them called “The Essential Road Trip Checklist for Your Car.” We then found relevant websites through Pitchbox and reached out to those sites to see if they wanted to promote our post.
The website WheelScene agreed to a backlink and social media post exchange, which led to a 23,245% increase in views! If businesses find the right partner for their backlink exchange, they can score big.
Start Getting More Traffic Today
These are the steps we use with our own valued clients, and we’ve seen them succeed time and again. It may not happen all at once, but by taking these steps, you can expect to see an increase in website traffic over time. Keep pushing forward by trying a variety of methods and analyzing the results.
