These days, everyone wants to increase traffic to their website! And it’s no secret why.
More traffic usually means more leads, which can eventually turn into more customers or conversions. In short, more website traffic equals more success for your business.
There are many different ways to increase traffic to your website including SEO, paid advertising, and social media marketing. But in this blog post, we’re going to focus on referral traffic.
Not sure what referral traffic is? No worries! This blog is here to teach you everything you need to know about referral traffic and how to get it.
Keep reading to learn more!
What is referral traffic?
Before we can get into how to increase referral traffic, we first need to answer the question: what is referral traffic?
Referral traffic is defined as website visitors who arrive at your site from another source. In other words, referral traffic is when someone clicks on a link from another website that leads them to yours.
For example, if you have a blog post that gets shared on social media and someone clicks the link to read it, that would be considered referral traffic.
Referral traffic can also come from links in forum posts, online directories, and even emails. Basically, any time someone clicks on a link to your website from another site, that counts as referral traffic!
Why is referral traffic important?
Referral traffic is valuable because it’s a good indicator that your website is relevant and trustworthy. After all, if another website is willing to link to yours, that means they must think you’re worth checking out!
Referral traffic is also one of the positive ranking factors used by major search engines. When search engines see that other websites are linking to yours, they’ll perceive your site as being more authoritative and will therefore rank it higher in search results.
How to get more referral traffic to your website
Now that we know what referral traffic is, let’s take a look at some actionable tips you can use to start getting more of it!
1. Create valuable content that people will want to share
Before you even consider trying to get referral traffic, you need to make sure you have content worth sharing in the first place.
That means creating blog posts, infographics, videos, or any other type of content that is interesting, informative, and relevant to your audience.
Your content should also be shareable, which means it should be easy for people to read, like, and share. That means using catchy headlines, social media share buttons, and visually-appealing images.
If you are interested in creating quality content, we suggest you check out our blog creating evergreen content to get started.
2. Submit your website to online directories and review sites
One great way to get referral traffic is to submit your website to online directories and review sites. This is a great way to get referral traffic because it helps increase your website’s visibility and can also lead to backlinks.
Some popular online directories and review sites include Yelp, Angie’s List, TripAdvisor, and Google My Business. For example, if you have a business in the hospitality industry, you could submit your website to TripAdvisor.
To get started, simply search for online directories or review sites that are relevant to your business and see if there are any submission requirements. Once you’ve submitted your website, be sure to regularly check back for new reviews and ratings!
Just a warning though- never submit links to “spam” websites for the sole purpose of getting free backlinks. To check if a website is spam, look at the URL. The “s” in “https://” means the website is secure. If the URL says “http://” it is probably spam. These websites will not do anything to help your referral traffic and can actually hurt your website’s reputation.
3. Submit a press release to news sources
Got exciting company news? Why not share it with the world (or at least your local news sources) by submitting a press release?
A press release is basically an announcement about something newsworthy that has happened within your company. This could be a new product launch, a major milestone achievement, or even something as simple as hiring a new employee.
Submitting press releases to news sources will boost your referral traffic by getting your website in front of a whole new audience. Plus, if your press release is picked up by a major news outlet, you could see a huge spike in referral traffic!
To get started, simply search for “press release submission” or “press release distribution” in your industry of work and you’ll be able to find websites that will help you submit your press release.
4. Build relationships with other companies in your industry
Building relationships with other companies in your industry is a great way to increase referral traffic. This is because you can collaborate with other companies on things like blog posts, infographics, or even press releases (as we mentioned earlier).
When you collaborate with other companies, your chances of getting backlinks, social media shares, and referral traffic all go up! Not to mention, it’s also a great way to build relationships with other businesses in your industry.
To get started, simply reach out to other companies in your industry and see if there are any opportunities for collaboration. Attending conferences and being an active member in your industry is also a great way to make these connections.
5. Promote your website on social media platforms
When you are trying to increase referral traffic, remember to promote your website on social media platforms. Social media is a fantastic way to get referral traffic because it allows you to reach a large audience with just a few clicks.
Simply create social media accounts on popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, start sharing your website’s content with your followers. Be sure to include a call-to-action so people know what to do next!
You can also run social media ads to promote your website to an even wider audience. For example, you could use Facebook Ads to target people who are interested in your products or services.
When you promote your website on social media, remember to focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to have a smaller following of engaged people than a large following of people who don’t care about your content.
6. Add social sharing buttons to your website and blog posts
If you want people to share your website’s content, you need to make it easy for them to do so. One way to do this is to add social sharing buttons to your website and blog posts.
When you add social sharing buttons, people can share your content with just a few clicks. This is a great way to get referral traffic because it allows your content to reach a larger audience.
There are many different plugins and tools you can use to add social sharing buttons to your website. For example, WordPress has a few different plugins you can use, like Social Warfare and ShareThis.
Once you’ve added social sharing buttons to your website, be sure to test them out to make sure they’re working properly. Then, sit back and watch as your web traffic starts to increase!
7. Reach out to influencers in your industry
If you want to get referral traffic from a specific source, you need to reach out to the people who control that source. For example, if you want to get referral traffic from a popular blog, you need to reach out to the blog’s owner or editor.
The same is true if you want to get referral traffic from social media platforms. You need to reach out to the influencers who have large followings on these platforms.
Reaching out to influencers can be a great way to get referral traffic because it allows you to tap into their audience. When you reach out to an influencer, be sure to include a personalized message and offer something of value.
For example, you could offer to write a guest blog post for their website or create a social media post for their audience. If you can provide value, you’re more likely to get referral traffic!
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many different ways you can get referral traffic. If you want to increase your website’s referral traffic, start by implementing these tips.
Referral traffic is a great way to increase your website’s visibility and reach. By following these tips, you can get referral traffic from a variety of sources, like popular blogs and social media platforms.
Do you have any other tips for getting referral traffic? Share them in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is direct traffic vs referral traffic?
Direct traffic is when someone visits your website by typing your URL into their browser. Referral traffic is when someone clicks on a link to your website from another site.
For example, if someone clicks on a link to your website from a blog post, that would be referral traffic. If they type your URL into their browser, that would be direct traffic.
Referral traffic is generally considered to be just as valuable because it’s an indication that your content is perceived as valuable to other people within the industry. However, both types of traffic can be valuable in different ways.
Does Google Analytics track referral traffic?
Yes, Google Analytics tracks referral traffic. You can view your referral traffic in the “Acquisition” section of Google Analytics.
To find your referral traffic, go to Acquisition > All Traffic > Referrals. From there, you can see how much referral traffic you’re getting and where it’s coming from.
How much traffic should my website get?
There is no one answer to this question. Every website is different and will get different amounts of traffic depending on a variety of factors.
Some factors that will affect how much traffic your website gets include the type of website it is, the quality of your content, how well your website is designed, and how you promote your site. If you follow these steps, and you’re losing traffic, you’ll want to check out our blog on why websites lose traffic.
In general, though, you should aim to get as much traffic as possible. The more people who visit your site, the more chances you have of them taking the actions you want them to take (such as signing up for your email list or buying a product from you).
How can I increase search traffic in general?
There are a few different ways you can increase your website’s search traffic.
First, make sure your website is optimized for search engines. This includes focusing on search engine optimization and employing SEO techniques into your web design and web content,
Second, create high-quality content that people are interested in reading. The more engaging and informative your content is, the more likely people are to share it with others.
Last, promote your website on social media and other websites. This will help you reach a wider audience and get more people to visit your site.
To see more of our tips on increasing your organic traffic, check out our blog here.
Where can I get help with driving website traffic to my site?
There are a few different ways you can get help with driving website traffic to your site.
First, you can reach out to a digital marketing consultant like WGM. We will be able to help you create a plan to increase your website traffic.
Second, you can join an online community or forum related to web traffic. This is a great way to connect with other people who are also trying to increase their website traffic. You can share tips and advice with each other and help each other out.
Last, you can read articles or books about how to drive website traffic. This is a great way to learn about different techniques and strategies that you can use to increase your website’s visibility. We have a number of blogs including some focused specifically on driving more traffic to your website.
