We all agree that understanding your website traffic sources is crucial to help you optimize and maximize your resources.
On strategy calls with clients, I often hear them say, “If Google search is doing better or if Facebook is doing better, let’s put all our budget there and stop with the others.”
I get it. You want to be as effective as possible with your limited budget.
We forget that our audience doesn’t spend their entire life or day using Facebook or Google search only.
People use multiple channels daily depending on their needs. For example, we use Gmail, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp daily.
If I put all my budget in Google Search only, and you only spend 30 minutes searching on Google daily, my chance of exposing you to my business could be higher.
Even if you focus on one channel, when you look at your Google Analytics traffic sources data, you will see that only some of your traffic comes from that channel. Some come direct, others organically, and a few as referrals or other channels, like email.
Even Google Analytics is showing you the truth.
So what is the truth on Website Traffic Sources?
The truth is that there is more than one road to Rome, meaning people will choose their way to your website rather than yours.
Since you know that visitors choose their own way, meaning you will get different traffic sources, here are a couple of points of view on channel and resource allocation.
Before we get to them, you should know some essential things before proceeding.
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy are the noise before defeat.
Sun Tzu
In business, many people follow best practices (tactics) but need a strategy. No wonder they need help with continuity and growth.
Here are some pieces taken from Robert Greene’s Daily Law Book, broken down to make some points.
“In war, strategy is the art of commanding the entire military operation.
Conversely, tactics are the skill of forming an army for battle and dealing with immediate battlefield needs.
We become so enmeshed in the conflicts we face that we can think only of how to get what we want in the battle we are currently facing. To think strategically is complex but, in all likelihood, unnatural. You might imagine you’re being strategic, but in all probability, you are merely being tactical.
To have the power that only strategy can bring, you must elevate yourself above the battlefield, focus on your long-term objectives, craft an entire campaign, and get out of the reactive mode that so many battles in life lock you into.
Keep your overall goal in mind; deciding when to fight and when to walk away becomes easier. That makes the tactical decisions of daily life much simpler and more rational. Tactical people are heavy and stuck in the ground; strategists are light on their feet and can see far wide. Where are you on the spectrum?”
Let us put that into a business perspective.
Business strategy is the art of positioning yourself as a trusted adviser and adding value to an entire audience in seek. Tactics, on the other hand, is the skill of preparing the audience for the solution and dealing with the ever-changing market.
The challenges of advancing our business take up our entire focus, so we can only think about how to get what we want from our audience in the ever-changing market we are currently facing. Being strategic is complex but also unnatural. All we have around us are gurus and experts who focus on tactics. As you can see, you often think you are strategic but just follow the herd.
To harness the power that strategy can bring to your business, you must elevate yourself above the market and competition to have a broader view of your audience’s pains, struggles, and desires so you can focus on your long-term objectives. Then, craft an entire plan and get out of the reactive mode your market and competitors put you in.
As a business, having your vision and values upfront will help make your day-to-day decision-making easier. It will also make it easier for you to choose which tactics are best suited for your business and which are not. Businesses focusing on tactics are heavy and stuck in the ground, often neglecting market changes. Businesses that focus on strategy quickly adapt to market changes and keep their vision upfront.
Where is your focus on Tactics of Strategy?
Now, let’s proceed to the 3 points of view on Website Traffic Sources.
Point of View 1 on Website Traffic Sources.
Some of your website traffic sources are great at driving awareness, some are great at driving engagement, and some are great at driving conversions. Awareness, Engagement, and Conversion are just like a typical funnel. It is your job to figure out which is doing the above steps the most efficiently so you can allocate your budget appropriately. Use Google Analytics to help you Identify their effectiveness.
Why follow the above? Because there is no business without conversion, no conversion will occur without engagement (trust), and no trust will be built without awareness (people knowing about you).
“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them to do so.”
Bryan Eisenberg
Point of View 2.
When you understand your website traffic sources and their effectiveness, consider optimizing by personalizing your messaging (copy) for each traffic source separately.
“Master the topic, the message, and the delivery.”
Steve Jobs
If they come from Google search, there is a landing page to continue the journey. If they come from Facebook, a different landing page exists to continue the journey. If they come from email, there is a different landing page to continue the trip, and so on.
The crucial thing here is to ensure that your message from each traffic source continues the proper conversation while addressing all the expectations on the landing page. This is hard work, but it is valued by your audience.
“Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes, it’s an ad.”
Howard Gossage.
Attention is something you should earn. By doing this, conversion will be a side effect.
Point of View 3 on Traffic Sources.
Ultimately, if we create happy customers, your direct traffic, organic traffic, and referrals will increase and meet your paid traffic.
Sound crazy?
Well, a happy customer will never stop talking about you. Each time he/she speaks about your business, you are getting free awareness, and the good thing about this type of awareness is that it comes with a high perception of engagement. This high perception is because the customer was referred by a trusted friend. All this leads to a higher chance of conversion if you save it.
“Free publicity and word of mouth is probably the best and cheapest form of advertising. Learn to use it to your advantage.”
Richard Branson
Here, you have 3 points of view that can help you Convert visitors into Happy Customers.
To summarize, you know now that each website traffic source has can have its on purpose in your business journey. You now know you should personalize each traffic source to help meet the visitor’s expectation and continue the conversation forward. And ultimately, know now the power of a happy customer.
It is time for you to revisit your strategy.
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