Which is More Crucial- Social Traffic or Organic Traffic?

In the digital marketing realm, the age-old debate of social media marketing versus SEO doesn’t hold much ground anymore. In fact, these two strategies are more like dynamic partners, working together to fuel your online success. It’s all about finding the right balance.

When it comes to content creation as mentioned by social media marketing expert Michelle Stinson Ross, its impact goes beyond just fuelling your social media activity and keeping you connected to your audience.

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The content you produce also plays a vital role in securing valuable real estate in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This not only boosts your website’s visibility but also helps in earning high-quality backlinks, ultimately strengthening your online brand presence.

But let’s address the elephant in the room: which traffic source delivers better conversions – social media or organic search? While both have their unique strengths, organic search traffic tends to have an edge.

Why? Well, organic search traffic has the advantage of catching users towards the end or near the end of their purchase cycle. These individuals are actively investigating and ready to purchase, making them highly valuable prospects.

On the other hand, social media opens a different avenue for brands to connect with people even before they realise, they need or want the brand’s product. By responding to social inquiries or questions with relevant links, brands can tap into a pool of potential customers who may not have actively searched for their product or service. Surprisingly, this approach often yields conversion rates comparable to, if not higher than, organic search.

So, which traffic source should you prioritise in the long term? The answer lies in maximising the potential of both search and social traffic. Each brings its own unique benefits and audience engagement opportunities.

By having realistic expectations and crafting a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that encompasses both, you can effectively harness the power of both search and social to drive targeted traffic and achieve your goals.

The Significance of Organic Traffic

When it comes to businesses, potential customers often turn to search engines to research vendors long before making a phone call. This is where the power of organic traffic comes into play.

Having a strong organic traffic strategy helps your website connect with potential customers at various stages of their buying process. It enables you to reach them when they are searching for broader solutions to their problems, as well as when they are closer to making a specific purchase decision. By appearing in search results, you can establish your brand as a trusted resource right from the start.

As visitors move through their buying journey, your website can connect with them multiple times through different touchpoints. This can include blog posts, white papers, interviews on other websites, and various service pages. The more content you have on your website, the more opportunities you create organically to drive traffic and engage with your target audience.

For most websites, organic sources are the primary drivers of traffic. Without a strong online presence, businesses struggle to keep up with the competition, even if they have a powerful offline brand. Having a robust organic traffic strategy becomes crucial to maintain a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Let’s take the example of one of our clients in the commercial food industry. They have been a dominant brand for 60 years, specialising in building and selling high-end restaurant equipment.

However, in the past decade, smaller overseas competitors with a strong online presence started outranking our client, even for their own branded products (such as resold used equipment). This highlights the significance of having a comprehensive organic traffic generation strategy to ensure visibility and competitiveness in the online marketplace.

So, how to increase organic traffic?

To achieve success in organic traffic generation, implementing effective SEO strategies is essential. This involves optimising your website, targeting relevant keywords, creating valuable and informative content, and building quality backlinks. By focusing on these tactics, you can drive targeted organic traffic, enhance your online presence, and stay ahead of the competition.

The Importance of Social Traffic

Imagine a world where Google suddenly vanished overnight or, in a more likely scenario, your website gets penalised and loses all its organic traffic. What would be left as your main, or possibly only, source of traffic? Social channels. This highlights the importance of not putting all your eggs in one basket and leveraging social channels to balance your traffic sources.

While organic traffic and SEO are crucial, relying solely on search engines makes businesses vulnerable to the ever-changing landscape of the SEO industry. Google’s constant algorithm updates to combat spam have impacted numerous websites, sometimes unfairly.

However, those with a solid social media presence in place were able to sustain their online presence even if their organic traffic took a hit. In fact, I have seen clients who receive more traffic from their social media profiles than from organic sources.

Michelle also highlights an important point: social media has the power to drive converting traffic to your website, albeit typically not as much as other channels. A social mention or endorsement acts as an online thumbs-up, influencing people’s willingness to do business with brands approved by their friends or social connections.

A single social interaction may not always result in an immediate sale, but it can serve as the starting point for generating new business and building meaningful connections with your audience.

While SEO and organic traffic remain essential, it is crucial to diversify traffic sources. Relying on social channels can offer stability in case of unexpected changes in search engine algorithms or penalties.

By maintaining a strong social media presence and leveraging its potential to drive traffic and build connections, businesses can achieve a more balanced and resilient approach to driving traffic to their websites.

The Synergy of Organic and Social Traffic

To ensure a successful business, it’s crucial to have a combination of both organic search traffic and social traffic. The more avenues you must connect with your audience, the greater the chances of success.

Social media marketing plays a vital role in establishing connections and fostering relationships with your target audience. On the other hand, organic search traffic, generated through SEO efforts, helps build your online brand and provides numerous opportunities to position your website in front of potential customers.

By adopting a comprehensive approach that leverages both organic search traffic and social traffic, you can strengthen your online presence and maximise your chances of achieving success.

Learn More: Organic Search Vs Direct Sources of Search traffic