Website Traffic Channels Overview

Summary

The meeting provided a comprehensive overview of the seven main channels for driving website traffic, including social media, referral sites, paid search, organic search, email/SMS marketing, display ads, and direct traffic.
Each channel was explained in clear, actionable steps with practical examples and recommendations for small businesses.
No attendees, deadlines, or specific business decisions were mentioned as this was an educational presentation.

(No explicit action items or owners were mentioned during the presentation.)

Social media remains an increasingly important channel for website traffic, with both paid and organic approaches available.
Paid social (ads) provides immediate traffic; organic social (content/community) takes longer but is free.
Valuable content to drive organic growth should engage, entertain, or educate ("the three E's").
Focus on excelling at one or two major platforms relevant to your audience (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X).

Referral traffic is generated when other websites link to your site.
Key sources: business directories (e.g., Yelp, Angie's List), public forums (e.g., Quora, Reddit), and guest blogging on industry-relevant sites.
Listing in relevant directories and guest posting with backlinks are highlighted as impactful strategies.

Organic search (SEO) delivers free traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
Achieving high rankings requires following Google's best practices and building positive site metrics (backlinks, time on site, low bounce rates, high click-through).
SEO is a long-term effort, often requiring 6-12 months for significant results.

Paid search (PPC) is the fastest way to receive search engine traffic, requiring a Google Ads account and ideally, certification.
Display ads, including remarketing, can target previous visitors across other websites for increased traffic and sales.
Both strategies can become costly, so ongoing management and optimization are recommended.

Email and SMS marketing are cost-effective channels to re-engage visitors and drive repeat website traffic.
Email marketing delivers high ROI, and many platforms (like MailChimp) support both email and SMS.
Regular email or SMS campaigns keep businesses top-of-mind with their most engaged audiences.

Direct traffic results from users typing the website address into their browser or clicking on bookmarks.
It often follows increased brand awareness from online or offline marketing efforts.
Higher direct traffic is an indirect indicator of strong branding and marketing impact.