Website Traffic 101: Simple tips to help you get more of the right people to your website.
Let’s talk about the one thing every website owner wants more of—traffic! Whether you're launching your first site or you’ve been online for a while, understanding the basics of driving traffic is key to growing your brand and booking more dream clients. So if you’re feeling a little “post-and-pray” with your content strategy, don’t worry—I’ve got you.
In this post, I’m walking you through Website Traffic 101—what it is, where it comes from, and how you can start increasing your traffic today.
What Is Website Traffic?
In the simplest terms, website traffic is the number of people who visit your website. But not all traffic is created equal—some visitors are just passing by, while others are ready to click that “Work With Me” button.
There are different types of traffic you’ll want to keep in mind:
- Organic Traffic: Visitors who find your site through search engines (like Google).
- Direct Traffic: People who type your URL straight into their browser.
- Referral Traffic: Visitors coming from other websites that link to yours.
- Social Traffic: Traffic from platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, etc.
- Email Traffic: Visitors clicking through from your email list.
Why Website Traffic Matters
You could have the most beautiful website in the world (especially if it’s built in Showit 😉), but if no one’s seeing it, it’s not doing its job. More traffic = more eyes on your offers = more potential leads, bookings, and sales.
And here’s the thing—it’s not just about getting traffic. You want to attract the right kind of people—those who are genuinely interested in what you offer.
How to Drive More Website Traffic (Without Losing Your Mind)
Ready to boost those page views? Here are a few of my beginner-friendly tips to get you started:
1. Optimize Your Website for SEO
SEO might sound scary, but I promise it’s not! Start with the basics:
- Use keywords in your headings, page titles, and image alt text.
- Write helpful blog content (like this post!) using keywords your audience is searching for.
- Don’t forget to add meta descriptions to your pages and posts.
If you’re using Showit, the SEO tools are super user-friendly! If you're using WordPress for blogging, I use and highly recommend RankMath or YoastSEO to help with this!
2. Create Content That Attracts
Blogging isn’t dead, friend! Writing valuable, keyword-rich content is one of the best ways to bring in organic traffic over time. Think tutorials, lists, how-tos, and answering questions your ideal client is Googling.
New to blogging? Check out my post Blogging for Beginners.
3. Share Your Website on Social Media (Regularly!)
It’s not enough to post once and hope for the best. Make it a habit to share your site pages, blog posts, freebies, and services regularly on:
- Instagram (use Stories, Reels, and your Link in Bio!)
- Pinterest (perfect for evergreen blog content)
- Facebook or LinkedIn (depending on where your audience hangs out)
Pro tip: Create graphics or mockups of your website pages to make your posts more visual.
4. Use Pinterest to Drive Evergreen Traffic
Pinterest acts more like a search engine than a social platform—which makes it gold for website traffic. Design pretty pins for your blog posts, freebies, or portfolio pieces, and link them straight to your website.
Not a graphic designer? Canva’s your best friend. 💕
5. Build an Email List & Use It
If someone’s joined your list, they want to hear from you! Share updates, new blog posts, behind-the-scenes peeks, or even exclusive offers. Every email is another opportunity to drive traffic back to your site.
To be completely honest, this is how I drive most of my non-organic traffic to my website. I've taken a step back from posting on social media 24/7 and really leaned into my email list. And you know what? It's been more enjoyable for me this way ;) Find what works for you and your business!
Track Your Traffic with Google Analytics & Search Console
Once your traffic starts rolling in (yay!), it’s time to start tracking it. This is where Google Analytics and Google Search Console come in. Both are totally free—and incredibly powerful tools to help you understand what’s working on your website.
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics shows you how people are interacting with your website. You can see things like:
- How many people are visiting your site
- Which pages are most popular
- How long visitors are staying on your pages
- What devices (mobile, desktop) they’re using
- Where your traffic is coming from (social, Google, direct, etc.)
✨ Beginner Tip: Set up GA4 (the latest version of Google Analytics) early so it can start collecting data—even if you’re not ready to dive into the numbers just yet.
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console helps you understand how your site is performing in search engines. It gives you insight into:
- Which keywords people are using to find your site
- How many times your site is showing up in search results
- Your click-through rate (how often people click when they see you)
- Any indexing or performance issues Google has found
✨ Beginner Tip: Use the Performance tab to see which search terms (queries) are leading to clicks. These can give you great ideas for future blog posts!
If you’re new to both tools, don’t stress! You don’t need to be a data expert to start benefiting from them. Just check in once or twice a month to get a feel for your most popular content and where your traffic is coming from.
📌 Pro tip: Set calendar reminders to check your traffic monthly—it’s a great way to see your growth over time!
Your Website Traffic Isn’t Going to Grow Overnight—and That’s OK
Like most good things in business, building consistent website traffic takes time and strategy. But with a little intention and consistency, you’ll start seeing those numbers go up (and with the right people visiting!).
And if you ever feel stuck? That’s what I’m here for. I’m all about helping creatives and service providers like you build websites that actually work—and get seen.
Need Help Making Your Website Shine?
Whether you’re just starting out or ready for a total refresh, I’ve got templates and design services that will help you turn visitors into clients. Let’s make your website work for you.
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