Do you think Google can teach you a thing or two about generating targeted website traffic through its search engine?
That’s what I thought as well, so I started digging for some solid information from Google on what webmasters can do to bring more traffic to their sites.
The problem was I could not find ANY such information.
Until that is… I finally found something that Google not only ascribes to, but firmly stands by.
Their philosophy.
They refer to it as “Ten things we know to be true”.
Bingo!
Google’s Ten Things as applied to targeted website traffic generation.
1. “Focus on the user and all else will follow.”
says:
Since the beginning, we’ve focused on providing the best user experience possible. Whether we’re designing a new Internet browser or a new tweak to the look of the homepage, we take great care to ensure that they will ultimately serve you, rather than our own internal goal or bottom line.
Food for thought:
- Is your blog design user-friendly?
- From the moment your reader shows up on your home page or any post, what do you do to prevent them from wanting to hit that back button as soon as possible?
- What can you do more of or how can you do what you are already doing better?
- Do you offer relevant content or bombard the poor guy with advertisements?
- How do you express to your targeted website traffic that they were right on the target when they chose to come to your site?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
Remember that your bottom line is your READERS that you will eventually want to become your leads and then your customers. THAT’S how you attract that perfect TARGETED visitor who will stick around and even bring a friend.
2. “It’s best to do one thing really, really well.”
says:
We do search. With one of the world’s largest research groups focused exclusively on solving search problems, we know what we do well, and how we could do it better.
Food for thought:
- Are you trying to be the Jack of All Traders? Or master of none more like it?
- Do you REALLY know what your blog is about?
- Do you stand out from the crowd or is your blog just a number in the blogging world?
- Why would someone choose to read your blog?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
If you want to bring TARGETED website traffic, you need to provide TARGETED information. Content that stands out and provides knowledge and experience your visitor won’t find anywhere else.
3. “Fast is better than slow.”
says:
We know your time is valuable, so when you’re seeking an answer on the web you want it right away – and we aim to please.
Food for thought:
- What do you do to deliver the results your traffic hopes for quickly and efficiently?
- Is finding information on your blog is like pulling teeth?
- Do you make them jump through the hoops of pop-ups, advertisements, automatically-starting videos?
- Do you flood your blog with useless plugins that only slow it down?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
This one definitely goes back to user experience. You have only seconds to woo your targeted website traffic and you’d better make the best of them.
4. “Democracy on the web works.”
says:
Google search works because it relies on the millions of individuals posting links on websites to help determine which other sites offer content of value.
Food for thought:
- Do you excite your audience enough for them to want to share your content?
- Do you have any flagship content that visitors can’t help but link to because it’s so good?
- What is your linkbait?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
Democracy is a great thing and can do wonders for your targeted website traffic generation…but nobody says you can’t and shouldn’t help it along! Produce the kind of content people want to link to and the sky will be the limit.
5. “You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.”
says:
The world is increasingly mobile: people want access to information wherever they are, whenever they need it.
Food for thought:
- Are you going where your ideal targeted visitor is?
- If they watch a lot of videos, are you posting videos to your blog?
- If they want to listen to your posts instead of, oh no, reading them, do you offer that option?
- Podcasts? Text messages? RSS feeds?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
KNOW your target market, go where they go, give them what they are looking for. Be innovative. Think out of the box. Because that’s exactly what it takes these days to get your share of targeted website traffic.
6. “You can make money without doing evil.”
says:
Google is a business. The revenue we generate is derived from offering search technology to companies and from the sale of advertising displayed on our site and on other sites across the web… we have a set of guiding principles for our advertising programs and practices:
* We don’t allow ads to be displayed on our results pages unless they are relevant where they are shown… It’s possible that certain searches won’t lead to any ads at all.
* We believe that advertising can be effective without being flashy.
* Advertising on Google is always clearly identified as a “Sponsored Link,” so it does not compromise the integrity of our search results.
Food for thought:
- I don’t even know where to start here. Main thought: do you really make enough money with your advertising to risk loosing the majority of your visitors?
- Have you thought of more user-friendly ways to introduce your traffic to the products you sell?
- Do you sell through education or by simply shoving something down my throat?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
All the work you put into acquiring your targeted website traffic will amount to nothing if all you do is sell them the second they get to your site. Learn to monetize by doing reviews, providing resources, showing them how it works for your business.
7. “There’s always more information out there.”
says:
Once we’d indexed more of the HTML pages on the Internet than any other search service, our engineers turned their attention to information that was not as readily accessible. Sometimes it was just a matter of integrating new databases into search, such as adding a phone number and address lookup and a business directory.
Food for thought:
- Are you being innovative with the information you provide to your readers?
- Do you give them a fresh look at an old problem?
- Do you provide answers they are looking for?
- And after you did all of that, do you go the extra step to give them something they can’t find anywhere else?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
“There’s always more information out there” and your targeted website traffic will continue searching for it until they find someone who gives it to them. Why not your blog? It can be something very little and obscure, but if YOU see the need for it and bring it out to light - imagine the possibilities!
8. “The need for information crosses all borders.”
says:
Our company was founded in California, but our mission is to facilitate access to information for the entire world, and in every language.
Food for thought:
- Do you limit yourself to your own little world you are comfortable with or do you step out and say “Here I am, World, come hear what I have to say!”
- Do you miss possibilities to bring more people to your blog simply because you “don’t know how to do it”?
- Do you limit yourself to only the obvious?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
Be everywhere because that’s where your targeted website traffic is. They are on social media networks, video channels, competitors’ blogs; they are in France, India, South Africa, the U.S. - EVERYWHERE. Be there and stand tall.
9. “You can be serious without a suit.”
says:
Our founders built Google around the idea that work should be challenging, and the challenge should be fun. We believe that great, creative things are more likely to happen with the right company culture…
Food for though:
- Is your blog a fun place that cultivates discussions, idea sharing, and fun?
- How do you present yourself to your readers?
- Are you trying to be who you are not?
- Do you believe that any challenge that comes your way should be fun? Do you make it fun?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
Let your targeted website traffic see who you really are and they will thank you for it with their loyalty. Give them a blog that they love coming back to because they know that they will learn and be heard. Be serious, be fun, be yourself.
10. “Great just isn’t good enough.”
says:
We see being great at something as a starting point, not an endpoint. We set ourselves goals we know we can’t reach yet, because we know that by stretching to meet them we can get further than we expected.
Food for thought - very obvious:
- Do you push yourself beyond limits? Heck, do you even push yourself at all?
- Do you set your goals high and remain confident that some day you will get there?
- Do you inspire to be great or merely good enough?
Targeted Website Traffic Takeaway:
“Good enough” doesn’t cut it. You can drive targeted website traffic all you want - your visitors will see right through you and leave quicker than they came. Be great!
“The perfect search engine,” says Google co-founder Larry Page, “would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want.”
And so should be your blog: know your target audience, know their needs and wants, and give it to them in a way they get hooked and keep coming for more.
Easier said than done? Maybe. But then again, who said that running a successful internet business is an easy thing?
Targeted website traffic IS the key to online success. I have my Ten Things lined up; what about you?
You are right: you don’t have to comment or retweet, but would it help if I told you it would be much appreciated? 
***Note on images: all Google images are Google property.
Leave a Reply