Seo traffic or how to monetize your web sites

You can get traffic in different ways. Someone blogs on social networks and smart feeds themselves attract the audience. Others find it more convenient to set up targeting and quickly get a stream of customers.

But there are other ways to promote. We’ll tell you about one of them today.

What is SEO?

This is organic free traffic, the site gets it from the search engines. If the user is looking for something, the results are sorted by relevance. Those that are more likely to solve the problem are at the top of the list.

You can increase your position in search results using SEO. To do this, you need to optimize the content and adjust the page to the parameters that search engines evaluate.

The approach has advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider them in more detail.

Pluses

• Targeted traffic. People go over from the search results with an already formed need, therefore, there will be more conversions.

• Free. This is organic traffic, you don't need to pay for it. An exception is a payment to the studios that are engaged in SEO optimization.

• Loyalty. If a project has been in the TOP-1 of the search results for a long time, people will have more confidence in it.

• Passivity. It is enough to bring the site to the first positions once, after which you only need to support and monitor the optimization. The main work is done once.

Minuses

There were also some drawbacks:

• Labor intensity. The larger the site, the more work needs to be done. Optimization can take up to six months.

• Inability to predict the result. The work has to be done blind, it is impossible to track the indicators in the process.

• Damage to content. In order for search engines to notice a project, you need to adapt to their requirements. In most cases, this requires redoing the content, which harms the author's style.

• Requirements are changing. Search engines change their ranking mechanics, so you need to check if a downgrade occurs after updates.

Output

It is an efficient time-consuming process. It allows you to attract an interested audience, creates a positive reputation around the publication, while does not require investment, and, after setting up, works in a semi-passive mode.

How to optimize?

Analytics and preparation

Assess the current situation - this is necessary for planning.

Start with the search results. Check what positions your site is in. Consider requests of any frequency that are relevant to the project. If the goal is to get into the TOP-3, while the site is in low positions in the search, write down these keywords.

The next stage is the analysis of competitors' advertisements. Some sites in the initial analysis were higher in the search results than your project. Study them and fix them for what they are better. Perhaps there is a certain design approach or convenient navigation within the site.

Next, analyze your target audience. Break your visitors down into segments and find out what goals they are pursuing by going to your site. Collect the most frequent search queries that followed you.

The last stage is a technical audit. Check the site through special services, for example, Google Page Speed Insights. It will analyze the download speed and give information about errors. Internal optimization and speed of work also affect the position in the SERP, so fix them as soon as possible.

The next step is to collect the semantic core.

Semantic core

This is the base of targeted queries. Include in it all keywords for which:

• Users went to your site. You can find them out through Google Analytics or Yandex. Metrica, depending on the audience. For CIZ citizens - Yandex, for foreigners - Google;

• Visitors can go to your site. These are any high-frequency targeted queries that are looking for you or competitors. For a home appliance store, this would be, for example, "Buy an electric kettle";

• Reaching the TOP for low-frequency queries is easier. If we take an example with an electric kettle, it will be something like “Buy an electric kettle in Cheboksary with fast delivery”. Add similar key phrases to the list

This is a long and laborious process and can take several months depending on the size of the project. Sort the keys into categories to speed up.

For the financial journal, separately collect requests for the cryptocurrency section, financial exchange, company reviews, and traders' tools. For an online store, make a breakdown according to the products. For example, Kitchen Utensils is one section, and Smartphones are another.

When the kernel will be assembled, you can move on to creating landing pages.

Creating landing pages

During the analytics phase, you identified the most important queries. Most likely high-frequency keys, frequent search clicks, and just aspects that are important to customers.

They will become landing pages. Expand the site structure and create a separate page for each request. Write down keywords in titles and descriptions, in content and metadata.

Don't forget the internal link base. Search engines should see that from the landing page you go to other sections with different content and relevance. If you will not anticipate this, your position in the search results will drop.

To speed up the process of creating landing pages, make them for separate groups of requests and create templates with pre-written keys. Without this, you will have to fill out each page from scratch.

When the pages are created, come up with readable addresses for them. Search engines don't like random character sets in the linkbase, therefore they lower their position in the results of some sites.

Check your landing pages for loading speed before filling. If everything is in order, then time to make content.

Filling

Let's start with photos and videos. It is important that they are of good quality and retain their uniqueness. Search engines do not like plagiarism and can ban the page if they abuse borrowed content.

There are no other requirements for media files, what you can’t be said about the text. To raise a site to the TOP, you need the text to meet several requirements:

• Uniqueness. Check on special services for copywriters. Try to reach an indicator above 90%, the more the better;

• Keys. You have a semantic core, select the most relevant queries from it and enter them. Spread evenly, no more than one key per 1000 characters. Do not change it or separate it with punctuation marks, this affects the position in the search;

• Benefit to the reader. Remove stop words and complex phrases. Form your thoughts clearly and avoid long sentences.

• Layout and structure. Bulky paragraphs, the absence of subheadings, and lists affect the perception of the text. If it is inconvenient to read, then the search engine will lose credibility in the site.

• Grammar. Errors are recognized by systems and affect the output. Hire a proofreader or check the text before publishing with special services.

When the pages will be filled with useful content with the entered keys, the optimization can be considered complete. If you do everything right, the position in the search results will rise and organic traffic will begin to flow to the site.

Now let's figure out how to make money on this.

How to monetize?

Advertising

Suitable for magazines and information sites. There are several options for working with advertising:

• Integrate ad network blocks. Install blocks from Yandex, Google, teaser, banner, and native networks on the site. For every click on the ad, you will receive a commission;

• Partnership. Start cooperation with companies related to the topic of the site. Get a promo code and the company will pay for each attracted client;

• Native integrations. Find a direct advertiser and offer to advertise their product. Dedicate an article to the product where you natively talk about the benefits.

Promote somebody's business, this is one of the easiest ways to make money. Your task is to prepare the site and attract the attention of the audience. Purchase of goods, delivery and other aspects outside of your competence.

Arbitrage traffic sites

Take advantage of affiliate marketing opportunities on communication sites. Register in CPA networks, choose a product suitable for your site and get a personal link.

Develop creative. It can be either banner that you have placed separately from the main content, or full-fledged articles about the product. Any user who follows your link and takes the targeted action will generate income.

As with regular advertising, you don't have to deal with customer handling and shipping. You sell traffic and get paid to do it.

Collection of donations

If you do not want to overload the audience with advertising, or you appreciate the project and do not want to monetize users directly, start collecting donations.

A great option for author blogs. Leave the details, remind about donations. If a person understands that you are asking for a donation because you do not want to spoil the site with advertising, he will transfer the funds himself.

Better if you offer something in return. Unusual research, inside information, or a small collectible autographed card would be good options to incentivize users.

Sale of goods, services, information

This is suitable for any information platform. If you are promoting an online store, this is the only monetization option.

If you have an informational website or personal blog, think about how you can benefit your audience. A travel blogger can talk about how to travel cheaply, and the creator of a website about living in Germany can organize an agency to move.

Output

SEO is flexible and allows you to attract hot users for freedom. With its help, you can increase the profit of the site, but optimization will take a lot of time and effort. Take your time and take it step by step, it is impossible to predict the result.