Comments on: Does Google Send You Too Much Traffic?

By: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:30:54 +0000

@TheGuru, I would disagree that we disagree. ;0) You are absolutely right that site owners should optimize for Google. My point was only that when any one source (including Google) accounts for a large percentage of your traffic, you have the potential for a big problem.

Appreciate your Google traffic, but diversify to attract visitors from other search engines, site referrals, offline sources, etc.

Thanks for your comment!

By: The Guru

The Guru — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Thanks for the interesting read. I’d just like to pick up on something you say early on, “However, if those visitors represent 30%, 40% or more of the traffic you receive, you need a new plan.”. I don’t really agree with this. People should be optimising for Google, as it is by far the most popular web search engine worldwide and webmasters and site owners should spent time making sure that they aren’t black listed from Google and are keeping up with Google algorithm changes. It is a valid point that other search engines do still matter.
The Guru.

By: Zita Martel

Zita Martel — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:00:10 +0000

Thanks so much for the simple explanations given on how to deal with websites, SEOs etc. I live in Samoa (island in the south pacific) and we are starved for good info being so ‘isolated’. I very much appreciate your articles Cathy and I’m trying my best to follow-up on all the suggestions as I’m such a novice that I feel overwhelmed most of the time.

By: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:52:14 +0000

@Philip John, yes, getting more links could help you to rank higher in the search engines and cause Google to send you even more traffic. However, the links will also send traffic directly.

That means that if the Google algorithm changes, or you get penalized for some reason, you will still have lots of visitors coming from other sources.

And you can never have too much traffic, right? ;o)

By: Philip John

Philip John — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:34:02 +0000

This makes perfect sense – don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Would it not be the case though, that if you made an effort to get traffic from elsewhere, it would create new links to your site. The knock-on effect of which could have an impact on search engine rankings, making your site more visible and driving more traffic.

Surely with Google being such a major internet property and driving such a high percentage of internet searches, it makes sense for it to be driving a high proportion of web site referrals?

Thinking out loud and playing devil’s advocate.

Phil

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:31:09 +0000

I think this is a great article and thanks for sharing some good ideas and resources. One thing we rely on the same as Lisa (the previous commenter) said is by word of mouth. Thank you for sharing!

Kevin
http://www.kidsdesk.net

By: Lisa Tener

Lisa Tener — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:43:40 +0000

Cathy, I love your ideas on diversifying for traffic. I actually experienced a drop in Google ranking, because my competition was doing a better job of SEO than I was (I was pretty much standing still–my fault) and it would have been a problem if I hadn’t diversified.

I would like to point out one critical source of traffic–word of mouth–whether by e-mail, people passing along your newsletter, etc.

I help people write and publish their nonfiction books, especially how-to and self-help. More than half of my business is word of mouth. I’ve learned to tell my clients that I appreciate them passing along my information to others and to ask for referrals.

Of course, if we’re looking for referrals, it’s important to deliver, or over-deliver, and provide the best service we possibly can. But, even then, it’s important to remind people to pass the word along!