An Introduction to Defensible Traffic
What is Defensible Traffic? Simply put, defensible traffic is web traffic from sources other than search engines (or Google). These sources can come from offline marketing efforts, traditional media, an established audience base or other online websites.
The benefit of cultivating defensible traffic sources is that you will still receive visitors to your website even if changes in search engine or PayPerClick (PPC)algorithms make it increasingly difficult to get search traffic to your website.
JazzcatSEO has a nice definition of defensible traffic, one which contrasts PPC traffic with an established and well cultivated website.
Anybody with a basic knowledge of PPC and a bank account can buy traffic for their website. And if their account is big enough, they can steal your PPC traffic by paying more per click.
Therefore, the only way you can defend that traffic is to pay more per click and cut into your ROI.. On the other hand, a well-optimized site with carefully developed content, quality backlinks, good domain age, etc. that ranks well in the SERPs has a huge advantage over newer contenders in the same space.
It’s much easier to maintain traffic from such a site, because anybody who want to compete with you in that space will have to develop a site with more relevant backlinks or better content, which is a lot more difficult than simply upping the bid on their PPC dashboard.
Over relying in search engines means that your online revenue is in the hands of major search engines like Google or Yahoo. Matt McGee suggests that your online income and business shouldn’t be fueled by traffic sources you can’t control:
Google is constantly tweaking how it ranks pages, and if all your eggs are in Google’s basket, your business is operating at Google’s mercy. What if the next algorithm change isn’t friendly toward your site and the SEO tactics you use?
Whatever you do, don’t rely just on Google. A business plan that relies on free traffic from an outside source you don’t control is no business plan at all. Spread your eggs around. Changes will come — you can be sure of that.
In order to make your website into a reliable cashcow in the long run, you definitely need to consider establishing forward income stability, which requires you to plan ahead for contingencies while initiating strategies which expand your income sources beyond search traffic alone.
Sources of Defensible Traffic to Cultivate
While optimizing your website for search engines is important, it’s important to understand that the following sources of defensible traffic are important for long term growth and sustainability.
- Partnerships/advertising with websites in your niche.
- Off-line marketing in traditional ad media, word of mouth promotion etc.
- Bloggers and Webmasters within and outside of your niche
- Online communities like forums, bullentin boards (e.g. Craigslist)
- Social media, bookmarking and voting websites (e.g. Digg, Reddit, YouTube )
- RSS or newsletter subscribers
- Type-in traffic and Effective site branding
How to Build Defensible Traffic to Your Website
The next article in this series of web traffic building tips will focus on methods you can use to build defensible traffic to your website. The article will include some of the valuable articles I’ve come across on this topic and I’ll try to share some of my personal experiences as well.
If you’ve enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Dosh Dosh’s blog feed today.
that is true I try not to work so hard on the SEO but on hardlinks and JV partners as they can provide the more realistic traffic even though most or everyone usually search to find their information before maybe checking their bookmarks etc.
again I think its the web 2.0 phase that we are in or are always talking about that we tend to get more social and depend on hard traffic than ppc and seo
So, basically, it all comes back to (it always comes back to) having the strongest possible content, because the other actions you describe (partnerships, backlinks, etc.) are far easier for excellent content. I’m not saying content is all there is, but it’s the foundation.
I like the term ‘defensible traffic,’ though. It makes sense for what it is. Another way to look at it is through investment terminology: diversification.
One great thing about defensible traffic is that it isn’t dependent upon how much money you spend!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the articles in the series!
You know how in your Google Analytics stats there is this big portion of your traffic pie that is labelled “Other”, I once read an article talking about how its good to grow your “other” as it comes from so many different sources that it is unlikely to diminish, whereas your big 5 traffic sources are controlled by someone else and they could potentially switch you off. Most often this big 5 includes Google, certainly I have a site where 40% of traffic comes from Google every day and I would be in big trouble if that ever stopped.
Hi Maki,
This is the egg theory, do not put all your eggs in one basket.
Vijay
The first time I saw that phrase “defensible traffic” was a few months back at Scoreboard Media’s blog I think it was. And then at Andy Hagan’s. Here’s Andy’s quiz:
http://tropicalseo.com/2007/is.....oint-quiz/
Hi Collis,
I think I read the same article before.. don’t remember where it was from though. But you’re right, the “Other” is rather important though it can be quite difficult for some niches. Freelance Switch seems to have done a great job though, by working the social media and community angle for traffic.
Michael,
Diversification is a nice way of putting it. Great content is the foundation for any successful online website. Marketing/Networking just builds on that by making people aware of your website. ^_^
Sherwin,
I was actually saving Andy Hagan’s piece for the next article … but thanks for dropping the link.
Bruce
Thanks for making Dosh Dosh part of your Pageflakes Pagecast experience!
Defensible traffic eh? I think I’ll remember that. Thanks Maki.
Once again Maki, I appreciate your wisdom!