1. Get Discovered in Google and AI Search
Search remains one of the largest sources of website traffic — but the landscape is shifting quickly. Google now answers many queries directly on the results page, and a growing number of people ask ChatGPT and similar AI tools for recommendations instead of browsing.
Research from SparkToro (2024) found that nearly 60% of Google searches in the EU end without a click. That means the clicks that remain are more valuable than ever, and the top positions capture most of them. Backlinko's analysis of 4 million searches found that the first organic result earns 27.6% of all clicks.
To give your site the best chance:
- Ensure each important page targets one clear keyphrase in its title, meta description, and headings.
- Add short, direct answers and FAQ sections that AI tools can easily quote.
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile if you serve a local area.
- Keep your site fast, secure, and mobile-friendly.
If you're on WordPress, a beginner's SEO guide will walk you through the setup. For AI visibility specifically, look for resources on how to get cited by AI tools.
2. Publish Content That Genuinely Helps
The most reliable long-term traffic strategy is to give away useful information for free. Every helpful article becomes another page that can rank in Google, be shared on social media, and be quoted by AI tools.
Ways to do this:
- Write blog posts that answer the questions customers ask you most often.
- Publish case studies showing how you've helped real clients.
- Share articles on LinkedIn to reach people who don't know you yet.
- Write guest posts for respected sites and publications in your industry.
The goal is to become the go-to source in your field. When your content is good enough, other sites link to it — which boosts your rankings further.
Not sure where to begin? A blogging guide for business owners and tips for creating compelling website content will help you start.
3. Email Your List (With a Reason to Click)
Email remains one of the highest-value channels available. The UK's Data & Marketing Association found that businesses earn an average return of £38.33 for every £1 spent on email marketing.
Those helpful articles from tip 2? Turn them into short newsletter emails, each with a clear link back to the full post on your website. Once a fortnight or once a month is plenty for most businesses.
Offers work well too. One cleaning company we heard about had two staff finish a job early, so the founder emailed his list with a discount on the day rate. Two clients booked straight away, and he made over a thousand pounds of extra business in the time it took to write one short email.
4. Stay Active on LinkedIn and Social Media
Social media lets you stay in front of past, current, and future customers at the same time. For most B2B businesses, LinkedIn is the place to focus. For consumer brands, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok usually work better.
It doesn't need to consume your week. Tools like Buffer offer a free plan that lets you schedule posts across several channels at once.
Share your own articles, but don't make it all about you. Mix in useful industry news, behind-the-scenes posts, and comments on other people's content. The more genuinely helpful you are, the more people will click through to see what else you have to say.
Planning ahead makes this much easier. A marketing calendar with key dates gives you a framework to build posts around. And if you'd rather hand it over, a social media marketing team can help.
5. Create a Free Guide
A free downloadable guide, checklist, or template gives people a strong reason to visit your website and hand over their email address.
It takes effort, but it pays off. You position yourself as an expert, and every download adds a warm lead to your email list.
Tools like Mailchimp let you set up a simple sign-up form so visitors enter their name and email to get the guide. You can then send them a short series of helpful follow-up emails automatically. Just make sure people clearly agree to receive marketing emails, so you stay on the right side of UK GDPR.
Start with the topic your customers are most desperate to understand. A website audit checklist is a good example of the kind of resource that works.
6. Record Short Videos
It's okay — you can come out from under your desk. Video doesn't need a film crew any more, and it works. In Wyzowl's State of Video Marketing report, 82% of video marketers said video has helped them increase web traffic.
Short how-to videos and "why work with us" videos work well on YouTube, LinkedIn, and your own website. People buy from people, so seeing your face builds trust before you've even spoken.
7. Join Online Communities
Industry forums have largely given way to communities on Reddit, LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, and Slack. They're well worth your time, because people go there to ask for recommendations. Reddit threads also show up frequently in Google results and AI answers.
The golden rule is to help first. Answer questions properly, share what you know, and only link to your website when it genuinely helps. Shameless self-promotion gets you ignored — or banned.
Done well, you'll build a reputation as the helpful expert, and people will look you up.
8. Try Paid Online Advertising
This one isn't free, but it's the quickest way to get more website traffic while your other channels build up.
- Google Ads shows your website to people actively searching for what you offer. It's ideal when people already know what they need.
- Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram) work well for consumer businesses and can be very cost-effective for promoting an offer or free guide.
- LinkedIn ads cost more per click but let you target by job title, industry, and company size — useful for B2B.
Start small, track every click, and only scale what works. It's easy to waste money on Google Ads if you haven't run campaigns before, so read tips for setting up a successful Google Ads campaign first.
9. Get Out There and Network
Online marketing is great, but sometimes you need to step away from the screen and meet people.
Networking events, local business groups, chambers of commerce, and industry conferences all give you access to decision-makers you'd struggle to reach any other way. When someone recommends you to a contact they trust, that person is very likely to visit your website.
Take business cards with a QR code that links to a useful page on your site — not just your homepage. Then follow up on LinkedIn afterwards.
10. Use Print and Local Press
It might feel old school, but print still has its place, especially for local businesses.
- Mailshots: A well-designed postcard or letter with a useful offer stands out in a quieter letterbox. Add a QR code that takes people straight to a dedicated page on your website.
- Local magazines: Look in Google Analytics for your most popular blog posts and offer one to a local magazine as an editorial piece, with a link back to your site.
Offline marketing is harder to measure, so use a unique web address, QR code, or tracked link for each campaign. That way you'll see exactly how many visits it brings in.
About the Author
This article was written by Sohail Khan. Our team of experts shares insights and best practices to help you stay ahead.
