18,800 Google Visitors: My SEO and Ad-Free Traffic Generation

15 Mar, 2024
Share :

1. Introduction
2. It's Google Discover
3. Google Discover is omnipresent, even if you're not aware of it
4. Optimizing for Google Discover
5. Conclusion

Introduction

If you're seeking to acquire traffic from Google, you typically have two options: SEO or paid advertising. However, there's an alternative method to drive Google traffic that's both quicker than SEO and doesn't incur costs like paid ads. And no, it's not Google News. It's a simpler approach that has proven highly effective, driving 18,800 visitors to my site in the last 3 months, as depicted in the screenshot above.

So, what is this method?

It's Google Discover

Similar to social media feeds on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, Google has its own feed known as Google Discover. If you primarily use Google on your laptop or desktop computer, you may not be familiar with it. However, if you have the Google mobile app or the Chrome mobile app, chances are you've already encountered it. Here's what it looks like on an iPhone:

Google Discover functions as Google's equivalent of a social feed. Here's a breakdown of how it operates: When you use the Google mobile app or Chrome mobile app, you'll find Google Discover results displayed beneath the search box. These results consist of summaries of web pages presented in the form of cards. These cards resemble a scrollable list of topics, akin to a social feed, and can be conveniently browsed on your mobile devices.

Tapping on one of these cards from the Google search home will immediately take you to the corresponding web page.

As for the reason why you might see certain stories that others do not, it's because the recommendations are personalized. They are influenced by factors such as your search history, interactions with Google products, and your choice to follow specific topics directly via Google Discover.

Now, here's where it gets intriguing...

Google Discover is omnipresent, even if you're not aware of it

Results from Google Discover for certain topics can also be found within the search engine results, labeled as "Interesting finds."

Clicking on one of these stories will immediately redirect you to the corresponding web page. Alternatively, if you choose to click on "more stories" at the bottom of the Interesting Finds card, it will lead you to a new Google Discover user interface. Here, you can follow the selected topic, explore related topics, and browse through additional Discover listings.

For those with Pixel phones, you've likely encountered Discover frequently, even if you haven't consciously recognized it.

If you own a Pixel phone, you can access a customizable and personalized feed by swiping right on your home screen, similar to the image shown above.

Now, you might be pondering, how does this differ from using Google News? After all, Google News has a top stories section that resembles a feed, doesn't it?

The distinction lies in the fact that unlike top stories, Discover doesn't solely prioritize the most recently published content in its rankings.

If Google believes that an earlier piece of content would be of interest to a user, Discover has the potential to display it. Furthermore, Discover encompasses a wide range of content, including videos, sports scores, entertainment updates (such as movie news), stock prices, event information for events like music festivals, and much more.

Google is positioning Discover as a central hub for all of your interests, much like how Facebook manages its feed.

In essence, Google Discover can be likened to Google's version of your Facebook feed. Similar to following a hashtag on Instagram, you can follow topics of interest on Discover. Additionally, akin to Instagram's Explore Page, you don't necessarily need to follow specific topics to receive content that may pique your interest. Discover aims to present content that aligns with your interests, often before you realize you're interested in it.

The key here is the element of anticipation—Discover aims to introduce you to content before you even knew you were looking for it, similar to how Facebook and Instagram operate in this regard.

So, why should you take an interest in Google Discover? Because it has the potential to drive a significant amount of traffic to your website.

In the last 28 days, they achieved an impressive 3.64 million impressions and garnered 79,000 clicks to their website. This substantial traffic not only drives visitors but also contributes significantly to their branding efforts.

While branding may not be your primary concern, it's worth noting that a stronger brand presence can have a positive impact on your Google rankings. Brand search volume has a higher correlation with rankings compared to factors like backlinks or domain authority.

As Google's former CEO emphasized:

"Brands are the solution, not the problem. Brands are how you sort out the cesspool."

In other words, building a strong brand can help you stand out and thrive in a crowded digital landscape.

Indeed, the impressions generated from Discover play a crucial role in building brand recognition. The Rule of 7, which suggests that potential customers are more likely to become loyal after encountering a brand at least seven times, underscores the importance of brand exposure.

Moreover, these impressions can also benefit your website's performance in Google's E-A-T algorithm updates. Establishing expertise, authoritativeness, and credibility is vital, and Discover offers a straightforward avenue to enhance these aspects.

Now, let's explore how you can maximize your traffic from Discover.

Optimizing for Google Discover

Optimizing for Google Discover doesn't require the complexity of traditional SEO, and you can expect to see results relatively quickly, although not instantly. Over time, your Discover traffic should steadily increase. Here are four simple tips to optimize for Google Discover:

1. Use High-Quality Images: Images accompany every Discover result, so it's essential to include relevant and high-quality images with your content. Opt for images that are likely to entice clicks, such as those that are shocking or evoke curiosity.

2. Align with Suggested Topics: Check the topics that Google suggests following within Discover and see if they align with your website's content. If they do, consider using these suggested topics as a guide for creating content that resonates with what people are interested in. However, strive to go beyond mere replication and use techniques like Brian Dean's skyscraper technique to outperform your competition.

3. Maximize Your Content: Think of your website as an API for your content, with the goal of promoting it in various areas to secure backlinks and social engagement. Focus on creating content with shareability, topics that are trending, and growing interest. Craft enticing titles and headlines, as Google Discover operates similarly to a social feed.

4. Choose the Right Keywords: Keyword selection matters, as keywords with high search traffic are more likely to receive significant Google Discover traffic. Before you start writing, compile a keyword list to guide your content creation. Use tools like Ubersuggest to assess the average monthly search volume for your target keywords and identify long-tail variations that can enhance Discover traffic.

Once you've made a deliberate effort to target Discover traffic, it's essential to track your performance and measure your results.

To analyze your traffic on Google Discover, it's recommended to use Google Search Console for more specific insights. Here's how to access it:

1. Go to Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console) and log in with your Google account if you haven't already.

2. Once logged in, you'll find a navigation menu on the left side of the dashboard.

Please let me know if you'd like further instructions on how to navigate or use Google Search Console for analyzing your Google Discover traffic.

Please select "Discover" from the menu. (This option becomes available once you reach a minimum threshold of Discover traffic.)

You will then be presented with a report that resembles the following.

In contrast to the screenshot I shared earlier, my Discover traffic is quite limited.

You might wonder why.

Do you observe a pattern in my chart? Well, I typically publish content every Tuesday, and that's when I receive Discover traffic.

Similar to other social networks (unlike traditional SEO), traffic mainly comes in when new content is posted. It's not consistent, long-term traffic, but rather periodic bursts of traffic.

I currently blog once a week, but if I were to write multiple pieces of content each day, my Discover traffic would significantly increase.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you're a fan of Discover or not, as a marketer, you should view it as another valuable channel.

Data has already shown its popularity, and as long as Google continues to promote it, people will continue to use it.

So why not utilize it to your advantage and harness it to drive traffic and sales for your website?

Additionally, it's crucial not to rely solely on traffic from one channel because algorithm changes can have a significant impact on your traffic. That's why it's essential to adopt an omnichannel approach and leverage any relevant channels available.

So, what are your thoughts on Discover? Do you use it on your phone? Have you considered using it to increase traffic to your website?