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These days, when it comes to (online) marketing, there’s always something new (and exciting). Changes happen so quickly, putting extra pressure on marketers, to ensure every single step we do is strategic, and not just a reaction to a new fad. While we’ve noticed a lot of interesting developments around social media and search advertising last month, one thing remains unchanged – the importance of driving traffic to your website.
Now, the question is: is all traffic valuable? The answer is – it depends.
At the end of the day what we want is to drive customers to your website to learn more about the business or for sales if it’s an e-commerce website. And this is where things get a bit more interesting. Last week, I came across an article talking about the shift in buyers’ behaviour – how people search for things online, and where they come from to a website (referral traffic). The stipulation was that Google becomes irrelevant, as it’s losing its priority over social media giants like Facebook.
But, the real question is – can Facebook really kill Google, and how does Facebook’s traffic compare to Google’s?
Apples to apples
People have been talking about the death of SEO and Google for quite sometime now. We do see a dramatic increase in traffic from social media. We also know that the quality of traffic (or type of visitors) is drastically different when we compare how “Facebook people” behave vs how “Google people” behave. People go to Google when they need to find something specific. People go to Facebook, when they want to get suggestions on what they should be looking for. So if we compare what type of traffic you may get from Google vs Facebook, we can definitely see that people on Google are already in the “consideration stage”, while people on Facebook are still in the “awareness stage”. Which brings their buying behaviour to a different level.
Industry first
As we work with our clients and test our own assets, we know that a different content strategy is required for different industries. What type of content do you share on Facebook? If you are in the business of sharing information (newspapers, magazines – any sort of content related businesses) then YES Facebook/social media is where it’s at. If you are selling products – an e-commerce business, on the other hand, Google would be a more relevant source of traffic for you, as people will be searching for your specific products there. Naturally, you will be using social media to retarget and to build your brand as well.
Know your conversion
How do you know which way to go? Check your most recent conversion rate.
- See which type of traffic is most valuable for your company at this stage (are you looking to gain brand reach and awareness or are you looking for direct sales?).
- How long do people stay on your website (organic traffic vs social media referrals).
- Does any particular social media network bring your more traffic/value more than the other?
- For e-commerce websites – check your sales by traffic source and see where your sales are coming from (organic vs social)
As always, check your priorities. Don’t get sucked into a new industry fad or the hottest stat, unless it supports your company’s vision and current business focus. Do you need help reviewing your traffic and setting your marketing priorities in check? Give us a shout or stop by our (Marketing) Greenhouse on Robson Street, Vancouver. (We always have chocolate!)