Can I Use Paid Ads as My Main Source of Traffic?

The first thing on your mind after launching your business is “Where can I get traffic and customers?”

Most entrepreneurs are tempted to run paid ads to drive traffic, thinking that this will result in sales and profits. But BEWARE, this is rarely the case. At first.

How Can I Learn To Run Ads Efficiently?

Spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos about how to run ads and learning all you can to come up to speed on best practices – otherwise you’ll almost certainly just be throwing money away.

The clicks will not turn in to customers and those clicks will cost too much.

Let’s examine the role of paid ads within your marketing strategy and traffic stream:

Can I Use Paid Ads as My Main Source of Traffic?

Yes, you can use paid ads as your main source of website traffic. 

BUT, but but, you’ll need to go through a process of learning to run ads effectively, and  figuring out whether paid website traffic is right for you.

Some of the factors to consider include your budget, your target audience, and your goals. For instance, if you’re looking to increase website traffic quickly, using paid ads could be a good option – but you need to be aware of how much they can cost, and weight those costs against your profit margins to make it worthwhile.

Long-term, paid ads are not a good way to start and you should consider them a part of your marketing effort, but not the main strategy.

Over time you might be able to get good at using paid ad traffic and ramp up your spending if the customers are converting to sales.

Things to be careful about:

• Be mindful of your budget!! It’s easy to overspend on ads, which can quickly eat away at your profits!!
• Be specific about your target audience. The more targeted your ads are, the more likely they are to convert.
• Continuously measure the results of your ads. If you’re not seeing a positive ROI, it may be time to adjust your strategy.
• Be wary of sources that promise quick results. They could be using black-hat tactics that may harm your website’s reputation.
• Make sure you’re targeting the right audience. The more specific your targeting is, the more likely you are to see positive results.
• Be prepared to invest time and money into creating high-quality ads that will resonate with your target audience.

What is the Main Source of Traffic for Most Websites?

While paid ads can be an effective way to increase website traffic, the majority of websites rely on organic search traffic. This means that they’re ranking well in search engines like Google and Bing, and people are finding their websites through search queries. Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) can be a smart long-term strategy for increasing website traffic.

Things to be careful about:

• SEO can take time to show results, so don’t expect to see an immediate boost in traffic.
• It’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest SEO best practices to ensure that your website is ranking well in search engines.
• While SEO can be a great way to increase website traffic, it’s not the only way. Consider other strategies, such as social media and email marketing, to supplement your traffic sources.

Does Paid Traffic Work?

Yes, paid traffic can work, but it’s not a guarantee. The success of your paid traffic campaigns will depend on a variety of factors, including the quality of your ads, the targeting of your audience, and the effectiveness of your landing pages.

Things to be careful about:

• Keep a close eye on your budget. Paid traffic can quickly become expensive if you’re not careful.
• Continuously measure the results of your campaigns and adjust your strategy as needed.
• Consider working with a professional to help you create and manage your paid traffic campaigns.

How Can I Increase My Website Traffic Without SEO?

If you’re not interested in investing in paid advertising, there are still ways to increase your website traffic without relying solely on SEO. One effective strategy is to leverage social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to promote your website and engage with your target audience. By regularly posting content and interacting with your followers, you can drive traffic to your website and establish a loyal fan base.

Another way to boost your website traffic is through content marketing. By creating valuable, informative content such as blog posts, infographics, and videos, you can attract visitors to your website and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Make sure to optimize your content for search engines and share it on social media platforms to increase its reach and visibility.

Finally, consider collaborating with other websites and bloggers in your industry to drive traffic to your site. Guest posting on other blogs and featuring guest posts on your own site can help you reach new audiences and establish relationships with other professionals in your field.

Does buying traffic affect SEO?

While buying traffic can provide a quick boost in website traffic, it’s important to understand that it can also negatively impact your SEO. Search engines like Google prioritize organic traffic over paid traffic, so if the majority of your traffic is coming from paid ads, it can harm your search engine rankings. Additionally, if the traffic you’re buying is not from a reputable source, it could be low-quality and not result in any meaningful engagement or conversions.

What is the best traffic source for a website?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best traffic source for your website will depend on your specific business goals and target audience. Some of the most popular traffic sources include organic search traffic from search engines, social media traffic, referral traffic from other websites, and paid traffic from ads. To determine the best traffic source for your website, consider your marketing budget, your target audience, and your overall business objectives.

What You Can Do Next:

If you’re considering using paid advertising to increase your website traffic, take the time to research and understand the various options available to you. Watch as many YouTube videos and read as many webpages on how to run add online as possible.

When you’re ready, try running a campaign (on Facebook ads or Google Ads) with three ads in a rotation – and with a small budget of perhaps $25 maximum. Improve on the best performing of the three ads, and try running a new campaign with the three new ads, again with a low budget. 

Do your best to analyze the performance cost clicks and other data regarding your ads. Play with different keyword combinations and demographics groups.

Over time, you’ll get a good feel for the Interface and find tips tricks and other things that help your ads to perform well. Expected this period of learning to take anywhere from 2 to 6 months before you start to become really adept at running ads without overspending.

It’s an amazing skill to have if you’re doing business online so enjoy the journey and good luck.