Understanding the potential value of your website traffic is key to managing your digital marketing allocation in terms of time, effort and budget. Here’s how to do it:
Introduction: Estimating website traffic
Estimating website traffic is a difficult task. There are many factors to consider, such as the number of visitors the website receives daily, the average search volume of each keyword, and the channels you’re expecting to get traffic from. In order to get an accurate estimate, it is important to use a variety of data sources and tools. The following steps can help you estimate website traffic.
Quantitative methods to estimate website traffic
Quantitative research is a systematic empirical investigation of measurable properties and attributes of phenomena. Qualitative research, on the other hand, is a type of social research that uses inductive reasoning and qualitative data to explore the meanings and experiences of social life. While both forms of research are helpful, they can be used together to produce a more comprehensive understanding of expected website traffic.
A quantitative method to use a formula to estimate website traffic. I prefer to use a simple method based on keyword search volumes, ranking estimates, and expected click through rate (CTR) to create an estimate.
Calculating Traffic Potential Template
Estimating website traffic is important for understanding how well a website is performing and for planning future growth.
Cody West has a handy template using his methodology to calculate organic traffic potential in detail at https://ardentgrowth.com/blog/how-to-calculate-organic-traffic-potential/
The template uses built-in formulas in Google Sheets, and data from Ahrefs to calculate a traffic potential interval that will get you closer to the real traffic potential numbers you’re looking for.
Drawing conclusions: What the data means for your website
When it comes to website traffic, there’s no one definitive answer. However, with the right tools and a little bit of math, you can come up with a good estimate of how much traffic your website is getting.
If you’re investing in an SEO package or doing any kind of link building, this information is vital.
Your best bet will be to use the examples I’ve given above to make an estimate and then review in the coming months how it compares to the actual data you’ve collected.
