{"id":12002,"date":"2010-03-18T18:00:01","date_gmt":"2010-03-18T12:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=12002"},"modified":"2026-10-28T13:32:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:02:43","slug":"increase-website-traffic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Ways to Increase Website Traffic in 2026 (That Still Work)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>How can you increase website traffic in 2026? A website is nothing without visitors, and the channels that worked in 2010, when this guest post was first written, have changed a lot: StumbleUpon, Digg&#8217;s front page, article directories and blog carnivals are gone. What hasn&#8217;t changed is the advice the original author ended with: patience and consistently useful content pay off. Here are 20 ways to <strong>increase website traffic<\/strong> that work today.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Ways to increase website traffic\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/increase-website-traffic-2026.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Publish genuinely helpful content around topics people search for, keep your best posts updated, fix technical SEO with Google Search Console, build an email list, share on the one or two social platforms your audience uses, make short videos, answer questions in communities like Reddit and Quora, collaborate with others in your niche, and earn links through original data and PR.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af25ec61ec9f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af25ec61ec9f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Get_the_basics_right_first\" >Get the basics right first<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Search_traffic\" >Search traffic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Social_and_video\" >Social and video<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Communities_and_relationships\" >Communities and relationships<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Own_your_audience\" >Own your audience<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#More_ways_to_reach_new_audiences\" >More ways to reach new audiences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Focus_on_one_channel_and_watch_your_stats\" >Focus on one channel and watch your stats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#What_no_longer_works\" >What no longer works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#How_long_does_it_take_to_increase_website_traffic\" >How long does it take to increase website traffic?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#What_is_the_best_free_way_to_get_traffic\" >What is the best free way to get traffic?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Do_images_bring_website_traffic\" >Do images bring website traffic?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/increase-website-traffic\/#Should_I_pay_for_ads\" >Should I pay for ads?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_the_basics_right_first\"><\/span>Get the basics right first<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before chasing visitors, make sure the site deserves them. Use your own domain name rather than a free subdomain; it costs little and builds trust. Keep the design clean, content-focused and easy to navigate, or visitors leave as soon as they arrive. Then commit to a plan for at least three months before judging results.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Search_traffic\"><\/span>Search traffic<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Target topics people search for.<\/strong> Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/11\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a> to find questions you can answer better than current results.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write fewer, better posts.<\/strong> One complete, original guide beats five rushed articles a day.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Update old content.<\/strong> Refreshing posts that already get impressions is often the fastest traffic win. We have been doing exactly this across QuickOnlineTips in 2026.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fix technical SEO.<\/strong> Make sure pages are indexed, fast and mobile-friendly. Here&#8217;s how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/02\/get-your-blog-indexed-by-google\/\">get your blog indexed by Google<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Link your own posts together<\/strong> so readers and search engines find related pages.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t forget Bing.<\/strong> Set up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2012\/07\/bing-webmaster-tools-seo-reports\/\">Bing Webmaster Tools<\/a>; Bing also feeds other search engines and AI assistants.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Social_and_video\"><\/span>Social and video<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>Pick one or two social networks<\/strong> where your audience actually is (LinkedIn for B2B, Instagram or Pinterest for visual niches, X for tech and news) and post consistently.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make short videos.<\/strong> YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok can reach new people quickly; link to your full guides in descriptions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start a YouTube channel<\/strong> for tutorials; YouTube is the second-largest search engine.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Communities_and_relationships\"><\/span>Communities and relationships<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong>Answer questions<\/strong> on Reddit, Quora and niche forums. Be genuinely helpful and follow each community&#8217;s rules on links.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Guest post and collaborate<\/strong> with relevant sites, podcasts and newsletters for exposure to new audiences.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Help journalists.<\/strong> Respond to source requests from reporters on journalist-request platforms and social media; a single press mention can bring traffic and strong links.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Network<\/strong> at events, webinars and online groups. People link to and share the work of people they know.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Own_your_audience\"><\/span>Own your audience<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol start=\"14\">\n<li><strong>Build an email list<\/strong> from day one with a simple signup form and a useful freebie. Email sends repeat visitors no algorithm can take away.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Run a contest or giveaway<\/strong> to attract new readers; here&#8217;s how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/01\/running-successful-blog-contest\/\">run a successful blog contest<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create something linkable<\/strong>: free tools, original surveys, templates or statistics that others will cite.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_ways_to_reach_new_audiences\"><\/span>More ways to reach new audiences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol start=\"17\">\n<li><strong>Optimise images for image search.<\/strong> Give images descriptive file names and alt text. Guest author Hans David found that a large share of visitors to his soccer site came from people searching Google Images for soccer wallpapers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Turn your best posts into a free ebook or guide.<\/strong> Guest author Paul McCarthy distributed short ebooks in his niche and got over 2,000 visits in three months, with more than 30% joining his email list. Offer it as a lead magnet, add links back to your site, and allow readers to share it freely.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Repurpose videos into a podcast.<\/strong> The audio from a tutorial video or interview can become a podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, reaching people who prefer listening.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Test low-cost ads.<\/strong> A small, tightly targeted budget on display or social ads can bring visitors cheaply to a lead magnet or launch. Measure results and stop what doesn&#8217;t convert.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focus_on_one_channel_and_watch_your_stats\"><\/span>Focus on one channel and watch your stats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As Paul McCarthy put it, it&#8217;s better to be very good at one traffic strategy than mediocre at all of them. Master one channel, then add another. Review your stats in Google Analytics and Search Console regularly to see which queries, pages and sources bring visitors, and do more of what works.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_no_longer_works\"><\/span>What no longer works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>StumbleUpon, Digg&#8217;s old front page, eHow and article directories such as EzineArticles have closed or lost their value.<\/li>\n<li>Forum signature links and mass directory links bring little traffic and can look spammy.<\/li>\n<li>Old community and distribution sites such as MyBlogLog, TubeMogul and many ebook and podcast directories have shut down.<\/li>\n<li>Publishing 4 to 5 thin articles a day, as once recommended, now hurts more than it helps.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_to_increase_website_traffic\"><\/span>How long does it take to increase website traffic?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Social and email can bring visitors within days. Search traffic usually builds over three to twelve months.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_best_free_way_to_get_traffic\"><\/span>What is the best free way to get traffic?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Search engines, through helpful content on topics people search for, followed by an email list.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_images_bring_website_traffic\"><\/span>Do images bring website traffic?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Well-named images with good alt text can rank in Google Images and bring steady visitors, especially for visual topics such as wallpapers, recipes or products.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_pay_for_ads\"><\/span>Should I pay for ads?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Ads can kick-start traffic for products or launches, but stop the moment you stop paying. Build organic channels alongside them.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Tom Tessin, who ran FindBizCards, a small business blog. Includes material originally written by guest authors Paul McCarthy, an internet marketer specialising in article marketing and SEO, and Hans David of NetMarketersCentral.com. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How can you increase website traffic in 2026? A website is nothing without visitors, and the channels that worked in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,41],"tags":[44,49],"class_list":["post-12002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-search-engine-optimization","tag-guest-posts","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12002"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68477,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12002\/revisions\/68477"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}