If you want to increase website visitors, you must understand traffic sources. Most marketers split traffic into two categories. Today, we’re focusing on first-party traffic—the visitors who land on your website because of your efforts.
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What Is First-Party Traffic?
First-party traffic refers to visitors who come to your website through the marketing and outreach you control. These visitors don’t stumble onto your site randomly—they find you because you’ve taken deliberate steps to guide them there.
Unlike major brands like Nike or American Express, most businesses can’t rely on name recognition alone to increase website visitors. That means you need a strong presence where your audience spends their time—on social media, search engines, or industry-specific platforms.
If you’re not visible in those spaces, potential customers may never discover your website.
The 90% Rule
Here’s an important statistic: 90% of website traffic comes from external sources.
This means most visitors won’t come directly to your site. Instead, they’ll first interact with your brand elsewhere—on a social post, a search engine result, or a piece of content you’ve shared. To increase website traffic, your brand needs to engage with audiences on these external platforms.
Proven Strategies to Attract First-Party Traffic
You don’t need a massive budget to succeed, but you do need to take consistent, focused actions. Here are four content marketing strategies to help drive first-party traffic:
1. Content Marketing
Publish helpful and engaging content that speaks to your audience’s needs and interests. Blog posts, videos, whitepapers, and case studies can position you as an expert in your field. Share this content widely—on your website, LinkedIn, Medium, and other industry platforms.
Content that solves a problem or answers a question builds trust and encourages people to visit your site for more.
2. Social Media Engagement
Stay active on the social platforms your audience uses. Share content, start discussions, and comment on trending topics. This positions your brand as a thought leader and creates opportunities to direct followers to your site.
For example, use links in your posts and profiles that guide readers to specific landing pages or blog articles on your website.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO ensures your site is discoverable when people search for relevant topics. Start by targeting keywords your audience uses. Focus on creating high-quality, original content that answers their questions and meets search intent.
Technical optimization also matters. Make sure your site:
- Loads quickly
- Is mobile-friendly
- Has a clean URL structure
Small SEO improvements can significantly increase organic traffic over time.
4. Email Marketing
Email is still one of the most reliable ways to drive website traffic. Create email campaigns that provide real value like tips, news, or offers and include clear links back to your site. Personalized, targeted emails often see the best results.
Read More: 8 Steps to Build a Winning B2B Marketing Strategy
Build First-Party Traffic, Build Momentum
Driving first-party traffic takes effort, but it’s one of the best investments you can make for your business. The key is consistency. Stay active on the platforms that matter to your audience, share valuable content, and always provide a clear path back to your site.
The more you focus on building relationships and delivering value across channels, the more visitors you’ll attract—and the stronger your business will grow.
Additional Resources
→ My Lead Generation Reading List
Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler
The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson
→ My Sales & Marketing Stack
Notion (Productivity)
