The Power of G+ Networks to Increase Site Traffic
Getting your post to the top of page one on Google search increases site traffic. We all know that. I did it recently with two posts on a hot topic about a month ago. I’m just now catching my breath from all of the new business and followers that brought into my conversion funnel. But, what shocked me even more was to see my analytics have another Mt. Everest peak from a post going viral on G+ alone. See the graph for yourself and why it’s so important for you to participate in a social network on G+.
Stats Tell the Story
Let’s cut to the chase. Here’s the proof.
Have a look at the peaks up until the first of August. Those had been my normal highs and lows for all of 2013.
Then the EIG server fiasco hit, taking down HostGator and BlueHost. I got a post out about it immediately.
It shot to the top three on the first page of Google SERPs the next day.
That’s peak 1.
My site traffic doubled in one day.
The next day I published another post on the DDoS attack that hit EIG servers. That was a Sunday. On Monday, it went to the top three on the first page of Google too.
That’s peak 2.
What Happened Next
Look at the lows since then. Yep, they are what my highs used to be.
It stayed that way all month.
Not only did I gain traffic, I gained conversions.
- Subscriptions to the newsletter and blog posts via email doubled in one month.
- Hits to my training packages and video library also doubled.
- Email inquiries for help with hosting went through the roof.
- I also gained over 100 new G+ followers across those two days.
Going Viral on G+
On September 9th, I blogged about how to embed a G+ post on your site. As you can see on the graphic, it hit what had become my new normal high for traffic on my site.
But it went wild on G+. It was being commented on and shared all over the place thanks to shares from my G+ network including +Denise Wakeman and +Stephan Hovnanian. And it was being included in their posts too.
Followers surged again on G+.
On September 10th, I published my regular Tips Tuesday weekly roundup. And +Stephan picked that up and shared it.
That’s just prior to peak 3.
While the post on the 9th was about G+, folks still had to come to my site to see the embed. So, that’s understandable.
But, the post on the 10th was not about G+. It was about everything to do with online marketing. And all those new followers, plus every new person Stephan shared it with, and every person they shared it with, all had to come to BlogAid to read the post.
And by the 11th, other G+ folks in my network had included the embed tutorial in their posts, and they were going viral all over again.
That’s peak 3.
And I gained another 100+ followers on G+.
And just as important – I found 40+ new people to follow.
What it All Means
My G+ posts, and my G+ network sharing those posts, sent as much traffic to my site as posts that appeared on the front page of Google SERPs for a white-hot topic.
Read that sentence again.
Just when I caught my breath from all of the business that flooded in after that first doubling of traffic, now here it comes again. But, this time it’s for consulting, training, and site management services. Oh, and the folks ready to move to a new host are still coming in too.
It’s Not All About Numbers
I don’t have huge numbers of followers on G+, yet. I may never. I don’t care. I’m all about quality over quantity. So, spikes in traffic are super. But what I’m really excited about, I mean really super excited about, are the people engaging with me, exchanging tips and opinions and thank yous.
That’s great ROI. It’s not just folks buying things. It’s building a network of engaged folks who care about being successful.
And That’s What G+ Is
At least it is for me. I’ve never seen a collection of more helpful folks online. Everybody helps everybody. I’m not talking about just in private groups and communities. I mean right there in the stream.
There’s very little link dumping, at least among the folks I follow. They engage. No lazy Like button clicks. They leave comments. People talk to other people. That’s what makes it so powerful. It’s truly social.
What has your G+ experience been like? Are you actively building a good network there?
