In today’s digital world, reaching 100,000 organic visitors in 6 months sounds like a dream. But guess what? It’s possible. I did it with ThriveMyWay, going from 0 to 6 figures in traffic in just 6 months.
Think about this: 96.55% of web pages get 0 traffic from Google. It’s a tough landscape, but the right tools and strategies can make all the difference.
Want to know how I did it? Let’s jump in. As someone who built this from scratch, I’m excited to share my journey. In this post, I’ll break down the 3-step process using Semrush that led to my success. By the end, you’ll have clear steps to boost your own site’s traffic.
My Journey: From 0 to 100K
In December 2021, I launched ThriveMyWay. By June 2022, our traffic skyrocketed to over 100,000 monthly visitors. This rapid growth culminated in selling the website for 6 figures in August 2023 on Flippa.
Here’s a peek behind the curtain, showcasing my 3-step process and the powerful tools from Semrush that fueled our ascent.
Step 1: Conduct In-Depth Competitor Analysis
Imagine you have a list of 20 competitors. What if you could compare their keyword strategies and cherry-pick the best opportunities? That’s precisely what I did using Semrush’s Organic Research tool.
Cherry-Pick Relevant Keywords
Not all keywords are created equal. For instance, if a competitor ranks for “AI rewriter,” but you don’t offer such a tool, skip it. Focus on keywords relevant to your content and audience.
Filter by Difficulty
Use Semrush’s filters to sort keywords by difficulty. If you’re starting a new blog, target keywords with lower difficulty to increase your chances of ranking.
Filter by Volume
Filter keywords by search volume, selecting those with volumes between 100 to 1,000. This balance ensures you’re targeting achievable, yet worthwhile, search terms.
By meticulously selecting the right keywords, you lay a strong foundation for content that will drive organic traffic.
Step 2: Create Optimized Content Briefs
Once you have your keywords, the next step is crafting well-optimized article briefs using Keyword Magic Tool.
Generate Keyword Ideas
Input your primary keyword into the Keyword Magic Tool to uncover related terms. For instance, if your keyword is “how to start a blog,” you’ll find related terms like “how to start a travel blog” or “how to start a free blog.”
Structure Your Content
Use these related keywords to structure your article. For example, “how to start a travel blog” could be a subheading (H2), while “how to start a free blog” could be another.
Use FAQs and Low-Difficulty Keywords
Don’t forget to check the questions tab for additional ideas. Select questions with low keyword difficulty for your FAQ section. Answering specific queries like “how to start a blog in Nigeria” can drive targeted traffic and enhance user engagement.
By creating detailed and structured content briefs, you ensure that your articles are comprehensive and SEO-friendly from the get-go.
Step 3: Build High-Quality Backlinks
The third crucial step in my process was acquiring backlinks, which are vital for SEO. Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool was indispensable here.
Identify Quality Backlinks
Enter a competitor’s domain and analyze their backlinks. Focus on high-authority domains and unique referring domains to diversify your link profile.
Develop Outreach Strategy
Create a list of potential websites to contact for your outreach. Suggest writing guest posts or offer valuable content in exchange for a backlink.
Prioritize by Authority
Use Semrush’s Authority Score to prioritize your outreach. Start with the most authoritative sites and work your way down.
This systematic approach to building backlinks helped boost my website’s domain authority and search engine rankings.
Reflecting on ThriveMyWay’s Growth
Take a glance at the traffic graph of ThriveMyWay. From December 2021 to June 2022, the upward trajectory is undeniable. Despite fluctuations due to Google updates, the foundational strategies remained solid. By the time I sold the site in August 2023, it was attracting nearly 300,000 visitors monthly.
While the website’s traffic declined post-sale due to changes in content strategy, the foundational principles I applied remain rock solid. Regularly publishing high-quality content and maintaining robust backlinks are key to sustaining growth, even amidst Google’s algorithm updates.
Conclusion
Growing a website from 0 to 100,000 visitors is no small feat, but it’s entirely achievable with the right tools and strategies.
Here’s a recap of my 3-step process:
- Competitor Analysis: Use Semrush’s Organic Research to find and filter relevant keywords.
- Content Creation: Leverage the Keyword Magic Tool to craft optimized and comprehensive content briefs.
- Backlink Building: Employ Backlink Analytics to identify and acquire high-quality backlinks.
A Special Offer from Semrush
For those eager to dive deeper, I highly recommend Semrush. Start your journey with an extended 14-day free trial of Semrush Pro. Usually, it’s just 7 days, but with this exclusive link, you get double the time to explore and leverage the full suite of Semrush tools.
If you find Semrush as beneficial as I do, consider upgrading to a paid plan. By using my affiliate link, you’ll support my work, and I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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