The “Push and Pull” term is always used everywhere in life. Almost everyone if not everyone heard about this term at least once. But what does it mean in terms of traffic and what’s the difference between them? Push and pull isn’t for doors only, push and pull isn’t for relationships alone, and push and pull is also about web traffic!
There are two major types of traffic, Push and Pull traffic. They can both be organic or paid. Push is the visitor is PUSHED to your website without their intention of doing so. Pull, on the other hand, searched for what they need, you appear to have it and you give it to them by pulling them to your website.
Read to know more about these major types of traffic and how they work for your website!
What is Push Traffic?
Push traffic is when the searchers did not have any intentions of visiting your website, but is pulled by something that may have sparked their interest that lead them in doing so. This type of traffic leads visitors to “unintended” clicks.
For example, the visitor was scrolling on Facebook and as they do they saw an Ad for Nike which is on sale. As it boosts their interest, they click the Ad and they will be redirected to the website to see the deals and everything about the sale.
Think about it this way, you are with your friends in the park. Now, one of your friends unexpectedly saw another friend as you were walking. None of them intended to see each other, no one was expecting to see either of them today, but they did. So what happens is you(An ad or a catchy post) push them(the visitor) to their friend(the website).
That is how the push traffic is gained. Remember that in push traffic, the searchers do not have even the slightest intention to be on your page, but because of something they saw that made them interested they did.
What can be those things that made them want to be on your website:
- An Ad
- A catchy caption
- A sale countdown
- Teaser for a giveaway
- A video content
- And so much more depending on the business you are in!
Let’s call these things the “wick” of the traffic. The thing that starts everything between the visitor and the website. It’s like in a candle, the fire starts at the wick.
What is Pull Traffic?
This type of traffic is when the searchers are looking for something they need, and you have it so you give it to them by pulling them to your website where they can find what they need. Pull traffic boils down to the intention of the searcher.
For example, the searcher is looking for hacks on how to make their makeup last for up to 8 hours without oiling up. Your website has that content, they will be able to get that by going to your website. Simple, intention and matching their intent is the key.
Let’s take the example mentioned above. So you are walking with your friends in the park. And let’s say, for example, one of you is looking for shoe glue since one of your shoe’s soles broke. This friend of yours shouts at the park, “Who among all of you has shoe glue with you right now?” One of the guys in the park then shouts “me!” your friend runs to the man and speaks with him.
So what happened is your friend(the traffic) intentionally looked for someone who has a shoe glue(intent) and the guy(your website) matched your friend’s needs. So the man pulled your friend in order to be able to give what your friend needs.
This type of traffic boils down to the intentions of the searcher, and once you matched it, that is how you gain the pull traffic. When you appear and you have the searcher’s needs according to their intent, it’s like saying “come here, I can help you” and that is where the magic begins!
4 Types of Push and Pull Traffic
There are 4 types of web traffic that you can have on your website.
Free Push Traffic
Free push from the word itself is when you get push traffic for free. Well, on the contrary, not necessarily free because today, nothing is free. You will either have to spend money to get noticed but visitors or to spend a lot of time, energy, and effort on making creative and quality content to gain them. In this case, free push needs the latter from you.
Examples of free push:
On the TikTok App, the visitor is scrolling, as usual, enjoying the algorithm of their FYP. Then, they saw content from your business’ TikTok account. It was a video of you trying on let’s say the jeans you are selling as your products. And the searcher got interested and wanted to buy one of those jeans you were trying on. She then will swipe left (because on TikTok, when you swipe left, you will be redirected to the TikTok profile of the video you are watching). And a good business TikTok account has a bio in it that has a link to its website and other social media accounts.
Now the searcher skimmed through the TikTok account and has chosen what jeans she is determined to order, or she wants to see more jeans so she can choose and she wants to see it with a better description, and accurate colors since videos on TikTok tend to have filters on them and sometimes change the products’ color. She will then click the website link on the bio, and the rest is history. The video pushed traffic to go to the website.
To make the traffic PUSHABLE, your contents should be:
High-quality
Great is an understatement of what your content should be in order to gain Free Push Traffic. Keep in mind that this type of traffic has all the liberty in the world to scroll past your content and ignore you. It is in your hands to make them not to. You will see in a lot of tips on the internet that it is important to make your content quality and etc but in this post, I am telling you this while stomping my feet! High-quality content means clear audio and video, not lagging, audio matches the video and is smooth to watch.
Embodies Your Business’ Identity
Your content should effortlessly inform the visitor or the traffic that what they are seeing is a business. For example, when they see content from your business they should immediately know you are selling perfume or me’s jackets and etc.
This is because they know right off the bat what the thing they can expect and what they can do. If they can have the shoes in the picture, where can they get them and how can they get them? Or this content is just someone who is flexing a new purchase? If they have a place where they can see more and browse more to choose from or if this content is just a post of a collection of an influence.
This will put the thoughts in the visitor’s mind that “I can get this” “I can buy this” “I can visit their website and choose” or “wow this sale is a good deal” etc. Because nowadays, anyone can post anything. And your content for your business should make it clear that they can get their hands of the items they see in the post because you sell them.
Interesting
Boost.their.interest! Do whatever it takes. Research your target market and make an approach that aligns with them because your content will eventually reach the target market. For example, your target market is gen z, what is in today for their age bracket according to your research? High-waisted aesthetic e-girl jeans, now utilize them. Create compelling contents that you think will boost their interest.
For example, post an image of a model wearing one of your jeans, and dress the model with all the elements that align with the target market. Let’s say Jordan 1 shoes, a crop top, high-light jeans, clean girl makeup, and a handbag, and then make the model pose like how influencers would do in an empty parking lot. Now, post it and add a compelling caption by using words that your target market use, and speak their language.
Caption
Friend: I love your jeans!
Me: Periodt! 💅 I got it from (the name of your store, @ them and their social media accounts)
And make sure you think as if you are the visitor that doesn’t have any intentions, just plain scrolling.
When someone is interested in something, the next thing they do is find out more about that thing. This is a big factor in saying that your content is effective when you are able to boost their interest and keep the momentum by bringing them all the way. When making content that is interesting always put yourself in the shoes of the visitor or viewer.
Think about:
- Does this look physically appealing?
- Was I interested in the first 3 seconds of the content?
- Do I want to see more?
- Did I want to visit the website and see what’s in there for myself?
If the answer is yes to all of these questions, then your content might be interesting. Always think about these questions in the sense that you have NO INTENTIONS of buying anything, going to a website, or looking for products. Because that is how to push traffic works, none of the visitors intended to perform any action, but they did because of engaging and interesting content.
The weight of making interesting content can not be stressed enough. This will be your key to getting loads of free push, content that resonates and interests the traffic, because if your content is not interesting and low quality, you have to do something about it. Again, nothing is free, in free push, you will have to spend time, energy, and effort to create content that will drive them to your website!
Paid Push Traffic
Paid push traffic is simply the type of traffic that is gained most of the time by paid Ads. For example, the searcher is scrolling on Facebook, again, pushing traffic with no intention of doing any action as they scroll. Now they see an Ad on their newsfeed about your free shipping deal. The “free shipping” will get their attention, now they would want t check how it works. What are the items including the free shipping, where is the scope area of the free shipping, and what is the minimum amount to avail this and other things? She then clicks the Ad and will be directed to your website.
Paid push’s advantage is that it is located at the top, always visible to visitors, and in noticeable places. Whilst the free is an organic way of working up to get your content to the right audience and to be seen.
The main difference between paid push and free pull is that you will spend money on the paid push, of course, Ads. It’s a no-brainer that they will be displayed in the locations where traffic is most likely to see them, then it boosts their interest, and bam! Website traffic.
Both are great, it’s just a matter of choosing which of the two would you like to spend. Money or time, effort, and energy. Or for the best results, you can always do both to have the traffic f both worlds!
Free Pull Traffic
You can work on pulling your free pull traffic by optimizing your website and making sure it ranks high on search engines. Aside from that, your content should also match the searcher’s intent because this type of traffic has a specific intention or needs in mind that they are waiting to be met.
Example of free pull :
The searcher went to Google and searched for “how to put a picture behind text on Microsoft word step-by-step“. Now, you have your website optimized, for searches and high-ranking, you made sure to use long-tail keywords and employed them to target and match specific search intent such as this one. You will most likely rank high on the search results.
When the visitors see that you have what they need since you rank high and they see in your optimized meta-description and title tags that you can help them with what they need, they will click on your website.
Why is it pulled traffic?
Because the intent of the searcher is matched by your website.
Why is it free?
Because you did not spend a dime on paying to have ads. Instead, you spent a heavy amount of time optimizing your website. Making sure to do everything you have to do to rank high on search results.
That makes this visitor a free pulled traffic!
Paid Pull Traffic
Now do not be confused. We are still in the pulled traffic, so again, pulled = intentional visitors. Now, this is how the paid-to-pull traffic is gained.
For example:
The searcher searched for a “white shock-proof iPhone 14 phone case” and you happen to have a phone case business. But you know that you will not rank for any keywords or searches. Because you did not work or are still working on optimizing your website. What you do is pay Google to have an Ad for the search so you will appear on top.
And when you appear on top, then it is up to the searcher if they will choose you or not. But most likely. the top results are clicked by the searchers. Because most of the time, top results are reliable and legitimate. Your business is legitimate, for some reason you just find it easier to rank high with paying and there is nothing wrong with that. Appearing on top is always an advantage, where you are seen and noticed.
But of course like the push traffic ones at the top, it’s good to do both Push and Pull traffic to have the maximum benefit. In doing business, you shouldn’t settle for just one tactic. “I already did this one, that’s enough” is a wrong mindset. Imagine the amount of traffic you will get if you optimize your site and you spend the dimes you have on paid ads, it will blow your mind!
Conclusion
Pull and Push traffic might be two different types of traffic. But one thing is for sure, you want them both on your website. Browsing, completing transactions, or getting the help they need.
In the end, nothing is free. It is just a term today to imply that no money is spent. But it will always cost you something in doing business. At the end of the day, you will either have to pay money or spend things that money can’t buy. Such as time, energy, creativity, and effort. And if you want to have amazing results, do everything you can, spend time optimizing, researching keywords, studying long-tail keywords, and paying at the same time. Everything you saw in this business, you will reap.
Do whatever you can to get traffic, push or pull, and prepare your website for literal traffic when you do!
