How I'd Get Traffic to a New Website if I Had to Start Over (2026)

AI is eating clicks, social feeds are stealing attention,

and ranking on Google is becoming more about how big your brand is.

But that doesn't mean new sites are doomed.

There are still a handful of tactics that can drive traffic

and grow your brand, even if you're starting from zero.

And it all starts with a simple tactic that helps you rank in Google,

get recommended by AI assistants, and attract real customers.

And that's listing yourself in the right directories.

Directories tell both Google and users that your brand exists,

that it's legit and active in your niche.

Start with the obvious ones like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Apple Maps.

Then move on to the niche-specific directories.

For example, TripAdvisor for travel, Howes for home design, and AVO for lawyers.

Now, a lot of industries have hundreds of these.

Some won't move the needle at all, but a few can make a huge difference.

And those are the ones worth going after.

So how do you find the right ones?

Simple, look at what's already working for your competitors.

Just enter your domain in Ahrefs' Site Explorer and then go to the link intersect tool.

Add a few of your search competitors and run the report.

You'll instantly get a list of sites that are linking to your competitors, but not to you.

Just scan that list for directories and go submit your site there.

Do it because it's a fast and low effort way to make your brand

more discoverable with a near 100% success rate.

And once you've done that, it's time to give people a reason to actually visit your site.

And one of the most effective ways to get people to your site is by creating free tools.

Free tools are inherently useful.

They attract backlinks naturally and they're still

amazing traffic generators despite the rise of AI assistance.

You see, AI overviews usually show up when someone wants to learn something.

And our research shows that when an AI overview appears in search results,

clicks to the top ranking page drop by around 35%.

But when you search for a tool like a mortgage calculator,

a list randomizer, or a backlink checker, there's no AI overview.

So the clicks are still going to the website.

To build one yourself, you only need to do two things.

First, find a data-backed idea.

Just open a keyword research tool like Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer,

enter a few broad keywords related to your niche, then head over to the matching terms report.

Then use the include filter and add modifiers like calculator,

checker, converter, and other words that might surface free tools in Google search.

Hit apply, and you'll find some great keywords to go after.

For example, if you run an auto repair or parts shop,

you might want to make an engine displacement calculator, which has solid search demand,

it's genuinely helpful, and it's easy to build.

You can hire a developer or just use ChatGBT, which can spin up simple tools in minutes.

Once it's live, follow the steps in our SEO for Beginners course to start

building backlinks to your tool and ranking it to the top of Google.

But here's the thing.

If you don't give those visitors a reason to come back,

that traffic's gone the second they close the tab and they ain't coming back.

That's why the next tactic is all about ownership.

Go and build your own email list.

Email lists are one of the smartest things you can build today,

because every platform you rely on, search, YouTube, social, they all run on algorithms.

And as we've all seen, those algorithms can change overnight

and wipe out businesses that over relied on them.

But your email list, that's yours.

It's the one traffic source where you can type some keys,

click a send button, and drive repeat visits to your site.

Not just your site, but to your YouTube videos, your social platforms,

and even sponsors if you choose to monetize later.

And getting email subscribers works perfectly with free tools.

For example, if you have a mortgage calculator,

you can offer lead magnets like a first-time buyer's course or checklists.

And that helps you qualify visitors so you can send them new content,

products, or updates that actually help them take the next step in their journey.

And the best part is that it's free to start.

Tools like MailChimp or ConvertKit have starter plans that take just minutes to set up.

Giving people the option to stay connected means you're getting more out of every visitor

because once someone leaves your site, there's a good chance they'll never come back.

And the few who do subscribe and receive value may become your most loyal fans.

And that's kind of where marketing is heading today.

It's not just about ranking or ads or viral posts anymore.

It's about building a community of people who actually care about what you do.

That's why creators are thriving because they're building audiences built on relationships.

And there are already places online that help you do exactly that

while driving traffic back to your site like forums and Reddit.

These are some of the most underrated traffic sources out there

because they're where your ideal audience already hangs out and asks for help.

And when you consistently show up with genuinely helpful answers,

people start recognizing your name and you get associated with credibility.

And while 1, 10, or even 20 posts might not make a massive difference,

remember that visibility compounds.

So pick a niche forum or subreddit where your audience lives and contribute consistently.

Try to answer new posts before they get crowded

because early replies often stay pinned near the top for years.

Now, posting on every new thread can be time-consuming

and there's no guarantee those posts will ever gain any traction.

So another thing you can do is to post on threads that are already getting traffic from Google

because you know that views will be consistent.

To do that, go to Ahrefs' Site Explorer and enter reddit.com or your niche forum's domain.

Then head over to the organic keywords report,

which shows all keywords that they rank for in Google.

Then select the keyword filter and add a list of keywords relevant to your niche.

Apply the filter and you'll get a list of threads,

some that are pulling thousands of visits each month.

Ideally, you'll want to post in threads like this one that don't have a ton of comments

because fewer comments means less competition,

meaning your comment is more likely to stand out.

You may not see immediate revenue growth,

but all that community work does one thing that most marketers underestimate.

It builds trust.

And trust gives you access to other creators, to brands,

to audiences that already have the attention you're trying to earn,

which can be super helpful with the next tactic, sweat equity partnerships.

This is where you trade your time, skills, or expertise

in exchange for access to someone else's audience.

You're trading value for value.

For example, you might offer to design free graphics or contribute content they can use.

They get value, you get exposure.

Or you might create a co-branded tool.

You handle the build and they get to host it on their site with a link back to yours.

The goal isn't just to get a yes, so you shouldn't treat it like a pitch.

It's to identify a real need from someone influential in your space

and show up with something that solves it.

Now, obviously, you can't be like,

hey, can I trade you my sweat equity for access to your audience?

You want to show that you've done your homework

and that they're not just another person you're offering sweat to.

So you might say something like,

hey name, I'm Sam, a longtime newsletter subscriber.

I've noticed that you recommend NerdWallet's mortgage calculator in your emails

and you once mentioned that you wish you had this feature.

Thought I'd give it a crack and I think it makes the tool way more helpful.

Is this what you had in mind?

This approach works because you're leading with value, not a pitch.

From there, you can let the relationship evolve naturally

and collaborate when it makes sense.

I almost hate calling this a tactic because it's really just about

building a relationship with someone inside your niche.

And that's becoming more important than ever

because we're entering an era where so much of marketing is automated,

templated, and outsourced to AI.

As consumers, we can feel that shift.

The content's efficient, but it's starting to feel less human.

Which means as a creator, your biggest advantage is you.

That's why you need to create experience-driven content.

As marketers, we default to mechanics.

How do I rank?

How do I get more traffic?

How do I get more signups?

Tell me step-by-step.

And everything I've shared so far, building tools, growing your email list,

showing up on forums and Reddit, partnering with brands, they all still work.

But they're tactics anyone can copy.

Experience-driven content is the part no one can steal.

It's what makes people choose you over everyone else.

It's that human layer that ties all the puzzle pieces together

and actually makes the tactics work well.

So how do you create this type of content?

Well, step one, do something worth talking about.

And step two, tell that story.

Here's the deal.

If you don't have anything interesting to say,

it's probably because you're not doing anything interesting.

Traffic is just traffic.

If you want to leave a meaningful impression on people,

it's the interesting things you actually do that make people want to subscribe,

share your tools, and recommend your content.

And the cooler the thing you're doing,

the more you'll want to talk about it on your site and your emails

and across communities like niche forums and Reddit.

So if I were starting from scratch,

this is the mindset that I'd go in with to fuel my website.

Live the story only you can tell and build the systems that help it spread.