How to Use Seasonal SEO to Boost Traffic During Slow Months

Changes in your website traffic are natural during certain times of the year. While it might be disconcerting to see a major drop, it’s par for the course for many small-business owners. Taking advantage of seasonal SEO can help keep traffic up even during the slower months.

Seasonal cycles

Depending on your industry, you’re likely to see higher traffic to your site during certain times of the year and major dips during other times. For example, many ecommerce sites will see an increase in traffic in the last few months of the year, when people are doing their holiday shopping, and a dip at the beginning of the year. There are also typically fewer visits in the summer months, when people are often on vacation or their kids are off from school.

That said, other industries might see a dip at the end of the year as people are focused on the holidays and an increase in January. For instance, if you’re a health coach, it probably wouldn’t be surprising to see a spike in traffic in January as people are making New Year’s resolutions to be healthier. If you have a seasonal product, your traffic patterns might vary from other e-commerce businesses. If you sell bikes, you’ll likely see a spike in website traffic as the weather gets warmer and a dip in the cooler months.

Take advantage of seasonal SEO

The good news: Seasonal SEO can improve your website traffic during what otherwise are slower months for your business. Consider writing blog posts that connect your business to upcoming holidays or celebrations.

For example, if you’re a jewelry designer, consider gift guides for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, graduations, or Teacher Appreciation Day. Take advantage of the wedding season and write a blog with tips for buying jewelry for bridesmaids.

Similarly, if you own a seasonal ecommerce business (say, a bathing suit company), and notice traffic drops in the colder months, a blog post about cruise ship essentials highlighting your top sellers can help. If you’re a health coach, consider adding content about how to eat healthy and squeeze in exercise during the busy holiday season.

To help you find ideas for what people are searching for during different times of years, consider using Google trends or the Pinterest seasonal planner.