Hidden Gold: 25 unpopular but effective traffic sources for any business

Traffic is the oil of the 21st century. Everyone is well aware that you need traffic to promote your money site or affiliate products and the more traffic you have, the higher your income. There are a lot of guides on popular traffic sources on the net, but we offer you to get acquainted with the golden list of underrated but very effective strategies for attracting traffic!

While most businesses focus on popular traffic sources like Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, there are many unpopular but effective platforms that can draw traffic to your website or business. These often overlooked sources can be of significant benefit when utilized correctly, especially if you’re trying to cut through the noise and reach a niche audience.

Below is a comprehensive list of 25 such traffic sources, ranging from PDF directories to Pop-up ads and forum posts, that can work in a variety of industries, not just home-based businesses.

List of hidden traffic sources

1. PDF and Presentations sharing sites

Creating and sharing PDFs and presentations with valuable information can drive traffic as users download and share your documents.

• Scribd, SlideShare, and Issuu will allow you to publish newsletters, reports, and presentations with a link to your website.
• How it works: Include links and CTAs in your PDF or presentation with valuable content to direct users to your website.

2. Infographics directories

Submit your infographics to directories such as Visual.ly and Infographics Archive.

• How it works: Create visually appealing infographics with embedded links to your website, which helps attract referral traffic.

3. Wiki pages

Creating Wiki pages related to your niche with links to your site can provide authority and traffic.

• How it works: Contribute to existing Wiki pages or create new ones related to your industry or products.

4. Affiliate marketing networks

Affiliate marketing allows others to promote your product or service in exchange for commissions.

• Use platforms such as JVzoo, ShareASale, Rakuten or PertnerStack (our advise) – is a great traffic sources due to the large number of affiliates.
• How it works: Post your offer on the network and attract affiliates who promote your product through their networks and channels, bringing traffic to your website.

5. Advertise in podcasts and interviews

Podcasts offer a highly engaged audience, and advertising in them or appearing as a guest can increase traffic.

• Sites like Podbean, Spotify and niche podcast directories.
• How it works: Either buy ads on podcasts or appear as a guest expert on relevant podcasts in your niche. You can also create a short audio-book promoting your product and post it on Audible.

6. Press releases

Publishing press releases on reputable PR sites can provide visibility and organic traffic.

• Sites such as PRWeb, Newswire and PR Newswire.
• How it works: Write a press release about a product launch or milestone event and send it out to press networks and influencers.

Get mentioned in online publications through Help a Reporter Out (HARO) or other press request services.

• How it works: Respond to journalists looking for expert quotes with a link to your website.

7. Classified ad sites

Good old-school classified ad sites like Craigslist, Gumtree, or niche-specific classifieds sites can increase traffic. Use special software to place your ad on thousands of boards in one click.

• How it works: Post information about your services or products in relevant sections using strong CTAs.

8. Niche directories

Submitting your business or content to niche directories can be a good source of traffic for specific industries.

• Examples include AllTop, Best of the Web, and industry directories.
• How it works: Submit your business to relevant directories, ensuring a complete and optimized profile. By the way, listing your organization on Google maps can also be a great source of traffic from this frequently visited service.

9. Email signatures

Adding a link to your website in your email signature can drive constant traffic.

• How it works: Every time you send an email, the recipient sees the link and can click on it.

10. Review sites

Signing up for review sites in your industry can bring in qualified traffic.

• Platforms like Trustpilot, Yelp, Capterra, and G2 are favored by users looking for recommendations.
• How it works: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, which drives referral traffic and improves your reputation.

Forums as a traffic source

11. Posting in forums

Participating in niche forums and sharing your expertise can position you as a thought leader or niche expert and attract traffic.

• Examples include Reddit, Quora, Stack Overflow, and industry forums.
• How it works: Answer questions and offer useful information, then link to relevant content or resources.

12. Linking to profiles on forums and Q&A sites

Creating profiles on forums, Q&A platforms and directories with links to your website can be a passive way to gain traffic over time.

• Platforms such as Quora, Reddit, Yahoo Answers or StackExchange.
• How it works: Fill out profiles completely, including your URL, and actively participate in discussions to build trust.

Guest posting and niche sites

13. Publishing on Medium and Quora

Publishing content on Medium can bring high-quality traffic, especially if your post gets picked up by popular Medium publications.

• How it works: Write long and valuable content and make sure the links lead back to your site.

Answering questions on Quora with insightful and helpful answers can position you as an expert and attract traffic to your site.

• How it works: Answer relevant questions and link to your blog or website as a useful resource.

14. Content syndication

Republishing your content on other platforms can expand your reach effortlessly.

• Medium, LinkedIn articles, and Business2Community are popular platforms for republishing content – use the popularity of high traffic sites as a traffic source to your website.
• How it works: Syndicate blog posts or articles from your website on high traffic sites to increase your reach.

15. Online communities and membership sites

Participate in or sponsor online communities where members share information and resources.

• Examples: Mighty Networks, Patreon, or Meetup.
• How it works: Become a valued member and link to your site when appropriate.

16. Guest blogging on industry blogs

Publishing articles on other people’s blogs is an underrated source of traffic.

• You can use platforms like Outreach.io, or reach out to website owners and bloggers directly.
• How it works: Write guest posts with meaningful content, adding a backlink to your site as a reference or resource.

17. Commenting on blogs

Leave thoughtful comments on popular blogs in your niche with a link back to your site.

• Make sure the comment is insightful and relevant, adding value to the discussion.
• How it works: Use your comment to provide additional information by linking to a relevant article on your site.

Visual and contextual advertising

18. Pop-up ads

When used strategically, pop-up ads can grab attention without being too intrusive.

• Google Display Network and PropellerAds offer highly effective pop-up options.
• How it works: Use exit-oriented or time-based pop-ups that appear after users spend some time on your site, offering a free offer or discount in exchange for their attention.

19. Banners and display ads

Banner ads may seem outdated, but they still work well with proper targeting and are a good traffic sources.

• Use platforms like BuySellAds or Adsterra to place banners in a niche.
• How it works: Create visually appealing banner ads and place them on high-traffic niche sites relevant to your product or service.

20. Advertising on Reddit

Reddit the “front page of the internet” offers a unique advertising platform for niche audiences.

• How it works: Promote your content in specific subreddits relevant to your niche with Reddit Ads.

21. Link roundups and exchanges

Many bloggers and site owners hold weekly or monthly “link roundups” where they talk about useful content.

• Reach out to sites that produce link roundups and suggest a relevant article or blog post to them.
• How it works: Find a link roundup opportunity in your niche, offer your content and get featured.

Participate in reciprocal link exchanges with non-competing sites.

• How it works: Contact sites in your niche and offer to exchange relevant links for reciprocal traffic.

Social media: a different perspective on promotion

22. User Generated Content (UGC)

Encourage your audience to create content (reviews, testimonials, images) and promote it on your platforms.

• Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are great for UGC campaigns.
• How it works: Run campaigns or contests that motivate users to share your product through branded hashtags or reviews.

23. Micro-influencers

Partnering with niche or local micro-influencers can bring targeted traffic to your site. Not only influencers with hundreds of thousands or millions of subscribers can be effective.

• Platforms like Influencity, Upfluence or Heepsy help you find relevant influencers.
• How it works: Offer influencers free products or services in exchange for reviews or shout-outs.

24. Pinterest traffic

Pinterest drives high engagement traffic, especially in niches like fashion, motivation for success and exercise, home decor, and food. Anything that looks juicy in photos.

• Create boards and pins that showcase your content and link back to your website. Use Pinflux to boost your account and profits.
• How it works: Post regularly and utilize Pinterest SEO (keywords and hashtags) to drive traffic to your site.

25. Giveaways and contests

Running online giveaways or contests can generate huge traffic in a short period of time.

• How it works: Promote the giveaway on social platforms or websites in exchange for traffic, promotions and email subscriptions.

Conclusion

By utilizing these 25 less popular but effective traffic sources, you can attract targeted visitors to your website. Diversifying your traffic sources beyond the usual well-known ones like Google and Facebook can give you a competitive advantage, especially if you focus on niche communities, unique platforms, and user-generated content.

Mix and match these traffic sources to see what works best for your business, and continue to optimize based on your results. Remember that every visitor can become a customer, and greet other buyers by recommending your site.