RESOURCE: 40+ traffic sources in a "Zero click search world"

Social Search

The Ultimate Guide to 40+ Traffic Sources (and How to Get More From Each One)

Marketers love to talk about “driving traffic.” But too often, we only think of Google and social. The truth? In 2025/26, people discover brands across dozens of interactions spanning 3.6 platforms on average - from AI Overviews and Reddit threads to TikTok Shop, Giphy, and even podcasts.

Search is no longer a single channel. It’s an ecosystem.

And if your brand wants to dominate discovery, you can’t rely on ranking in Google alone. You need to build visibility across every surface where people search, browse, or stumble upon new ideas.

Below is a complete list of 40+ traffic sources - from organic search to dark social - and exactly how to get more from each one. Bookmark this, share it with your team, and use it to build your 2026 marketing roadmap.

Source Name	Type	How to Get More?	How to Track It?
Google (Organic)	Organic Search	Rank top 3 through SEO, content optimisation, and authority building	GSC & GA
Bing (Organic)	Organic Search	Optimise for Bing algorithm — technical SEO, schema, and keyword targeting	BWT & GA
Google Local (Organic)	Local Search	Optimise Google Business Profile, collect reviews, add posts and photos	GBP, GSC & GA
Google Shopping (Organic)	Ecommerce Search	Optimise product feeds, structured data, and imagery for Shopping visibility	Merchant Center, GSC & GA
Google Discover (Organic)	Organic Search	Create clickworthy, visually engaging content with emotional hooks and E-E-A-T	GSC & GA
Google Images / Visual Search (Lens)	Organic Search	Optimise image filenames, alt text, and schema to appear in Google Images and Lens	GSC (Image Search), GA
Google AI Overviews	Organic Search	Optimise for featured answers, structured data, and authoritative E-E-A-T content	GSC (AI Overview impressions soon), manual tracking
Voice Search Devices (Alexa/Google Home)	Organic Search	Optimise for conversational queries and Featured Snippets	Untracked
Minor Search Engines (DuckDuckGo, Brave, Yahoo etc)	Organic Search	Ensure indexing, optimise metadata, and privacy-friendly strategies	GA
Apple Spotlight / Siri Suggestions	Organic Search	Use schema and Smart App Banners for Spotlight/Siri visibility	Apple Search Console (beta), GA
TikTok (Organic)	Organic Social	Create native high-retention short-form videos optimised for SEO keywords	TikTok, GA
Instagram (Organic)	Organic Social	Post consistently, use trending Reels, SEO captions, and engagement tactics	GA
LinkedIn (Organic)	Organic Social	Share thought leadership, team wins, and use hashtags + native video	GA
Facebook (Organic)	Organic Social	Post shareable content, join relevant groups, and optimise for engagement	GA & Facebook
YouTube (Organic)	Organic Social	Optimise titles, tags, and descriptions; create how-to or educational videos	GA & YouTube
X/Twitter (Organic)	Organic Social	Post trending commentary, use hashtags, join real-time conversations	GA & YouTube
Pinterest (Organic)	Organic Social	Pin high-quality visuals, use keyword-optimised descriptions and boards	GA
Giphy / Tenor (GIF SEO)	Organic Visual Search	Upload branded GIFs and optimise tags for visibility in Giphy & Tenor	Giphy Insights, GA
Reddit	Organic Social	Engage in subreddits, contribute useful content and link naturally	GA
Quora	Referral / Q&A	Contribute expert answers with relevant links; build authority	GA
Medium / Substack	Referral / Owned Publishing	Publish thought-leadership content linking back to your domain	GA
Industry Specific Forums	Referral	Join threads, add insights, and link naturally	GA
Referrals from News, Media & Magazine Sites	Referral Traffic	Run digital PR campaigns, earn backlinks from authority sites	GA
Wikipedia	Referral Traffic	Create or edit a compliant company page supported by citations	GA & WikiShark
Partnership Referrals	Referral Traffic	Build co-marketing partnerships or affiliate-style deals	GA
Affiliate Networks	Referral Traffic	Partner with affiliates or content publishers to drive traffic	GA, Partner Platforms
Influencer / Creator Mentions	Social / Referral	Collaborate with creators for tagged and trackable content	GA, UTM Links
Email	Referral Traffic	Send personalised, valuable newsletters and segmented campaigns	GA & Email Software
Newsletters / Third-party Email Features	Referral	Get featured in relevant industry or media newsletters	GA, UTM Links
Review Sites (TrustPilot etc)	Referral Traffic	Encourage authentic reviews, respond publicly, link to your site	GA
Discount or Deal Sites (HotUKDeals etc)	Referral Traffic	Submit genuine offers, avoid spam, time-limit promotions	GA & Deal Site
Press Releases (Newswire / PRWeb)	Referral	Syndicate to credible outlets with backlinks and mentions	GA
App Stores (Apple / Google Play)	App Store Search	Optimise app listings for branded and generic keywords	App Store Analytics, Firebase
Podcasts (Spotify, Apple, YouTube)	Audio Discovery	Include trackable links in show notes; guest on category podcasts	Chartable, GA
Google News / Top Stories	Organic News Search	Publish timely, newsworthy content using schema and E-E-A-T	GSC, GA
Dark Social (Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat)	Organic Social	Encourage private sharing via viral or UGC content	Untracked
Direct	Direct Traffic	Build brand recognition through strong marketing and PR presence	GA, Google Trends
Amazon (Brand Storefront / Listings)	Ecommerce Search	Optimise Amazon listings for branded and generic SEO crossover	Amazon Seller Central, GA
TikTok / Pinterest / Instagram Shop	Social Commerce	Tag products, optimise listings, use SEO-driven captions	Platform Analytics, GA
PPC (Various)	Paid Search	Bid on relevant keywords, use audience targeting and conversion tracking	GA & Ads Manager
Paid Social (Various)	Paid Social	Run targeted campaigns with creative testing and audience data	GA & Platform Analytics

Want help diversifying organic traffic? Get in Touch.

Written By

Ray Saddiq

Global Head of Marketing

Fri 18 Jul

Social Search

Ray Saddiq is a leading voice in the world of Marketing SEO and social media known for connecting the dots between how people search and how they scroll. As Head of Marketing at Rise at Seven, he’s pioneered approaches that treat platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram not just as content channels but as search engines.