Should I Focus On Traffic Or Backlinks, Or What Else Should I Do

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Amybyer

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My journey in the SEO world is short, but there are two things I have noticed:

  1. Backlinks will put you on the map (they help you appear in search results).
  2. Traffic will determine your position in the search results.
And the question I want to ask is: should my focus be on gaining traffic?

Because the problem I’ve noticed from analyzing competitor sites in my niche is that the top spots aren’t taken by people who specialize in selling particular products, but by wholesalers (sites such as Amazon).

I always thought that SEO was about being hyper specific, but that actually doesn't do anything. This statement might not be true for a large country, because blog posts could get you that traffic, but for a small one where the blog posts attract 0 people I think is true.
 
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Good point, but just one thing, Traffic does not directly improve rankings. Google mainly ranks pages based on how well they match search intent and how trusted the site is. That is why sites like amazon often tank on top in product searches not because they are more specific but because they have strong authority. In smaller countries, the real issue is usually low search volume, not that hyper specific SEO does not work.
Better approach is to target long tail keywords and build a strong topic around your niche instead of focusing only on backlinks or traffic
 
In my opinion
Firstly you should focus on keywords - write seo friendly content on your website, blogs etc
Then backlinks - these are just to improve visibility and overall trust of your site
Lastly outreach blog posts - blogs on high traffic sites like medium and others

So when you post blogs on medium etc to increase your traffic
People can search your site on google for reviews etc by the time they reach your product
 
My exposure is that both backlinks and traffic matters,but neither one alone is enough anymore. Backlinks still helps in improve your website rankings and discover your page faster.But traffic is more like a quality signal. Smaller niche sites usually can't compete with big marketplaces like amazon on board keywords.So it is better to focus on very specific searches where people want expert information or a unique product.
 
yes, traffic matters more, because search engines notice when people visit and engage with your site. but backlinks are still important they build authority and help your site rank at all, you balance both.
 
I think you’re noticing something that a lot of people only realize later in SEO.

Being hyper-specific does help, but only if Google already trusts your site enough to compete. Big sites rank not because their pages are always better, but because their overall authority is massive. Google already knows users trust them, click them, buy from them, stay on the site, etc.

Backlinks are definitely important because they build that trust and authority. But I wouldn’t say “traffic determines rankings” directly. It’s more than good traffic usually comes together with strong signals — branded searches, engagement, repeat visitors, mentions, links — and all of that reinforces rankings.

For smaller countries/niches, you’re also right that the classic “write blog posts” advice can fail because there simply isn’t enough search volume. In those cases, I’d focus more on:

  • commercial intent keywords
  • strong category/product pages
  • local authority
  • niche backlinks
  • building a recognizable brand in that market
Sometimes the winning move isn’t being the most specific site. It’s being the most trusted small site in your niche.
 
SyedHabib-SEOExpert said:
Backlinks build authority and traffic is a ranking signal but neither alone wins against Amazon or big wholesalers. Those sites dominate because of domain authority built over years not because of traffic itself.

For small markets your instinct is correct, hyper specific content gets zero search volume so blog posts do not help. In that case the smarter approach is focusing on conversion over rankings. Instead of trying to outrank Amazon, target keywords where big sites do not bother competing like very local or very specific long tail terms, and make sure every visitor that lands converts well.

Also consider that in small markets Google is not always the best channel. Social media, marketplaces, and direct outreach sometimes beat SEO entirely when search volume is simply too low to matter.
Click to expand...
"target keywords where big sites do not bother competing" - in that niche, in which I'm in, the highest ranking site gets like 50 searches per month. So are mentioning creating posts about different topics outside my niche?
 
Amybyer said:
My journey in the SEO world is short, but there are two things I have noticed:

  1. Backlinks will put you on the map (they help you appear in search results).
  2. Traffic will determine your position in the search results.
And the question I want to ask is: should my focus be on gaining traffic?

Because the problem I’ve noticed from analyzing competitor sites in my niche is that the top spots aren’t taken by people who specialize in selling particular products, but by wholesalers (sites such as Amazon).

I always thought that SEO was about being hyper specific, but that actually doesn't do anything. This statement might not be true for a large country, because blog posts could get you that traffic, but for a small one where the blog posts attract 0 people I think is true.
Click to expand...
You’re not wrong. Backlinks help Google discover and trust your site, but user behavior and overall site authority play a huge role in rankings too.
The problem is that in many niches, especially smaller markets, Google tends to favor big authority sites like Amazon because they already have massive trust, traffic, and engagement signals.
Being hyper specific still works, but usually only when there’s enough search demand behind it. If blog content gets no traffic in your country, then focusing only on “niche specificity” won’t move the needle much.

In my opinion, the better strategy is:

  • Build authority with backlinks
  • Target commercial keywords with real search intent
  • Improve CTR and user engagement
  • Use supporting content only where actual demand exists
SEO today feels less like “who is most relevant” and more like “who Google trusts the most.”
 
backlinks still matter more for ranking early
traffic helps after you already have some authority
best move is get a few strong links first then build content that matches search intent, not just volume
 
Amybyer said:
My journey in the SEO world is short, but there are two things I have noticed:

  1. Backlinks will put you on the map (they help you appear in search results).
  2. Traffic will determine your position in the search results.
And the question I want to ask is: should my focus be on gaining traffic?

Because the problem I’ve noticed from analyzing competitor sites in my niche is that the top spots aren’t taken by people who specialize in selling particular products, but by wholesalers (sites such as Amazon).

I always thought that SEO was about being hyper specific, but that actually doesn't do anything. This statement might not be true for a large country, because blog posts could get you that traffic, but for a small one where the blog posts attract 0 people I think is true.
Click to expand...
Traffic all the way thats why you build backlinks :)
 
MegaSmith said:
backlinks still matter more for ranking early
traffic helps after you already have some authority
best move is get a few strong links first then build content that matches search intent, not just volume
Click to expand...
What if the relevant content only gets you max 50 searches per month? I think most people in my country up 35 years of age don't search up info in the native language, they search it in english. I'm not competing with people who are in the same niche as I am and create content in english. Even if I get those 50 searches, it's nowhere near what those Amazon type of sites are puling in every month.
 
Traffic and backlinks both matter, but for a new site the real focus should be topical authority, user trust, and solving a specific problem better than big generic sites.
You usually can’t beat giants like Amazon on broad keywords, so target long-tail searches, local intent, comparisons, and unique content where smaller sites still have an edge.
 
You’re mixing it a bit. Backlinks help you rank, but traffic itself isn’t the ranking factor relevance, intent, and authority are. Big sites like Amazon win because of authority, not just traffic. So don’t chase traffic focus on the right keywords + intent, traffic will follow.
 
You’re partly right, but traffic alone is not what ranks a site long term. Google mainly looks at relevance, authority, and user trust, which is why huge sites like Amazon dominate many commercial keywords. For smaller markets, being hyper specific still works, but usually through local SEO, strong topical authority, and targeting lower competition search terms instead of broad product keywords.
 
Amazon wins because they have insane authority, not just because they're wholesalers, you need to focus on backlinks from local sites to build your own power so you can actually compete, if blog traffic is zero in your area, then link juice is the only thing that's going to move the needle for your money pages.
 
Amybyer said:
My journey in the SEO world is short, but there are two things I have noticed:

  1. Backlinks will put you on the map (they help you appear in search results).
  2. Traffic will determine your position in the search results.
And the question I want to ask is: should my focus be on gaining traffic?

Because the problem I’ve noticed from analyzing competitor sites in my niche is that the top spots aren’t taken by people who specialize in selling particular products, but by wholesalers (sites such as Amazon).

I always thought that SEO was about being hyper specific, but that actually doesn't do anything. This statement might not be true for a large country, because blog posts could get you that traffic, but for a small one where the blog posts attract 0 people I think is true.
Click to expand...
I think being hyper specific still works, but it depends a lot on the niche and the search intent.

Big sites like Amazon usually dominate commercial keywords because of authority and overall trust signals, not just because they get more traffic.

For smaller sites, I've noticed long-tail and informational content can still help build relevance over time, even if the traffic starts low. The harder part now is competing on pure product keywords without strong authority behind the site.
 
It is usually better to focus on building trust, relevance, and authority rather than chasing traffic alone. Large websites like Amazon often rank because they already have strong backlinks, brand trust, and years of authority behind them. Competing directly with them on broad keywords is rarely the smartest approach for smaller sites. Stay focused on a specific niche and become genuinely useful within that area. In smaller markets, especially, commercial relevance and trust signals can matter more than publishing large amounts of blog content. Strong topical relevance and a trustworthy website create more sustainable rankings than traffic.
 
As a beginner, I think traffic alone isn't the goal. I'd rather have 100 targeted visitors who are ready to buy than 1,000 visitors who aren't interested.
 
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