What is an organic search?

What is an organic search? 

Organic search results are the unpaid results that appear on a search engine results page after a query.

In the example below, when I typed  in Google, the unpaid results are all a part of that organic search.

These results are typically generated based on search engine optimization (SEO) factors including backlinks, domain authority, and relevance.

On the other hand, search engines might also show paid search results, which are known as display ads or pay-per-click ads.

These are denoted with the word “Ad” before the hyperlink, as shown in the example below.

Organic traffic is one of the main traffic sources inbound marketers focus on because once you succeed, it’s a long-term source of traffic.

While an strategy can take time, it’s more likely to generate leads and revenue because it’s a non-disruptive form of delivering content. Also, organic searches produce relevant traffic because you’re answering user’s questions when they’re asking them.

This helps people become aware of your brand who aren’t already.

To rank highly on search engines, you have to pay attention to search intent when you target keywords, so users are more likely to click on your page.

You can also create a blog, be active on social media, and optimize your pages for SEO to improve your organic search rankings.

Usually, organic search is an important traffic source to consider because other traffic sources generally lead to one-page site visitors since they aren’t trying to drive overall site traffic or customer loyalty.

Although we’re focusing on organic traffic today, it’s important to remember the other several traffic sources, including:

Direct: Traffic where the source is unknown.
Email: Traffic from email marketing.
Organic: Traffic from search engines that’s unpaid.
Paid search: Traffic from search engines as a result of paid ads.
Social: Traffic from a social media network.

What is an organic search in Google Analytics?

In Google Analytics, it’s referring to the traffic that’s come to your site through unpaid search results on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing.

Organic traffic in Google Analytics can be found under the Acquisition section. Click All Traffic, then Channels.