Paid traffic includes any paid ads so that could be Instagram ads, Facebook ads or google ads (search results ads). There is also display ads, those little ads that follow you around the internet. It can also be paid partnership, so you pay influencers or paid collaborations with another content producer such as Time Out or Broadsheet.
Earned traffic is the traffic you get from your efforts over time. It could be a long period of time, perhaps it took a whole span of your food business. So earned, you’ve put in your work to get those customers through your online ordering website. One way of earned traffic is SEO, Search Engine Optimisation.
This is how your online ordering website ranks on search engines such as Google or Bing. Any keywords such as your food business name or type keywords that relates to your food business, will determine how your website appears on those search engines.
These organic searches, not paid, are earned traffic. If someone shares your website link to someone else, referral traffic, that’s also earned traffic.
Every traffic that has got to do with your brand awareness, that you don’t pay for, is earned. If your food business is featured in a magazine or website blogs, these are also earned. It takes time to build this kind of reputation and it doesn’t happen overnight.
Owned traffic is where you are controlling the traffic going to your website. Example is email lists, you’re directing your customers to go to your website or a particular page on your website to do something.
Perhaps to book a table, book an event, buy a particular food item, or claim a voucher. You have control over that traffic.
Social media could also fall under owned traffic because it directs your followers to your website. However these platforms are not exactly yours, they are owned by other companies such as Facebook and Instagram, so technically you’re borrowing their real estate.