Generating traffic to a site is one of the biggest challenges most marketers and businesses face today. The internet has changed the way businesses market their products. Gone are the days when customers were local. The entire world has opened up in the search for customers. Today, Internet traffic means money and it is the lifeblood for every internet business. Every online business needs to know how to generate good traffic to be productive and competitive.
Suppose only 1 in 100 visitors buy, then to be successful you must focus on increasing your list and generating more traffic consistently. There are multiple ways to generate traffic. Some of the ideas may only work for a week or a month, so it is a good idea to search for traffic from every source available.
I have accumulated a variety of ways to build traffic for your site. Some may be familiar to you, some may be new. Take the time to research the topics so you can utilize each tool.
Drive Traffic from A to Z
1. Ad swapping
An advertisement swap is an agreement with another websites to exchange ads. It is a quick way to generate traffic to your site. There are pros and cons to ad swapping. The advantage is that you can build your lists quickly. A disadvantage is you don’t want to give away your best subscribers by ad swapping incorrectly. Ad swapping is a quick and simple way to generate traffic to your site. If it is done properly it can be a free way to generate traffic. Take the time to learn all you can about it before trying this technique.
2. Advertising
Advertising is necessary when building a business. The possibilities are endless. Business must buy customers with money and hard work, which is the bottom line to sales. Consider the following:
· Purchase advertising: There are a variety of ways you can purchase advertisement space such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, T.V., newspaper, and magazine ads, as well as online local advertising. You can submit your site to every directory, to yellow pages both online and off. Submit your site to everything you can find.
· Employees, friends, and family: Encourage them to advertise your product as they surf the web. Ask them to make comments on forums, blogs, Facebook and the like.
· Your URL: Consider the power of your own URL. Put it on everything you do. Add it to letters, email signatures, flyers, phone books, brochures. Add it to company letterhead, business cards, put it on your building or door to your office, in newsletters, and on products.
3. Article Writing
Write articles for publication in e-zines and e-reports, and then submit them to as many websites as possible. Try to write a minimum of 2 short articles per week. If you are consistent, you can generate many readers to your site weekly.
You can also offer your articles to other website owners and article directories where other website owners can publish it. Make sure it has your author resource box at the end with your URL. They can publish them on their website, blogs, or in their newsletters. Then other website owners will consider you an expert in your field and may contact you for interviews or joint ventures. It also creates more search engine opportunities.
4. Awards
Posting awards you have earned gains customer trust. You can actually research and find organizations that offer awards. Apply for these awards and make the most of the publicity. If you are an affiliate, you can post the awards of the company you are selling for with their product.
5. Blogging
Don’t underestimate the power of blogging. In Wikipedia it said that as of 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence and don’t discount the millions of personal blogs. Blogging is becoming a daily part of life for millions of people. That does not count the number of blog readers, but if only 10 people read those 156 million blogs in existence, imagine the number of readers. Be creative and find ways to tap into this incredible phenomenon. Create your own blog, and keep it up to date, add content consistently. Comment on other blogs in a professional way to establish yourself as an expert in your field but be careful about sounding like an advertisement for your product.
6. Business Cards and Coupons
Even though business cards and coupons were used way before the internet, they are still a good method of advertising. Use them to bring traffic to your website. Be sure they have all the important information on them particularly your website address. Give people a reason to keep your card. Add important information to your card such as schedules, calendars or personal notes.
7. Build Your Own List
Everyone has the ability to teach people something they have learned. Experience is marketable. Search the internet and find out what questions people are asking in your area of expertise. Write the answers down in a professional style, and then offer them in exchange for their email address.
8. Columnist for another website
Everyone is looking for content to add to their blog or website. Search the internet, find websites in your field and offer to write a column for them. This will get your name out there.
9. Coupons, Free Items, and Sales
Don’t underestimate the power of the word “free” to attract new customers. Businesses spent a lot of money on advertising to entice customers to their site. Use some of that budget to buy customers with a great deal. I don’t know of anything that works as well as a ‘real’ sale. Something a consumer can’t pass up. It can’t be a sale that will always be there, or procrastination sets in. “First time customer offers” is a great way to buy new customers.
10. Customer Relations
Never underestimate the power of word of mouth, for good or for bad. Treat your customers with the utmost respect and give them the best service you have available. Customers will be one of your biggest advertisement resources. One customer has multiple friends, and will often post their satisfaction or frustration on Facebook, blogs, or other social networking devices.
11. Donate Prizes to Contests
Find someone who is offering a contest and offer something free. You will have free advertising space to all who join the contest. Or host your own contest for a quick burst of traffic.
12. Ecourses
An ecourse can be anything from a simple educational series to yearlong in depth study. They can include how to videos, photos, or plain text. You write “How To” courses in step by step intervals and send them out to customers on a specified schedule.
13. Email Signature Files
At the end of all your emails, add a little advertisement with your URL. Also, everyone reads the P.S. at the end of an email so add a coupon or free merchandise.
14. Forums
Comment on forums. You can establish yourself as an expert in your field by answering questions and posting knowledgeable comments. Do your research; find the forums that will benefit from your expertise. Make sure you read the rules of each forum and follow them.
15. Invite Guest Bloggers
Compliment a well-known personality in your field by asking them to contribute a blog to your own blog.
16. Hub Pages
You can share your expertise and post them on hubs. Writers read and comment on each others work. This is another way to get search engines to find you and it’s free. With hubs you can use text, insert photos, maps, poles, videos, and links to your site.
17. Logo
Create a logo and post it on everything you do. People will begin to associate your business with your logo.
18. Newsletters
A regular newsletter is one of the best ways to get repeat traffic. Newsletters keep customers informed and bring them back for more. Make your newsletter more than just an advertisement. Offer valuable information. Include coupons and free offers.
19. Optimize Search Engines
This is the number one most important thing you can do for your website. Getting your site listed on the first page of search engines is an important goal. You can purchase a spot. But you should also work hard to use the correct keywords that will make it easy for search engines to find you. Many of the suggestions in this article will open new opportunities for search engines to find you and your work.
20. Radio, Podcast, News via Internet
These are becoming very popular on the web and they are always looking for guests. Go to these sites and you will usually see a link where you can register to become a guest. If you become a guest, many of these hosts will link to your website from the front page of their site.
21. PR Firm
You can always pay for professional advertising.
22. Social Networking
Almost everyone who uses a computer is connected to some type of social network. Get involved with Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
23. Sticky Website
After all the work you do to entice a visitor to your site, keep them. Make sure you have good information and a professional site that makes people stay and return.
24. TV Ads
TV time is actually less expensive than people think. With so many programs and channels now days there are more options for advertising space.
25. Video and Audio
This is a very powerful tool. Create a great “how to” video and post it on YouTube. Interview someone or vice versa. YouTube is the dictionary of video; use it for your benefit.
26. Webinars
Webinars are becoming very popular. You can sponsor a lecture, a workshop, or any type of training and transmit it over the Web.
27. Web Directories
Don’t forget to post your site in a Web directory. There are several available on line.
28. Word of Mouth
This cannot be over emphasized. Happy customers tell their friends and family. Provide excellent customer service and let your customers advertise for you. Make sure all your employees are kind and helpful to your customers. Poor customer service cannot sell the best product on the market. Awesome customer service can sell a poor product. Think about it.
As long as this list is, it is not complete. There are multiple ways to drive traffic to your site. Be creative and come up with your own ideas. The bottom line as always is hard work and determination. Good luck.