Internet Marketing
8 Ways To Increase Your Traffic
I’ve been watching the traffic for my Blog increase at an astounding rate over the past few months, and it happened in a very subtle way. I want to share what I did with you because I want you to succeed in driving traffic, which I hope, will allow you to make money through your Blog too. I make no promises as your results will most likely be different than mine, why, because you are not me.You will use the following eight ways in the way that only you can use them, because, you think differently than I do. I don’t use all Eight Ways so that should give you hope. Let’s get started and see if I can get you to think like me.
Internet. Business. Profit. To fully integrate these words into a successful merging you will need another word. Traffic. Every article you will find about making your site or company successful would always include the importance of generating traffic. My site is no different. So, we all know that in the core of it all next to the LIST (but that’s another report), traffic is the most essential thing to a successful internet based business company. Aside from ensuring that you have a great product to sell, and you have your company’s internal organization well taken care of, it’s time to generate traffic.
If you already have a site and you think you’re not getting enough traffic that you’re supposed to be getting, then its time to consider your options. If you are contending in these very competitive businesses, you should always be a step ahead of your competition, increasing your traffic flow should have been done starting yesterday.
Timing is essential, that’s an old adage known to everyone. But with generating traffic, you should always be on your toes and be a day ahead of everyone. Never think of today and tomorrow as a starting point for making your site traffic laden, it should always have been before you opened the doors to your site.
Some of these hot tips require an investment so be sure to read the fine print before committing to any pay for services. So, to help you out in generating more traffic for your site, here are eight ways to increase your traffic.
8 Ways To Increase Your Traffic
1.) Invest in good advertising with search engines
Google’s Adwords and Yahoo’s Overture provide great advertising schemes that are very truly popular and assures great traffic. Although with this surefire way to increase your traffic would cost some money. While some would shy away from spending money to increase traffic, it is imperative in this case to do so because Adwords and Overture is the top surefire way to increase your traffic. You could see for yourself the success this search engine advertising methods have reaped rewards for so many companies. Lots of site’s feature these advertising system and many have signed on to reap the benefits.
2.) Exchange or Trade Links with other sites
With exchanging links with other sites, both of you will benefit from the efforts both of you do to enhance your sites traffic. When one site features another sites link, they could provide one another with the traffic one site generates. The efforts are doubly beneficial because it would seem like both of you are working to generate more traffic. The more links traded with more sites the more traffic could be expected.
3.) Use Viral Marketing
Viral marketing allows you to spread the word about your company and product without any costs, if there is, low costs only. This is a marketing method that can be quite productive; you can attach your company’s name, product or link to a certain media such as a funny video, entertaining game, an interesting article or a gossip or buzz. With this method, people get infected with the creativity and entertainment of the medium that they will pass it on to many people. Youtube is the mainstream delivery of video content these days. There are others but YouTube is #1 as of this writing. Online Web Radio & Television has come into mainstream as well.
4.) Search and use proper keywords or keyword phrases for your sites content
Search engines look for certain keywords that they would show in their results page. In doing so, having the right keyword and keyword phrase is a high requirement in ranking in high in search engine results. You could write your own content or you could hire someone to do it for you.
5.) Write Articles that can lead traffic to your site
Submit articles to sites that would contain the same subject that your site deals in. If you sell car parts write press releases and articles about cars and car parts. Attach your sites description and services at the end of the article as well as the link. You can also outsource your article writing if you don’t have time or feel your not creative enough.I recommend you use article services but the best is building relationships with other high traffic sites that will link back to your articles on your site.
6.) Join forums and form online communities
Capture a market and show your expertise and credibility. When you’ve found a good foundation for your site, people will trust you and your site and will pass on to many people their trust. Traffic will certainly increase because they know that you can provide what they need.
7.) Offer Newsletters.
If many people know what you are about and your existence is shared with many others, you will find a loyal traffic that can provide you with more traffic by recommendation. If you arouse the curiosity of your customers they would be pushed to help you with your traffic.
8.) Social Media Networks
Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed, you can also create your own Social Media Network but that’s another article. I’ve been writing about some of these networks on my Blog so be sure to visit. http://blog.owengreaves.com
I’m personally sold on Social Media Networks and I use Twitter as my primary network and be sure to follow me @owengreaves . Also read my article on how to get 1,000 followers in 10 days. Ten Days To A Thousand, I actually got 1,400 followers in 14 days but your results may vary depending on how much time you have to invest in developing your network. There are others who who got more in shorter spans of time but that’s not the point. Oh and these Networks I mentioned are FREE!
Localize Your Social Media Marketing
What is considered successful marketing using Social Media Networks, is it how much money you made, how popular you are, how many hits your site(s) get? Many think Social Media is just being a good Internet Marketer, not so. There is this thought process of “looking out there” rather than looking in your own backyard in the Social Media World. Why is that? Is it merely thinking big or is it Ego, I think the later has a lot to do with it, we all want our 15 minutes of fame and this is the easiest way to get it.
The old saying, ” Think Globally, Act Locally” is the right approach regardless of the grandeur or weblebrity that might come from all the marketing efforts you expedite in these Social Media Networks. The Internet is the vehicle and Social Media is the platform of choice to deliver your opinion, to be heard, and too be seen! Video is now the rage within the Social Media Networks, be seen and heard is socially acceptable!
So how do you apply these Social Media Networks to a local way of doing business? If print is dead, what options do traditional businesses have in a tangible way to market their business. To quote Guy Kawasaki – ”Advertising is when you tell people how great you are. PR is when someone else says how great you are.”
Print ads have a life span of a day and a half, Radio & Television is a frequency problem and direct mail is a low ROI challenge, what should you do? You have to mass mail or run HIGH rotations of ads, you can spend more money producing no or low results the traditional way. The bigger problem isn’t the vehicle as much as the way business owners think! Old thought processes and methods are written in stone in the walls of their brains, making it very difficult to see the value in Social Media Networks.
Mike Wesely of Twittalk.tv during one of his shows suggested that building the relationship first is paramount, this will build trust which will allow you to influence those who follow you. This trust, like face-to-face relationships, takes time to develop so be patient and care about people. I had the privilege of speaking with Mike on the phone and I can tell you Mike loves people and truly wants to help people with Twitter. You can follow Mike on Twitter @mike_wesely and attend his Twittalk.tv Show for free.
Branding is the BUZZ word these days and frankly should be in traditional forms of making your business or product be top of mind. So, nothings really changed just the method has, the glue, the difference, is and always has been in the relationship. We have become markets of Social Circles that depend on knowing that its safe to buy or deal with a person or business. But most of us just want to belong and be in a safe fun place. Hang on, is that new? We as a people have always been like that, we are creatures of habits.
Now I’m really confused, if nothings changed then why has everything changed? The principles remain the same and have to be applied to every social market, only the methods have changed, not the principles of how and why people buy. So Think Globally and Act Locally helps me communicate to my target market or niche in a more accurate way. By the way, the original phrase “Think Global, Act Local” first appears in the book “The Evolution of Cities” (1915) by Scots Planner and social activist Patrick Geddes.
The world of business has not changed all that much, much of what you do to sell goods and products will continue, you will however add new ways of marketing. The principles of marketing will remain the same but your methods will change, this is going to be determined by where the largest flow of traffic is going not too mention where the greatest pool (demographic) of dollars resides.
You should and will have interaction with people at some level, so you will influence (sell) someone to get them to do what you want. Social Media Networks are best used in your PR efforts, not in advertising programs. No matter what you do, improve and be the best you you can be, because today’s markets are becoming very personal. I hope the shift to a more Social environment will make it possible for everyone to realize their dreams. Don’t forget your community for the sake of reaching the world, localize your Social Media Networks to serve your business and above all, care for your customers no matter where they reside.
Twitter The Social Media Network Gone Wild!
Social Media Networks are popping up everywhere and no one can stop them! Today it’s clear Twitter is taking the world by storm and is one of the most effective ways to generate traffic to a website, not to mention it’s FREE! Twitter is projected to surpass Facebook and many others as the Social Network of choice. I’ve been using Twitter everyday since December 26th,2008 and I can tell you some of the sharpest minds on the Internet are there and they will follow you if you offer value to the community. Value is measured in many ways on Twitter, like Blogs content is king, find good information, helpful information, develop a reputation as a sound resource, plus, be a great person and you’ll create a large following.
Like many of these Social Media Networks, information is what most are looking for, how to articles and where to find that nugget that can help you be a better you or improve your companies branding. Twitter is the most instant messaging platform with mass appeal, the branding tool of choice and considered a secret weapon by many who use it.
The most common Social Networks to date look like Facebook, Digg, My Space and LinkedIn just to name a few, but none respond faster than Twitter! I’ve helped a number of entrepreneurs and small businesses get started with Twitter and have shown them the value of leveraging the other networks with Twitter. Why not make them all work for you? The phenomenon of Social Media Networks is just starting to realize it’s power by adding value to the market place, whether it in B2B or simple membership environments. It’s getting harder and harder to hide and easier to brand your product(s) and yourself with the power of Twitter.To learn how Social Media Networks can increase awareness, brand a product, increase traffic and develop a revenue stream, send a message to socialmedia@owengreaves.com with your request.
Come join the Social Media Marketing Gone Wild phenomenon. Join Twitter and follow me.
How are you using Twitter, leave a comment and share your experiences.
It's The Traffic Man!
Between 8-8:30AM and 3-3:30PM I don’t dare try to leave or come home, why? There are 4 schools within a block and 1/2 where I live and the cars are lined up everywhere, it’s even worse when a school has an event. It’s impossible to get anywhere quickly, and some drivers are so clueless, they don’t care that they are blocking traffic because they are going to turn whether you like it or not! Those big SUV’s are no match for my Malibu so I have to wait.
I was watching the flag person this morning and they have to be on there toe’s, drivers are not watching them, they are looking ahead and strategizing how to maneuver the next exit or parking spot. The flag person’s are volunteers and they are risking themselves to ensure our children get to school safely while crossing the street. They should get medals for doing it if you ask me because the volume of traffic is unmanageable for one person. they just keep coming and coming trying to get ahead or turn into the parking lot before the next car closes the opportunity to turn. I would love to have this traffic problem on my website, I wouldn’t care what they did as long as they came and bought what I was selling.
So there’s the question, why would traffic turn to come into your parking lot called a Blog or website? How would you get them there and how would you get them to stay long enough to read your work or buy your products?
I have been researching (or playing whichever you like to call it) this challenge of traffic the past few weeks and I am coming to some very simple conclusions. I don’t know if it’s important but I have come to believe that everything comes down to one thing, It’s The Traffic Man! There are many ways to build or direct traffic to your website and many would have you believe that you have to spend a considerable amount of money to make it happen. I’m not here to say that you shouldn’t spend money on traffic, I’m merely pointing out that you have three options:
1.) Buy your traffic.
2.) Build Organic traffic (don’t buy traffic)
3.) Do both (1 & 2)
I am currently working on number two, it just seems more long term to me, they came because they liked what you were doing and sharing. Paid traffic has a purpose which primarily means your selling something or you must have a high rate of response in a short period of time. In a way, the slower organic approach to traffic appears to build community better, it lays a stronger foundation. I’m sure those buying or paying for traffic say the same thing but I haven’t gone down that road so I can’t speak intelligently on payed traffic.
I started building my traffic with Twitter over Christmas and found the community an amazing source of information not to mention it’s responsiveness. I was able to test topics, interests in traffic, all kinds of things that lead to traffic to my Blog, it is and was a fun experience and I truly value all those who follow me. That’s a key thing for me, Value those who follow you and those who visit your site regularly. The traffic that comes from Twitter is considerable on a day-to-day basis so twitter is probably the best place to start of you are building organic traffic to your sites. To find out how I build traffic using Twitter read my post called, ” 10 Days to a 1,000 Followers“.
No matter what you want to accomplish with your Blog or website, you need one thing, and thats Traffic. It’s The Traffic Man!
Internet Marketing & Advertising Are Too Confusing To Small Business Owners
I have come to the conclusion that the online world has forgotten how to connect with small business owners. Talking in terms of impressions, traffic, page views and links just doesn’t compute. The small business owner doesn’t care about those events unless it means increasing revenue, they’ll make more money from it. Yes they are indicators and bench marks to determine if online efforts are paying off but the real truth is in the cash draw at the end of the day. For small business owners to understand all this jargon you need to keep it simple, dummy it down so to speak.
I recently met with a small business owner and they could care less about what all that stuff meant, they want to improve business that’s it that’s all. More sales, more traffic through the doors, more traffic to their website that they spent a pile of money on. Because at night when they go to bed they are thinking about how to pay the hydro bill, the phone bill and their staff. The problem is still the same even with Internet. Why is it that Internet Marketer’s think the problem changes just because it’s the Internet? Oh, to make it more confusing, there appears to be different types of Internet Marketers!
Granted, a well thought out marketing strategy should include an online presence and a good advertising program, but, the Internet is only one part of it not the end all answer. Cross promotion, making sure your websites address is on all correspondence, letterhead, business cards and the like. You bet!
That business owner told me that all the jargon was too confusing not to mention being told how it all worked! It could be that the person selling the online presence is not looking at the problem from the same side of the table as the potential client. Looking at it as a transaction instead of genuinely wanting to help, to help solve the problem, to sit in the same boat and go on the journey with them. If you did, you would find the client much more open to your suggestions, why, because they will feel you have something to lose too.
Keep it simple stupid (KISS) still rings in my ears, help your clients get there by joining them on the journey. I know you think I’m assuming all marketers are doing the same thing, but when you hear the same story everyday from small business owners you have to wonder what’s up.
Online Marketing is different, it’s not the same as traditional advertising even though the results might be the same. Take the time to help them understand, show them how simple it can be and stop trying to sound so smart because you get it. And if it’s possible, help them and yourself identify the different types of Internet Marketers there are in the world.
I had to share this with you today because it was frustrating to hear another story as to why their online presence was a negative experience, they felt stupid because the person selling didn’t take the time care for them.
Care for your clients and tell the truth, the rewards are great for all parties involved.
