| When I first ventured forth into the world of | | | | prospects that sign up will do nothing. This is the |
| Internet Marketing, I was a bit intimidated by all | | | | reality of this form of marketing, and you must |
| the information that was out there about building | | | | have patience and understand that it's simply a |
| a business on the Internet. While the majority of | | | | numbers game. You need to be persistent and |
| the marketing guru's seemed to have their own | | | | understand that sooner or later you will sign up a |
| opinions as to the best way to proceed, they all | | | | go getter that joins all of your programs and |
| seemed to agree on the importance of building a | | | | actively works at building his and your business. |
| list of customers that you could send your offers | | | | It's also a good idea to set-up your own unique |
| to. The problem was that in order to accomplish | | | | pages. There are a ton of people using the same |
| this, you needed to have lots of targeted traffic | | | | affiliate pages, consequently diluting the |
| visiting your website. Since I was low on funds, I | | | | effectiveness of these types of sites. Create a |
| explored several free ways of increasing traffic | | | | simple page or two and advertise them on the |
| such as FFA pages, blasters, safelists, etc. While | | | | exchanges. Traffic exchanges can be a great way |
| most were useless in building my web traffic, | | | | to increase web traffic but it does take time and |
| through trial and error I eventually stumbled upon | | | | patience. |
| a few that actually did increase my web traffic. | | | | When looking to build long term traffic, one of the |
| This article looks at several ways to increase | | | | most effective methods I employ is writing short |
| website traffic that are completely free including | | | | articles for article directories. There are numerous |
| reciprocal linking, traffic exchanges, writing short | | | | benefits to be had by writing and distributing |
| articles, and posting to forums. | | | | articles through Article Directories. The first |
| One of the methods of increasing web traffic | | | | benefit is the direct traffic you receive from |
| that many employ is linking to other sites. While | | | | people clicking on your link in the Resource Box |
| there are a multitude of linking stategies, the one | | | | provided at the end of your article. But the real |
| I'm referring to is exchanging reciprocal links with | | | | kicker occurs when a webmaster or some other |
| other sites. The first time I used this strategy | | | | person with a website decides to post your article |
| was with an 'Oldies Internet Station' I had started | | | | on their website. Not only will your article be |
| several years ago. While our site was mainly | | | | posted for all interested readers to see, but your |
| about Oldies music, I was aware that there were | | | | article will also include your Resource Box with |
| many related sites such as collectibles, movie | | | | your links pointing back to your site. Finally, as |
| posters, CD and record sales, nostalgia sites, etc., | | | | your articles and incoming links increase, more |
| that would be very interested in a reciprocal link | | | | weight will be given to your links since search |
| exchange. After emailing several related sites, I | | | | engines often give added weight to sites with |
| received replies back from a few that were very | | | | many revelant incoming links. Undoubtably, writing |
| interested in exchanging links. These savvy site | | | | articles for directories is a real win-win-win |
| owners quickly realized the advantage of linking to | | | | situation! |
| none competitive related sites. This has a been | | | | Lastly, another great way to increase website |
| win-win situation for all of us, and I still receive | | | | traffic is through posting to forums. An online |
| targeted traffic from many of these sites today! | | | | forum is a place where people come together to |
| If you decide to try linking to other sites, look for | | | | exchange ideas on subjects of interest. The way |
| websites that are related to what your site is | | | | to use forums to increase traffic is when you sign |
| about, but don't try linking to sites that are | | | | up for a forum they will allow you to include a |
| virtually identical to yours, such as trying to link to | | | | 'signature' at the end of your posts, which is |
| another Oldies music site if that's what your site | | | | usually three or four lines of text which allows |
| is about. Linking to related websites can be an | | | | you to advertise yourself and your website. The |
| excellent way to build long term residual traffic. | | | | key is that everytime you contribute a post, you |
| The thing is, you just never know how much | | | | are literally advertising yourself and your business. |
| traffic one site can bring you over time. | | | | A very important benefit that comes from |
| Another method of building traffic is through the | | | | posting to forums is that Google indexes popular |
| use of Traffic Exchanges. The mistake that many | | | | forums looking for relevant content, so if you're a |
| people make in using them is that they try and | | | | regular poster you could receive lots of |
| sell some product directly on the exchanges. A | | | | advertising and traffic from them as well. A |
| much more effective way to use traffic | | | | couple of things to keep in mind; when posting |
| exchanges is to build a network of people who will | | | | make sure that you're adding something of |
| continue to build traffic for you years from now. | | | | relevance, don't just add a 'me too' sort of post. |
| There are a couple of basic approaches to | | | | Also, when joining a forum, make sure that you're |
| achieving this. First, you join numerous traffic | | | | allowed to include your signature. Some forums |
| exchanges and link one to another. For instance, | | | | require you to post 50 times or more before |
| you would advertise site A's link on B's site, B's on | | | | your signature is included. Be certain to |
| C, etc. A more effective way to do this is to | | | | understand the Forum's rules before joining. |
| advertise one U.R.L. that has numerous exchanges | | | | While building long term traffic takes time and |
| intergrated into it so that by simply joining one | | | | effort, it will help lay the foundation that produces |
| site, your prospect could conceivably sign up for | | | | tomorrow's success. Start today by using some |
| numerous exchanges under you. A couple of | | | | of the free traffic builders, and be patient. Rome |
| things to bear in mind; a great percentage of | | | | wasn't built in a day, but...it was built. |