24/7 Web Traffic your guide to getting traffic to your website

When webmasters start searching for ways to drive traffic to their sites, the first thing they usually stumble over is search engine traffic. Search engines are a great source of traffic, for starters it’s free, and you have also pre-qualified the visitor as they have a) searched for material relating to your site, and b) clicked the link based on the description of the site put up by the search engine. The next thing most webmasters will do is start submitting their sites to all the major search engines, which usually means Google and Yahoo then MSN. The smarter webmaster will have also optimised his site with keywords and meta tags so these search engines will list the site correctly. For many of them that is the end of the search engine quest. They are listed in Google, Yahoo and maybe MSN. But that shouldn’t be where the search engine submissions stop.

As a webmaster you should never dismiss the smaller search engines as part of your search engine strategy. While the major engines will cover most of searching done on the Internet, you never know when one of the minor engines will yield some results. Since it costs nothing to register with the engine all that’s required is a bit of your time. And after all, one sale can more than a make up for your investment in time spent submitting your website to the smaller search engines. Most search engines will provide information about registration that will provide you with some tips on how to create the registration profile. In some cases, the process is very quick, provided you have all the details and keywords handy. Following the advice on one site can also help on several others as far as getting listed is concerned.

Try one or two of the search engines first, just to get a feel for how much time and effort is involved. Then, you will be able to decide if registration is something that you want to do on your own, or farm out to a submission service. The results may not be immediate though, so don’t write off the smaller search engines too quickly. Another thing to bear in mind is that as most webmasters don’t take the trouble to list in smaller search engines, there is less competition for the keywords especially in smaller niches than there is in Google et al. So instead of showing up on page 25 of Google searches, you may pick up more visitors by being listed in the top ten of a smaller engine. It’s likely that more people will look at the first page of the smaller engine than that 25th page on Google.

So when you are looking for search engine traffic for your website, don’t forget Google, but also remember there are others out there which may benefit you with traffic too. Not all searches are done in Yahoo, or Google and even MSN doesn’t have the monopoly on the rest of the internets searches.

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Three Basic Steps to Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is the art and science of making web pages appear attractive to the search engines. The better optimized a website is, the higher the ranking it will receive from a search engines web crawlers, the higher its ranking the more traffic your website will have, the more traffic your website has the more profit your website will generate. The key is good internet search engine optimization.

Why is having a receiving a high ranking so important to the future success of your online business? Studies have shown that consumers seldom look at websites that don’t rank a spot on of the first two pages the search engines displays. Websites that receive a ranking that places them on the third page (or any other pages after that) see a significantly lower amount of traffic at their websites then one that is ranked on the second page. There is even a staggering difference between the first and second page. In the world of e-commerce ranking and strong search engine optimization is everything.

At first search engine optimization may feel like trying to rappel down the Grand Canyon, a huge scary world full of big words like web crawlers, PageRank, Meta tags, and algorithms. You’ve never heard of any of these things. A quick internet search of the world algorithm doesn’t help; all you got was a printout of strange symbols and numbers arranged in complex algebraic equations.

Sit back, take a deep breath, and try to relax. Search engine optimization is a lot simpler then you might think. First things first.

Algorithms really are every bit as complex as they look. Simply defined they are a finite set of carefully defined instructions. Most, if not all, computer programs are designed with strict algorithms.

PageRank is simply the program Google designed to search, index, and rank it registered webpage’s. PageRank operates on a link analysis algorithm. PageRank is credited for Google incredible success.

Web crawlers are tools search engines use to browse the World Wide Web in a methodical, automated manner. When web crawlers are browsing websites they are looking for algorithms.

Meta tags are special HTML tags that provide information to about a web page. Meta tags are written directly into the title tag and are only visible to the search engine.

The reality of search engine optimization is that you can start to optimize your website without any knowledge at all of the technical stuff involved in search engine optimization.  Simply stated the very first step in designing a website that is going to be well ranked by the search engines is to create a content rich site. What this means is that you must cram as much information about your product into your website as you possibly can.

The third step to search engine optimization is to fill your site with keywords that will attract the web crawler’s attention. The final step in a wonderfully optimized website is to submit it to the search engine that will compliment it.  

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Search engine optimisation is a skill you need if you are to get free traffic from search engines. SEO is a method of optimising your website to get higher rankings in the search engines by pandering to their algorithms. It can be a tough job keeping up with the changes the various engines implement to keep their search results relevant to the general public who will go elsewhere if they don’t find relevant results.

It is precisely because of the constantly moving goalposts of search engine optimisations that many webmasters either don’t bother, or look for work arounds to make the optimisation proces simpler or less work intensive. Some of the methods they use are pushing at the boundaries of the search engines rules for listing a site, and may get their sites banned from the search engines altogether.

Is it worth exploring the so called “Black Hat SEO” methods?

Many people would say no, rather than take the risk of being banned from the search engines, which is a valid viewpoint, but misses one important point. Some black hat seo methods won’t get you banned, they are close to the boundaries, but don’t overstep the line drawn by search engines. You can use these black hat methods as long as you don’t go too far.

Another thing to consider when contemplating black hat seo strategies is that you can buy a domain pretty cheaply, so you can setup one site with the search engines preferred seo tactics, and another using black hat strategies to bring traffic. If the second site is delisted from searches, you still have the “good” one working for you while you setup another using the darker arts of SEO again.

Remember the search engines have rules, but they can be bent, even if not broken by your site, and that may make black hat seo a worthwhile avenue to explore.

For more information on black hat SEO techniques, check out “Black Hat SEO For Beginners“ 

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One thing people and search engines both love is updated content. People love to read new information, and search engines are there to help people find the new information they are looking for. So one of the best ways to bring in new and repeat traffic is to add new content.

It’s been tested and proven that content rich sites rank higher in the search engines, this is one reason blogging is a good way to gain higher search engine positions. But that doesn’t mean your static sites will lose out to blogs in the traffic generation race. All you need to do is add content to your sites on a regular basis.

Obviously adding content to an exisiting html based site isn’t as easy as doing so on a blog. It isn’t impossible though, and you have two choices, firstly you can add extra pages to your site, or extra folders with new content in. Or alternatively you can add new content to existing pages.

If you can use PHP includes, then updating your static sites linking structure can be made simpler. It’s beyond the scope of this article, but you can look it up on Google to find out how, and it’s not that difficult. Adding content to your existing pages means the search engines have a good reason to keep returning and re-indexing them. Again PHP includes can simplify this process.

Even finding content to add can be simpler than writing it yourself, as there are article directories (such as http://www.goarticles.com and http://www.articlesand.info ) where you can search to find articles which you can add to your site at no cost except keeping the authors information intact. Even better is that the content can be added automatically using feeds from the article sites. Even a static site can benefit from adding automatically updating feeds for content.

So it’s simple really, if you want more traffic give them a reason to keep coming back, and more content for the search engines to list you with.

Author Douglas Titchmarsh recommends the new “Auto Content Pro” software to add automatically updating content to your website. Find out more about adding content to your site automatically at http://thediscountebookstore.com/software/auto-content-pro-automatically-updates-your-website-content/

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The internet is the information highway, this phrase has been used so may time it should be nominated for the Internet Cliché Award. People that go to the internet are subdivided into groups, but generally, they are out to search information. Whether for gaming, business, fun or anything else the internet has provided us with information that has proved to be very beneficial. 

Through the recent years many people have learned the secrets of Search Engine Optimization. More and more sites have seen the effects articles have done for the traffic of their sites. Some have even created sites devoted entirely to providing articles that could be read by their website visitors and have links that could lead to many sites that are related to the topics and subjects of the articles.

For example, the sites may feature many articles about a whole lot of topics. As a website visitor reads the articles they have searched for, they can find at the end of the article a resource box that can be clicked on to link them to the site that has submitted the article. Of course the article would be in relation to the site. Lets say if the article is about rotating the tires, the resource box may lead to a link to a site that sells tires or car parts.

A resource box is what you usually find at the end of an article. They will contain the name of the author, a brief description of the author, a brief description of the sponsoring site and a link. If a reader likes what they read, they would have the tendency to find out where the article came from to read more. The resource bow will be their link to the source of the article and this will entice them to go to the site and do some more reading or research for the subject or topic they are interested in.

But like the article itself, the resource box must also be eye-catching to demand the attention and interest of the reader. While the resource bow encompasses only a small space, providing the right keywords and content for your resource box will provide more prodding for the reader to go to your site.

Now we know what resource boxes are, what are the benefits of having a good resource box? Mainly its driving traffic to your site. Many sites would allow articles to be placed in their sites because they can make use of the articles to fill their pages. They also get affiliation with other sites that can be beneficial for them as well. For the sponsoring site, when you get people to click on your resource box, you generate traffic that can be counted upon as potential customers.

So what would be a good content for your resource box? Basically it is keywords, learning about the proper keywords that people are mainly searching for. There are many tools you can find in the internet that can help you in determining what keywords to use.

Resource boxes can also make use of all the creativity it can get. You only get a small space for your resource box so you better make the most of it. Try to catch the attention of your reader with resource box content that can make them give a second look. Unlike TV ads, you don’t have visual aids to drive your point in. But you do have the power of imagination of a reader. With the right content, you can make them think and intrigued.

Another tip is to use keywords that should be related to your site. Do not mislead your potential website visitors. Build your credibility so that more people would get enticed to visit your site and browse what you have to offer. Make the people click your resource box by providing resource box content that makes a lasting impression. You only get one chance to wow them and hundreds of chances to repulse them.

Never underestimate the power of the resource box. It may be small in size but they will provide a significant aid in driving traffic to your site. A boring resource box will never get a job done. Be fun and creative but at the same time show that you have a great deal to offer, too much to ask for something that couldn’t fit a paragraph? Yes and no, there are many tips and guides that can help you in doing this, the first step is realizing how important a resource box could be in making people click your link and be directed to your site.

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Getting Traffic The Web 2.0 Way

Web 2.0 is the phrase of the moment in online circles. Before we look at getting traffic to our own websites using web2.0 we need to know what the phrase means exactly. Well “exactly” may be a bit of a lofty aim to acheive, as web 2.0 is a catch all term for the new technologies being used on the web. The term can be stretched to include the social networks like Facebook and Twitter, as well as blogging, and many other web based systems. For our purposes we are going to call it web 2.o and use it to get traffic from social networking sites to our own websites.

The first step in grabbing traffic from social networking sites is to understand the network, you need to
Know what the atmosphere is like. Look at the type of person who frequents the site and make sure you are a good fit. Some of the social networks have very active groups who dislike any kind of marketing, or selling done on their network. That’s not to say that you couldn’t get traffic from these sites, but it would have to be done in a very subtle way. Some social networks encourage marketers, and others don’t, learn the etiquette for the particular site before you make a move.

In choosing a network site to try to attract visitors to your sites, go where the people are. Use a social network that is busy.  You want to go where other people are going to get the most effect from your efforts. The more people, the easier it will be to fit in somewhere, and find potential visitors for your site. As with anything in life, be careful and add friends carefully. On most networks you can choose to screen any friends before they are added.  You should choose this option and make sure that you are friends with people who represent your values and support your overall message.  Take the time to check out each request and just don’t approve everyone who asks.

Once you have the right network, and some contacts, you need to bring your audience in. Content is king in any part of your web traffic activities, and social networking is no different. Keep it updated visit your page often.  Everyday would be ideal so that you can keep everything up to date.  Plus it shows up that you are visiting the site and so people will know you are an active member. Use photos, have your photo on there.  It has been shown that pages with photos get more traffic and interest than those without photos. Add targeted content Make sure that you still think about your target market.  Make sure that you stay targeted.  You can still pick up search engine rankings through this page so think smart. Use multi-media make use of the video and audio features most of these sites give you.  Add your own video and audio for a truly unique experience that represents you.

The caveat to the above content advice is to add content with care to make sure that anything you put on your page represents you.  Make sure it is professional and will not tarnish your image in any way. One badly worded post can drag your name into the mire very quickly, and it will be difficult to get it back into a favourable light. The social networking aspect means that the news will spread quickly, good or bad, so make sure it’s not your name getting passed around as the one to avoid this week.

Use all the features of the web 2.0 sites. Take advantage of all the features like HTML and special fonts.  Use every option they offer. Learn how the site works and how to use it, make sure you explore the site.  Find out all the features.  Visit the FAQ page and make sure you understand everything before getting started. If they have a blog then use it. Make comments, too. Take advantage of groups, Join groups related to your niche, or target audience. It is a great way to reach your target market, it is also a great way to build up your friends list.

Back to the basic rule when using social networking sites, Don’t sell, you must avoid outright selling. This is usually not allowed and could get you banned. Instead put up your link and tell about what you do.  That is allowed. Always be professional, but also be a friendly person.  If people ever get the vibe that you are there just to sell they will likely back off.

Web 2.0 sites are a great way to get yourself noticed, and build a following for your website. Use it properly, and soon your traffic will increase as word gets around the network about you and your website, products or service. Make use of the web 2.0 traffic there’s plenty to go around, and you may even make some new friends as well into the bargain.

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Easy Link Exchanging With your Wordpress Blogs

If you didn’t already know it, one thing which can help your blog get more traffic is backlinks. Backlinks are any link which points to your site. The more links you have pointing to your site the better, not just in the hope someone will click on the link from someone elses site, but also for Search Engine rankings.

Search engines (some of the major ones anyway) use the amount of links going to a site as part of the algorithm for deciding its position. That oversimplifies it somewhat as they also take into account many other factors but for the benefit of brevity and staying on topic we’ll just say that more backlinks will help your ranking in the search engines.

There are lots of ways to get links back to your site, such as writing and submitting articles, which is highly recommended as it gives you one way inbound links which count more towards your score. Another way which can help is by exchanging links with other site owners.

As the phrase “link exchange” implies, you will be exchanging a link for a link. So in other words you find someone with a similar site to yours, link to them and they in turn put a link on their site back to yours. With a blog this can seem a difficult and time consuming occupation, as you’d need to post a new page for your link exchange partners, and edit it each time you add a new link.

Wordpress comes with a built in link system called a Blogroll, which shows the links you add to it on your site. Obviously this could become unsightly and take up a lot of space in the sidebar as you start getting more and more link exchanges made. Because Wordpress blogs are easily upgraded to perform new tasks with “plugins” it isn’t as hard as it may seem to deal with link exchanges using the Blogroll.

You can download the Blogroll Page Plugin from http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/blogroll-links which turns your blogroll sidebar widget into a full blown links page. Each time you add a link to your blogroll it will be added to the page. It even allows categories to be used to segregate the links however you wish.

Increase your sites visibility start your link exchange process today, it’s easy now you know how to make Wordpress Blogroll work for you.

Article by Douglas Titchmarsh
Douglas Titchmarsh runs several blogs and websites, including the Blog For Profit site at http://www.Blog-For-Profit.info

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Video is the latest thing to hit the internet, and webmasters who make use of it can draw in a lot of visitors to their sites. But before you stick a video on your site and wait for the first torrent of traffic to your site, here are some useful tips to using video on your sites successfully.

Make it compelling.
It goes without saying that you can’t keep website visitors coming back to your site unless you grab their attention.  With video there is more than just grabbing the consumer’s attention, though.  You have to engage them and make them want to sit and watch the whole video. Who wants to sit through ten minutes of monotone ramblings from an inanimate, expressionless host? Make your video exciting, and worth telling others about so your visitors will come back, and tell their friends to as well.

Place it wisely
Where you place your video on your website can mean the difference between success and failure.  You want to make sure that you put it where it will be seen.  It should get prominent placement, not be hidden somewhere nobody would ever think of looking for it.

Do not forget to edit
I am sure that anything you write gets edited.  The same needs to be done with video.  You need to watch it and make sure it flows and makes sense.  You need to make sure that it comes across the way you wanted and that it is overall a good video that people would want to watch.

Test your video
You want to try out your video and keep tabs on how well it is doing.  You will need to come up with testing methods that allow you to see if consumers are watching it all the way through, getting enough information from it, enjoying it and most importantly, that it is influencing sales.

Scope out other internet videos
You can get a lot of ideas online from others who are using videos to bring in web traffic.  Look at top ranked websites and see what they are doing with videos to keep visitors coming back for more, or to make their site more sticky.

Don’t forget, in addition to putting video on your own site, making videos for Youtube.com and embedding links to your site in them can bring in even more traffic.

Video is a great addition to your web traffic arsenal for increasing awareness of your website and products, use it wisely and keep your website traffic flowing.

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 It is worth cataloguing the basic principles to be enforced to increase website traffic and search engine rankings.

• Create a site with valuable content, products or services.

• Place primary and secondary keywords within the first 25 words in your page content and spread them evenly throughout the document.

• Research and use the right keywords/phrases to attract your target customers.

• Use your keywords in the right fields and references within your web page. Like Title, META tags, Headers, etc.

• Keep your site design simple so that your customers can navigate easily between web pages, find what they want and buy products and services.

• Submit your web pages i.e. every web page and not just the home page, to the most popular search engines and directory services. Hire someone to do so, if required. Be sure this is a manual submission. Do not engage an automated submission service.

• Keep track of changes in search engine algorithms and processes and accordingly modify your web pages so your search engine ranking remains high. Use online tools and utilities to keep track of how your website is doing.

• Monitor your competitors and the top ranked websites to see what they are doing right in the way of design, navigation, content, keywords, etc.

• Use reports and logs from your web hosting company to see where your traffic is coming from. Analyze your visitor location and their incoming sources whether search engines or links from other sites and the keywords they used to find you.

• Make your customer visit easy and give them plenty of ways to remember you in the form of newsletters, free reports, reduction coupons etc.

• Demonstrate your industry and product or service expertise by writing and submitting articles for your website or for article banks so you are perceived as an expert in your field.

• When selling products online, use simple payment and shipment methods to make your customer’s experience fast and easy.

• When not sure, hire professionals. Though it may seem costly, but it is a lot less expensive than spending your money on a website which no one visits.

• Don’t look at your website as a static brochure. Treat it as a dynamic, ever-changing sales tool and location, just like your real store to which your customers with the same seriousness.

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 It is the search engines that finally bring your website to the notice of the prospective customers. When a topic is typed for search, nearly instantly, the search engine will sift through the millions of pages it has indexed about and present you with ones that match your topic. The searched matches are also ranked, so that the most relevant ones come first.

Remember that a prospective customer will probably only look at the first 2-3 listings in the search results. So it does matter where your website appears in the search engine ranking.

Further, they all use one of the top 6-7 search engines and these search engines attract more visitors to websites than anything else. So finally it all depends on which search engines the customers use and how they rank your site.

It is the Keywords that play an important role than any expensive online or offline advertising of your website.

It is found by surveys that a when customers want to find a website for information or to buy a product or service, they find their site in one of the following ways:

• The first option is they find their site through a search engine.

• Secondly they find their site by clicking on a link from another website or page that relates to the topic in which they are interested.

• Occasionally, they find a site by hearing about it from a friend or reading in an article.

Thus it’s obvious the the most popular way to find a site, by search engine, represents more than 90% of online users. In other words, only 10% of the people looking for a website will use methods other than search engines.

All search engines employ a ranking algorithm and one of the main rules in a ranking algorithm is to check the location and frequency of keywords on a web page. Don’t forget that algorithms also give weightage to link population (number of web pages linking to your site). When performed by a qualified, experienced search engine optimization consultant, your site for high search engine rankings really does work, unless you have a lot of money and can afford to pay the expert. With better knowledge of search engines and how they work, you can also do it on your own.

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