Getting Traffic

[ManyMoneySavers]

Getting legitimate traffic seems to be the biggest challenge for me. I was considering using Google ADwords. Has anyone used that program and with what kind of success?

[the weakonomist]

In order to get good traffic all you have to do is write good stuff. The readers will come after that.


HAHAHAHA that's a lie I'm afraid. There are other threads here about traffic and other forums that specialize in it. Adwords will not give you the desired results at this time.

[amandajane]

Remembering that the web is an ever changing amorphous community, lol, this is some stuff I've found interesting recently. It's hard to keep up with the SE algorythms though so read this with a pinch of salt.

You've got to know what you're doing to use adwords if you don't want to end up flatbroke.

Check out the 'low hanging keywords' (low cost per click adwords) in a niche market that you can write about - research! I can't stress niche enough.

Have a look at rising search trends. Check out your identified competition (commercial intent tool at msn) and what SEO tactics and tools they are using etc.

Don't post links on spammy low or non existent PR websites and directories in the hope it will help you page rank, it's more than likely won't get you anywhere anyway. Link from and to high PR sites in the first 5 or so pages of google etc if you can.

Build great content! Try article marketing (bum marketing) and link to your site but always make sure your link is evident and change the wording if you are using the article on more than one article site.

Comment on other blogs but make it relevant! Set your blog up so that it pings the search engines etc after every post. Post often!

Register on some web 2.0 sites and be original on all of them (or at least don't copy and paste one article or block of text across all of them)

Video sells too and helps with rankings.

From there you can make a plan pretty much and save wasting your money. Well there's more to it than that but it's a good start.

Keep an eye on this guy - http://lemonarian.com - he's rising in popularity and seems remarkably normal considering his peers, lol. His link wheel tactic video is a bit of an eye opener regarding google ranking.

Try Frank Kern for email list marketing ideas and wicked products, his emails worth signing up for just because he keeps his eye on the good stuff.

Good luck! :0)

[Philip Brewer]

Originally Posted by the weakonomist

In order to get good traffic all you have to do is write good stuff. The readers will come after that.


HAHAHAHA that's a lie I'm afraid.

Actually, I think writing good stuff is by far the biggest part of it.

Of course, you can write good stuff for a long time without anybody finding it, so it's good to be taking some steps to bring what you write to people's attention. But, if what you write doesn't make people feel like it paid off the time and effort to read it, they're not likely to keep coming back--and one person who comes back is worth a hundred people who follow a link and then go on their way, never thinking of your site again.

At least, that's how I think of it. I don't think of "traffic" at all.

As far as getting people to come look at it--it's all the obvious stuff.

For example, be a member of the community of people reading and writing blogs on related topics. Comment on their posts. (And don't just say, "I wrote a post on that too! See http://www.philipbrewer.net/story-st...short-stories/ " Write a post that adds value to the page you're commenting on. If you're not adding value, why should anybody bother to follow your link?) I must admit it took me a while to figure that out--it felt like "giving away the store" to write a comment that clearly and thoughtfully offered a different perspective than the post I was commenting on.... But that sort of comment will occasionally bring a click, whereas the other kind never does.

[Finandom]

Google Adwords + Affiliate programs = Good Combination
Google Adwords + Content Sites or Blogs = Not That Effective

Anyway, What kind of site you are trying to promote? I think we can help you better if you can provide more information.

[the weakonomist]

Brewer's right, above all else you need to be writing good stuff. That way when you get traffic they will stay.

I first started getting traffic by commenting on other blogs. Make sure you provide comments that actually contribute the conversation. After you've done that for a while you'll start to notice who is simply commenting to link to their blog, and who is actually providing good comments.

You'll see traffic trickle in this way. The other suggestion I'd have is to approach a larger blog, perhaps one you've commented on frequently, and ask the blogger if you can do a guest post. You may get 10 no's, but you'll get a yes or two. The guest posting usually provides the most sticky traffic, because the readers know what kind of writing you do and go to your blog to read more.

[AlmostFrugal]

Originally Posted by the weakonomist

(snip) The other suggestion I'd have is to approach a larger blog, perhaps one you've commented on frequently, and ask the blogger if you can do a guest post. You may get 10 no's, but you'll get a yes or two. The guest posting usually provides the most sticky traffic, because the readers know what kind of writing you do and go to your blog to read more.

Actually, as someone who has been on both end, of both a person looking to get her blog noticed, and a 'bigger blogger' who is frequently approached by others, I can say from personal experience that guest posts will be accepted 99.9% of the time. I've only had one blogger refuse my request, and as it was a kind of audacious one (I pitched The Simple Dollar), I felt OK about it. And I'm delighted when people send me guest posts (hint, hint!). I almost always accept them, and will sometimes guest post for them in return.

kelly

[TightFistedMiser]

If you are looking at writing guest posts to boost your traffic I am looking for guest posts on my blog. I'll be hiking and have limited internet access from mid July to late August and am looking for some guest posts to help fill that gap. Thanks.

[kim-mm]

I think writing articles worth reading is a huge part of getting traffic. I haven't tried affiliate programs or adwords to promote my site, but when I first started writing, I noticed that articles that I really took the time to write received a lot of views.

[Booksalemanager]

A good portion of traffic is your ranking on google searchs also.

Age of a blog is a big factor. Sometimes the slow and steady approach is the best one. Write articles daily/weekly and build up some content.