| Do you feel like your site is lost out in the middle | | | | 4. Video Marketing. Recent statistics show that |
| of nowhere on the information superhighway? | | | | 80% of all web users watch video online. You can |
| This article will give you a few pointers to drive | | | | leverage this into traffic for your site by tapping |
| more traffic to your site. | | | | into sites like YouTube. By setting up your own |
| Plan your marketing and traffic strategies | | | | YouTube marketing channel and posting videos |
| Unlike the baseball movie "Field of Dreams", just | | | | about your business, you can drive additional |
| because you "build it" doesn't mean people are | | | | traffic to your website. |
| going to come to your web site. In fact, this is | | | | Video is also a powerful way to connect with |
| one of the biggest misconceptions that I hear | | | | your visitors and engage them in who you are as |
| when I talk to business owners . It is often a | | | | a company. |
| major source of frustration that ends with the | | | | 5. Social Networking sites like Linkedin, Facebook, |
| proverbial "my web site doesn't work" comment. | | | | and Twitter. After Google and Yahoo, these sites |
| As a business owner, it is really important to | | | | are the most popular on the internet today. An |
| understand that marketing your web site is a | | | | effective social networking strategy can build |
| must. Otherwise you're going to find yourself out | | | | what we call the "know, like, and trust" factor. It |
| in the middle of nowhere on the information | | | | is a great opportunity to build relationships. It can |
| superhighway with no traffic. | | | | also serve as a fantastic way to drive traffic to |
| Here are several ways to start driving traffic to | | | | your web site once you've put in the effort to |
| your site: | | | | create quality connections and build the |
| 1. Plaster the web site address on all of your | | | | relationships. |
| marketing materials such as business cards, flyers, | | | | 6. Local web portal presence. Look for |
| your vehicles, and so much more. Even better, | | | | opportunities to be listed on local portal websites. |
| use direct response marketing and give a "call to | | | | These are web sites that are completely focused |
| action" and incentive to visit the web site. This | | | | on a particular locality or region. Some will give |
| can be in the form of a "special report", an | | | | you a free listing along with premium listing |
| informational video, This will net you much better | | | | opportunities. |
| results than simply listing your address. | | | | 7. Consider writing articles. Articles are a great |
| 2. Use Pay Per Click ads on sites like Google, MSN | | | | way to position yourself as an expert in your field. |
| or Facebook. This can be very effective, but it | | | | You can submit articles to sites like |
| can also be expensive and a big budget buster if | | | | EzineArticles.com, and then these articles can be |
| not planned carefully. Be sure to set a budget! | | | | syndicated among many other web sites. |
| One of the best ways to use pay per click is to | | | | 8. Harness the power of RSS feeds. RSS stands |
| test and measure. Run different ads and different | | | | for "really simple syndication". By using a web site |
| keywords to see what people respond to. You | | | | with RSS technology, you can allow a "feed" of |
| can then take this research and target better | | | | your content and headlines to be placed on other |
| search engine optimization in step 3 below. | | | | web sites. When you provide an RSS feed, your |
| 3. Optimize your web site with search engine | | | | latest content magically appears on the web site |
| optimization with a particular focus on local search. | | | | that has used your RSS feed. |
| This will result in what is called "organic" listings on | | | | 9. Use Craigslist. This is one of the most popular |
| Google and other search engines. Your goal is to | | | | web sites in the country. Design a professional |
| get to the first page of the search engine for | | | | looking ad for your business and list it on Craigslist. |
| your particular keyword and locality. | | | | While it is a given that most people are looking for |
| Search engine optimization boils down to 2 things; | | | | bargains there ... it can still be a very effective |
| The content and structure of your web site, and | | | | way to drive traffic to your site. |
| the number of good quality links pointing back to | | | | These are just a few suggestions of how to |
| your website. | | | | drive traffic to your web site. |