So you have your own web site, your own products to sell and all you need now is for someone to click on your link in the search engines or type it into their browser. Unfortunately for a lot of web site owners, without experienced guidance, this actually never happens or happens too rarely. They may have a few visitors wander in from time to time, but the frustration of not getting enough ‘relevant traffic’ after putting together a great website with a great idea is all too common.

Here are 10 tips from Pocket Money Marketing to increase your web traffic:

1. Start Your Website with The Right Domain Name and Quality Hosting.
   Search engines do not just base your level of ranking on your web content although this is a very important aspect. The structure of your domain name is an important part of the ranking criteria. The quality of your hosting also has an impact on your search engine rankings. Free hosting packages are often not advisable or reliable.
2. Research Your Keyword Phrases.
   Note that I say ‘phrases’. There are not many web surfers who will just put ‘clothes’ into the search engines. They will in most cases put a specific phrase such as ‘ladies clothes australia’. There are tools on the Internet that allow you to research terms that are currently being used to find particular services or products.
3. ‘Content Is King’.
   You will hear this over and over again when you get further into Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Keep the content on your site fresh and updated even if it means changing the structure of a few sentences. You should do this at least weekly. Make sure you include your keyword phrases in your content.
4. Don’t Spam the Search Engines!
   Make sure your site is submitted to the search engines on a regular basis in a professional manner. DO NOT SPAM them. Going to Google and submitting your website 5 times a week will have no effect on how your site is ranked within Google’s pages. In some search engines it will actually have a detrimental effect to your ranking.
5. Get Links to Your Site.
   Reciprocal linking (or link exchanging) is an important parts of your search engine marketing. Be sure that the links that point to your site are coming from relevant sites(closely related to your product or service). For example, if you are selling shoes and clothing, get links from sites that complement your products, like handbags and accessories. Not only does this generate more traffic to your site it also makes the search engines look at your site more often which increases your importance in their databases. Be wary of the millions of software offers out there that say they can get thousands of links to your site in a matter of minutes. The search engines do not like this and your site can be penalised in the ranking. It is better to take your time and add then steadily through your own efforts. If you do not have time to do this you should employ someone to do it for you.
6. Collect Your Visitors Information.
   When visitors come to your site you should endeavour to collect their information, as much as you possibly can without seeming too intrusive. Why? You want to invite them back again (and again) with new information and new products. Every visitor to your site is tracked by the search engines and the more traffic you generate the better your ranking will be. Even though you may think your website is insignificant in comparison to the ‘Internet Giants’, the search engines will give you favourable ranking provided you are getting traffic.
7. Make Your Site Sticky.
   Whether your provide games to play on your site, a forum to communicate or news articles to read, it is important to make your site interesting and informative. The longer visitors stay on your site the better your site will perform in search engine ranking.
8. Tell Everyone About Your Site.
   It still amazes me how many people do not tell people (potential customers) about their website. Many businesses put huge finance and effort into having a great website but never put it on their advertising material or have their staff mention it to their customers. Make sure you tell as many people about your website as possible.
9. Offer a Reward For Referrals.
   Be sure to offer rewards to those who refer people to your website. The big online operators like eBay© and Amazon© have created their sites by offering incentives for people to refer others. This is not a difficult system to create for any size website that has a product or service to sell.
10. Have an Offline Marketing Plan.
    Websites are rarely successful without an offline marketing plan. To really make your online business grow you need exposure, not just online but through the traditional methods as well. Make sure you create a marketing plan or have someone assist you with this to gain maximum exposure for your site.

We hope the above information gives you an insight into the things you need to do to get your site noticed. At Pocket Money Marketing we know these things work because we put them to the test every day for ourselves and our clients. If you need assistance with any aspect mentioned above please contact us.

Author
Michael Burgess
Pocket Money Marketing
Online and Offline Marketing Strategists
www.pocketmoneymarketing.com

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