How to generate free traffic for your online business
TechnologyWeb traffic is going to be one of the biggest factors that will determine whether you will succeed or fail miserably with your online business. You can have the most awesome website on the net with great graphics, video and audio, the best sales copy ever written, all the best advertising “since sliced bread” but if no one sees it, it’s all utterly useless! ! Sure, a professional website and a valuable product or service is obviously important, but you need to have traffic to your website to be successful.
There are many ways to generate traffic to your site. You have pay per click (PPC) services, banner ads, online and offline print ads, search engine optimization (SEO), the list goes on and on… but these methods can be quite expensive, especially for someone . just getting started. So, in this article, we are going to cover some free and effective methods to drive traffic to your site.
1. Social networks – You probably already have an account on a social networking site. These are sites like Facebook, My Space and Twitter. If not, I’m sure you know someone who does. These sites are designed for people to update their “friends” or “followers” on what they are up to. You can connect with people you already know, find long-lost friends, or meet new ones.
Since these sites are designed to update others on what you are doing, they are great places for people to learn about your business. Just make sure you’re not “spam,” which means you don’t inundate people with your sales pitch. Be yourself. Use the view to communicate with friends and family and just let people know what you’re up to. If you make a new video, post a link. If you write a new article, let people know. Every time you post new content on the web, you can make a new post on your social sites to tell people about it. Just remember to be yourself. Don’t make EVERY post about your business. Be real and nice. This helps new friends see you as a real person they can relate to and not just another spammer out to make a quick buck.
Social networking sites also have groups that you can join based on similar interests with other members. Groups are a great way to meet new people and share your opinions, ideas and your business… but remember, don’t spam. You don’t want to join a new group and start pitching your “sexy new million dollar business opportunity.” That will ensure that no one will want to be friends with you and will likely get you kicked out of the group.
If you don’t have an account on a social networking site, check one out. I use Facebook, Twitter and My Space. There are MANY more sites, but these are currently the most visited. Setting up an account is free and easy and can generate many leads and leads for your business. Just remember to be yourself.
2. Free Classifieds – There are thousands of free classified sites on the Internet, so the number of ads you place online is limited only by your effort. Do a Google search for free classified ads and pick some of the best sites to place your ads on. Start with these top sites: inetgiant.com, usfreeads.com, abelwise.com.
The steps are pretty much the same for every ad submission site. Set up a user account; choose a state/city in which to place your ad; Post your ad, repeat.
Make sure your ads are captivating. Your title has to be strong and interesting enough to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading. Avoid using all caps and avoid asking questions (WANT TO MAKE MILLIONS ONLINE?) That kind of headline looks unprofessional and won’t set you apart from the crowd.
Once you have a captivating headline, you should have an ad that speaks to the reader’s wants or needs, and then gives them a call to action. A call to action, depending on what you advertise, could be “call me for more details” or “visit my website” (be sure to include your contact information and/or website).
Many free classified ad sites will also allow you to upload images to display with your ads. Using images can also be a great way to grab the reader’s attention, but be careful to use images that are relevant to your product or service and make sure to use quality images that look professional. You can do a Google search for free photos and find some good free image download sites to use for your ads.
Some sites frown on posting the same ad in different cities, so be careful to change the title of your ad, and change the text a bit with each new submission. If you don’t, you risk having your account deleted.
Posting classifieds can be a lot of work, but it’s hard to beat the return on investment since you haven’t spent a dime!
3. Writing articles – Writing articles and submitting them online is another great free way to drive traffic to your website or business opportunity. Writing articles about your specific niche establishes you as an authority in your area of expertise and positions you as someone worth listening to.
Choose a topic to write about that is related to your business. Write your article and review it. Be sure to include keywords within the title and body of your article that are relevant to your topic because articles may show up in search engine results. Submit your article to various online article submission sites. You can google “article submission” and find many sites where you can post your articles. There are many free sites and paid sites. Paid article submission sites will distribute your article more widely than a free site. Start with these high-traffic free sites: EzineArticles.com, GoArticles.com, ArticleBase.com. A few things to remember: Your article should teach or address a problem or concern that your reader is facing. Describe the problem and offer a solution. Don’t write a 500 word sales pitch or you’ll find that no one will read your articles. If you’re offering practical advice, don’t be afraid to divulge your secrets. It’s okay to share your “best stuff.” This will only make you more credible as an expert in your field.
4. Press releases – Another free or low-cost way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry. A press release is a piece of news about you and/or your business submitted to online press release websites which, in turn, will distribute your release over the Internet.
The steps for writing and submitting a press release are similar to those for writing and submitting articles. You pick a topic, write your press release, and distribute it to press release websites (again, do a Google search to find the best sites to submit to). Also remember to enrich your writing with relevant keywords because, just like articles, press releases can show up in search engine results.
However, the content of a press release is very different from that of an article. An article is usually where you share interesting information, tips and tricks, or opinions. A press release, on the other hand, is “news” and should focus on something newsworthy (like starting your new business or launching a new website). If you submit something that is better suited to be an article, your press release will likely be rejected for submission.
Anyone searching the web for your targeted keywords is already searching for your business. They’re just in research mode…and a well-written press release about your business can show up in their search results and give you credibility over your competition.
5. Video marketing – Video is arguably the most powerful marketing tool available today. More than 30 billion videos are watched online each month (yes, BILLIONS). That makes up almost 60% of all Internet traffic!
You can drive an enormous amount of free traffic to your website with a well-written video marketing pitch.
Make sure your videos address a specific need or question regarding your business and be sure to offer a solution and call to action, either to visit your website or call you directly, whatever works for your business. Make sure your videos use keywords that are specific to your business. What keywords will your customers search to find your business? Be specific but not too generic. If you sell tires and use the keyword “tires”, you’ll see hundreds of millions of results in a web search and never get a first page ranking. Perhaps a good keyword would be “tires for sale in Dayton, Ohio” or wherever your business calls home. Distribute your videos to video hosting sites (You Tube, Daily Motion, etc.). Do a Google search for more video sites you can join and submit to. Make several videos each week and keep sending them. A great aspect of video marketing is that once they are uploaded, they are available forever and will continue to drive traffic to your site.
Remember to be professional and not too over the top or fake. Don’t act like “Crazy Bob” at the used car lot. Offer education and value specific to your business and you’ll be sure to drive quality traffic to your website.
Be sure to share your video posts on your social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) so all your friends and followers can see what you’re up to. More exposure can only lead to more traffic. Just be yourself and have fun.
6. Blogging – Blogging is a more advanced method of free advertising for your business, but it has many benefits. Wikipedia defines a blog (a contraction of the term weblog) as a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular comment entries, event descriptions, or other material such as graphics or videos.
A blog is free to set up and easily customizable so you can change the look and feel to suit your needs and also add images, videos, audio, links to your social media profiles or other sites… the customization possibilities are too much. big. to list here and become the perfect place to build an online presence and position yourself as an authority in your industry or niche.
Once you’re happy with the look and features of your blog, it’s time to start adding content. You can use articles and press releases that you have previously written or write new content. Just make sure that you are offering something of value to the reader. Many make the mistake of using their blog as a big commercial for their business, which is a huge turnoff and if you make the same mistake, you won’t have many readers (if any). The most successful blogs are those that offer substantive content that teaches something valuable, shares interesting opinions, or tells a great story. This is where you can get creative and let your personality show. People are more likely to do business with someone they know, like, and trust. Your blog is the ideal place for your customers to get to know you. Have fun with your blog and be yourself. Keep it professional, but not sterile and stuffy. You want to be able to engage readers while offering something of value, and ultimately convert readers into loyal customers.
I hope these few free traffic generation methods will help you succeed in your Internet business. Stay consistent and focused and NEVER GIVE UP!