The Straight Goods on Traffic-Generating Programs
It's no wonder that there are so many programs meant to help
the online business owner drive traffic to their websites.
With billions of web pages on all topics imaginable, most
of our sites are just a tiny "blip" on the Internet radar.
Doing business online is to some extent a numbers game...
but to just seek traffic for the sake of it? In my
experience, it's usually a waste of time.
Let's use spam as an example - you know the type: they
solicit you for all sorts of things, from printer cartridges
to porn, from "free" vacations to weight loss supplements.
Most people simply get annoyed and delete the email. But
out of all the hundreds, thousands, or even millions of
people who received the email, there's bound to be a few
people who buy.
The same concept applies to many of the "traffic-generating"
programs found far and wide on the 'net. These programs
typically claim to send a "flood" of visitors to your site
-- and many of them do exactly that.
So what's the problem? It's simply that most traffic-
generating programs aren't targeted to your audience.
They're meant to do one thing: send you *traffic*.
That could mean that your "makeup tips" site is receiving
hits from people looking for pet supplies, automotive tips,
or work-at-home jobs. These visitors are generally
uninterested in what you have to offer, and are far
less likely to make a purchase.
When you consider using a traffic-generating program,
ask yourself some pointed questions. For example:
= Can
you select targeted traffic that will fit with
your site?
= How is the traffic sent to you? This can make a big
difference; if a visitor is sent unwillingly to your
site (for example, through a pop-under window from
another site), he or she may be less inclined to do
business with you.
There's no doubt that getting traffic to your site is hard
work. Traffic-generating programs aren't the only answer;
there are also the usual "tried-and-true" methods such as
the search engines, newsletter advertising, targeted link
exchanges, joint ventures, press releases, various offline
methods, and many more.
It's easy to fall for promises of lots of traffic, fast...
but remember that it's not how much traffic you get that's
important; it's how much of the RIGHT traffic you get.
In other words, you want *quality* over *quantity*.
Does this mean that all traffic-generation programs are
useless? No. As a business owner, you're always on the
lookout for new tools and services that can help you to
produce better profits. Experiment and track the results...
then use the methods that give you the results you want.
About the Author
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical
guide to building a profitable Internet business on a
beginner's budget. Each issue is packed with valuable
tips and tools to help you to nurture your business to
success! For a series of 10 excellent free reports, send
a blank email to: mailto:businessbasics@workyourleads.com
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