18/03/2010

Guest Post by Tom Tessin.
How can you increase your website traffic? I’ve been working online for a few years now and what I’ve found is that a website is nothing without traffic.  If you’re struggling to get traffic, you’re going to find that your blog / website is pretty much useless.  Thankfully, there are things that you can do today, as well for the future than can draw in hundreds, if not thousands to your website.

1. Just write: Make it a habit to write at least 4-5 articles a day.  Don’t just scrap up some content.  You want to make it something people want to link to.  Over time, your age will play an important role for search engine optimization factors.
2. Guest posts: Do what I’m doing right now!  Contact blogs that relate to your niche.  Even if you can’t find anything about guest posting on the blog, throw them a proposal, and see what they say.
3. StumbleUpon: I’ve found  StumbleUpon.com to draw a ton of traffic.  The key here again is to create something unique and worth promoting.  If it’s good enough, it will spread like wild fire.
4. Facebook fan page: As of late, I’ve found this one to work really well.  The key here is to make something that people want to become a fan of.  For example, if you have a website about colleges, you may want to start a fan page about “I hate doing homework”, etc.  Make sure that you link to your site on the Facebook info page.
5. Twitter: Find those that are in your niche.  Follow them and communicate with them.  The nice ones will ReTweet your articles, which can help your traffic.
6. Craigslist: If you’re running a service, Craigslist is a great way to obviously advertise.  Don’t go overboard with this one though.  Post here and there and see what kind of response that you get.
7. Forums: There is a message board out there for everyone.  Whether you’re writing about dogs, cats, or whatever it may be, you can find a place.  Post weekly and leave a link in your signature if they allow it.
8. Contact the media: A lot of people don’t know about this, but if you join the HARO program, it’s 100% free, and you can have the media request stories.  If you can give them a story, contact them, and you may find yourself on a huge media outlet.  This one works really well.
9. Create videos: You don’t have to be a professional to be a video creator.  Make some videos; upload them to the top video directories online.  Watermark them with your URL, as well as put it in the description as well.
10. Article directories: This one works the best for me.  Write up some articles that are related to your site.  Link back in the footer and you will find since these major sites such as EzineArticles and GoArticles have a high reputation, your article will rank fairly fast.
11. Write an EHow article: EHow, just like the article directories is another great way to promote your articles.  Write up some how-to articles, and link to your site in the links section.  You can even make decent side money here as well!
12. Link out to others: This isn’t going to bring your traffic right away, but if you can send other people traffic, they may return the favor for you.
13. Hold a contest: I ran a contest before giving away a simple gift card and the turnout was amazing.  Hold contests on your site.  Announce them on Facebook / Twitter and watch people flock to your site.
14. Blog carnivals: Blog carnivals are a great way to get your articles out.  Use free sites such as BlogCarnival.com that can help you link with other blog owners.  Give them your article and if it’s good enough, they will post it on their “carnival.”
15. Network: Get out there, stop hiding behind a rock, and network with those out there.  Attend conferences if you have to.  When you get to know people, they are going to be more than willing to link to your stuff.
16. Digg: This is a harder one, but if you can take your time, create something wonderful, and spread the word, you can really get massive amounts of traffic, if you can hit the front page.

Out of everything, I’ve found that patience pays off.  Organic searches through major search engines are going to be your best friend.  Keep on writing on a weekly basis, promote it, and I can promise you that your hard work will pay on in the years to come!

Tom Tessin runs FindBizCards, a small business blog helping bloggers and entrepreneurs get off their feet, and get the small business advice that they need! You can also submit guest posts and share your site traffic tips.

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