I. Sadiq Gill - How To Increase Web Traffic To Websites And Traffic To Blogs

Guest Blog Post by Doug Champigny

When trying to increase web traffic to websites, most website owners and bloggers focus too much on increasing web traffic from search engines and don't spend enough time building web traffic using the myriad of other sources of free website and blog traffic.

Make no mistake, search engine optimization (SEO) is a very key element in successful traffic generation strategies, and proper SEO that leads to higher rankings on the search engine results pages (SERPs) can have a major impact on the volume of targeted traffic to websites - but it's equally important to keep it in perspective. There are a great number of ways to drive targeted traffic to sites and blogs, and spending too much time on SEO tasks will prevent you from getting the most possible traffic to websites you're promoting.

Your website promotion activities should include a lot of different ways to drive free traffic to websites, especially those promotional efforts that have proven to be successful long-term traffic generating strategies.

Effective article marketing tops the list of long-term traffic generation techniques, since article submissions made 5 and 10 years ago still get exposure today, and many of those older articles have been consistently driving traffic to websites for years now. Time spent on article writing and submitting articles to a top article directory like EzineArticles will often rival, and can surpass, the effectiveness of spending the same amount of time on SEO activities when it comes to driving targeted traffic to websites.

Newer forms of e-marketing like social media marketing and social networking are also powerful ways to get more visitors to websites and blogs. Using the Twitter social network, the Facebook social network, etc... can be a major source of targeted traffic and targeted leads, with the bonus of being a great forum for branding yourself, your company and your website.

And when driving web traffic to blogs, your RSS feed opens up whole new avenues of website traffic generation. Blogging software creates and updates a feed that lists each new post you make, and that feed is referred to online as an RSS feed. While websites are limited to search engines and similar directories for promotional purposes, blogs can use those and a growing number of directories that only accept information from RSS feeds. As such, submitting your blogs' RSS feeds to as many of these directories as you can is one more online promotional activity that often outweighs SEO efforts in your efforts to increase website traffic.

And the list goes on and on - press releases, banner advertising, linking strategies like blog commenting, reciprocal linking and social media bookmarking, forum marketing, affiliate program marketing - each can have a profound effect on driving traffic to websites and increasing blog traffic. But each takes time, which is why your e-marketing plan can't be too heavily weighted in favor of the search engines and SEO activities.

As you can see, there are a number of ways to drive traffic to websites and increase blog traffic, and a balanced approach will always give you the most stable flow of traffic to websites and blogs you're promoting.

I. Sadiq Gill Keirin: Online Reputation Management

By I. Sadiq Gill Keirin

The best time to do online reputation management is when you don't need
online reputation management.

Whether you like it or not, people  –  customers, prospects, competitors
and haters –  are talking about your business and its products and
services on the Internet.

They're writing blogs.

They're commenting on forums.

They're writing reviews, some of which are written only to cause you harm.

They're asking their Facebook friends about you.

They're complaining about the tiniest details on Twitter.

Are you listening?

Before you are forced to react to an immediate online reputation
management (ORM) issue, you must be proactive in establishing a strong
reputation on the Internet.

If you're not actively reviewing your online reputation and you don't
have a plan in place, then you're setting yourself –  and your business
–  up for disaster.

Don't worry. It's never too late to get started. Even if some damage has
already been done (i.e., bad reviews, negative comments, etc.), you can
create a plan to begin mending a few "fences" and moving forward.

The first steps to being proactive with your online reputation are as
follows: check for current damage, make repairs if necessary, and then
take action to become more assertive and engaging with your online audience.

Step One: Check your personal and professional online history.

Begin with simple Google searches of your name. Check for previous
addresses, photos, videos, comments, etc., connected to your name.
Sources such as www.123people.com are excellent tools for reviewing your
personal history. Make sure you check your full legal name, too (e.g.,
search for “Robert A. Smith” instead of just “Bob Smith”).

Always check Facebook. Facebook is a potential source of personal and
professional disasters, such as that which may occur when someone from
your college days decides to post a picture of you getting hammered at a
toga party.

If your company has other executives (president, vice president, etc.)
or a board of directors, check their personal and professional online
history as well. One Midwestern company is currently catching some grief
from local media (and customers) because a member of its board of
directors made an unpopular move with a separate company he owned. His
online reputation has put the company he advises in an uncomfortable
situation.

Step Two: Research your company name and brand.

After performing basic searches in Google, create Google Alerts (free
service) so that you’ll be alerted via e-mail anytime someone mentions
your company name or brand online.

Be sure to conduct initial searches on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and
YouTube, as well.

You can also sign up for paid services that will monitor your company’s
online reputation activity – good or bad – and notify you of any events
within the hour.

Step Three: Repair any damage, if necessary.

As a result of your research, you may discover that your reputation has
already suffered a little damage online. This might include bad or fake
reviews, forum comments, Twitter posts about poor service, etc.

Depending on the amount of damage, you might be able to respond to each
negative comment or review   in a professional manner. In some cases, a
simple (but sincere) apology will go a long way to show that you are
willing to fix the problem. This will also give potential customers the
impression that you’re an engaged business owner who will listen and
respond to customers.

If the damage is more serious – bad press, court proceedings, lawsuits,
legal matters, etc. – then you should consider working with an online
reputation management professional or service to help you rebuild your
online reputation. Keep in mind, however, that repairing a badly damaged
reputation is a slow process, requiring a lot of time and work.

Step Four: Write awesome content for your website.

You can start improving your online reputation and online audience
engagement by writing and providing better content on your website.
Articles and white papers offer more information about your products and
services. Write and post a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that
answers some common questions about your company.

Write and share up-to-date information on your company’s blog. Plan on
posting one (or more) blog posts per week; you’re not going to seem very
engaged if you only post once a month. Here, you can share industry
news, opinions, brief overviews of articles and white papers (with links
pointing to where customers can find them on your website), and more.
Encourage and allow readers to comment on your blog. Start a conversion
with them on your blog.

Step Five: Get busy with social media.

Like it or not, you’re going to have to join the social media club.

Again, your customers and potential customers are talking about your
company and its products and services on Facebook, Twitter and other
social networks. You should be there to “listen” and engage them in
conversation.

Bad news can travel fast on social media. However, people appreciate it
when someone listens to their complaints about a product or service and
helps them solve their problems. You can regularly check on your social
media reputation management status with the help of an ORM subscription
service, or you can become more proactive by creating Twitter searches
and filters on targeted keywords.

Don’t wait for something bad to happen. Get involved now. Answer
questions on social media, even if it doesn’t result in a sale. Show
that you are willing to help and educate.

Remember, your reputation’s at stake.

Imran Sadiq Gill: Improving Website Traffic - What Does It Really Mean?

In the world of online marketing, an enormous amount of attention is given to the subject of "improving" website traffic. This emphasis seems to be put in the right place, considering the central role traffic plays in any online marketing campaign. But despite the popularity of the subject, it would be difficult to find two Internet marketers that share the exact same idea of what it actually means to "improve" website traffic.

Every marketer has a solid feeling for what it means. But by failing to ask, in detail, what it actually means to improve traffic, too many online marketers miss out on the benefits that come form a deeper understanding of effective website-traffic improvement. Effective and lasting traffic improvement is made up of multiple layers.

And by looking at what it means to "improve" website traffic at each layer, an overall view of traffic-improvement becomes much clearer.

At its most basic, "improving" website traffic means bringing more traffic to a site. At this level, it's a question of numbers and not much more. Bringing more people to a website is an essential foundation of traffic-improvement; but even though it's central to every online marketing campaign, it should not be seen as a final goal.

At a slightly higher level, improving website traffic means making the flow of traffic to a site as regular as possible: Getting new traffic is good. But regularly getting new traffic is even better. Traffic like this shows signs of sustainability and it's the type of traffic that a business can start to be built upon.

At the next level, improving website traffic means making the regular traffic of a site as targeted as possible. This targeting has a positive effect on traffic because it raises the overall quality of the traffic. Targeted traffic is made up of people that are genuinely interested in what is being offered. They are potential customers that are likely to respond to offers. And because of this, they improve traffic by improving its responsiveness. Ten highly-targeted leads are always more profitable than a hundred luke-warm leads.

At its highest level, improving website traffic means consistently reaching traffic at the right stage in the buying cycle. The buying cycle has three main stages: browsing, gathering information, and ready-to-purchase. In the browsing stage, people are looking to see what's available. In the information-gathering stage, they are weighing the pros and cons of particular options. And in the ready-to-purchase stage, they have already decided what to buy and are looking for the best deal.

It's important to draw traffic that is at the information-gathering stage because this is the stage where choices are being made. If traffic is reached earlier in the cycle at the browsing stage, it's difficult to make enough of an impression for the site to be remembered later on. If traffic is reached later, at the ready-to-purchase stage, it's too late - potential customers have already decided what to buy. Reaching traffic at the right stage in the buying stage is a very effective traffic-improving step that is often overlooked. Yet it has the potential to greatly increase the performance of a site.

By being aware of what it means to "improve" website traffic at each of the four levels mentioned above, serious online marketers will give themselves a clearer idea of what it really means to improve overall website traffic. They'll be able to easily judge where they are in the traffic-improving process. And, more importantly, they'll be able to see in which direction they should head to reach the next level. The long term effects can only be positive.

Eli Pedelty is a website traffic specialist that turns websites into a profitable aspect of overall business.

If you’d think you could benefit from a detailed explanation of five proven methods for increasing website traffic, sign-up for his free 5-day course, Direct Methods for Increasing Web Site Traffic, at EliPedelty.com - Improve Website Traffic [http://www.elipedelty.com].

Imran Sadiq Gill: Targeted Website Traffic - Without it Your Site Will Certainly Die

By JP McDonald

Targeted website traffic - you hear that term a lot these days. Most people know what it means and understand the concept. Some people actually strive for it. Some people don't.

In plain English, with targeted website traffic, your site has a chance to make some real money and there's a slight chance you might be able to make a living of the internet. But, without targeted website traffic, your site is doomed to die a slow, painful death until it quietly fades away into the dust like so many thousands of other websites.

If you do a search on any of the major search engines for the term 'traffic' you will get mostly websites regarding automobile traffic, traffic reports, road conditions, road closures, motor additives, etc.

If you do a search on any of the major search engines for the term 'website traffic' you will get mostly websites regarding traffic exchanges, stat counters, web searches, page optimization, how to build a website, etc.

If you do a search on any of the major search engines for the term 'targeted website traffic' you will finally get the picture of what this article is all about - making money on the internet. That's why you are here, that's why you have a website, that's why you are reading this article in the first place.

Targeted Website Traffic is King

Without sufficient targeted website traffic to your website nothing will happen - no sales, no rankings, no notoriety, nothing. You need this type of traffic in order to generate sales, provide leads, gather email addresses and create advertising exposure.

So many good things happen when one can actually tap into the targeted website traffic market that it's difficult to name them all. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about:

* Sales

First and foremost, sales is what you are after. Only targeted traffic will get you the sales you need to stay in business on the internet.

* Links

More targeted traffic leads come from links to similar websites than any other source. These can be either direct links to your website, AdSense links, press releases, blogs, or any other form of advertising that gets your website in front of other people's eyes.

* Free Advertising

As the search engines pick up on your increasing number of visitors, especially if they come from related linking websites, your rankings will hopefully rise and your PageRank wil improve. Having your site on the first three pages of any major search engine is optimum exposure for your site and will bring in customers 'off the street', as it were. This is free advertising.

* More Links

Another benefit to your rise in the search engine rankings, and your rising PageRank, will be your ability to inundated with link requests from every other website imaginable. Remember, stick with only those that relate to your own site. Again, free advertising.

It's one thing to get your website noticed by the search engines but it's quite another to get your website noticed by the buying public. Just because you have great links, great positioning in the major search engines, and great links will not produce sales.

So, how can you become successful where most of the others have failed? What is the magic key to making all these sales that everyone is talking about? I'm glad you asked:

The Magic Key

Are you ready? Are you sitting down? Do you have a paper and pen ready to take notes? Well, then, calm down, take a deep breath, and just remember this one simple fact of internet life: The website makes the sales, not you, not your links, not your search engine presence, not even your friends or comrades whom you sent to check out your 'wonderful little website.' Unless your site screams out to the world, 'BUY MY PRODUCT!!', you will not make enough money to buy one month's worth of internet cable service.

You can buy, grab, obtain, link, and get all the targeted website traffic in the world but it will not sell a single product and/or service unless your website is compelling enough to do the selling for you. Design is one thing, content is another and, remember, content is everything. It makes the search engine robots and spiders visit your site on a daily basis, it makes visitors want to buy, bookmark, or return for a future purchase, and it makes one think, 'Hmm...maybe I really do need this product and/or service.'

Just keep thinking to yourself, 'Design and content, design and content...', over and over. Plus, once your website is complete, it isn't. A proper website is always refining itself and a webmaster knows this. The search engine robots and spider love new content so a little change here or a little change there will make a huge splash with them as they cruise your site on a daily basis.

Targeted Website Traffic Can Make or Break a Website

While having a great design and excellent content on your website is the best possible thing that you can have on the internet, it will still sit there and gather dust until you get the traffic flowing. Unless your website is the only site on the internet that sells a particular product or service, you will be lost in a crowd of thousands or possibly millions.

Remember the term, 'Targeted Website Traffic', and keep this in mind:

* Is it really targeted?

Are the visitors you get to your website actually looking for what your site has to offer? If you buy your traffic from a service, how can you be sure that you get what you pay for?

* Will they buy?

There are no guarantees when it comes to how people make their decisions. All you can do is make your product or service as irresistible as possible. People, in general, are picky and they always want the best for less.

Buying Targeted Website Traffic From a Service

If you are new to this concept and have no idea which companies are reputable and trustworthy, then you will have to experiment, learn from others, hear about it by word of mouth, blogs, forums, etc. Check out each company you come across that offers the traffic you want and compare them against each other. What should you look for when comparing traffic service companies?

* Do they offer a guarantee?

If they do not offer a 100% guarantee then keep looking until you find only those traffic services that do.

* Do they have contact and privacy pages?
All reputable companies have these in place. Review them to your satisfaction before placing any orders.

* Do they have your category available?

Targeted website traffic must fit your site to a 'T' meaning that if you sell widgets then there must be a category for selling widgets, plain and simple. If there categories are not specific to what your website sells, move on until you find one that does.

* Purchase 10,000 targeted visitors, get 10 sales.

This is a general rule. If you do not get at least a 1% return on your investment then one of these things is wrong: either your traffic is not targeted to what you are selling or your website is not strong enough in its' message to sell the product and/or service.

* Does your page counter move?

Every site should have a page counter on their main index page, either visible or not. If that counter does not show the traffic that you purchased then you are not receiving real people but, instead, computer-generated hits. Have you ever made a sale to a computer-generated hit?

Whenever you try a traffic service, buy the minimum to see what happens. If the traffic campaign fails, and you are sure it is not because of your website's design or content, then try another service. Keep searching until you find one that works well for you and stick with it.

James McDonald is an executive at Dreamry, Inc. which has been successfully marketing and promoting websites since 2002.