| ...No they won't. On the web, building a web site is | | | | regulary doing this, write an ebook explaining how |
| not enough. If there are no links to the site | | | | and sell it), you will want visitors to return. If there is |
| anywhere, no-one is going to visit it. The site won't | | | | nothing of value at your site, visitors may come |
| even be listed in any of the search engines without | | | | once, but they won't come back of their own accord. |
| some incoming links. To get traffic, you will need to | | | | Typically, it is estimated that a prospective customer |
| do some promotion. | | | | will be exposed seven times to a product etc. before |
| Web Directories | | | | buying. |
| The basic part of any promotion campaign, web | | | | Reciprocal Linking |
| directories, whist they may not generate much in the | | | | Whilst somewhat frowned upon, and generally |
| way of traffic, will help in your site's search engine | | | | thought to not be as valuable as one-way linking (see |
| ranking. A good list of free, non-reciprocal, search | | | | below) for search engine optimization, a relevant |
| engine friendly directories can be found at | | | | reciprocal linking campaign can be an important traffic |
| Vilesilencer's SEO Friendly List. | | | | generating tool. swap links with sites in a related, but |
| Pay Per Click Advertising | | | | non-competing, business to your own. It isn't really a |
| This is advertising such as PPC Search Engines, like | | | | good idea to link to competitors; although visitors will |
| Yahoo!'s Overture, and contextual advertising, like | | | | be interested in your product, there is a good chance |
| Google's AdWords. Be warned, it is very easy to go | | | | you will lose them to your competitor, especially if |
| through a substantial amount of money for no | | | | their website or product is better or looks better |
| reward using these services if you are not careful. | | | | than your own. Not a desirable outcome. For |
| AdWords (amongst others) lets you pick a maximum | | | | example, a web hosting site could link to a site that |
| budget a day, but, although $5 may not sound like | | | | sells scripts and programs; visitors to one will more |
| much, $5/day is $150+ per month. Better make sure | | | | than likely use the other, but the sites are not in |
| your keywords are correctly identified, and, in | | | | direct competition. You can also swap links with web |
| preference, not highly competed on, and that your | | | | directories that require a reciprocal link. |
| sales copy is good enough before doing this. | | | | One-Way Linking |
| Quality Traffic, not Just Traffic | | | | Considered the best form of link for SEO purposes, |
| It's what everyone is after, more traffic to their | | | | this can also be a good source of traffic. There are a |
| website. Traffic is easy to obtain, though. | | | | number of ways of getting one-way links. The |
| Autosurfers, manual hit exchanges and purchased | | | | easiest is submission to free web directories (see |
| traffic will all send visitors to your website. However, | | | | above). Another good source is by writing articles |
| this traffic is just visitors, many of whom will just | | | | relevant to your site or industry, putting a resource |
| burn up your bandwidth for no reward. Unless you | | | | box at the bottom, then posting the article on the |
| are receiving decent money for pay per impression | | | | directories such as GoArticles, or by sumbitting to the |
| advertising, such as banners and popups, this traffic | | | | ezines. Webmasters and ezine publishers are always |
| can be totally valueless. | | | | in need of fresh content, and will publish your article |
| Repeat Traffic | | | | for free. The hardest way of getting one-way |
| Unless you only require visitors to visit your site | | | | inbound links is by having websites voluntarily link to |
| once, because you are selling a one-off product, and | | | | you. The only way to do this is by providing a |
| your sales copy is fantastic enough that they are | | | | valuable tool, service or resource that other |
| hooked to buy on the first visit (and if you are | | | | webmasters will want to direct their visitors to. |