Blog and Web Site Traffic Sources and Strategies
April 30, 2008
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Search Engines
When people think of getting traffic to their blog or web site they usually think of search engines. Higher search engine rankings equals more traffic to your blog. When selecting target keywords for high search engine rankings it is important to be specific, focused and realistic.
Specific:
Choosing specific or “long-tail” keywords, as they are often referred to, is important for two reasons.
- More often than not it is easier to achieve high search engine rankings for specific keywords than it is for general keywords. Because, specific keywords usually have less competition. (i.e. custom rhinestone jewelry vs. jewelry)
- Users searching for more specific keywords/phrases are more likely to make purchases than those searching for general keywords/phrases. Specific searchers are in "buy mode" while general searches are in "research mode".
Focused:
Every aspect of your blog design and posting should be focused on the top keywords/phrases you are targeting. This will help you get higher search engine rankings, as well as, the desired reaction from your visitors.
- When a human visitor lands on your blog you have less than 10 seconds to capture their attention. Therefore, they need to see words and images that are directly related to the keywords/phrases they searched for to find you.
- Search engine spiders need to "see" keywords in the proper place and in the proper density in order to give you a high ranking.
Realistic:
It takes time and effort to achieve long term, organic search engine rankings. Of course the more competitive the phrases you are trying to rank for the more time and effort it will take.
Factors that Determine Search Engine Rankings
- Competition - The number of search results for a specific keyword / phrase
- Proper inclusion of keywords in blog code. (i.e. Title, Description, Keyword Meta Tags and Image Alt. Tags)
- Proper keyword density in the body of blog posts. (3-6% is optimal) This means that if you are writing a web page on "custom jewelry" then the keyword "custom jewelry" should appear 3-6 times for every 100 words.
- Keyword(s) in Domain Name
- Links to your web site or blog from other web sites or blogs. Preferably related sites that have high rankings. The links "anchor text" should also include your keywords/phrases.
- Regularly updated content.
- Age of Domain Name
Pay Per Click
PPC or Pay Per Click campaigns are an excellent way to get traffic to your blog instantly and test keyword effectiveness, as well as, on-page variables. (i.e. Headlines, Images, Colors, etc…)
When setup and monitored correctly PPC campaigns can give you a very good ROI. Depending on your budget PPC campaigns also allow you to get traffic for the more competitive keywords / phrases in your market faster than waiting on organic search engine traffic alone.
Conversion Goals and Testing
When running PPC campaigns it is imperative to setup conversion goals and on-page testing in order to get the best ROI.
With these in place you will be able to immediately tell which keywords, ads and on-page factors result in the highest number of conversions and/or sales.
Google Analytics and Web Site Optimizer are good tools to help you with this.
Web 2.0 - Social Networking / Media Sites
This is one of the newest, and for some markets, most effective ways of getting high volumes of blog traffic. It utilizes the popularity of social networking sites to drive traffic to specific, related pages on your site.
In short Web 2.0 sites are any sites that allow users to add and/or make comments on content. Vote content good/bad or up/down thus affecting the amount of traffic that content generates.
Web 2.0 campaigns affect your blog traffic in two ways.
- They provide you with direct traffic to your blog or web site. In many cases this happens overnight.
- They help increase your organic search engine rankings by providing keyword relevant back links to your main blog. Thus, it’s important that all of your Web 2.0 marketing efforts focus on the primary keywords/phrases you want to rank high for.
Examples of Social Networking / Media Sites:
Strategies for Social Networking / Media Sites:
- Submit Demo / Training Videos
- Submit Photo Galleries
- Blogging
- Blog Commenting
- Article Submission
- Forum Participation
Get the Low Down on Everything Web 2.0 and Social Media….
Other Traffic Sources for eCommerce Sites
Auction Sites
Another excellent way for ecommerce sites to attract visitors and gain immediate exposure is to use popular auction sites like eBay.
Affiliate Program
Affiliate programs reward members for promoting your blog/products on their web sites and/or blogs. This is an excellent source of advertising that has the potential to rapidly increase sales exponentially.
Conclusion
A successful keyword targeted, Internet marketing campaign will include a combination Search Engine, Pay Per Click and Web 2.0 traffic strategies. While the principles are the same every market is a little different. Each of these methods will give you deeper insight into your market and you will quickly be able to recognize which methods are the most affective and prioritize accordingly.
Author: Barry Ochsner, 1Cat.biz Online Biz Consulting and Coaching
Technorati Tags: blog traffic,web 2.0 marketing,social media
WordPress on Steroids - Texas Custom Choppers
April 25, 2008
Four months of hard work finally pays off! This week I launched pehaps the biggest WordPress project I've ever undertaken.
OK. I have to admit it. This was one of those projects that on several occasions I really wondered whether or not WordPress was the best platform to build on.
The client was very particular about how they wanted the pages to layout and it required a lot of customization of the theme. I actually started with the WPRemix theme but ended up with a hybrid of the WPRemix and my own customizations.
So why was I so insistent on making this work in WordPress?
My Dog Started a Blog - Seriously!
March 19, 2008
I recently received an email from Jack Humphrey (he's the creator of The Authority Black Book, Authority Site Center and Social Power Linking) claiming that even teen agers are now creating "authority sites" using WordPress.
Yes, you heard me correctly. Even teen-agers are able to use the techniques and tools from Jack's sites to create profitable niche websites using WordPress and Web 2.0 traffic strategies.
Well, you're not going to believe this. My dog, Oscar, was sitting in my lap while I was reading the email from Jack and I guess he thought if a bunch of kids can do it then he can do it too.
To my surprise when I came back from Starbucks this morning I found Oscar sitting in front of the computer doing… Yes, you guessed it… BLOGGING! Read more
Jack Humphrey Strikes Again
February 11, 2008
Jack Humphrey, the author of the definitive Web 2.0 resource, The Authority Black Book and the creator of Social Power Linking strikes again with Social Marketing Central.
Social Marketing Central is a brand new community site for bloggers and Internet marketers who are involved in, or want to learn more about, driving huge amounts of traffic to their websites using social networking sites.
Click here to see what Jack has to say about his latest creation, Social Marketing Central. Then, go and sign up for an account.
See you on the inside, Barry O.
Start the New Year Off Right - Your Blog Marketing Web 2.0 Plan!
January 1, 2008
Has all of this blog marketing and Web 2.0 stuff got your head spinning? Do you find yourself reading 10 blog posts a day and going in 10 different directions only to wind up frustrated at the end of the day?
Maybe you've got a good understanding of it all but could use a day-to-day plan to help you implement and get better results from your blog marketing Web 2.0 efforts. (i.e. More Traffic, More Subscribers, More Profits!)
What is Web 2.0
December 20, 2007
Although the term "Web 2.0" has been around for a number of years it is still a fairly new concept that is just coming into the mainstream.
A good analogy to describe Web 2.0 would be the difference between reading a brochure and having a conversation.
Just like in any good conversation, people tend to listen to the person who has the most knowledge or is the greatest "authority" on any given subject.
Web 2.0 sites are those that allow viewers to "vote", comment and/or contribute to the conversation thereby determining what content is most relevant and who has the most "authority" on any given subject in all types of online communities.
When you become an "authority" in your niche you get trust, loyalty and business from those communities you contribute to. And here's the best part. There's nothing Google, Yahoo or MSN can do to take the traffic - huge amounts of traffic - away from you.
Don't worry if it sounds a little confusing. While it does take some hard work it is a lot easier than it seems at first. Once you get going and you see how fast and how big the results are, you'll be glad you made the effort and you won't want to stop!
The "Authority Black Book" is like the Web 2.0 Bible. It will help you get a good grasp on what Web 2.0 is and how your business can benefit from employing Web 2.0 tools and strategies.
If you have questions and would like to consult with us about how to put the power of Web 2.0 to work for your business please fill out the following form and we will contact you with more details.
Download the eBook Here… (It's Free)
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Court Tuttle Gets It!
December 12, 2007
What does Court Tuttle get? Well, in addition to most things having to do with Internet Marketing, he also gets the power of Web 2.0 - "The Power of Participation"!
His latest creation is called "YouBlog". This is a section of his blog where he well,… let's you blog. Read more
