How to Increase Website Traffic for Free

[chastill]

1. Optimize your website to be search-engine friendly. Submit it to various search engines and directories. In addition to major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN, it's worth submitting to lesser known web directories. If your website is listed in as many places as possible, it can boost your rankings in major search engines as well.
2. Set up an affiliate program where you pay people a percentage of each sale for referring customers to you. Spread the word about your affiliate program by submitting it to affiliate program directories and contacting the owners of related websites.
3. Create a links page that will contain the links to other non-competing websites in the same industry. Contact the owners of other websites with your proposal to exchange links. You will add their link to your links page, and they will link to your website in return.
4. Post in forums. Visit the online discussion forums where people in your target market like to gather. Post useful responses to people's questions, and include a link to your website at the end of your post next to your name. Although you ultimately want to get your sig file with the link to your site seen as often as possible, don't overdo it with your posts, otherwise other forumites won't respect you, and therefore won't visit your site.
5. Comment on blogs. Visit other people's blogs on the topic related to your website. Most blogs allow you to add comments about the issues being discussed. Add insightful comments about the blog topics, and leave your website link. Your comment and your link will permanently remain on the blog website.
6. Create an e-mail "signature" - your name, your website address and a short tagline describing the main benefit of your site. Set your e-mail program to automatically add your signature to every e-mail that you send.
7. Look into traffic exchanges. There are many types of traffic exchanges but the idea is the same - you team up with other webmasters, and they send you traffic in exchange for you sending them traffic. Search the web for "traffic exchange" to find those services.
8. Create something of value that people will pass around. It can be a report with useful information that you allow people to give away. It can also be some kind of cool and unusual webpage that people will want to e-mail to all their friends. Of course, the pass-around item will include your advertisement and your link, spreading the word about your website. This is a "viral" strategy.
9. Write articles on the topic related to your website, and include a link to your site in your author bio. Submit your articles to article directories, and allow people to publish your article in their newsletters and websites. Your articles will spread around the web like wildfire. People will read them and visit your website. The best part is that people who read your articles will regard you as an expert, and they will be much more likely to buy from you when they go to your website. How's that for a free publicity?
10. Start an e-zine for your web site. When people read each issue they'll be reminded to revisit your web site. Submit it to all the free e-zine directories on the internet.
11. Start your own online discussion community. It could be an online message board, e-mail discussion list or chat room. When people get involved in your community, they will regularly return to communicate with others.
12. Hold free online classes or seminars. They could be held in your web site's chat room. The idea of "live" information will definitely entice people to visit your web site. You will become known as an expert on the topic.
13. Give free consulting to people who visit your web site. You could offer your knowledge via e-mail or by telephone. People will consider this a huge value because consulting fees can be very expensive.
14. Advertise your site at free classified ad sites. There are many of these on the net. Some of the more popular ones are craigslist, inetgiant, freeadvertisingforum, and gumtree.
15. Join free safelists. These are lists of subscribers who have opted-in to send and receive emails to each other. You can instantly reach potentially thousands of people by sending out emails, and you don't have to worry about receiving spam complaints either because everyone on the list has opted-in to receive emails.
16. Getting a myspace page could also increase your site traffic because hundreds of people will see it.
17. Constantly update content on your webpage, so having a news section is a great deal for search engines especially.



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[Al Smith]

Great post Charlie!

Lots of good stuff there. Care to elaborate on any of those points?

Curious minds need to know more . . . (GRINS)

Al

[chastill]

Which points exactly do you want me to elaborate on all or just a few?

[Al Smith]

Hi Charlie,

I'm sure that many people will be interested in just about any of those points, but for myself I wouldn't mind learning more about the number 8 point, the viral marketing strategy and handing out freebie downloads.

Freebies are always in demand and if we can slip some beneficial links in, and create traffic, that would be great.

Have you any suggestions for us?

Thanks in advance.

Al

[goldlink]

[tam2005]

Excellent tips there...thanks for sharing!

[mulewagon]

[WAHumor]

Safelists and traffic exchanges aren't terribly effective, however. I have heard of people having some success with Craigslist if done properly.

Generating and distributing content via newsletter, articles and freebies ALWAYS works. Good informative forum posts and blog comments are also worthwhile.

Keep in mind that building online communities can be very time consuming and is definitely a long-range strategy.

[MommyEnterprises]

[gallito89]

[tam2005]

I used to submit to safelists faithfully, but not anymore. Not as effective as they used to be. The secret to these is your headline.

If you don't have an attention grabber for a headline, people won't click and read your ad.

[ibuzzmentor]

By far the BEST way to get free advertising is Joint Ventureships. I have taught numerous people how to do this. With not only online, but radio, local businesses, etc. It is a win win relationship.

[auntiej]

Thank you for the information. I designed a charity web site and really do need the traffic. If you have any suggestions on how I can improve please let me know. www.helpinginchrist.com If you have time

[Lynn Terry]

See:

You should find that to be a good starting point, AuntieJ

[KansasDragon]