Webmasters are always looking for ways to increase
their traffic and exposure. This is natural and will never change.
No one is ever content with their traffic levels.
But problems arise with this reality as well.
While it is good to be motivated to get as much traffic as possible,
it is tempting to try and cut corners and use tactics that are
temporary rather than permanent solutions.
And there are myriad tactics that can take your
entire business down the tubes as well. The trick is not to be
tempted with short-term gain over long-term income from your web
business.
Many webmasters are aware that "content is
king" and that you have to brand your site to make sales
and build credibility. But most people only take these facts at
face value and only as they pertain to the search engines. Big
mistake.
Your content is your lifeblood for more reasons
than search engine placement. This is your "face" on
the net.
So if you're using new strategies to bring in
more targeted traffic, make sure you don't use something that
could kill your business just to get some short term traffic.
Many people are putting article directories on
their sites these days. Having a set of articles on your site
is great for building credibility and making more sales, if you
do it right.
But as is always the case, I see people taking
that to the extreme and missing the point entirely. Now I see
some webmasters completely emptying out the big article directories
like GoArticles.com to put hundreds or even thousands of articles
on their sites.
With no editorial review they just take the whole
category their site fits in best and grab up any and all articles
in it. Remember, anyone can get into an article directory whether
they can write or not. Whether they are an expert or not. Want
those guys on your site representing you?
Why so small? Because I review each and every
article that is submitted there. There is a very good reason for
this.
To get someone to first visit your site takes
money and time. Once you have them there it is easier to get them
back if you impress them.
Whatever methods of temporary website promotion
you use, you have to keep in mind that you want something that
will work for you for years, not months. Therefore, if all you
ever do is troll for temporary traffic you will ALWAYS be promoting
as hard as you are today. Wasn't part of the reason you started
working online to work less and make more?
Me, I want to have a network of sites that eventually
promote themselves so I can spend the rest of my life on vacation.
If you don't start laying down the foundation of that kind of
system, you are never going to be able to retire with your site(s)
supporting you.
Putting up content for content's sake is redundant.
Other people's content is already on hundreds of other pages.
You don't stand out in the crowd that way alone.
It is temporary at best if it works at all for you, and once people
get to your site and realize you have harvested all your content
from a directory they have already read through, you've made an
enemy, not a customer out of them.
AND if you were unscrupulous enough to even reprint
articles from people who spammed that directory with ads, poor
english, poor advice, and everything else, I guarantee your visitors
are leaving your site with no respect for you, whatever you sell,
and with a deep hatred of "sites like yours" on the
net.
That is not a long-term plan for a web business.
See what I mean by temporary? No repeat traffic is no business
at all.
So while my article directories are smaller, they
have timely, relevant content from expert authors who can spell
and who really spent time on their pieces.
Therefore I get repeat traffic, more clicks on
ads, more sales of products, and a real income from that directory
that will last as long as I own the site.
Points to Ponder:
1. Content is not king. GOOD content is king.
2. Repeat business is cheaper than new business.
3. Your name and brand are the only thing of singular
value and importance to you on the web.
4. And short-term solutions to getting in the
engines are always just that: short-term
Someday, if you are one of the webmasters I talked
about above who only see the short-term picture, you are going
to get tired of all the work you have to constantly do to keep
traffic coming in.
And the worst part is, since you will have no
foundation to rely on when you need a break, you won't be able
to take one. If your focus on website promotion is always on short
campaigns and tricking search engines temporarily into thinking
your site is of actual value, once you stop what you're doing
(probably from sheer burnout) your income also stops.
But if you have the foresight to build a base
for your internet business, and you pay attention to and have
standards for the kind of content you put up, you will be able
to walk away from your business from time to time and the traffic
and interest will still be there.
For me it is unthinkable to base my entire business
on temporary solutions for getting traffic and sales when, if
you have seen what you can make in the short term,why not get
set up to reap those rewards for life?
But that's just me. I profit greatly from people
doing it the other way. Simply because when someone comes to my
site and sees content of value, they feel as though they have
found an oasis in a desert of trash. A place they will visit more
than twice and gladly bookmark.
You can figure out the value of that kind of response
for yourself, as it pertains to your business in particular.
Between the two choices, I'll take repeat and
recommended traffic over fly-by-night, angry, resentful traffic
any day of the week!
I just wanted to tell you that you have a first class professional site and fantastic introductory newsletter!
- Kevin Chase
I really DON'T think you understand how far and wide you have reached others on the internet. You have created a GREAT following for many reasons. You are one of the few people I regularly recommend others turn to.
- Kevin Wirth
After beginning to see the breadth of your intellect, I've promoted you to the very top of the list of my favorite ezines. There has not been an issue that I've seen that I haven't learned something, and usually several somethings. I appreciate your coutesy, your intellect and your charm.
- Lawrence Noder
There are not many people I have met in all my years that instill a confidence in acheivable success, such as you do. You truly have a gift to give to all those whom are striving to make a go of it in a harsh environment. You make my day whenever I turn to your printed wisdoms.
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I just wanted to tell you that you have a first class professional site and fantastic introductory newsletter! 
