|
Author: Ewen Chia Article source: http://www.hotlib.com/. Used with author's permission.
If you agree that traffic is the true currency of the web, then you'd want to read this article very carefully…
Every web site owner and Internet marketer with a commercial goal understands the true value of the visitor, studying the synergy between traffic and sales.
The problem is, it is all too easy to get caught up in specific traffic generation methods and lose sight of the 'bigger picture'.
What's this bigger picture you ask?
Your focus should be on creating a total traffic strategy, instead of just concentrating on smaller individual techniques.
This is important as a well-defined strategy allows you to choose the BEST traffic sources for your business goals. It's the smarter and more powerful approach for leveraging on your incoming traffic for skyrocketing profits.
Now setting up a strategy might sound daunting to some, but it really comes down to understanding the difference between SHORT-term traffic and LONG-term traffic.
Most marketers do not even realize there IS a difference between the two, and how this difference can impact your business in more ways than you will imagine.
First let us look at the definitions of these two traffic sources:
1. Short-Term Traffic
Short-term traffic creates a temporary boost in visitors, but there is more to this. You might immediately think of a pay-per-click campaign as an example of short term traffic; but, did you know that certain search engine optimization efforts could also result in a short-lived traffic boost?
The key word here is the word temporary and the question to ask is: temporary relative to what?
A PPC campaign might be temporary relative to your budget. Perhaps you can afford only X number of clicks in your current situation. It may be temporary in that it is not your primary method of traffic generation, but you run campaigns in order to collect leads for your newsletter or test your landing pages.
Likewise, if you have a large budget and have found through testing that PPC visitors convert well for you, then this method becomes a part of your long term strategy.
Here is another example:
Let's say you jumped on the bandwagon and created "smart pages" or "doorway pages" before Google wised up and started banning those sites.
If Google failed to blacklist those types of sites, you could have had a source of long-term traffic on your hands.
I bring this up just to make it clear that not all search engine optimization tactics produce long-term traffic. Experts pound us all daily with the notion that SEO is the holy grail of consistent, long-term traffic. It bears noting that this isn't entirely true.
Changes in algorithms can affect your ranking even when you use legitimate optimization tactics. Put another way, SEO is a preferred method, but you MUST stay on top of things, else your efforts will be short lived and so will your traffic.
2. Long-Term Traffic
Long-term traffic consists of repeat visitors and a consistent influx of new visitors.
Understand that repeat visitors come through relationship building and branding. The focus is on communication, compelling content and some form of direct link between the visitor and your site (e.g. by a newsletter subscription, bookmark or viral product containing your link).
For the search engines, new visitors will only reach your site through broad and consistent exposure. This means you should maintain at least first-page positioning on a handful of relevant keywords. Another necessary criteria is a dominance of a reciprocal linking strategy with other relevant sites. You should also learn how to convert new visitors into REPEAT visitors all the time.
As mentioned one way to a constant flow of long term traffic comes from being able to maintain high search engine rankings for relevant keywords, which is not easy. A powerful weapon I would recommend you to immediately use is at http://www.ewenchia.com/stomp.htm
After understanding the difference between these two traffic sources, the question is how do you use this knowledge to maximize your results and ultimately, profits?
The answer lies in identifying your business goals.
Why? Simply because your goals dictates the type of traffic you want to go after.
Here are some real-life examples. Is your goal to:
- Split test sales pages? Then use short term traffic through PPC
- Recruit new subscribers? Use short term traffic through PPC and long term traffic through viral marketing
- Create consistent flows of visitors to an established site for free? Then use long term traffic through search engine optimization, name and brand building, loyalty building within existing subscriber base and an affiliate program.
Do you now see how your goals decide which type of traffic you need most, which in turn decides how your traffic generation strategy should be planned?
In summary, short term traffic is mostly directed toward some form of testing or quick list building. It also presents an opportunity to collect important feedback on your site in real time.
Long-term traffic on the other hand builds your customer base, subscriber base and audience over time. It allows you to spot trends through examining month's worth of patterns logged in your server's web stats. Your repeat visitors provide a valuable test bed for researching your market and learning how to communicate with them effectively.
The successful marketer uses a blend of both short and long-term traffic and, more importantly, knows the difference between the two so as to create an effective total strategy for website success.
For a deeper understanding of the entire traffic generation game, check out http://www.ewenchia.com/ts.htm and you'll be on the way to an avalanche of quality traffic in no time.
Like this article? Show your appreciation here: http://ewenchia.com/drink.htm.
Copyright 2004 Ewen Chia About The Author
Ewen Chia is a successful Internet marketing expert who has mastered the science of instant profit generation. You can learn his proven money-making secrets and explosive marketing strategies by going to: http://www.InstantMarketingSecrets.com.
Uses for Dirty Diapers
As the father of a toddler, I am an expert on dirty diapers. I know exactly what to do with them: throw them out! But along comes a New York waste company and ...
Store Card Versus Credit Card - Which Should You Choose?
Store cards and credit cards have their advantages and disadvantages. Should you have both or only one type? What's your strategy?
Prevention is Better Than Cure... Says Who?
You've likely heard this before... "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Says who? I mean come on. If prevention was so popular why would we see so...
What is Solar Energy?
Find out what the two types of Solar Energy are and how they can be used.
Scrapbooking Those Memories!
You will find scrapbook supplies for photos and pictures in a craft store or online. Scrapbooks are used to combine photos and pictures to make a picture story ...
Interesting… (but unnecessary)
A brief exploration of our relationship to the present moment, and how our conditioned or habitual resistance to 'what is' causes suffering.
Doing the Remarkable
When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: what can you do, starting today, that will make a difference? What ...
The Simplicity of Gel Fireplaces
Gel fireplaces allow you to enjoy a warm, romantic fire in any room in your house without any of the cost; mess or smell associated with a traditional fireplace...
Safe and Sound - Follow Safety Guidelines to Avoid Accidents & Injuries
Prevent workplace accidents with proper employee training. Because of the chemicals and equipment that are a part of a cleaning company's daily routine, employe...
Blackjack Casino Online And Offline Rules Can Vary Among Casinos
The rules of blackjack casino online as well as offline can differ among casinos. Whether you play black jack for fun or for money, you should learn this specif...
Learning to Question Your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why
Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll writes up to five columns a week. After all, if he can write five colum...
Age Old Marketing Technique Improves Business Plan Executive Summaries
This one technique is the key to the ultimate success of your business plan and its ability to attract potential investors. More importantly, it will help you r...
What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?
The next time you find yourself relaxing on the couch, having popped some corn and about to watch the "Sopranos", instead, pose this $1,000,000 lottery question...
Article Writing & Marketing: Tell a Story, Make Some Points
Did you know that each person's life tells a story? One method of writing articles is to tell a story from your life and make some points for life.
Improving Customer Service
Improving customer service starts at the top - with us owners and managers. We need to be living pictures of how we want our staff to treat customers. Having 10...
How to Tell If Online Consultations Are Right For You
Online consultations are something that is becoming more widely used by both medical professionals and those seeking medical advice. These are some of the thing...
Re-Energize Your Brain
We get in ruts, we build routines and we develop habits, and in doing so we often don't use our brain the way we could. Below are eight ways you can re-energiz...
Seminars: Why Are They Popular, and What Advantages/Disadvantages Are There to Attending One?
Seminars dealing with "special topics" have actually been around for decades, and are an older form of marketing and information exchanges, that have seen quite...
Things Happen Without Reason
Sometimes things happen in life for apparently no reason at all. You think that there isn't any reason for something to happen until after the fact when that so...
How To Explode Your Web Sites Traffic With Articles Permanently!
There is one golden rule, which is inherent in this free and extremely effective internet marketing strategy. First GIVE, and then TAKE. It's as simple as that....
This Secret Weapon Will Eanble You To Close Up To 200% more Home Remodel Sales
As a Home Remodeling Specialist you have a very powerful sales tool that most of your competitors don't even know exists. By using this Sales tool you can over...
Web Site Promotion: Use Web Site Awards To Increase Your Credibility
Web Site Awards are given from other sites to reward your site
for a specific reason.
Entrepreneurship Story; Over Regulation in Franchising Final Chapter
Sally and Jim have launched their automotive franchise business and are now selling franchises; problems arise as lawyers and over regulation threaten to ruin t...
Urban Flight in Ohio
Many of Ohio's downtown areas are in need of upgrading as folks pack up and move to the suburbs. Many downtown revitalization projects are currently going on th...
|
Print this page