Because there are so many different niches, markets, and demographics, there is no an exact science to find out what will attract people to come to your site; however, you can always try to list out some of your more popular pages and figure out what made these sites pop.
In this following list, we will be looking at some of the more popular articles throughout ASANT Media’s portfolio of sites, and try to figure out what exactly made these pages popular… (no specific order)
While there are tons of off-site activities that can be done to increase site traffic, many people often overlook a simple on-site task they can use…
Create articles related to popular current events.
Regardless of your particular niche, you can almost always relate an article back to some current event. Here are a view reasons why it works:
1. Increase chance of ranking high in search engines. There is a reason why reporters try to be the first one to jump on the story, and then others quickly follow. After a big event or news story, see what the most search keywords are. Odds are it will be filled with that particular news story. You never know when you might happen to sneak into the top page.
We have already gone over 7 ways to increase organic search engine traffic; however, when it comes to SEO many people really do not get it. I do not pretend to be some SEO guru because I am not; however, I have locked in some high rankings for popular related search terms or phrases. Best of all, I have done this all for no additional costs.
Really quick, the importance of search engine traffic is that it is highly targeted. Getting this traffic organically means you are not paying for spots through something such as Adwords. So not only are you getting loads of targeted traffic, but you are also getting it for free.
Many times I get the question: what is the best way to boost search engine results?
Sure there are a variety of tricks, schemes, and tests you can do to try and increase your chances of landing a high ranking spot; but if I had to give you just one step.. it would be content.
Yes, we have heard it over and over again. Content is king, but it is really true. With the emergence of mediums like video, I notice that many people are leaving the “old-fashion” text behind. Why bother writing, when you can just record, right?
Wrong!
If you are lucky, perhaps search engines can grab your videos from places like YouTube and such, but you are essentially leading them to YouTube, and then requiring them to click on another link that will take you to your site. In the online world, the more steps the less people that will follow through.
Content is king.
Search engine have spiders that crawl through web pages and pick up text. Even images could be considered text if you add “alt text” to them. If you are posting a video, then make sure to add a text summary on the same page. Handing out a free PDF or some other download? Unless you are making them subscribe or do something for it, then why bother locking it in a PDF file? Instead consider copying everything from the PDF and creating a page for it, and if you really want to, then you can attach the PDF for people to download if they want.
So while there are many tricks and gadget plays to try and game the system, remember that quality content is the overall king when it comes to boosting search engine traffic. After all, if spiders cannot read it, then how will they know what you are talking about?
The first couple of months of your site can feel like a complete waste of time. You are probably putting in tons of work, yet seeing very little traffic and even less income. For most new web site owners, the process of properly using social networks and other forms of social marketing can take a while to click. So traffic is probably volatile and usually un-targeted.
While you don’t necessarily need tons of traffic to covert any type of sale or conversion, it definitely doesn’t hurt. Make sure to check out my article on how to covert sales with little traffic. Believe or not there are easy and fast ways to rank high in the search engines regardless of your page rank.
On the other hand, not everybody is trying to covert sales, maybe you want more publicity, or maybe you are just trying to create some sort of following. Whatever the reason is we would all love our sites filled with users and commentators. The number one easiet and fastest way to quickly gain site traffic is to guest post on the authority sites in your niche.
Most of the time these sites are more than welcome to have you contribute. Obviously it means less work for them, but don’t think they will just post any random article. These authority sites usually receive dozens of request a day, but they can’t post all of them. Your articles for a guest post should be some of the best or most interesting pieces you have written. You should try to attack a unique concept that will draw more visitors from the authority site to yours.
What makes a good guest post site?
The ideal site to guest post on would be one that averages some number of commentators on every post. It is hard enough to get people to comment, if they have commentators on everyone, then odds are they are experiencing a pretty significant amount of activity to their site. Also if these users took the time to comment, then there is a good chance they will probably take the time to at least visit your site.
Often times you will come across authority sites, but their traffic is derived more through search traffic. There is nothing wrong with guest posting for them, but the traffic will not be as immediate as you will like.
Once you get the visitors to your site, the ball is in your court. Before your guest post is ever published, your site should be optimized to capture these new leads. Trust me, if a visitor from the guest post site comes to your site and does not like it, then he or she will NOT come back.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Besides just gaining more exposure, your guest post will also give you some great link juice because this authority site is linking back to you, so there are multiple pros for going on a guest post tour.
For most small sites (meaning daily traffic < 500 unique a day), any chance of making over $100 a month will come with promoting different affiliates; however, many cannot seem to convert well. The problem is usually not the traffic, but it is your promotion plan.
Too many times I have seen people simply sign up to some affiliate network and then start dispensing ads all over the site. While you still may get some conversion, the odds are definitely NOT in your favor.
When it comes to successfully converting with little traffic, there are a couple things that need to happen:
We will look at these a little closer, but let me throw a backdrop situation so I can provide some examples. For my stock market I usually average somewhere around 200 visitors a day. Not must to get excited about, right? But, what if I told you that I was converting around $400-500 a month from one affiliate program? Yes, you read correctly.
I’ll show you how the following with help you with your promotions.
You must have experience with what you are promoting
We are not email marketers or whatever you want to call them, so usually are blog post are most personal. People have to come our site and want to see what we say. If you promote something that you have never used, then how do you know how good it can really be? If you are not willing to ask for a free sample, use a trial, or actually buy the program you are promoting, then why would somebody else?
When you are promoting these products, the reader needs to see that you clearly know how great this program is. The financial service I promote on my stock market blog allows me to use it for free, since I am an affiliate. So I actually know if the service is any good. By using it, I can tell people cool tricks I have found, how it helped me making winning trades and so on.
Now I am not saying you need to use it forever. For example, there are many paper trading stock market services out there. In other words, they allow you to practice trading stocks without having to use real money. Although I trade real money now, just like most people I started out paper trading. So I try the service out, see how good or bad it is, and then give my hands on review and expertise on the product.
Your affiliate must be willing to work with you
Although it is hard to put a percentage on it, I would say that somewhere between 60-70% of your affiliate success will come from the company of the product you are promoting. Are they willing to work with you or are they just hoping you might sell something? Most of the time, all affiliate programs have an affiliate manager responsible for different partners, and their main job is the help you sell. Obviously, the more you make the more they make. How good they are is another question.
I like to think that you can always get a feel for how good the affiliate team is by how they work with you. Are they willing to let use the product/service for free? Will they let your give away some free stuff every now and then? Odds are that if that certain product is bringing in sales, then they would feel confident in making up that money they lost by giving it away.
With the financial service I promote, the affiliate manager/relations is simply amazing. They basically do everything for you, but all you to get the commission. I make sure to work with them. Ask them ideas on how I could better promote different things, and they make sure to keep supplying me new and unique content to help me to promote.
What you are promoting must blend with your site
Probably the popular things many do is sign up for a network, scour for relating programs, and then throw all different type ads all over your site. While technically there is nothing wrong with this, we have to remember that we are not experiencing thousands of visitors a day like all those other sites. So if we want to increase our conversion rate, then we have to take what we are promoting and throw it into the visitors face.
Almost turn your site into a partner of that certain affiliate. For example, one of the services that financial affiliate has is a free trend analysis. At the bottom of any stock recommendation I post, I make sure to throw in that free trend analysis link. When people are researching stocks they love to get as much advice as possible, so why wouldn’t they choose that. I get a little commission for that, and then even more if they decided to do a little more. That also ties in with how good is your affiliate program.
The goal is to try and make it so your affiliate programs are directly connected with your site. They flow hand and hand, and by the time people are done visiting your site, they are going to want to learn a lot more about that what you are selling.
Affiliate must add value to site and visitors
A huge mistake many people do is that they don’t show relevant affiliates. Yes, your site is about making money in the stock market. So why are you putting up ads with making money through Market Leverage? Often times, many new site owners get trapped thinking that their visitors would have interest in making money online. Usually you are networking with other site owners and so one, so you get tricked into believing that others will want to check this out.
Too bad that won’t work. People visiting your site don’t care about making money online, and do not really know about the whole idea about making money online. If they did, then why are they at your site? Keep a single focused site, and don’t derail from the topic. Whatever you are promoting should directly benefit the visitor.
Also think of them like customers, if they are unsatisfied by something they bought from you the first time, then why would they come back? The financial service I promote, essentially makes money for my visitors.
Choose the right affiliate
This is really simple. Some affiliates just won’t covert and others are ATM’s. It is up to you to find the right one. Usually the ones that will work the best for small traffic are ones with dedicated affiliate support. Affiliate managers that are willing to work with you. They have experience with this are are willing to help you out. Also look for subscription packages. Visitors know they can always cancel, but at the same time, if they like it then you will be getting reoccurring commission for every time the renew.
At the end of the day you need to find the affiliate or affiliates that are truely the best fit(s) for your site. You don’t need to promote a million different things to make money. In fact, the less the better. The last thing you want visitors is to think you are just spamming them with merchandise. Don’t ever assume and ask. Who knows are far your affiliates are willing to go? You won’t unless you ask.