Traffic - How do you get it? Part 1

This seems to be the question. Everyone that has a web presence is wanting traffic. For good reason too. Traffic means people viewing your page. If you are selling something on your page then more traffic means the more people that are seeing your product. The more views your product get the chances of sales increase. Well that depends on your copy as well, but that is the topic for another blog.

The more people you talk to, the more ideas you will hear about ways to increase the traffic to your website or blog. Let’s look at a few of these and see …

Social Bookmarking - This is a worthwhile way to get traffic to your site. Sites such as digg.com and stumbleupon.com are considered social bookmarking sites. There are more and more of these types of sites popping up all the time. But what exactly is social bookmarketing to those of us who just really don’t get it?

Everyone has bookmarks or favorites on their browser. If your are anything like mine there are folders with categories that are filled with sites that I want, or need to go back to for some things. It may be for a recipe, an article with great information, or the bookmark to this page right here so I can put in my own blog.

Social bookmarking is doing this same thing in a public forum. You find a great site for instance. You Stumble it. If you like it you give it a thumbs up and put in tags. Say there was a great article on… well let’s just say Traffic for example :) You tag it as that and your done. The more people that stumble your site, the higher your ranking. The higher your ranking the more traffic you get. Now see, wasn’t that easy?

Ahhh hang on just a second, you know nothing is ever that easy right? There are a few tricks to this social bookmarking thing.

The first is, it is best if you don’t bookmark your own site. So you need others to do it for you. Yes you have to have traffic to get traffic. It’s a vicious circle ehh?

So the key to getting what traffic you do have to bookmark your site is a couple of things. Make it content worth bookmarking. No one is going to mark a site that is just full of fluff. Give your visitors real content. Something interesting to pull them in. Give them a great title or headline, that makes your visitor want to read that great content and bookmark it for future reference.

The next thing is to make it easier for your visitors to bookmark your site. I am going to use Stumble as an example again. If you go to their site you can get the code to put in your post so people can bookmark you with ease. For Stumbleupon it’s a link at the bottom marked tools. You just choose your button and insert your URL and it gives you the code. Each site will be different.

Stumble It!

See? If you click on the link above you can stumble this article. Cool Huh? I just made it really easy, for you my reader, to social bookmark this article. You did give me a thumbs up right?

Now keep in mind this is one of many. Giving your readers a choice on which site to social bookmark your site is a good idea. Cluttering up your post with too many options though may have the opposite effect and they may not bookmark you at all. So use your best judgment. Think of what you like to see and what bothers you when using this method.

OK everyone that is it for part 1 - Stay tuned for Mondays rendition of Traffic - How do you get it? Part 2 Social networking. Come on now, you knew that was coming right???

How to Find Good Content

We have all heard that “Content is King” on the internet. Well-written, timely and pertinent content on your website will help you in many ways. It will help drive traffic to your site, will help establish your expertise in your niche and will improve your rankings.That being said how do you get that content? You want good content. Not just some stuff just slapped up there. Not what everyone else has, but unique writing for your site.

PLR is a great option. PLR stands for Private Label Rights. These are articles you purchase, usually in bundles, and you can use them on your site. Keep in mind a number of things when using PLR.

Not all PLR is created equal. Know whom you are purchasing from and the quality of content. Unfortunately, there are those out there that will sell you half put together PLR or worse yet copied from someone else’s. Knowing who you are purchasing from or buying from someone with an establish excellent reputation is always your best bet.

After you purchase your PLR you are not going to want to put it up on your site the way that you purchased it. Make changes to it. Make it your own. Remember that you are not the only one that purchased that bundle. You want yours to be uniquely yours. Purchasing PLR gives you the rights to make these changes.

You can hire a writer, such as me, to make the PLR changes for you. Many writers may charge a nominal fee for this, but it is usually less than having them create an article from scratch. Choose this option if you do not feel like making the changes yourself.

If you want original content that is not PLR you have 2 choices. You can write articles yourself. After all you are the expert. Pick out topics that work with your subject and write articles. You can put these on your site, or submit them to article directories.

If you do not have the time or do not enjoy writing you may consider outsources this task to a freelance ghostwriter. Their services generally differ, but most will write you articles, special reports or maybe even that e-book you have needed.

Here again remember that not all writers are the same. Find a writer that you connect with. Someone who understands your subject or is willing to do research on the topic.

Whichever method you pick to get your content, remember that this content represents you, your site and your online business. Make it the best you can. Run that spell and grammar check!

Check out Written Word Services for your content needs.

What Can I Say to Increase My Chances of Earning Your Business?

I have been learning some copywriting skills lately. There really is an art and science to this. It amazes me all the things I never knew before about how to make my clients want to buy from me.

I look at the main page of my website and frown. I have been putting off even touching it, until I am finished with my course. There are so many things there I could change for the better. My sales sites could really use a copywriting face lift.

There are words out there that can make or break your sales. Now I know many of you know this, but some of you out there may be wondering what all the hype was about.

Well to be honest I was one of them. Before I started this course I thought that my problem was lack of traffic. Well that still may be my problem it isn’t my only problem.

Traffic does you absolutely no good unless you have the words that get that visitor to your site to invest in your produt or sign up for your services.

You have to have the right selling words to be paired with your product and services.

You guessed it, it’s all in how you “spin” things. While I don’t particlarly like the phrase, I have to agree with the thinking. Your A+ product will do you no good if your potential client stays on your site 2 seconds.

So what do you do? Well you can hire a copywriter or an aspiring copywriter to help you craft your sales page and promos.

If you want to do it all yourself I can recommend a great product. But you have to invest the time.

Trevor Crook has a great deal for you on his Pay it Forward page He will give you, yes I said GIVE you a copy of his copywriting blueprint formula. Can’t beat that with a stick. All he ask in return is that you give out the link to Pay it Forward. what a concept.

Words and what you say can really make or break your business. Learn what you can say to increase your business!

And stick around and watch my page grow and change. I think it may just surprise you!!!