Traffic! How do you get it?

[Alan Mater]

Second, when I do the research and choose relative keywords for my articles and blog posts, I find that the desired keywords are very competitive, so when I do use them, it is very difficult to get to (and stay on) the first page of the search engines. The solution to that, as I see it, is to keep using those competitive keywords and to increase the number of articles and posts in which they are used. It may take time to see the results. We all know that effective Search Engine Optimization involves much more than just keyword use - there are a variety of other factors involved that help one's articles and posts win favour with the search engines.

GT

Hi GT,

That's a good approach. What I do is build as many quality backlinks to individual blog posts as I can for posts I want to rank well for specific terms. This strategy is starting to work for me, and it helps your overall domain as well. As you said, though, it does take time to see results, but it's worth it in the end.

[David Hurley]

If you find a keyword phrase you like, but which is competitive, then write a whole bunch of articles on that topic, but use "longtail" variations by adding extra words to the basic keyword phrase - find longer keyword strings that include the desired keyword phrase and write articles around each keyword phrase, all pointing back to your target page.

Does that make sense?

[MrVen]

I agree, "The solution before getting traffic, is RESEARCH". "Keywords" are the source of traffic and its completely true that we should do a bit of research before crafting an article.

Now a days, i see like its quite easy to rank well for long tail keywords esp. on Google because of the "freshness" in serp. The newly indexed articles are placed above the older articles to show fresh content to the user. Its advantage too but the question is, how long you stay in top position ?

[Alan Mater]

If you find a keyword phrase you like, but which is competitive, then write a whole bunch of articles on that topic, but use "longtail" variations by adding extra words to the basic keyword phrase - find longer keyword strings that include the desired keyword phrase and write articles around each keyword phrase, all pointing back to your target page.

Does that make sense?

That's great advice, David, and this can be done with any link building method.

[Alan Mater]

I agree, "The solution before getting traffic, is RESEARCH". "Keywords" are the source of traffic and its completely true that we should do a bit of research before crafting an article.

Now a days, i see like its quite easy to rank well for long tail keywords esp. on Google because of the "freshness" in serp. The newly indexed articles are placed above the older articles to show fresh content to the user. Its advantage too but the question is, how long you stay in top position ?

It depends on your competition, but to ensure you stay there, simply build backlinks to your site, post, etc. This can be done through article marketing (including web 2.0 sites) as David suggested, blog commenting, forum posting and social bookmarking.

[terriz]

I agree, "The solution before getting traffic, is RESEARCH". "Keywords" are the source of traffic and its completely true that we should do a bit of research before crafting an article.

Now a days, i see like its quite easy to rank well for long tail keywords esp. on Google because of the "freshness" in serp. The newly indexed articles are placed above the older articles to show fresh content to the user. Its advantage too but the question is, how long you stay in top position ?

It depends on your competition, but to ensure you stay there, simply build backlinks to your site, post, etc. This can be done through article marketing (including web 2.0 sites) as David suggested, blog commenting, forum posting and social bookmarking.

I'm really bad at just sitting down to write without doing keyword research! Thanks all for the reminder of how important it is to do. I'll work on making it part of my article-writing routine!

[Alan Mater]

I agree, "The solution before getting traffic, is RESEARCH". "Keywords" are the source of traffic and its completely true that we should do a bit of research before crafting an article.

Now a days, i see like its quite easy to rank well for long tail keywords esp. on Google because of the "freshness" in serp. The newly indexed articles are placed above the older articles to show fresh content to the user. Its advantage too but the question is, how long you stay in top position ?

It depends on your competition, but to ensure you stay there, simply build backlinks to your site, post, etc. This can be done through article marketing (including web 2.0 sites) as David suggested, blog commenting, forum posting and social bookmarking.

I'm really bad at just sitting down to write without doing keyword research! Thanks all for the reminder of how important it is to do. I'll work on making it part of my article-writing routine!

Keyword research is a very good habit to get into. It's so easy not to and to just start writing, but it really only takes an extra five to ten minutes to find a keyword or two relevant to your article.

[Mal Tindle]

Hi members,

I really feel the pain on this one as traffic is a big issue and I spent over two years flogging a dead horse with a website that wasn’t working until I changed it to a Wordpress site and now it is permanently on page 1 for ‘best home business ideas’ but is still not getting sign ups.

That is why I purchased a brand new site which is a better looking site but will take me some time to catch up. What I was doing before obviously worked for traffic but from a visitors point of view it was like arriving at a holiday resort and deciding to dive thru, lol.

My methods were nothing unique but I made and still make use of Directory Submitter which seems to work very well but other than that it is still the same things such as article writing and submission to directories that works better than anything else. I have never been 100% convinced about traffic exchanges as the time/reward ratio seems a bit out of balance for me but with the right selections they can work.

Other than that, daily use of forums is essential as well as comments on blogs, preferably high ranking or at least niche specific as they seem to work.

regards,

Mal.

[jeremywadford]

...The solution to that, as I see it, is to keep using those competitive keywords and to increase the number of articles and posts in which they are used. It may take time to see the results. We all know that effective Search Engine Optimization involves much more than just keyword use ...
GT

GT Bulmer, so I'm guessing you then insert the competitive keyword anchor text in the secondary importance blog posts for internal SEO....Lots of work these other posts to add weight to the site....

Also I wonder if there is any way of maximizing the power of existing external links.. Have you experimented with Link Wheels yet?

[KH_Global]

Mal -

Which directory submitter software do you use?

Thanks,

Robert

[David Hurley]

Of course, the quickest way to get targeted traffic to your site is PPC ads. However, before jumping into PPC, make sure you have a strong landing page that is "on message" and gives the targeted traffic what it wants and a reason from wanting it from YOU.

[Mal Tindle]

Mal -

Which directory submitter software do you use?

Thanks,

Robert

Hi Robert,

It's actually called link directory submitter which you can go to on :-

http://www.linkdirectorysubmitter.com/

If you prefer you can get it via the affiliate power group from my site below as this tool is included in your membership,

regards,

Mal.

[David Hurley]

Hi Mal,

Thanks for pointing out that Linkdirectorysubmitter is included in the Affiliate Power Group membership package. It's very easy to overlook freebies, even the useful ones. I'll go and check it out.

[KH_Global]

Thanks Mal for the link.

Robert

[Mal Tindle]

Thanks Mal for the link.

Robert

My pleasure Robert, I'm sure you will find it useful as there is a seeemingly endless number of sites on there to link to. Some are fairly quick, some take weeks or even months to link to you but the great thing about it is that once you have set up your details, every page autofills without all the hassle of typing them in every time. All you have to do is pick a category and maybe fill in a captcha code or similar to copy and youre done.

A lot will not accept a link unless you pay or at least use a reciprocal link option, neither of which I ever use. I only use the sites that offer a free link and there are plenty of those to keep me out of mischief for many hours, LOL,

enjoy,

Mal.