A Beginner’s Guide for Getting Traffic to Your Website: Part I

If you’re new to affiliate marketing, you may have the notion that all you have to do is develop a website and you’re good to go. The problem is that unless you find a way to let the world know you’re out there, no one will show up but you and a few of your closest family and friends. Getting traffic to your website is a crucial element in marketing your business.

Here are 5 strategies you can use to attract visitors to your website:

1.    Attract free web traffic.

There’s no need to dole out a lot of cash when you’re still learning the ropes. In fact, a lot of new affiliate marketers cash out before they turn a profit. They think that money is the solution to all their marketing problems. Unless you know what you’re doing, you could waste a lot of money from the beginning.

That’s why you’ll want to take advantage of all the ways you can use to generate free traffic. Start a blog and submit it to Technorati, a search engine for blogs. If you’re on a tight budget, you can start a blog free by using blogger.com.

Another way to generate free traffic is to write articles and submit them to article directories. Conduct a Google search on article directories, and you’ll find dozens of directories to choose from.

2.    Start PPC campaigns.

Google has the most traffic, and most people run their PPC campaigns in Google. However, don’t be afraid to expand your reach. MSN AdCenter and Yahoo may be profitable options for you. If you run your campaigns outside of Google, you may be able to take advantage of lower prices on popular keywords.

3.    Start your own affiliate program.

Of course, this is a no-brainer, but if you develop products and let others sell them for you, you’ll get more traffic. Whether you’re selling an e-book or a new software download, getting others to market your products for you creates a win-win for everyone and will direct more traffic to your website.

4.    Write press releases.

Press releases are a great way to attract national attention to your website. If you’re on a tight budget, consider using PRLog, a free press release service. If you’re willing to pay for more targeted press release distribution, consider PR Newswire for a more aggressive press release campaign.

5.    Use the SRDS.

The SRDS marketing directory is a great way to find mailing lists so you can generate a postcard campaign or send direct mail to prospects. You can order postcards from your local office supply store and mail them to potential customers. Include your Web address, as well as any other contact information.

There are a lot of methods you can use for getting traffic to your website, even if you’re on a shoestring budget. Instead of using one or two ways to attract traffic, use multiple channels to increase your website’s visibility and bring a flood of traffic to your site.