Increasing traffic to your website, store or blog does require some effort, but it will definitely pay off! Here are 10 ways to increase your traffic and get your momentum started in the right direction:
1. Submit your URL to Google so they can add you to their list if the crawlers haven't found you yet.
2. Use keywords in your titles and descriptions that are searchable and relevant to your business.
3. Use images in your posts and make sure to give the images a relevant file name before you post them...for example, use Red_Crochet_Sweater.jpg rather than Image465.jpg
4. Share content and feature products from others by linking out to them. A quick note: If you are featuring someone, especially with images, make sure you run it by them first to get permission!
5. Comment! Create dialogue and visibility to your site by commenting on other people’s blogs, Facebook pages, Flickr images, etc. Don’t explicitly place your website in your comment, but if you are able to leave a comment with your name & URL, that is perfectly acceptable. Side tangent here - only comment in places where you are sincere and truly interested, don’t fake it.
6. Find your niche and learn as much as you can to be an expert on that topic; then share your expertise generously so people will begin to rely on you for information.
7. Make your content timeless by writing about topics that are not only relevant now, but will also be relevant in the future.
8. Promote your blog/website/store by organizing giveaways and contests.
9. Create a Delicous account and then add and tag your blog posts.
10. Interview experts and well known individuals in your field and post the interview on your blog or website.
For more depth on this topic, visit Amber Jordan's 2 articles on SEO at Handmade Momentum:
Do you have other great tips for boosting traffic? Please do tell...
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8 Comments
I have a 5 part blog series on the subject for specifics on SEO for those that are ready to “dive in deeper”. It has had great response. Thanks for this article…covers all the “hot spots” for SEO. help.
http://mommythemarketer.blogspot.com/2010/03/seo-help-me-part-one.html
Per your advice I am writing this comment. This is good stuff, most of which I am already doing. I am not signed up with Delicous yet, however, and will do that next.
I love this feature. I have a few new things to try on my blog now.
Courtney,
Good points here. You can also find some more things you can do with your blog here:
http://www.squidoo.com/blogstarter
Best,
Rajesh
This post was very helpful – I am busy implementing the proper image names. Thank you!
For the image renaming use red-crochet, so that search engines can understand the two keywords. RedCrochet is not a keyword that anybody would search, separate your words by dashes or underscores.
Excellent tip Mina! Thank you! – Courtney
Nice, it looks like I’m on the right track. I’m at the point now where I’m looking into a content exchange to “spice things up”.