Developing a web site and then letting it grow is like planting a tree and then nurturing it. You need to take care at every step from start to infinity. Only launching a website is not sufficient, promotional activities need to be taken to locate target audiences and then for reaching to them. You will have to make sure that your presence is felt by the entire world. There are many ways like posting links on other sites and search engines, sending e-mails, starting affiliate programs, writing articles etc that will drive traffic to your website.
Some of the way for driving traffic towards your website are listed below:
1. Create links
The number of links present on various other sites that focus at you determines the level of your popularity. Always make sure that you exchange links with as many sites as possible as it helps in getting subscribers. You can have a separate page devoted solely for this purpose. The websites on which link will appear should be chosen with care and should be focusing the same set of audiences that you focus on.
2. Provide the latest
Always make sure that you provide the latest and up-to date information to your visitors. This helps in creating new customers and retaining existing ones.
3. E-mails
Make a list of subscribers that are considered by you as precious. The focus shall be on quality and not on quantity. These subscribers can be sent E-mail newsletters. It is an excellent way of promoting your web site provided the content of newsletter is short, informative and interesting. You can even join big and small e-mail groups for promoting your website and the products it sells.
4. Affiliate programs
An affiliate or associate programs pays a part of their sale proceeds to sites whose links have helped the retailer in generating actual sales. You should focus on building a network of affiliate program whose products and subscribers can help you in getting business. Decide on the percentage of commission that you will pay to them and always focus on getting right kind of group.
5. Bookmarking the website
You can concentrate on making sure that the visitors bookmark your website so that every time they access Internet they feel your presence.
6. Search box
As your business grows in size more and more users will be visiting your site. There will be more of customer queries and you will have to provide for more information. The best and most effective way to minimize confusion and handle large volume of customers is to provide for a search box on your website. It helps the users to locate the desired information without any trouble.
7. Article writing
You can write articles on topic related to your website for distributing them as newsletters, or to the owners of other website to be submitted by them in article directories on the condition that they will provide link to your website when using the material provided by you. This helps in getting popularity on a wider basis. Search engines even use these directories that help in getting listed on popular search engines.
8. Free advertising sites
There are many sites, newsgroups, directories that will allow free advertising of your website. You can post ads there and publicize your web site.
9. Special focus directories
There are many sites that focus on some particular industry or product. Getting yourself listed on such sites help in bringing target set of visitors.
10. Auto responders
With the growth in business the customers’ base increases and so do their needs and queries. These present and potential customers will be asking all sorts of questions. To satisfy them in the bet possible way auto responders can be used.
Thus to conclude only big banners or colorful ads are not sufficient to get traffic to your website. You will have to locate your audiences and than make efforts to satisfy them.
