How To Gain Web Traffic Through 9 Simple Tips

Driving traffic to your website can be a time consuming task. However, these easy tips may help you increase traffic and convert those visitors into actual customers.

1. Title on your main URL and secondary pages
Originally, my title was ADVANCED SYSTEMS-A Leadership & Organizational Training & Development Firm near Chicago, IL. If I searched for the first two words ADVANCED SYSTEMS using Overture at http://inventory.overture.com I found a little over 4,000 keyword searches. By using this tool, I entered various key words and discovered that the term education and training had over 210,000 searches during the previous month. Research also recommends that the title length not exceed 77 characters and so I continued researching the most effective key words to pair with my first two terms. Also, additional reading suggested that you indicate your location within this title. Even though the completed title may exceed the recommended length, this is OK because the search engines do read beyond 77 characters. Also, as you construct or revise each page, make sure that title has the appropriate key words. Currently, I am doing that for my site because as stated earlier ADVANCED SYSTEMS is not a popular searched term.

2. Content
Both my Internet marketing coach (www.leaders-perspective.com) and my marketing consultant (www.hodgecommunications.com) acknowledged that the content on my site of which I wrote was of exceptional editorial quality. Their praises made me feel very good. However, both told me that the content wouldnt sell an igloo to an Eskimo. This wasnt what I wanted to hear after spending hundreds of hours writing this exceptional content. Currently, I am revisiting each page and rewriting the content using a marketing content focus instead of editorial one. I had failed one of the basic lessons in marketing write to the audience needs by identifying potential benefits not your expertise.

3. Search Words
Again using the mentioned site in tip #1, I began to rewrite the content and then checked key words and phrases to ensure that they were embedded within the content. Writing in Microsoft Word, the writer can go to the Edit button and scroll down to the Find icon. By typing in a specific word or phrase, this handy tool will check to see how many times it appears in the document. A note of caution Be careful not to overload your content with search words because the robots are quite sophisticated and can distinguish this overload.

4. Call to Action
Within the content on each page should be a call to action. The visitor should be encouraged to sign up for a free newsletter or contact your office by phone or email. Also, you can provide links to other pages within your website such as click to hear read more articles.

5. Thematic Approach
Using a theme entices search engines to travel through all the pages within your site. The theme can be your unique selling proposition. Also, a thematic approach encourages your visitors to visit more than one or two pages.

6. Use of Pictures, Graphics and Flash
Pictures are far more effective than clip art. Remember to use a variety of genders and ethnicity because your Internet audience is diverse. Be careful with flash and other time consuming graphics as they may consume too much time to download. Many visitors leave sites if the site doesnt download in a matter of seconds. Time is money not only for you, but your visitors as well.

7. Free Offers
Visitors like to receive free offers from ezine booklets to articles to recommendations on books and other sites. Entice your visitors with freebies and have them coming back for more.

8. Regular Updates
Sites need to be updated on a regular basis to encourage Search Engines to continually visit your site. A static site is not good for web traffic or building relationships with your visitors. Construct a plan to revisit your pages to provide new content for Search Engines. HINT: Remember to check Key Words as you update your pages.

9. Perfection and Under Construction
Since web sites should not be static, perfection is an ongoing experience. Dont wait until the content is perfect. Load it and then watch your statistics. Under construction shouldnt be forever, however prioritize those pages you wish to update first. If you need to add a page, do so and mark it as Under Construction. I currently have several new pages Under Construction and still have yet to revise all my pages. Working using a plan (see tip 8), I anticipate completing the entire site within the next 30 days. And then, revisit at least 2 pages each month to update the content.

These last two months have been an incredible learning experience for me as I continue to work on my site to expand traffic and therefore potential clients. For example, one of the most visible results has been a 300% increase on one of my revised pages (http://www.processspecialist.com/youth.htm). Even though the site is still has pages under construction, I know that following these 9 simple tips will continue to multiply traffic and eventually increase my client base.

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Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, www.processspecialist.com

This article may be freely published. Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).
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By: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. CEO of ADVANCED SYSTEMS located outside of Chicago, IL, is the Learning & Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business & education experience, she helps her clients to double their performance. By uniting systems, strategies and people to create loyal internal customers, Leanne delivers ROI solutions in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation within a variety of industries including education, healthcare, manufacturing and professional services. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential: 7 Capacities for Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please contact Leanne at 219.759.5601 or visit www.processspecialist.com if you are seeking to connect your passion to your purpose to double your performance for unheard of results.

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Travel Tips When Cruising To Bermuda

Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your Bermuda cruise vacation:

Bermuda is NOT the Caribbean - the winters may not get snow, but you certainly won't be out swimming in the ocean. Daily average temperatures for each month are:

January: air temp. 69 degrees / water temp. 66 degrees
February: air temp. 68 degrees / water temp. 65 degrees
March: air temp. 68 degrees / water temp 66 degrees
April: air temp. 72 degrees / water temp 69 degrees
May: air temp. 76 degrees / water temp. 74 degrees
June: air temp. 77 degrees / water temp. 76 degrees
July: air temp. 86 degrees / water temp. 84 degrees
August: air temp. 86 degrees / water temp. 84 degrees
September: air temp. 84 degrees / water temp. 82 degrees
October: air temp.76 degrees / water temp. 77 degrees
November: air temp. 74 degrees / water temp. 72 degrees
December: air temp. 71 degrees / water temp. 69 degrees

Bermuda is British - judges wear powdered wigs, drivers are the left side of the road, and dress is fairly conservative (especially on the golf courses or in upscale restaurants). Of course, Bermuda shorts are seen everywhere - even on businessmen wearing jackets and ties! Bikinis are not permitted more than 25 feet from the ocean.

Be aware of the passport regulations if you are planning a trip to Bermuda. If you will be arriving by cruise ship before January 1, 2008, a passport is NOT required, but a birth certificate PLUS a laminated government issued photo ID is required of US citizens (a photo ID is not required of US citizens under age 16, but a birth certificate is required). If you are arriving by air, or will be arriving by cruise ship after January 1, 2008, you will need a passport. Waiting times for a passport have been quite long due to changing regulations, so be sure to apply early.

American currency is accepted just about everywhere in Bermuda, but just be aware that if you use an ATM machine, it will give you Bermuda currency. This may be best to do near the beginning of your stay, or else most shopkeepers would be happy to give you change of a purchase in American dollars - just ask.

Bermuda can be expensive - being on a cruise ship will help, in that your lodging and meals are already taken care of (but be sure to have SOME food on Bermuda - the fish chowder is a special treat) Those who fly and stay on Bermuda would say that the financial savings of a cruise are balanced by the abbreviated time spent on such a lovely island, and the fact that you are always part of a crowd - the cruise crowd.

Cruising to Bermuda may cause you to experience rougher seas than cruising the Caribbean. Because you are sailing out in the Atlantic Ocean, where the warmer Gulf Stream waters collide with the cooler ocean waters, the seas may be a bit unruly. If you are concerned, you may wish to consider a plan for seasickness (wrist bands, medication, etc.), or sailing on one of the larger cruise ships, which experience much less of the ocean's waves than comparable smaller ships.
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By: Stephanie Larkin

Stephanie Larkin is the editor of www.CruiseLinesandPorts.com, as well as www.BermudaCruiseSite.com. She and her family love to cruise - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on the beds at night!

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