Don't you wish you had the advertising dollars spent on just one 30 second Super Bowl commercial$%: Just think what that could do for your business$%: Well, since most of us are trying to run a business on a budget, that Super Bowl campaign might just have to be put on the back burner for now.
Below are some creative ways I have found to build traffic and perhaps you will to!
Let's get started...
One sample
1) Yahoo Groups - Sure you've heard this before and maybe you've wondered does it really work$%: I am here to tell you it does. It will require time and commitment on your part along with some creative ad copy. The key is to join groups that fit whatever it is you are trying to market. Then use these groups to network and connect with possible prospects or customers. Let your signature line be your advertisement while you join in the conversations. In addition, join groups which offer advertising days to share your products, services and opportunities. Be sure you follow the group's advertising guidelines; otherwise you could be banned from further participation.
Yahoo Groups has a nice feature where you can setup a list. Create a list for the day(s) advertising is allowed in the groups. Example: Monday Ads, Tuesday Ads, Thursday Ads, Daily Ads, and etc. Then add the email address, for the group, to the appropriate advertising list. For example: allows advertising on Mondays and Thursdays. You would add the group's email to your Monday and Thursday Ad List. This way you can send one email which is then copied and sent to all the Yahoo Groups in that list. Remember, you would first have to join and be a member of the group before your post would be accepted.
There are also MSN, AOL and Google groups; however, I have found the most success within the Yahoo Groups.
Important Note: Use a separate email account when marketing online, such as a Yahoo or Gmail. Unfortunately, it won't take long before your marketing email accounts are filled with spam.
2) Message Boards - Forums can be quite good for business and well worth your time. They will be, however, the most time consuming. Join each board and create a signature profile. Then join the discussions, as well as, starting a few of your own. Many boards have forums specifically for promotion so you will want to post in that section often. Repetition and frequency is the key. Set aside time weekly to post to message boards and join the conversations.
Also, I suggest you create a spreadsheet to list your favorite boards along with your username and password for each. It's an easy way to keep track of where you have been, plus your login details.
3) Social Networking - Social networking sites are definitely hot right now. A few well-known social communities are MySpace.com, Squidoo.com, and LinkedIn.com. Of course there are many other ones that are growing in popularity and numbers. The key is to join an online community, setup your page and start networking. Time is the key here again. Allot time each week to invite others to visit your page, join your lens, start a group and etc. Social networking can and does pay off. Stick with it and make it work for you.
4) Blogs - Blogs are still a popular way to get you out there and noticed. You can create a free blog at or . Your blog can be about anything that interests you. Usually,
people share a commentary or news on a particular subject. In addition, you can add images and links of interest. Another popular feature is to provide readers with the ability to leave comments on a related topic.
Ping your blog using . Basicially, Pingoat is a free service that pings (notifies) a number of services that publish and track weblogs. It's a great way to get your blog spidered sooner.
Well, my hope is this article has given you some direction on how to get started driving traffic to your website. Of course, there are many more options and creative ways to increase your website's visibility and popularity. As with anything, you have to start somewhere and I wish you much success with these free methods.
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