Traffic Tips Blog

Optimizing Keyword Density

2011-01-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

Success and failure in search engines is what can mark a successful or failing Internet business. One important aspect of your overall search engine strategy is optimizing your "keyword density."

Keyword density is the number of times a keyword appears in relation to the other words on your pages. If you had a page that contained only the word football, your keyword density for the search term "football" would be 100%.

Now, let's say the same page contained just this one sentence: "Football links, reviews and scores." The keyword density for "football" is now 25%, as there are three other search terms contained on the page, and the word "football" represents only 1/4 of the total. (Note: Most engines will ignore words like "and," "the," "of," "from," etc.)

Measuring Your Site's Keyword Density

To test the value of your keyword density use the Keyword Density tool on this page:

TrafficRank Tools

Might surprise you what you are really telling search engines about your pages ... Anyway, once you see what keywords are massing on your pages, you can tweak and tune your content to increase the density of your desired keywords and phrases.

Checking the Competition

To find out what sites are generating the best search engine rankings based on your keywords, I suggest you run a search on this Meta Search Engine:

IxQuick

Enter your keyword term(s) and see which sites show up.

Now return to the keyword density analyzer noted above to review the keyword density of a site that scored well on IxQuick.

Your final step is to view the source of the site that scored higher than you to determine what steps you can take to mimic its properties.

File Names & Link Titles

2011-01-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a little tip:

Use file names and link titles that relate to the content of your site.

I'm still guilty of building pages called page.php or whatever, rather than motorcycle.php, any definitive name for the file that relates to the page content.

When linking to files, use the absolute path, and give the files titles that contain synonyms for the file name. Don't overdo it.

Free Ad and Traffic Programs

2011-01-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

I've compiled a list of the top free advertising and free traffic generation sites.

From free classifieds to safelists to traffic exchanges, this list will guide you to the most popular programs that generate positive results.

Free Ad and Traffic Programs

Facebook Like Buttons

2011-01-03T23:33:00.000-08:00

You see them everywhere. Now it's time to take advantage of the incredible power of Facebook to boost your traffic by placing like buttons on your site.

It's very easy. See the button below.

To create your own Facebook like button, copy the code below and replace "trafficzap.blogspot.com" with your website URL.

Traffic Splash

2011-01-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

I've spent a bit of time with traffic exchanges. So it's always gratifying to find one that really works.

Not only have I generated some decent traffic to some wehsites, I've also earned a few dollars through their referral program.

And while I admit that it looks and acts much like many others, the performance of the visits and the cold hard cash convince me that their network is well managed.

If you're new to traffic exchanges, tread lightly. But never discount the value of free traffic.

Traffic Splash

SubmitZap

2011-01-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for an immediate traffic boost, or for some down-and-dirty SEO work, you may want to check out SubmitZap.

With probably the lowest rates going for full page popunders, you can get bulk targeted traffic for as little as five bucks for five thousand visitors.

As well, search engine, blog and directory submissions are all value priced.

I don't think there's a better deal out there for this kind of traffic service.

SubmitZap

Free Traffic System

2010-12-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

This is a popular traffic generation program that relies on one-way backlinks to promote SERP improvement. Traffic is gained through organic search engine listings; no code, banners, auto-surfing, popups or more nefarious black hat techniques.

Idea is to allow users to submit articles for blog owners. The bloggers get free content, and you get backlinks to your website for keywords you select within each article. It's simple, and it seems to be working for a lot of people.

Free and pro memberships, usual promos, etc. Affiliate program.

All the details are here:

Free Traffic System

Facebook Promotion

2010-12-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

So how the heck do you market your website with Facebook?

I've built fan pages, I've tried Facebook ads, and I've built Facebook apps, all in an effort to get more traffic.

My Facebook pages don't attract a lot of traffic, but I don't do anything to promote them. To be honest, I'm still not sure why so many websites immediately try to shuffle their visitors off to their Facebook pages.

Creating a fan page is simple enough, and for me, it was a small investment of time, and I'm not going to spend a lot more trying to keep it active. Maybe I'm off the mark here, but I'm using Facebook to attract visitors to my website, not the other way around.

With the apps, it's been a different story. I see these as doorway sites that have the sole purpose of getting users back to Facebook, where the apps are most effective, and the pageviews are still mine.

The goal for me was to generate new traffic, and the viral nature of social marketing seems to be kicking in now.

Here are the apps I have developed so far:

Maptera
Zookmarks
ContactClick

Now, if you're lazy, rich or just plain savvy, it turns out you can sort of bypass all the work and just purchase Facebook fans (or Twitter followers):

Buy Fans and Followers

500 Free Visitors

2010-12-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

Here's something you don't get every day -- free traffic campaigns.

Revisitors is allowing new customers to test the waters with a free 500 visitor campaign. No strings attached. I tried it out and got some good results.

Go here to claim your free traffic :)

Revisitors

URLoco

2010-12-25T17:50:00.001-08:00

Here's a traffic lottery site you can use for a chance to win daily and weekly traffic prizes.

Each day a new winner is randomly selected from the pool of users who logged in the previous day. If you can handle an occasional traffic burst, then sign up, bookmark and make it a daily visit.

Follow this link for more information and to sign up:

URLoco.com

Toolbars and Apps

2010-12-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I've heard about toolbars and toolbar apps for a long time, but I never really appreciated how easy it can be to generate new visitors with them.

I was contacted by a friend who suggested I check out the Conduit Toolbar Platform. Conduit allows webmasters to create free customized toolbars and toolbar applications, and then distribute them to their users.

Hmm, seems like a lot of work, and I'd still have to promote the stuff. But there's more.

Now you can submit your work to the Conduit Marketplace and if people like what you have to offer, they will take it. I built a few apps and in less than a week I had over 100 users, all viewing my content -- and viewing my ads. No more work, and the traffic keeps growing.

But rather than have me try to explain it all, why not head over there now and check it out for yourself.

Conduit Toolbars and Apps

Paid Blog Reviews

2010-12-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

>> Blog Reviews <<

Here's something I hadn't tried before, blog reviews.

Blog reviews are paid sponsorships that bloggers create to call attention to your website. The benefits include immediate traffic, site recognition, permanent one-way backlinks, as well as buzz within the blogging community itself.

Reviews can cost less than a dollar, and you can select sites by topic, traffic rank and page rank. I bought 10 reviews for a few bucks and have seen some good results so far.

Alternatively, if you own a blog yourself, you can earn money by posting reviews for advertisers.

Follow this link for more information:

Blog Reviews

Free Ad Generates Visits

2010-12-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

I recently posted a free ad at an online classifieds site and it's generating some decent incoming clicks. Did I mention it was free?!

It only took a minute to set up. Nice little boost of new visitors ... you can do the same here:

Free Classified Ad

ExactSeek Featured Listings

2010-12-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, you can get ranked in the Top 10 on major search engines. Here's the easy way ... buy a Featured Listing from ExactSeek, the leading alternative to PPC advertising.

Your Featured Listing will be added within 6 to 8 hours to hundreds of search engines.

Login to edit your Featured Listing or to monitor click-through and search impression stats. A one-time, flat fee means no bidding for keywords and no charges for clicks or impressions.

Everything else you need to know is here:

ExactSeek

Traffic Auctions

2010-12-24T19:57:00.001-08:00

Ebay is probably not the first place you'd think to look for new traffic sources. But did you know you can find traffic at rock bottom in auctions there?

If you hunt around you can find amazing deals not available anywhere else. Check out the link below for a selection of services you can bid on to increase your website traffic.

Live Traffic Auctions

Getting Back Links

2010-12-22T23:37:00.000-08:00

As part of their ranking system, search engines judge your site by the number of other sites that link to you.

Getting quality backlinks without paying cash or backlash can be a chore. But remember, if you don't ask other webmasters to link to you they won't.

So be personal, offer a reciprocal link, and be sure to entice your link partners with pages on your site that contain information related to their sites.

Here's a tool you can use to check the number of backlinks to your site.

Link Popularity Checker

Also consider automating this task by creating a page of codes for banners and text links. Give your visitors a chance to self-serve links, and a percentage of them will.

Link to Me!

Email Signature Promotion

2010-12-22T23:34:00.002-08:00

Are you taking advantage of your outgoing email's ability to promote your website?

Add a signature to all email you send, by adding a couple of lines at the bottom, like the one shown below. Use your email client to configure this once and it will always be available.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George's Online Deli
The Best Wurst in Town!
http://www.georgesonlinedeli.com
george@georgesonlinedeli.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Google Alerts

2010-12-22T23:34:00.001-08:00

If you haven't tried Google Alerts, you should check it out. I'm running alerts with my domains as keywords and just about every day I see feedback from blogs, forums and other websites.

The information returned has given me insight on competitors, as well as tips on who my audience is, and what they are looking for.

Google Alerts

LinkReferral

2010-12-22T23:29:00.002-08:00

Here's a very effective site that generates a lot of buzz and traffic. It's called LinkReferral. The system lets you list your site for free, then other members members view and review your site. And you can do the same.

I've been using it for a couple of years and I can tell you it's been a tremendous way to get feedback, as well as fresh traffic and leads.

LinkReferral

TrafficRank.com

2010-12-22T23:29:00.001-08:00

I created a new resource site designed to help you find more traffic. There are listings for free, paid, SEO and link traffic, as well as a number of traffic analysis tools you can use.

http://www.trafficrank.com

Five Ways to Build Traffic

2010-12-22T23:25:00.001-08:00

These may seem obvious, but it's never a bad idea to reinforce core traffic-generating methods.

1. Add interactive features to your site, such as guestbooks, message boards, online polls, postcard services, or chat rooms. These features increase the "stickiness" of your site, that quality that causes user retention ... in other words, repeat traffic.

2. Encourage your visitors to participate in the creation of your site. For example, add a classified ad section, or a links submission page, or a feedback form that allows users to post their comments.

3. Provide valuable information. This may sound like an obvious piece of advice, but it is surprising how many websites really don't offer much else than a glowing tribute to themselves. Do some digging, offer real information about the topic of your site, like recipes for a cooking site, or a photo swap service for an automotive site.

4. Add a sweepstakes, or prize draw, preferably by giving away something pertinent to your site. If you have a travel site, a digital map or a downloadable gift certificate could fit the bill.

5. Offer links to other sites that offer services you may not be able to provide. An example might be a link to a free search engine submitter for a webmaster-related site; or a link to a currency converter on a travel site; or a link to a mortgage calculator on a real estate site. People will remember your site as if you were actually providing the service.

Keyword Synonyms

2010-12-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

In your page text, inside meta tags, within comment fields or as image alt tags, strive for a variety of relative words to gain deeper search engine indexing.

For example, if your site is about dogs, instead of always using "dog" as a word, try "canine" or "hound" etc.

To find related keywords, try this online treasure.

thesaurus.com

Automatic Bookmark Script

2010-12-22T23:08:00.000-08:00

Here's some javascript code you can copy and place on your own site so your visitors can bookmark your page with a single click. The code is compatible with both IE and Mozilla browsers.

My stats show about five percent of visitors come from bookmarks, so it's almost guaranteed to bring repeat visitors to your site.

Here's the link to the source code page:

Automatic Bookmark Code

Sticky Widgets

2010-12-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some nifty widgets you can use on your site to help you retain more traffic. Choose from news feeders, weather, jokes, quote of the day, trivia quiz, and many more. They come in a nice, compact graphical display that provides maintenance-free fresh content.

Here's where you can get them:
Sticky Widgets

SEO Coding Tip

2010-12-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

Use absolute links in your code. Sure, it's easier to write short, relative links when you're coding your pages. But this practice can have an adverse effect on your search engine performance, as well as leading to the dreaded PageRank bleed, according to a variety of sources I researched recently. There's a lot of mumbo-jumbo and tech-talk I could try to impress you with, but trust me, it's better to have a consistent and absolute linking scheme when you're creating your pages.

The main problem comes from how search engines crawl, and how the shorter relative links can cause these spiders to index with or without the "www" prefix to your domain name. The bottom line is, using absolute links should protect you from this predicament.

So, use absolute links, such as href="http://www.domain.com/page.htm" instead of the relative href="page.htm"

For more traffic building tips, please visit:
Trafficzap Tips

Classified Ad Sites

2010-12-21T21:03:00.001-08:00

An often overlooked method is the tried and tested use of online classified ads, many of which you can get without having to spend a dime. Fully automated, classified sites allow users to buy, sell or promote just about anything under the sun.

Here's a roundup of the top ten free classified ad sites.

Free Classified Sites List

Free Traffic & Free Profit Bars

2010-12-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, I created a handy referral tool I call the Free Traffic Bar. It's a website display you can use to generate traffic from the best free traffic exchange programs.

Free Traffic Bar

I'd also like to tell you about a similar service for PTV sites. I dubbed it the Free Profit Bar, and it works just like the traffic bar. You enter your IDs from the top 10 performing PTV networks and generate an attractive tower display for your website.

Free Profit Bar

Revisitors Giveaway

2010-12-08T23:27:00.000-08:00

Ready for another great offer?

I have partnered with Revisitors, one of the main traffic providers out there, to offer you targeted traffic to skyrocket your sales. And, exclusively for TrafficZap subscribers and blog viewers, Revisitors will let you sample their traffic absolutely free - no strings attached.

Revisitors is a top resource for targeted traffic. Thanks to its large network of specialized websites, Revisitors can maximize your Internet advertising by redirecting the most relevant and effective traffic to your site.

As usual, I tested out a free campaign before sending this tip to you. And so far, Revisitors has delivered on their traffic and their promise.

Remember, there's no charge, and you don't have to unsubscribe or cancel your campaign. Revisitors is so confident in their service, they are willing to give you a taste of quality traffic so you'll come back hungry for more.

Get your Free Traffic Here

Handy Keyboard Shortcuts

2010-12-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some handy Windows keyboard shortcuts. I use these all the time. I read somewhere that high-tech companies are impressed with job candidates who demonstrate keyboard proficiency over mouse-work ...

F1: >> Help

CTRL+X: >> Cut

CTRL+C: >> Copy

CTRL+V: >> Paste

ALT+TAB: >> Program Toggle

ALT+F4: >> Quit Program

CTRL+Z: >> Undo

F2: >> Rename

Geo-Targeting 101

2010-12-08T23:09:00.001-08:00

Geotargeting can make all the difference to your online ad revenues. Ensure your ads have the ability to monetize globally, not just in the US or UK. Likewise, you can separate your ad traffic and only let people see ads when they are in the proper geographical location.

You can independently geo-target your own ads using a third-party ad server solution, or even with open-source software like phpadsnew. Either way, getting started with geo-targeting is a must for any serious publisher who relies on ad revenues.

For more information on the subject try:

http://www.phpadsnew.com/
http://www.maxmind.com/
http://www.zedo.com/
http://ekstreme.com/geotargeting/

---------------------------------------------
Take a Ride on the Link Elevator
http://www.linkelevator.com/
---------------------------------------------