Traffic Generation 101

I updated my notes about Entrecard this morning on my flagship blog, but Entrecard isn’t the reason for this article. Well, at least it isn’t the only reason. More clearly, I am offering a primer on some of the chief traffic generation tips I employ for my sites and for 3-4 customers. Much of this stuff is basic information, hence the “101″ topic, but it is good methodology that achieves results.

Specifically, I do the following on a regular and consistent basis:

Update Often — Nothing new here, but the more often you update your site the better. Fresh information attracts readers who want to read what you wrote. In addition, updates trigger a visit from Mr. Googlebot and friends as the search engines are always looking for fresh food, i.e. new material. Even an overhauled page triggers a visit, so if you have nothing new to share, consider updating something already on your site.

Link Freely — I regularly link out and I comment on other blogs on a daily basis. Link love is so important and I regularly visit blogs which give it out and I do the same for people who visit this blog and most of the other blogs that I manage.

Shift On The Fly — I’m constantly tweaking and refining my methods, trying new stuff while holding onto the “tried and true.” I review MyBlogLog stats throughout the day to see how traffic is flowing to my sites and I review Google Analytics thoroughly at least once a week to spot a trend and to make sure that I’m on course.

Social Networking — Yes, that is still me over on StumbleUpon, but I’ve been doing some digging lately too. Entrecard does help bring down my Alexa score, plus I’m connecting with some savvy folks there as well as through StumbleUpon and LinkedIn.

New Sites — One of my newest sites is now live, Auto Trends, although it is in BETA until I add new pages and choose a theme to replace the Kubrick three column theme I currently am using. I’m concentrating on developing fresh content and bringing in traffic at the moment. I’ll make it “pretty” after tax season ends, but probably closer to May if I’m still busy.

That’s it! Maybe you thought I was going to share some of my secrets, but that information is for another course, Traffic Generation 201, which I will teach if the demand is there. In the meantime, be consistent with your approach and good results will come your way if you are patient and give it time.