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 Why
Search Engine Traffic Should be Your Top Priority
by: Richard Zwicky
Most Internet marketing
methods are risky and many will not have any affect on traffic to a web
site. Some online marketers will sell you anything from banner
impressions, to mass email campaigns (spam), to popup ads. All these
marketing tools can work, but they are also extremely risky. Some people
I know find pop-ups and spam so annoying that they will never purchase
anything from a business that uses them. These plans are probably not
the best customer acquisition strategies, and more likely they are a
total waste of money. So why would anyone bother risking money on
marketing strategies that probably will not increase traffic to your
website? Why not concentrate on what does work? - The search engines.
Have you ever been
contacted by online marketers who promise to deliver a "ton of traffic"
to your website" ? I get these emails every day. Here's a quote from one
I used to get 10 times a day (until I automatically filtered it to
trash):
"Hi I visited
www.metamend.com, and noticed that you're not listed on some search
engines! I think we can offer you a service which can help you increase
traffic and the number of visitors to your website.
I would like to introduce
you to thispromotioncompany.com. We offer a unique technology that will
submit your website to over 300,000 search engines and directories every
month.
You'll be surprised by the
low cost, and by how effective this website promotion method can be.
To find out more about
thispromotioncompany and the cost for submitting your website to over
300,000 search engines and directories, visit
www.thispromotioncompany.com. (...)"
Have you ever received one,
and wondered why they were contacting you? First off, how did they find
your web site? What search engines are they referring to? If they really
could deliver on their promise, then they would have so much repeat, and
word of mouth business, that they wouldn't have time to be calling or
emailing you. Lastly, how many people actually believe that there are
300,000 search engines?
While it's true you need
traffic from the search engines, you don't need to use spam techniques
to get it. You need real results, and not false hope.
Increase Web Site
Traffic,.. Naturally
It is true that the best
way to obtain lots of targeted traffic (customers) is to acquire it
based on relevance, via the search engines. Various studies show that
anywhere from 83% to 92% of first time visitors to a web site find it
through the search engines. That's an incredible statistic. If you are
not acquiring those customers as a result of a relevant query, then they
will be disappointed. They may be disappointed with the search result,
but more likely, they will be disappointed with your web site.
In the online world that's
your first impression. We all know how important a first impression is.
You can never get a bad one back, and a good one will carry you a long
way. You have to make sure that the search engines are sending you
visitors that are looking for your products or services. If your web
site matches their interests, they will remember it, and come back, even
if they do not make a purchase on that visit. If they find it
irrelevant, they may have subconsciously formed a negative opinion of
your online business, through no fault of your own.
Search engines provide a
continuous stream of targeted visitors to your website, and for the most
part, it's free of charge. Some engines do charge a listing fee, but
most do not. The only thing the search engine asks is that each web site
operator makes an effort to provide relevant and good information to web
surfers for a particular search phrase. If a web site does so, the
search engines will reward the site with increased good quality traffic.
Search engine traffic is a
win-win situation for any online business. It doesn't take much to
improve on most web site's search engine traffic - it just takes
optimization. Did you know that as of January 1 2002, there were
160,000,000 domain hosts in use worldwide? Did you know that 88% of the
web pages worldwide are not indexed by the largest search engines? 88%
of web pages are not optimized. How can any business survive on the
Internet if it is not optimized for the search engines, and thus can
never be found? How can they exist if over 83% of first time visitors
never find their web site? How much more money could a web site operator
earn if they ensured their web site was even partially visible?
If you have an informative
web site, the search engines want to send you lots of customers. That's
because the more web surfers find what they want, the more they'll use a
particular search engine and recommend it to their friends. The search
engine also benefits, as it becomes known as a resource that gets its
clients - the searchers - to their destinations quickly and efficiently.
The more people recognize how well the engine works as a resource, the
more it gets recommended, and used. As the popularity increases, so do
the engine's revenues from advertising.
What Does Your Web Site
Need To Receive Traffic From The Search Engines?
Small web sites with only 1
or 2 pages set themselves up for failure, simply because they usually
don't have enough content of interest. There are of course exceptions,
where the 1 or 2 pages are each as long as a book. But these are awfully
frustrating to read, and no one will be satisfied with them. Most often
1 or 2 page sites are simply too short to provide any useful
information, so the search engines don't take them seriously. Among
other factors, the search engines examine how deep a site is. The more
meaningful content present, the more weighty the site is viewed as, and
the more importance it is given.
If you are wondering about
whether to bother, ask yourself this: Why does your company have a web
site? What does the company do with it? Think about it. Most companies
today have web sites, and most market the web sites to facilitate
customer acquisition, to increase their customer base, and to improve
customer retention rates.
There are a number of
reasons for having web sites. Many companies use theirs to enhance their
customer service. Using a web site as a marketing vehicle is a great way
for a company "to put the word out" about products, services, or
offerings.
Most importantly, remember
that your web site is an online resource that your clients can use to
find answers to frequently asked questions, "how to" tips, and to
educate themselves. When including content on a web site, always
remember that the knowledge shared may be common to you, but it's likely
that you are an expert in the eyes of your clients. People visit your
web site for your product or service, but also for information. If they
find useful, relevant, information, they will keep coming back, and will
likely make purchases. People like to buy from experts.
Instead of thinking of your
web site as nothing more than an online billboard or business card,
think of it as an online menu, that lets people get an idea of what it
is you do, and how you do it. Develop a content rich website, optimize
it, and let the search engines increase your website traffic, naturally.
If you optimize each major web page within your site, you will increase
the rankings in the search engine results and therefore receive targeted
traffic for each of those pages.
Doing each of the above -
ensuring relevant content is present, and optimizing the pages - will
ensure that the search engines have what they need so they can do their
work. It will also ensure that they can send you targeted traffic
(customers), so that you can get that 83% of first time visitors your
online business needs to survive.
About The Author
Richard Zwicky is a founder and the CEO of Metamend Software,
,
a Victoria B.C. based firm whose cutting edge Search Engine
Optimization software is recognized as the world leader in its
field. Employing a staff of 10, the firm's business comes from
around the world, with clients from every continent. Most recently
the company was recognized for their geo-locational, or GIS, and
phraseology and context search technologies.
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