Getting Traffic

In some of my recent blog posts I mentioned so-called user generated content. Many webmasters believe it is a vital element of a long term, strategic SEO. Today I want to get back to this subject more in detail.

Let’s start from the basics. When you are building a commercial web site you are expecting to get certain amount of traffic. Getting traffic is not easy and it may depend on several factors:

1. Links to your web site on other sites
The links to your web site are placed on other web sites. People click on the links and get to see you web site.

2. Search engines
The links to your web site appear in search engine results. People see your web site in listings and click on the links.

3. Returning users
Returning users are users who already visited your site and are checking back.

4. Search Arbitrage
You buy and then sell clicks based on specific keywords. More information on search arbitrage can be found in our older posts.

Pull maximum out of search engines

While getting quality links on other web sites is a long and hard process (unless we consider blogs, forums and social networks) your web site’s presence in the search results is very important and it depends on three points:

1. Your domain name
The right domain name will provide your web site with better visibility in any search results. For example, if your web site has to do with selling car tires and your domain sounds like "megawheel.com" your web site will have fewer chances to appear in search results based on queries related to the subject, but if your domain name is something like "buycheapwheels.com" your web site might appear in the search results based on the query “buy cheap wheels” even you have very little content.

2. Your SEO methods / meta information and web site structure
Search engine optimization along with appropriate meta information and structuring your web site correctly is also important. I suggest you to read our older posts where I discussed these issues in detail.

3. Your content
Your content is a key factor in terms of your web site’s search engine visibility. More quality content you have- better your site ranking will be. At the same time, every single phrase or sentence written on your web site is akin to an anchor. Any time it can be pulled by a matching search engine request, which will drag your web site to the first page of search results. If one of your content blocks contains a phrase “need to buy cheap winter tires” and someone enters this phrase in the search box, chances are your web site will appear in the search results.

Let the Surfers Help You

Unless you focus on search arbitrage, everything you do in order to bring visitors to your web site will not matter much unless you manage to maintain a decent “returning user rate”. The only way to do it is to impress your visitors and to make them expect new information next time they visit your web site.

Generating quality content with the frequent update rate is not easy. It requires either considerable time or money investment. This is the reason why employing so-called “user generated content” has become so popular.

User interaction is the nature of Web 2.0 and web surfers generally enjoy it. Submitting user generated content can be performed in different ways, which can significantly contribute to your web site.

• Commenting on your articles or posts submitted by other users
• Submitting stories
• Discussing various topics
• Posting and answering questions
• Creating personal profiles (dating, social, etc)
• Posting resume
• Creating an online portfolio
• Posting various announcements
• Submitting corporate information in commercial listings
• Submitting product reviews
• Submitting pleas and problems

Building content is not the only advantage of using information submitted by users. User interaction can significantly improve returning user rate.