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10 Reasons to Put RSS on Your Site
10 Reasons to Put RSS on Your Site. RSS and Blogs are the topics of the moment. Seems like everyone is talking about it. Granted, there is too much hype about RSS and Blogs. But where there's hype - there's interest! And with good reason -...

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4 ROCK SOLID REASONS FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN WEBSITE
Copyright 2005 Robert Evans What is the point of having a website, you may ask, when the affiliate programme you have joined has provided you with your own web page to promote? This is a fair question. The answer has to be that with your own site...

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An Easy Way To Include RSS In A Web Site
RSS has become a very important issue for web site promotion. This method helps to update web sites daily. A web site will always look actual. Why is RSS important? Visitors like always fresh content on a web site. A web site is...

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Aspiring webmasters want to know, "What makes a website grow?"
It appears that most webmasters have come from the world of advertising. Their website content emphasizes "marketing and promotion". Just to prove my point, do a Google search on "marketing promotion". As I write, Google comes up with "about...

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Getting a lot of Website Traffic
Anyone who owns a website knows the importance of website traffic. You may have a terrific idea for a website with an excellent product or service, superb design, content and functionality but if you do not use the right tactics, your site may not...

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Linking Strategies - Build Quality Traffic to your Web Site

There are at least two approaches to reciprocal linking. Some advise you to, "use a smart linking to gradually increase traffic and get the attention of visitors interested in your site". The other says, "Use a mass linking campaign. Don't worry about who links to you - it tricks the search engines and gets you higher rankings".

The more traditional approach is to build a link directory with relevant, quality sites that agree to link back. It comes with a secret bonus - it provides your site visitors a list of resources that you have spent some time checking out and think are worthwhile. This approach follows the proven path of the Yahoo founders. They built the Yahoo directory, essentially a large link directory, one link at a time. That was the best possible way to ensure quality search results in the pre-Google days. I have noticed that several search engine optimization consultants promote the second approach. They are speaking to internet newcomers who are eager to get to the top of the search engines. When you're running a small business and you have launched a new site, branding is not your goal. You can't afford to mass market in hopes of gradually being recognized. You realize that building a brand is a big businesses strategy. You are never going to be a household word.

Getting visitors is your main concern. The search engines appear to offer free traffic to anybody that gets listed. Your on the right track, they are important. But you can't let your interest in traffic make you overreact, loose touch, and waste time pursuing gimmicks to beat the search engines. Unfortunately, going over to the dark side requires just as much time and money and the "tricks" often do not work. My opinion - you guessed it, I like to wear a white hat - and I know that the traditional approach produces results. Attracting search engines is a great way of generating sustained, targeted traffic. However, it will drive

you crazy if you try to understand how the engines work. Spend your energy developing the content that searchers are looking for. After all, the search engines are simply trying to find the most relevant site in response to a search phrase - and guess what, that could be you.

In addition to your content, most engines pay attention to your link popularity - how many inbound links you have. Google also seems to judge the quality of your site by looking at your Page Rank and your link partner's Page Rank. But search engines are complicated beasts and very unpredictable, especially for new sites.

You have to listen to the teachings of the "SEO experts" when building your site. They have experience in building content that works for customers as well as search engines. However, once your search engine friendly site is built, forget that the search engines exist and concentrate on you customers and their experience.

Put your energy into quality content and the rest of it into building your link partners. But remember, link directories will help you more if they add value to your site. Don't bury them. Make them visible and useful.

For small business web sites, I think Link directories are a necessary part of eCommerce. Notice that I didn't say nice to have; I said necessary.

You will build a better site if you spend a minute judging your link partners before making a link. Ask yourself - will my customer take an interest in what they find there? And - will this site send me traffic? Their links should be placed in a way that actually brings you an occasional customer. Likewise, your link directory should be useful to your customers so it doesn't detract from your site.
About the Author

John Thomas is an author, mentor, and business consultant. He works exclusively with entrepreneurs and owners of small and mid-size businesses. He also provides advice on web site promotion at TrafficistheKey.com.

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