To increase the traffic to your website you not only have to attract new visitors, you also have to give existing visitors a reason to return.

To do this you need to offer something which is unique or at the very least of better quality than your competitors. Try the following suggestions to attract new visitors and build a host of loyal users.

Attracting new visitors

• Optimize your site for search engines by making sure that the content of your website contains keywords closely related to your product or service. This is particularly important when choosing titles and page names but it also pays to repeat the keywords or phrases in the content. However, don’t overdo it as this can backfire and actually drop your ranking (as well as making your text very tedious to read!).
• Exchange links. The more links you have to your website address, the higher the ranking with the major search engines. In themselves links also result in increased traffic flow as visitors to one website click through to another. Link with high quality websites which have a close connection to your product or service. You could also arrange to exchange advertising links on each other’s sites.
• Submit articles on topics related to your product or service to article directories and other related websites. If these include your business information and website address they will not only encourage visitors to click onto your site but will create backlinks which make your website more attractive to search engines.
• Create a business blog containing interesting information relating to your products or services. Don’t forget to link this back to your web site.
• Advertise, advertise, advertise. In addition to online advertisements consider using newspaper or magazines adverts, business brochures, business cards, even bumper stickers, making sure that your business information and URL appear on each advertisement.

Keeping existing visitors

• One of the most effective ways to keep your visitors coming back for more is to ensure that you are constantly updating your site and adding fresh content. Make your content original and informative. Provide solutions to common problems. Give your visitors something that they can use. Alternatively provide content which is entertaining. This could include current affairs and amusing incidents or articles Never, ever, just copy and paste.
• Give your visitors something to do. Offer contests, or quizzes. Crossword puzzles or Sudoku will keep them coming back to try their luck again. You will also have visitors returning to see the results of competitions.
• Consider giving away something for nothing. This could be anything from free entry to a contest to free software or consulting services. The trick is to encourage the participants to follow up by purchasing what you have introduced in the freebie. You could also offer a free e-book on a topic related to your business, containing, of course, your advertisement and URL.

Finally, listen to what your visitors have to say about your website. Run a survey asking for their opinions on its content and accessibility and then make any improvements necessary to keep your clientele happy.