Aplus.net Blog

So you’ve got a website, you’ve got ads, but no traffic…What’s Next?

If you are a website owner, I am sure you are experiencing (or have previously experienced) the all too familiar dilemma we will discuss today; Monetization. Anyone can build a website these days, but to truly profit from it is the question weighing on our minds.

Whether it be through e-commerce, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, or even direct advertising, the dilemma still rings true. The bottom line is that TRAFFIC=MONEY. And without traffic, there is no money, period.

The answer is actually a lot simpler than you might think.

The answer can be expressed in two words: Valuable Content

It really is that simple. If you can create quality content that your readers enjoy, they will at least come back. In some cases, they will even shoot a link to your page over to their friend. If you are really lucky, that friend will have a website of his own and will post a link back to your site. This is the core concept of viral marketing.

The way I see it, there are 6 levels of content quality:

• Fake
• Stolen
• Genuine
• Interesting
• Catchy
• Viral

Obviously the goal here is to break the ‘Viral’ barrier. You want to consistently aim to create content that spreads like wildfire. This will be the primary internet marketing technique for many years to come.

To clarify, this does not mean that you need to direct your content to the masses. You simply need to hit a nerve with your audience. You have to create something that shocks them, mystifies them, disturbs them, excites them, entertains them, inspires them, educates them, impresses them, or even angers them. These are the techniques being used all across the web to create an exponential increase in traffic and user base.

So now that we have answered the question of ‘What to do’ the next step is to figure out ‘How to do it’. So you need to ask yourself, “What is the best source for content that will hit one or more of the nerves listed above?” If you are confident in your ability to provide that content, great!! You are one step closer. If you are not, you may have to rely on other experts or even your users to provide the content. The best solution is to create content that YOU are highly familiar with, and that you can take in many different directions. Relying on your community is great, but you need a community first.

Happy Marketing!!

Dennis Kittrell