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So you have created the perfect website, optimized it and chosen all the perfect keywords at just the right density. Your website is validated and your code is spotless. You have the right host and you are now live. So what is the next step? Traffic. Without traffic to your site there is no point in it being out there no matter how good it is. So generating traffic is the next most important step. Now, I am not going to go into search engine optimization or keywords. If you have gotten to the point of going live with your website then I shall assume that you have taken care of these issues.

Traffic to your site is sort of "chicken and egg" in that your search engine rankings will improve with good links though linking from a good website requires that you have that traffic in the first place. It is like the job interview where you are told: "we would love to hire you but you have no experience" and you say "yes I know, I need the experience that is why I'm going for this job!"

If you search around the internet you will find link exchange programs. Basically they link to you if you link to them. This can be a good way to start yet there are a few things to bear in mind. Firstly check out the site that is offering you a link. Is it adult oriented or does it look amateurish or does it have a poor rating with regards to spam etc. I use the Web Of Trust to check all of the sites that wish to link to me. I also use it to check out websites that I am interested in affiliating with. Any red flags and I steer clear. The second point is that if you start to exchange links then place a separate "links" page on your website. This prevents your home page from getting cluttered and gives a more professional look.

If your website is on a specialised topic you can join forums related to the subject. On your profile add the address of your website in the signature box. Now whenever you make a post there is a direct link to your website. This has the advantage of bringing targeted visitors to your website rather than casual browsers.

Going to sites like Answer Bag, or Yahoo Answers can be very useful. Again you would have a link to your website within your signature whenever you post. Here especially you can answer questions that you specialize in and so increase your credibility. The last thing you want to do though is to spam everywhere with your link. That will at best get you ignored and at worst get you banned.

Another key method is to submit your site to as many website directories as you can. These are different from search engine submissions and if accepted, will provide you with more traffic. There are companies that will charge you for directory submissions. I tend to ignore these as I can do it myself. Yes it takes longer to do it manually however, I am saving money and knowing exactly where I am submitting my website. Avoid the promises of "Submit to 10,000 directories for $20 " or whatever they say. These companies will usually just send your link to a lot of low grade directories and you will end up with extra spam in your inbox.

These are just a few basic ways to get your website known and to start generating traffic. They might seem simple, yet over time they can really work if you are selective and use common sense.

Learn more about this author, John Hewitt.
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