Everyone with an online presence wants to increase web traffic to their site. Whether you are running your page to get advertising money, to promote a cause, as an informational source or just for fun, there is really no point in running a web page if no one else sees it. Advertising can be quite costly, but luckily some of the best ways of generating web traffic are free.

One good way to quickly get free web traffic is to post comments on blogs that have subject matter of interest to readers of your site. Most commenting areas on blogs will give you an option to have your name link back to your site. Use a name that relates to your site. For example if you have a site on antique camera collecting, choose a user name something like “old camera collector” or “antique camera guy” instead of using your first name.

It’s vital not to abuse this. Don’t comment unless you have something useful to say. Only mention your own site if it can be worked into the post naturally. Don’t do this too often however. Blog spam will really turn viewers away and will give your site an unwanted reputation. Trying to increase web traffic this way can easily explode in your face. Still, if you do have good things to declare about the topic of your site, find some good blogs to post at.

It will benefit you to do some networking online. Track down people with different sites that would bring in your target demographic then email the owners. Ask them for their rates for an online article, or just offer them the chance to write something for your blog or site.

Site owners are often flattered to do this, and they may give you a link back from their site or even put you on their blog roll. They may want you to write an article or guest blogger post on their site, giving you even more exposure and free web traffic.

Do not limit your network to small sites and blogs. A lot of very successful bloggers got exposure and many many hits by being quoted somewhere else in widespread publications, such as their local newspaper or even some large magazines such as Newsweek or Time. Even if they are mainly old-style publications, most of them have some sort of online presence.

Find out which reporters cover subjects of interest to your readers, and send them press releases or just write them letters commenting on articles of theirs you have enjoyed and let them know that you have a site that relates. They may quote you and mention your site. Having your site linked in a large publication is probably the best way to increase web traffic.

Matt Tamor
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/increasing-web-traffic-from-outside-sources-114239.html