Using Pay Per Click Listings For Free

Pay Per Click Search Engines are just like any other search engine except you have to pay for each click someone makes to get to your site.

To use them for free deposit the minimum required, then only bid .01 on the keywords related to your site that cost much more for top positions.

What this will do is list you in their massive database but due to the fact your listing is so far down the list, nobody will ever click through to your site. If they do click on your ad, it will only costs you .01.

How Does This Help?

Many free search engines use the Pay Per Click Data Bases to improve the quality of their own search results. The settings I use get me about 1 months advertising for $25 resulting in a 10% increase of web traffic.

Your results will vary based on whether you want to try and ride it for completely free or use a small advertising budget as I do.

The PayPerClick search engines that gives me the best results is Findwhat.com .

It only costs $25 to get started. The FindWhat.com Network is comprised of hundreds of high quality, high traffic destination websites and search engines like: CNET's Search.com, Excite, Webcrawler, MetaCrawler and Dogpile,

So just by being listed in Findwhat you also get listed with these search engines through database sharing. I have not tried other PPC listings as it does require a deposit and most want $100 up front.

Submitted By:
Glenn Madden - American TradUR Company
http://www.tradur.com
New E-book Release May 2004
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This next traffic tip was submitted by the Nitro Affiliate Manager:

Google has added some nifty new FREE services about which a lot of people are not yet aware.

The first is a free email alert system that lets you know when any website links to your site.

It's called Google Web Alerts. All you have to do is answer a couple of questions, and Google then emails you when there's new info matching whatever search
you asked for. The URL is ...

http://www.google.com/webalerts/create

The second cool service is a way you can track any types of news that influences your marketing, your website, or anything else you're interested in.

To track news articles, try Google News Alerts at ...

http://www.google.com/newsalerts/create

NitroMarketing Affiliate Program

Just as you learned in the Free Trafficology eCourse, affiliate programs are a great way to create quality web traffic and improve the profitability of each visitor.

As a Special Bonus to this Tip, become a Nitro Affiliate for free and
We'll give you a 100 Page e-Book on how to be a successful affiliate.

Sign up today and Nitro will also give you a $94 Gift you can use to increase the size of your monthly affiliate checks.

http://www.NitroMarketing.com/na.o/traffic

This is an idea I have personally used and it always - no matter what kind of site you have - it always produces quality web traffic.

Submitted by several readers, here are the two best explanations of specifically why this idea works and exactly how to implement it on your site:

Kelly Monaghan says "Dictionaries Draw Eyeballs":

When I created my site about how to become a Travel Agent I included my Travel Industry Dictionary as a small component of the home study course. This was mainly a way of adding functionality and usability to the site. I never anticipated it would be the eyeball magnet it has become. In some months, 40% of my traffic visits the dictionary.

I let a few dictionary sites know it existed and was never very aggressive about seeking links. But it seems to have had a viral effect. Many dictionary sites started linking to the site, then travel schools, and even high traffic consumer sites like Fodor's, which view it (I assume) as a non-commercial resource for their readers.

When I did seek links, I found the conversion rate high because I was offering a valuable resource, rather than a sales letter site.

Another benefit: much of the traffic the dictionary attracts comes from people searching for specific words and terms that don't appear elsewhere on the site, so my log files tell me what people are interested in, allowing me to create content geared to newly popular search terms.

I'm not sure how large a dictionary or glossary you'd need to be taken seriously by the dictionary guides (mine is over 3,600 terms), but creating a specialized dictionary or glossary might be worth considering.

How about a glossary of snowboarding (or even snowboarder slang)? An audiophile's dictionary? A New Age Dictionary? My guess is that whatever your site's topic, there's a glossary to be created.

Another possible application: Turning your glossary into a paid or freebie ebook that could be widely distributed (with links back to you, of course.)

Kelly Monaghan
http://www.hometravelagency.com
The Internet's premier home study course
for home-based travel agents.

You can see what dictionaries are already
out there and find places to submit yours at:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Reference/Dictionaries/

Keith Sager really breaks it down step-by-step when he explains how to use a topic specific glossary to build traffic, build your brand and get paid too!:

Here is an idea that you can use to promote your website, and get paid to do it. This idea was BORN for use on topic-specific portals, but should work well for any niche market website. I do not know of this EXACT model in use anywhere else on the Internet.

This concept is a traffic-generating, brand-building, moneymaker. I'm confident that if you brain-storm with this for awhile, you will get quite excited about various ways YOU can implement it to get paid to promote YOUR website...

Step #1 - Build a Topic-Specific Dictionary/Glossary for your Niche Market

Build an extensive DICTIONARY and/or TERMINOLOGY GLOSSARY for your specific niche market. Every page of your dictionary should be reserved in size to a maximum of 510 pixels wide. This width will support a pop-up window that will include a 468 Google AdSense banner, and a vertical scrollbar.

A basic format would be: The dictionary index page will consist of nothing but the alphabet, a to z, arranged neatly in an invisible table. Each letter is linked to an intermediate page with a list of words and/or phrases that begins with that letter.

As an example, a dictionary for the jewelry industry would have the "A" link point to an intermediate page with words like "amethyst," "aquamarine," and "amulet," etc. Each of these words will be a link to a dedicated page for that word's definition. (for a more polished presentation of your dictionary, try a JavaScript or a DHTML fly-out menu instead)

At the top of each dedicated definition page, you will place your code for a 468x60 Google AdSense banner ad. (Step #2 below) Also, to build traffic and your brand recognition, the bottom of EVERY PAGE in the DICTIONARY (not just the definition pages) should have a small-font hyperlink that reads, "Dictionary Courtesy of www.your-website.com." (You may want to consider an additional link for visitors to suggest new words and their definitions.)

[Side Note]: For usability and convenience, you would of course want to link every word in your main website's content to it's definition in your dictionary-glossary. That will be a huge convenience for your visitors, and they will more than likely come to visit you rather than your competitors if you make their research easy.

Step #2 - Syndicate your dictionary to smaller websites of similar-content!

PAY other webmasters (with related content), to use YOUR DICTIONARY on their site as a value-added service for THEIR visitors. I recommend paying webmasters 5 cents for each unique visitor to the Dictionary ALPHABET PAGE ONLY. (Tracking unique visitors to the "Alphabet" page can easily be accomplished by using readily available affiliate software) As an additional incentive, you could provide an "alphabet page" template to each webmaster, allowing them to place their logo at the top of the page. Place this dedicated index page in a subfolder on your domain.

Now they have a semi-private-branded dictionary that THEY ARE GIVEN and PAID TO USE (THEY SHOULD BE QUITE HAPPY WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT!)

Now lets review what we have done...

=>You have YOUR DICTIONARY PAGES accessed on potentially hundreds of related content websites, and each access could be worth 50 cents or more! [As their visitors research terminology, they are exposed to more and more Google AdSense Ads (or any other affiliate programs you are an affiliate with) on your definition pages!]

=> EVERY PAGE has a link back to your website, either your index page or a dedicated landing page.

+ Every page has potential to drive traffic back to your main site
+ Every page view helps build your BRAND-AWARENESS on the Internet

=> Every Dictionary ALPHABET PAGE viewed on another related website LINKS BACK TO YOUR DOMAIN, THUS PROVIDING THAT MUCH MORE LINK-POPULARITY and RELEVANCY, PUSHING YOU HIGHER IN THE MAJOR SEARCH ENGINES rankings.

=> Additionally, AFFILIATE LINKS you place on your dictionary definition pages will get much more mileage than just placing it on your site only!

HERE IS A CONSERVATIVE EXAMPLE:

50 Dictionaries X 10 unique users / day = 500 users / day
Payout 5 cents X 500 unique users = $25/day expenses

-----------------

500 users / day
X 20 cents AVERAGE AdSense revenue per user
$100/day

-----------------

$100 Gross
- $25 Expenses
$75 / day NET! ($2250 / month income)

PLUS GREATER RELEVANCY in the SEARCH ENGINES
How much is that worth? Have you priced BUYING a higher listing in a search-engine lately?

PLUS THOUSANDS OF FREE CLICK-THRUS (FREE TRAFFIC!)
Remember the link on every page: "Dictionary Courtesy of www.yoursite.com" If 15% in the above example click-thru to your site, that is 9000 visitors/month FREE!

PLUS BRAND RECOGNITION
Who has 10s of 1000s of Dollars to pay for brand advertising? Get PAID to do it with your Dictionary-Glossary!

I'm confident each of you will be able to add minor refinements to this concept, specific to your needs and your traffic goals. I hope you can see the potential here. With very little modification, ANY website can take this methodology and make it a profit-generating, traffic-building brand-builder. I invite you to try it, and I solicit your comments.

Keith Sager
http://www.expresswebpresence.com
Rapid Web Presence Solutions
Discount Domains, Hosting, SiteBuilder and More...

Computer & Video Games are big business. In fact, some recent reports have said that the video gaming industry is now larger than the movie industry.
Plain & simple... people like to play games and are willing to pay for it.

One idea that is used by one of the online travel sites, Orbits, has been to include games in their popup ads... especially on their ESPN.com ads. They have a flash version of Dunk-the-Dummy, Miniature Golf, Homerun Derby, or Longest Drive games.

This works because they combine the natural sporting tendency of their audience with uniquely designed ads for plane tickets, hotels and rental cars.

In one case they have a 3-hole mini-golf course, with one hole shaped like a plane, the next whole shaped like a hotel and the last hole shaped like a car.

While very interesting, I did not find it relevant until I received this tip from Sandra Jackson regarding "Advergames".

She claims that having an online golfing game, has"
"brought over 25,00 players a day to my site".

Not sure if that was 2,500 or 25,000...
but it's a good number of visitors in either case.

The key here is the site that had the Golfing game also sold Golfing related products... so the people coming to play golf online were good prospects for the products the site sold.

Also, the longer a visitors stayed on the site playing golf the more products the site was to able advertise. More exposures translates into a higher likely hood that the site will display a product the visitor may be interested in ...and the longer a visitor stays on a site, the more likely it is they will come back to the site in the future.

Not all businesses can easily combine a game that is related to the topic of their site, but you can adapt traditional games such as hang-man to use words relating to your subject.

In addition to advertising your own products, you can also use the Google AdSense program to increase the revenue generated from game generated traffic.

You can find a few cool games to offer on your site for free at:

http://games.trafficologyresources.com

Using Images In Google Adwords:

As you learned in the free Trafficology eCourse PPC is the
cheapest, best-quality traffic you can get.

In fact, if you take the time to learn PPC your
visitors will actually pay you to use it.

Google has just made PPC Advertising even more powerful.
They now support images with your PPC text advertising at no extra charge!

It's just like having a banner advertisement without
paying a site owner banner ad rates.

To help you take advantage of this great new opportunity, long time Trafficology reader and professional Internet Marketer Laura Childs answers our questions and gives a few tips about how to use images to make your Google AdWords campaign more successful:

How does it work?

Image ads are served up in the same manner, targeting the same keywords, as your normal Google Adwords campaign. You are responsible for creating the graphical ads yourself in one or all four different sizes: leaderboard, banner, inline rectangle and skyscraper.

Which Size Should We Use?

Current market tests reveal skyscraper ads are working best right now.

Why?

Well, people just don't seem to notice banner-sized ads anymore, and inline rectangles and leaderboards aren't widely used by webmasters.

How do You Create Image Ads?

If you've used banner ads on sites other than your own, you'd create a Google Image ad in the same manner. Images must be in .jpg, .gif, or .png format in the following sizes: Banner (468 x 60), Leaderboard (728 x 90), Inline Rectangle (300 x 250), and Skyscraper (120 x 600).

Your top two criteria in creating a Google Image Ad is to get noticed and to entice the click (i.e, put some text on your image ad that says click here, visit now, etc.).

How Effective Are Google Adwords Image Ads?

I have been using Image Ads for the past 3 weeks and have noticed no difference in conversion or click through. To be honest, my images are displayed only 1% as often as my text ads. I'm certain however that the reason for this is due to the newness of the program. Webmasters using Google AdSense haven't yet discovered the option of displaying image-based advertising on their sites using Google. Once this program becomes more popular with site publishers I believe it will greatly increase clicks and conversion.

When Should We Get Started?

Even though the program is new and your image ads may not be displayed as often as your text ads, I still suggest you start using image ads whenever possible. As we've seen with banner-sized advertisements losing their effectiveness with internet readers, such will come the day when people barely notice Google text ads on a website. Using an image ad (where people expect to see a text ad) gets your advertised noticed - read - clicked - and we all know what that means....SALES!

Read more about Google Adwords Image Ads here: https://adwords.google.com/select/imageads.html
(Adwords Image Ads is currently in beta-test phase.)

Check it out by:
1) logging into your google adwords account
2) in the campaign management screen you'll see a NEW button (green arrow)
3) just follow the prompts to create your image ad...three size formats currently supported.

Laura Childs
http://www.smartzville.com
Niche Marketing for Newbies
A simple step by step approach... stop in today

Learn exactly Why & How to use
Google AdWords in the Trafficology Member's Area.

Take the Trafficology 10-Day Trial for only $1

Banks found that providing ATM Machines enabled them to improve their service. Customers can now perform several banking tasks themselves at more convenient locations, 24-hours a day. In fact, many people would rather use an ATM instead of a bank teller.

Now, the obvious equivalent of an ATM for most businesses is a Kiosk that features their website. This would certainly create more quality web traffic, and would definitely improve customer service... but most businesses probably don’t want to send the money to set this up.

One way the cost is to partner with one of the companies that put Kiosk’s in malls, and share a Kiosk with several companies. I have done this successfully, especially with gift certificates...but if you think a little creatively... there are a few better options.

1) Place a couple computers at your location that are specifically for customers who want to order from your website. This is especially effective for catalog companies or companies that do not have a sales floor for all their products.

For example, a small jewelry store may have a few pieces on display... but have a much larger selection in their catalog or online. If you have a comfortable computer desk and chair where customers can search your site online... you will be able to convert more customers both online and offline. Now you will be able to show customers more of your products and will be able to answer any of their questions in person.

This is also effective for anyone that provides custom products, multi-part kits or special product options. And remember, many times what you are really trying to do with your website is help the customer and get their contact information.

An example of custom products would be a small contractor or a caterer. They usually do not have a large sales floor or a professional sales force. They can easily use their website to walk prospective customers through the sales process and help them pick out the options they are interested in.

Yes, most customers will call and can be referred to their website over the phone... but they will also have "walk-ins" and usually are not able to show their full product line on the spot.

By providing access to their website, they will help build a stronger connection with the visitor and will have a better chance of winning that person as a customer...as well as find out exactly what they want and collect their contact information.

Now you can be proactive and follow up with them... this is much better than just giving someone a business card and hoping the find their way back to you in the future.

A good example of using your website to sell special options is a catalog or clothing retailer. Many times we have gone into stores such as the GAP or Abercrombie and found that they do not carry "Long" jeans. Then we are often referred to their website... but finding what we want has been a complete hassle... resulting in many returns.

If they just had a computer connected to their website in the store we could easily log in...find what we are looking for... and ask for help if we needed it. Then we would be able to order exactly what we want.

But, they don't have a computer there, so instead we don't get the jeans we really want... and they lose an easy online sale.

OK, letting people access your website in your store is a good way to drive traffic to your website during the day... but what about after hours?? You can't leave your computer outside.

No... but with a little imagination... you can take advantage of both old and new technologies to provide ATM like service 24-hours a day.

Think about this... have you stopped at a restaurant and found that they were closed? Every time that I have, I have always noticed a copy of their menu in a frame or in the window.

Any business could easily print out their website and post it in the window for people to read (unless you have 200 products). This would give people after hours access to information about your company, FAQ and even a listing of the products you sell online.

Ok...so they can read the website ... but what good does that do.

Well, first of all... it provides the prospective customer with more info about your company. Secondly, it gives them access to the FAQ. Third, now they can "Window Shop" your website and will have a reason to visit your site when they get home.

But... if that was the extent of the idea I would not have published it.

Here are 2 ways to quickly improve it.

1) Turn your site into a PowerPoint presentation.
2) Enable customers to order the product on the spot.

First... have you ever seen a TV posted in the window of a store? I bet it caught your attention. Just the fact that it was bright and moving probably made you stare for a couple moments.

Seriously... some businesses use neon lights to stick out. If you create a PowerPoint Presentation of your website and post it using a computer monitor in the front window of your office... you will be sure to get the attention of a couple people passing by.

(Of course this will work best for businesses who have a storefront ... if you have a office on the 54th floor this may not work as well... but if you get people trying to visit your office after hours, then you still may be able to make it work.)

Second... it seems that everyone now-a-days has a mobile phone and is addicted to text messaging (SMS). If you combine the power of mobile phones, text messaging and the wireless web, you easily can create a ATM like 24-hour self-service system.

There is so much opportunity here, and so much we still have to learn about mobile e-commerce, but here are a few simple ways that you can complete the transaction.

1) On the website display special text message addresses for each product.

Then, when someone finds a product they want to purchase, just have them send a text message to the special address for that product. Since their text message "from address" is the same as their mobile phone number have an autoresponder send a confirmation text message, and tell the customer that someone will call to collect payment information during normal working hours.

2) Create a special wireless web version of your website order form.

The customer will look at the print-out or PowerPoint Presentation of your website in the window or your store. Then, they will just enter the SKU number and payment info into your wireless order form using their mobile phone.

3) I don't know how soon this will become a reality, but a few wireless providers let customers use their mobile phone like a credit card. Purchases are authorized with your phone and the charges are automatically added to your phone bill.

This ideal solution is often referred to as "micropayments".

Micropayments are a reality outside of the US... but my research was unable to find an easy way for website’s to offer their customers a micropayments option such as icePay, T-Moble’s Simpay or Cingular’s Direct Bill.

I am not a m-commerce or micropayments expert - but if you have good info on how they work, be sure to pass it along. This is definitely the future... just how far in the future is anyone’s guess.

Yes, you may be losing money on that product, but if it "leads" people to the store... and they purchase other products too... then you actually come out ahead.

For example, this week your local Supermarket is selling a 2-Liter bottle of Coke for only 99 cents. And, next week they will be selling 2-Liters of Pepsi for 99 cents. Almost every supermarket sells soda much cheaper than you can buy it at any gas station.

The point is, people do not just purchase soda... they also purchase chips, dip and other snack items... and since people have such a preference for either Coke or Pepsi... it is a good way to lour people away from other grocery stores.

Therefore, it is worth taking a slight loss on soda, if the result is more business in the future.

This concept can very easily be adapted to bring highly qualified traffic to your website.

First, the obvious example is to reduce the price of a popular product that you have a lot of competition for. This will enable you to gain the business of a price conscious customer and then try to upsell them. Additionally, you will also have the opportunity to build a long term relationship with that new customer and earn that difference back over the many other products that they purchase from you.

But, if you use a little imagination, you can find a few more very effective ways to use the "Loss Leader" concept.

For example, one local Maple Syrup producer has an agreement with a Country Inn / Bed & Breakfast. The Maple Syrup producer provides Pure Vermont Maple Syrup at a very reasonable rate and the Inn places a free Pint of Maple Syrup & a Maple Syrup Flyer on the pillow of each guest (instead of a Mint). Both the pint container and the flyer have a sticker with a website coupon code.

The Maple Syrup Company takes a loss on the syrup it provides to the Inn, but they easily recapture what ever was lost with the new sale it creates on their website.

Another example using a loss leader to get create more traffic and complete more sales is to offer free shipping. The key here is to know your current "Average Order Size" and then offer Free Shipping if someone orders more than a specified mark-up above that level.

No one has done a better job of this than Amazon.com... who offers free shipping on all orders over $25.

They determined the average order size was around $21. By requiring customers to purchase more than $25 dollars to get free shipping, they make you purchase another book. Now your order total would average somewhere around $34.

Therefore Amazon collects 13 dollars they would not of had before... just for paying the $4-$5 shipping cost.

So, it is obvious how this tactic can make you more profit... but how does it create more traffic?

Well, I have found that many online shoppers like to "bargain hunt". And they are especially receptive to a product with free shipping. Therefore, when trying to decide which website to buy from, if the product is similar... most customers are willing to pay a little more if they don’t have to pay for shipping.

In one case of this principle in action... our average order size was 4 items that cost $4 each for a total of $16 in sales, plus $3.20 in shipping.

By changing the price to $5 each and offering free shipping for all orders of 5 or more... we had a 26% increase in the number of sales... and also raised our average orders to 6 pieces @ $5 each for a total of $30 per order (minus $3.65 shipping).

By taking a loss on the shipping, we more than doubled our profits, had more orders (even with higher prices) and hit a new record for monthly sales - all during what was traditionally the slowest time of the year.

Learn how Business & Marketing fundamental can be used to get more visitors and make more profits in the Trafficology Member's Area:

Take the Trafficology 10-Day $1 Trial

Doctors and Dentists traditionally need to see a patient in their office, and a Lawyer is limited legally to states where they have passed the Bar Exam. Location also limits other businesses that cannot easily ship their product such as grocery stores or restaurants.

"Expand Your Horizons"

The best way for these companies to increase web traffic and web sales is to add new products or services that can be easily sold online and shipped to a customer who is not in your local market. This resolves the problem of a limited online customer base.

For example: Doctors can create & sell ebooks and information products relating to their medical specialty. Doctors can also sell non-prescription health related items such as vitamins, braces or even alternative health items. For Dentists they can sell tooth whitening kits and special tooth cleaning devices.

This may seen more of a challenge for restaurants, but they can sell recipe books and packaged version of their house specialty. As for Grocery Stores - a few large chains have had success with online grocery services... but even the hometown mom and pop can get into the act by adding to there website such things as wine or locally produced specialty foods.

They key here is use some imagination... and use your knowledge or unique circumstances to improve your web sales.

Need More Local Traffic?

Find out how, Join Trafficology Now:

Member's Area 10-Day Trial for Only $1

Another way to approach local traffic is to take advantage of the fact that you are a local company. Most people have a connection to their hometown and want to purchase products from locally owned companies...even online.

Combine that with the fact that in most city’s, hardly anyone is targeting the "local" market... and you have a interesting online opportunity.

Yes... you should include your city and state as keywords for your SEO process. If there is enough traffic, I would even set up special pages of my site talking about the local area and any special events that your community holds. But... that is not where the real traffic is.

The real way to be a Big Fish in a Small Market is to target people in your area who are looking for what you sell - but are not using the city or state in their search explicitly.

For example, if you are a Lawyer from Cleveland, you want people to find you who are in Cleveland and have a legal problem, but are not using the term Cleveland in their search.

For example Bankruptcy; when someone is first thinking about filing for Bankruptcy, they are just searching for information... not necessarily for a lawyer. Their online search will be for "Filing Bankruptcy", not "Filing Bankruptcy Cleveland"

If you have a website that provides information specifically about Bankruptcy in Cleveland... and if people can find your site without using the word Cleveland... then you will have many more people from Cleveland visiting your website... and contacting you for an appointment.

The same thing goes for Dentist, Mechanics, Barbers, Masseuses, Restaurants. This would be a bonanza for practically any business that requires people to visit your location... or business that require you have to go to the clients location.

The problem with this is that 85% of all web traffic comes through one of the major search engines. How can someone from Cleveland find your website about bankruptcy in Cleveland when they just search for the term "Bankruptcy"?

Until recently, the only way that was going to happen was if you had a top 10 ranking for the term "Bankruptcy"... and with over 8.7 Million other sites about bankruptcy... that was not an easy task. Theoretically, you could have used PPC - but you would be paying for a lot of clicks for people who are not in your area and therefore could never be your clients.

Now, Google has created a solution to this problem. Google AdWords, their PPC program, just started to let you show your ad only to people in your city, state or region.

You still have to bid the same as someone who is advertising nationally, but you will have a much higher click thru rate...and because of Google’s relevancy multiplier, you will pay less and have a higher position.

Then think about the fact that you will not be paying for as many bad clicks and also the fact that local visitors will result in a much higher conversion rate.

The result is a great way to turn local searches into your online customers.

In addition to Google - here are a few more ways to get local traffic

1) Get your site listed in all the local "portal sites"
2) Purchase ads on the local newspaper’s website
3) Purchase ads from the local ISP’s

BTW - You don't have to be a doctor or a lawyer to use location specific AdWords. Just think about how even bookstores and clothing stores can use this to compete with and triumph over online giants such as amazon.com.

Need More Local Traffic?

Find out how, Join Trafficology Now:

Member's Area 10-Day Trial for Only $1

One way to support a cause you believe in and get more traffic to your website is to support a petition or a charity.

While at first this will drive local traffic to your site, if done correctly it could be the start of an effective viral marketing campaign...especially if you sponsor a cause that people are extremely passionate about.

For this to work properly, you need to consider 2 factors:

(1) How to get the petition started; and
(2) How to keep it rolling...(get people to pass it on)

The best way to get started is to approach a group that already has a cause and is already spreading petitions. Offer to sponsor the petition and put up a page on your site where people can get more information about the cause.

For about 9 bucks you can register a catchy, topic specific URL and have that re-directed to a page on your site. Include things on the site such as a simple explanation of what the cause is, why people should support it and how to get more involved. Also, make sure to provide contact information for the people in charge.

(And don’t forget to sign your name at the top of the petition... including your website URL. For maximum effect, write your URL with a bold, red, felt-tip pen. )

For example, I know a State Senator who has made his whole career by doing a door-to-door survey every year. He and his volunteers go to every house in the county, ask their 5 questions and leave a flyer.

This is the perfect opportunity for someone to sponsor his survey and get more traffic to their website. I suspect the Senator already has a website... but I am sure you can find other groups who are not online.

If you don’t know of a group that is already spreading petitions, then you can start one yourself.

1) Pick a topic that people in your area are very passionate about or a group that already has many active members.

2) Register a URL and put up a page on your site about the topic

3) Create a Petition using MS Word (don’t forget to include the URL)

4) Pass it around to relatives, friends and businesses that support your cause.

Now that you have your petition started, you need to think about how to keep it going:

First, if you don’t already have a group of supporters, you need to start there. Get as many people as possible passing out the petition and related handouts. Also, make posters with your URL written on tabs that people can rip-off and take home with them.

Next, make a website that offers a clear and compelling case for your side... the key is to make you site so good that people will want to tell everyone they know about it.

Lastly, encourage people to pass on your message with a Tell-a-Friend script.

Obviously... sponsoring a cause that has a large and active base who goes door-to-door would help spread the word about your site very quickly... but there are other ways to make this successful. You will benefit from any cause that does telemarketing, direct mailing or even holds public gatherings. If the group is passionate about their cause, they will find a way to spread their message ... and your URL if you are helping them.

Here are a few more thoughts on how to make your petition successful.

If there are a lot of supporters and opponents... sponsor both sides of the debate.

Make your site compelling: add audio clips to create a virtual online debate; have a side-by-side comparison table of the major issues; create a real-time counter of petition signatures; make your site interactive & give visitors a voice with a forum, a chat, audio testimonials...you could even have a couple online polls.

But... what ever you do... don’t forget the "tell a friend" script... that is what will really help your site and your cause gain online supporters.

Use another viral tool... Set up email addresses for supporters of the cause with a signature file that directs people to your site and thanks you for the support. You may even want to consider passing out free email accounts using one of the services we talked about in the April issue of Trafficology.

Also, think seriously about creating a mailing list and using an auto-responder to periodically keep in touch with other supporters. Smoothly inter-weave your URL or things about your business into the messages supporting the cause. This is a very good way to create traffic over longer periods of time.

OK, I got people to my site... but how do I convert them into customers?

Obviously, this is most effective if the petition is somehow related to your product or service. For example, if the cause is about saving a 100-year-old Maple Tree and you sell Maple Syrup or Maple Sugar Candy... then there is a natural connection and conversion is easy. Just place a couple links down the left side of the page or on the bottom and you will be certain to create sales.

But even if your site has nothing to do with the cause... you can easily expand your product line to offer related merchandise and donate a portion of the profits to the group.

For example, if the cause is about saving Sing-Sing the Giant Panda... then you can sell "Save Sing-Sing" hats, "Save Sing-Sing" mugs...and yes, "Save Sing-Sing" stuffed animals. The key is to make the products "giftable" and connect the purchase with supporting the cause (by donating a portion of the profits).

People who believe in the cause and visit the site will appreciate your support. They will be inclined to find more about your company (some out of curiosity and some because they feel "a connection"). If they have need for your product or services, they will be more likely to make a purchase because of that "connection".

Finally, you could always make a few bucks by selling advertising space to other people who want to support the cause (don’t forget to say something about the ad-space on the petition & flyers).