There are many different ways to increase your web traffic. Just as there are get-rich-quick schemes, there are schemes to get traffic fast. These can backfire just like any other shortcut to results.
As part of your overall strategy, it is possible to create a plan that will constantly increase your traffic, increasing visibility and results. The more employees you have using a computer, the better.
These are the key elements for your employees to create something of interest on the Internet for you.
# 1 – get ready
The first key is to create a clear document on what your employees can and cannot say about the company. What is the vision you want to make public? What is special about the organization? What stories can they tell? Collect examples of good and bad posts from employees at other companies.
# 2 – Coach
After this is done, hold a meeting and explain that if everyone spends little time each week participating on the web, they can significantly increase the visibility of the organization and all of its employees. Clearly state whether this should be done on the clock or outside of business hours.
Explain that these are not sales. Every employee should participate in online communications and add something of value wherever they post information, and work where they work if they can. Links are the best, but don’t force it.
# 3 – Setting Minimum Goals
Ask each employee to commit to doing a minimum amount of word of mouth each week. Some examples of online word of mouth are:
- Post comments on other people’s blog
- Create or maintain your own website or blog
- Email a friend and tell them something interesting on your organization’s website
- Write an article for another website, with a bio and a link to the organization’s website.
- Set up a profile on a social media site and participate in discussions
- Email an author or writer you’ve read and introduce yourself, and let them know that you like their work.
# 4 – Collect and reward efforts
Have employees email you or record their comments in a central place. Have someone review each effort and acknowledge excellent creation by word of mouth. Talk about how rumors affect search engine ranking and traffic. Reward the best creators by word of mouth and publicly thank them for their efforts.
# 5 – Review and renew
Periodically give your employees new talking points about the company. It could be an exciting new product line coming up, it could be a great customer service story to work on a forum post, but keep giving them fresh new things to talk about.
If you give employees new and exciting stories to repeat, in addition to emphasizing the value of their participation, you will find that you have more inbound links and buzz on the internet than any SEO company could have legitimately generated for you. And it was basically free.