Being A Good Host
Building your web site and waiting for traffic is like hosting a party and waiting for people to stumble on it.
If you are Hugh Hefner, Robert Redford or the President of the United States, sure, you can just throw your own parties and expect people to show up without your prodding them. But otherwise, you have to show up at other people’s events as well as host your own to be part of the community. You need to tell people when, where, and why they want to come to your party. And, you have to be a nice guy/gal that people want to hang with, to start with.
It is the same online.
So, what can you do? Here are some starters:
- Create multiple ways to get in
Do you have a FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, et. al? If you do, make sure there’s a link from there to your web site (and vice versa, when appropriate). Use key words that describe the web site along with the name of the site in the link (this is important in making your site easy to find via search engines). For Example: “My Web Site here” - bad; “My Blog on Stereo Equipments for Small Apartments” - good. - Generate a Buzz
Make sure your blog or pages are easy to share. “Share this page” links/buttons encourage gossiping, and that’s good. You can use twitters, etc., to self-promote, too, but do it with a good sense (See below). - Be a good host
Before you start hyping it up, though, you want to make sure you throw good parties. Have something to offer (by way of good contents, interesting viewpoints, etc). Introduce people to each other. Invite participation. - Be a good conversationalist
It’s about knowing who you are talking to, making sure you look the part, and not acting crazy. Ian Lurie of Portent Interactive has a book called “Conversation Marketing”. Read it (it’s available on line for free). It’s essential, not only for web site design but for your overall internet marketing strategy. - Show up at others’ parties, too
Yes, you want to go to other people’s sites and comment. But wait! Do you remember Godfather? “Come to me in friendship,” right? Don’t be that guy who comes to the party only to ask for something. Be a good sport. Make sure you are contributing to the conversation and not adding to the noise. - Goodie bags, anyone?
Can you offer something for your audience to take home? Generosity goes a long way, as it does in life in general. - Know why you are doing it, and stop worrying about the numbers.
Do you still feel that “the guy who throws the biggest kegger wins?” By now, you should know that there’s more to life than how many “friends”, “audience”, “fans”, or “traffic” you can stuff in your (virtual) life. What counts? That depends on what you want to do. Define your goals, and you will know exactly who you want there, and what you want them to do there, and how you might go about getting them to.
There’s lots more. Feel free to add your own mantra, improvise, and have fun!
