Internet Marketing: Low Cost

Buying Web Traffic

There are several ways for a small business to buy web traffic. I examined several different methods and found a couple that will work for the work-at-home freelance professional.

Buy Hits

This is very tricky. Some companies say they sell hits but there are a few things to ask. First, a hit may not always mean viewing your web page. One company that I worked with charged for every ‘load’ meaning that the page load, scripts, video, and each image all counted as one. Every time someone clicked to my site, the company counted that as 11 hits.

Another problem to watch out for is the impression. The best method I’ve found is the full sized pop-under. This puts a full view of your landing page on their computer screen. The landing page needs to be a specially written article that will ‘hook’ the reader’s interest. Do not send users to your home page.
The average cost is $15 - $50 per 10 000 ‘hits.’

Expired Domain Names and Redirects

Millions of domain names have expired, but they are still active. Expired domain names still retain some traffic from their search engine placement. A redirect is a great way to take advantage of ‘targeted traffic.’

I Find that 10 000 targeted hits easily earns back the cost, depending on the topic. My health topics earn the most money – small business earns the least. It takes some tweaking and experimenting before the right combination is found. Take your time. It can take several tries before you find a good landing page article.

How to Run a Campaign

There are several ways to run a campaign. I have one First article. The next time I run a campaign from that company I use a second landing page. This way I am not continually sending potential subscribers to the same page.