| The internet is not just a source of information, it has also become a platform for amazing online businesses. Websites, themselves, have become great channels to earn income. However, the only way to make them as profitable as possible is to ensure that there is a considerable level of traffic and significant amount of interested customers. More visits, subscribers, referrals, leads, and even feedback are indeed what most website owners are aiming for.
Referral links in similar but non-competing sites have shown to be a powerful marketing tool. These links create positive traffic jams in any website. Visitors are attracted to stop by and explore a website with several of these referral links. Some visits to sites may be unintentional but can lead the surfer to what he is looking for in the first place.
Recent studies have shown that around 50% of internet surfers have gone to a particular website first time through a referral link. Meaning, without these links, some websites may not have been discovered by people.
What would be even more interesting is when these visitors brought in by referral links turn out to be customers. This process is termed as conversion. Obviously, these types of visits do not only cause website traffic, they also bring in more business for the owner, especially if the website owner?s business is primarily dealing with selling a particular product or service. Moreover, if these customers happen to be satisfied with the product or service, further visits and business transactions may be expected in the future. The relationship becomes more long-term and there is a potential for buzz marketing. Therefore, it is possible that even without additional effort from the owner, word-of-mouth will do the rest of marketing.
With all these endless possibilities, when utilizing these referral marketing tools, website owners must keep in mind that attractiveness of the contents and look of the site is extremely important. Otherwise, if visitors find it boring, it will be very easy for them to just pass by and immediately go to another, without the potential of them going back. Eye-catching graphics and bits of information will surely help a lot. Some even include interesting music to hold the visitors? attention.
Moreover, others resort to soliciting agreement to receiving further information in the future and updates on offers. This kind of approach takes the chance of making a customer out of the visitor in the future, especially when the current referral effect is a mere visit to the website.
Of course, website owners should also keep in mind that they need to make their targeting of visitors as focused as possible. Knowledge of existing market is what should be sought in the first place. It is true that there can be customers by accident. However, it will still save more time and effort if there is background information studied at the beginning.
The internet is indeed a bridge between the information seekers and providers. However, if the information is not conveyed properly and strategically, it may not find its way to the seeker at the right time. Such benefits of technology will only be maximized when there is careful planning as well as enough knowledge of the target audience. Good thing that technology has also provided the many tools that make this task possible.
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