Web Traffic - Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the best ways to encourage more traffic to my site? ANSWER>>

2. What is meta data, and how do I insert it into my site? ANSWER >>

3. How can I get Google and other Internet Search Engines to find my site? ANSWER>>

4. How do I insert a web counter into my site? ANSWER>>

1. What are the best ways to encourage more traffic to my site?

1) REGULARLY UPDATE your website! Particularly your Homepage.

First and MOST important way to encourage traffic to your website. People don't want to keep coming back often to visit a site which never changes. You need to make a habit of updating your website as regularly as possible.

Cumulus9 takes the pain of this away in two ways:

i) We give you easy "Point and Click" editing tools, so you can quickly update your website within a web browser, from anywhere in the World, at any time!

ii) You have two sections on your Homepage which are Network Newsfeeds.
Depending on which network your site is built on, if you choose to keep the Network Newsfeeds, your Homepage will be regularly updated EVEN if you never edit it! Each network pushes content down to your site from the top. Its up to you whether you choose to display that content or not.

2) TELL EVERYONE you know about your website and ask them to visit it!

You need to be proactive in marketing your website. Publish the web address (URL) on every single letter, Email, business card, brochure etc, etc, that you send out. The louder you anounce that you have a website, the more likely it is that people will visit.

Consider sending regular Email blasts (using our Email Lists tool), asking people to visit your website and read the latest updates.

3) Make your site look GOOD!!! And fill it with exciting content!

People normally don't like to visit ugly websites! We have done our very best to provide our customers with cool site designs and professional looking websites.

You should carefully consider what Font Colors look good with your site, and make sure all the text is aligned properly.

Make sure you optimize all your images so they don't look fuzzy.

Add a message board, and get your supporters to regularly post to it.

Consider adding your own Header Graphic design.

Create Groups and give your trusted supporters access to private password protected pages.

If your site looks fantastic, we would like to add it as a "Featured Site" on our our Network Portals. If you want your site to be featured, please contact customerservice@cumulus9.com and ask to be added. Please include which network your site is built on.

4) Purchase a memorable domain name, and attach it to your Cumulus9 website

You may want to consider getting your own custom domain name for your site (www.MyWebsiteName.com) and attach it to your Cumulus9 website. Click here to find out how.

5) Consider sharing "banner ads" with other websites

You might want to consider contacting other website owners, and asking to exchange banner ads. They can push traffic to your site, and you can push traffic to their site.

6) Add Meta Data to your website.

See number 2.

7) Submit your site to Internet Search Engines

See number 3.

8) Be Creative

There are hundreds of ways to increase traffic to your website. Just use your imagination.

Try a Google Search

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2. What is Meta Data, and how do I insert it into my site?

Meta Data is information that you attach to your website, which is invisible to someone viewing your site, but that is picked up by Internet Search engines so that they can include your website in search results.

Here's how to add Meta Data to your site:

1) Sign In to your Toolbox.

2) Click on "Profile & Preferences"

3) Select "Advanced Mode" user and hit "Update" button.

4) Now go to "Page Editor"

6) Just below the "Preview" and "Done" buttons, you will see a "Meta Data" button. Click it:

7) Now enter the "Title", "Description, and "Keywords":

PLEASE NOTE: You need to keep the description as short as possible. Seperate keywords with commas.

8) Hit "Save".

You only need to enter Meta Data once on your Homepage. Doing the above won't mean that search engines immediately find your site. There are some other things you need to do.Please read number 3 for more info.

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3. How can I get Google and other Internet Search Engines to find my site?

First thing is to enter Meta Data. See number 2. However, this won't mean that seach engines will immediately find your website. It normally takes about 8 weeks before search engines will start listing your site in search results.

To speed up this process, you need to submit your website at as many search engines as you can think of - to request that they add your site to their listings.

The following sites will take you to the site submission pages of some common search engines:

Yahoo!
AllTheWeb
MSN Search (uses LookSmart.com)
Google (Uses the Open Directory Project)
AltaVista
Lycos

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4. How do I insert a web counter into my site?

You need to find a free HTML web counter somewhere on the Internet. There are hundreds to choose from - just search at Google.com for web counters.

You can easily create a free web counter at digits.com. Here's how to insert a digits.com web counter in your site:

1) Fill in the Creation Form at digits.com and hit "create counter" button.

2) If the counter is created successfully, you will be given a line of HTML like:

<IMG height=20 src="http://counter.digits.com/wc/-d/4/CounterName" width=60>

This line of HTML displays a counter graphic. When you insert this HTML somewhere in your website, whenever someone visits that page - the counter graphic will count up by one.

You need to copy this line of HTML, and paste it somewhere in your website.

3) Please see the Using HTML and JavaScript page to learn how to insert HTML into your website.

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