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Is All Traffic Created Equal?

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Hosting

The post Is All Traffic Created Equal? appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Face it, if you want your online business to succeed you’re going to need a steady stream of traffic. However, there are crucial differences in the quality of traffic across the internet that could have an even larger effect. Some people believe that driving traffic to your website is purely a numbers game. However, the quality of your traffic matters much more than the quantity. In this article we’re going to explore the differences in quality of web traffic and what it means for your business and success of your website.   What Is Quality Traffic? Quality traffic is composed of visitors who are actually engaged with what you’re offering, browse multiple pages, and spend a decent amount of time on your website. Essentially, they are going to make up the backbone of your revenue, as these people are also more likely to buy what you’re offering, or at least sign up for your email list. These visitors should be the core focus of your business as your work actually resonates with them. Often, the amount of quality traffic flowing into your website will be low compared to other forms of traffic. However, if your business was built to serve everyone it would probably end up serving no one. This differentiation in your business allows you to more effectively serve a small group of people in deeper ways. To sum up, quality traffic will have qualities similar to your ideal visitor. For instance, they will be a regular visitor to your site and hopefully a champion of your work.   What Is Low Quality Traffic? Low quality traffic doesn’t bring any positive advantage to your website other than increasing the amount of visitors to your website. The typical traits these visitors will embody includes only stopping by your website once, not viewing multiple pages, and barely reading the page they landed on in the first place. It’s not a good idea to focus your traffic efforts on this type of traffic, as it won’t do much to increase your bottom line. Usually, these traffic spikes come from instances when your content goes viral, or your website gets featured on a site like Reddit or Stumbleupon. The high-volume traffic you get from these sites usually won’t do much to increase your sales, or number of subscribers. Although, you don’t want to discourage traffic from these sources it doesn’t make a lot of sense to focus your traffic generation efforts on these high volume sources alone.   Focusing On The Wrong Traffic Metrics When it comes to digging through your traffic metrics you’ll want to make sure you’re looking in the right place. After all, it’s easy to get caught up in vanity metrics, forgetting the real data that can actually be useful for your business. For starters, the total number of visitors you have per month isn’t crucially important. What is important is the sources where your traffic is coming from, and the bounce rates that are associated with each source. The bounce rate is the percentage of people that come to your site and leave very quickly. So, if you have a few traffic sources that have very high bounce rates you’ll want to diminish your efforts on those sources. Your best bounce rate scenario would be a high traffic source with very low bounce rates. Another metric you’ll want to keep an eye out on is the number of users that are returning to your site time and time again. Although, it’s always good sign that new visitors are coming to your site you’ll also want to take note of how many people are returning. Traffic doesn’t have to be a mystery. By focusing on the right metrics and sources of traffic you’ll be well on your way towards fine tuning a traffic strategy that works.   Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/17893072@N00/4475333077/ web hosting Continue reading →

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Domain Names Matter

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Hosting

The post Domain Names Matter appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . It is generally understood these days that a domain name is necessary for brand recognition. Domain names also serve many higher purposes as well, including being a primary contributor to the overall user-friendliness of the Internet. Without domain names, we would have to memorize IP addresses in order to visit websites… instead of “Googling” something, we’d “74.125.227.229” it.   Time To Select A Domain Name! ACK! The truth is that many people fail to consciously think of a domain name that they want, or several alternatives, prior to the signup process. As such, when it comes time to pick a domain name, they panic. This can lead to a host of different issues, as with the case of the now defunct, ill-fated domain name “The pen is mightier” a.k.a. thepenismightier.com. As you can see, while “The pen is mightier” is a pretty nifty name from a very famous quote (and one that worked well for a site that made custom pens, it just doesn’t work so well as a domain name, and can lead to a host of unfortunate situations. The site has long since been taken down. It would be best, however, to learn from their unfortunate mistake.   How Do I Avoid An Awkward/Inappropriate/Unfortunate Domain Name? It’s quite simple. Open a word document or pull out a pen and notebook and start jotting down potential domain names. See how they look in text and see if they communicate your message properly. From there, circle or highlight the five top choices. You can then check the availability at https://register.hostgator.com . If your choices are available, you can proceed with the registration process. If none of your choices are available, it’s back to the proverbial drawing board. Remember, you don’t just want to take any old domain name, you want one that will represent your site, convey your business appropriately, and adequately display your professionalism. Domain names matter. Give them the treatment they deserve and put some time into it. You are naming your site. If you wouldn’t just type in random characters on a child’s birth certificate, don’t do it to your site! Your business is not unlike your child. You are working to nurture and grow your site – your business – don’t put it at a disadvantage from the get-go!   Image Source: Wikipedia. (2014). Domain Name. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Internet1.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Outsourcing: Is It Right For You?

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Hosting

The post Outsourcing: Is It Right For You? appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Outsourcing is the process of contracting out certain aspects of a business to an alternative company as a means of working to reduce the overall costs incurred by the business. A computer manufacturer may outsource the creation of certain components to another company because it is cheaper for that other company to make them, as opposed to making the components themselves. A government entity may find that it is cheaper to outsource their tech support to another organization as opposed to keeping IT professionals on staff, and a small business owner may decide that it makes the most sense to outsource their human resources department rather than to create one of their own for only a few employees. Regardless of the type of outsourcing being completed or the type of company looking to outsource, there are several different factors that must be considered, outside of the cost, when looking into this decision.   Factors for Consideration The first factor the company needs to look into is cost. The question of whether or not the company will save any money, in terms of their overhead or operating expenses is a key factor in business decisions. If the company will not save any money by outsourcing, then there is really no point in proceeding. If the company will save money through using outsourcing options, the company must then look to factor two. The second factor a company must consider is whether or not there is an available company willing to take on the outsourced role, and whether or not that company is reliable. Research must be completed regarding the validity of the company and, more importantly, the types of checks and balances that the organization has in place in order to ensure the safety of the data they will be handling. Studies have shown that 63% of data breaches occur as a result of outsourcing, and most companies do not even know the breach has occurred, that is, until they are notified of the breach by a third party. (Guess who is responsible for the breach? Not the company being outsourced to, the company who was responsible for maintaining the data in the first place: YOU.) If the company looks legitimate, and if the company does not have any past complaints for data breaches, and if your company can afford to outsource, then go for it. If none of these aspects meet your expectations, however, it’s best to nix the idea altogether.   You are Responsible Always remember, you are the one responsible for the data, regardless of whether or not you outsource a role. If you can’t afford a data breach, chances are you can’t afford to outsource. This is not to say that all outsourced departments or companies are horrible, but rather that there is simply not enough oversight in order to properly regulate this type of transaction as of yet. As the old saying goes: “you get what you pay for;” if you can’t afford the potential consequences of using a lower cost alternative, you can’t afford not to have the standard measures in place.   Image Source: Workhoppers.com. (2013). Outsourcing. Retrieved from https://workhoppers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/outsourcing.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Keep It Simple

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Hosting

The post Keep It Simple appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Recent studies have shown that the average reading level for the general population of the United States ranges somewhere between a fourth and a sixth grade reading level; studies from several years ago put most individuals graduating high school as reading at no better than a fifth grade reading level. Do you feel that the content being presented to you has been dumbed down in recent years? Are you surprised at the latest arguments regarding whether or not it is socially acceptable for adults to read young adult novels? There’s a reason. The average reading level has decreased drastically throughout the years. When I was in intermediate school, (6th grade), I tested at reading at college level, the highest the test would go; most of my classmates capped out at the same rate, with only a few of them hitting eleventh or twelfth grade reading levels, nothing any lower. In today’s day and age, those who are graduating aren’t even close, nor do they really seem to care.   Why This Matters and How it Affects You It matters for a lot of reasons, but this is neither the time nor the place for a soap box rant regarding the quality of education that students are receiving today. This matters because the majority of content presented on the Internet comes in one of three forms: lolcat, graphic representations, or text. That’s right; most of the information on the internet involves reading. How then can we expect the material that we find relevant, the topics that we find interesting, or the manner in which we convey information to be able to maintain interest, much less be comprehended by the new target markets and audiences that are coming into their best years of buying power? There’s only one thing to do….   How to Deal with It You’ve got to Keep it simple. Don’t go for the thesaurus, don’t try to make your sentences sound more intelligent, and, much as I hate to say it – try to stay away from those compound sentences. Make your content as easy to understand as possible. Make it so that a sleep-deprived and un-caffeinated version of you would have no issue understanding what you are attempting to convey. It’s frustrating, it’s obnoxious, but unless you’re catering to a very specific crowd, like those who subscribe to Shakespeare Quarterly or only those who have received their Master’s degrees (and yes, this is an over exaggeration, but you get the idea), keep it basic. Remember, everything else aside, your goal is to market and sell your product; to do that effectively the average consumer must be able to understand what you are selling.   Image source: https://jumpcloud.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/simplicity.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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How To Build An Effective Hashtag Campaign

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Hosting

The post How To Build An Effective Hashtag Campaign appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Hashtags have slowly become a part of the popular culture, especially the digital culture. Over time they’ve grown to become a central part of an effective social media campaign. However, if you’re just getting started with using hashtags they can be overwhelming, and frankly a bit confusing. Once you get the hang of using hashtags it will get much easier, but it’s important to know the basics so you have a better chance at running an effective campaign from the start.   What Is A Hashtag? In a way, hashtags can be seen as keywords. They allow for the aggregation of information that’s all based around a certain topic. Originally, hashtags were used by Twitter as a way to categorize their messages. Since their inception hashtags have grown across other platforms as well, including Instagram, Flickr, Vine, and more recently Facebook. For instance, if you’re posting a picture of a tasty cup of coffee on Instagram, you may tag that picture with the hashtag #coffeelove. Or, if you’re posting a picture of a beautiful sunset, you could use the hashtag #sunset. Of course, hashtags apply to more than just pictures. In order to utilize the power of hashtags for your business it’s crucial you create your own. You may be able to reach new followers by hopping on existing hashtags, but to truly create the buzz you’re looking for you’ll want to get creative. A successful hashtag campaign will help to build awareness for your brand or business, or even promote certain contests or giveaways you might be running.   Rules For An Effective Hashtag Campaign The most effective hashtags are short, sweet and inspire action. To get to that point it’s going to take a little work, but it’ll be well worth it.   1. Be Unique, But Not Too Unique When you’re creating your own hashtag you’ll want to make sure it’s unique and memorable. If you already have a company hashtag you’ll want to improvise on this to show association, but still have enough difference so it stands out. When it comes to length try not to overcomplicate things. Face it, no one will remember a hashtag that’s a sentence long, but it will also be hard to differentiate from other tags if it’s only a few letters long. Finding the right balance is crucial. Your hashtag also needs to be relevant to the campaign you’re trying to run. For example, if you’re trying to create a hashtag around an event make sure the hashtag alludes to what the event is actually about. Once you’ve come up with a unique, catchy, easy to remember, and slightly descriptive hashtag, then it’s time to move on.   2. Use It Across Multiple Channels As was mentioned earlier, hashtags are useful across multiple social media platforms. When you’re executing your campaign you’ll want to have a presence on the social media platforms your audience hangs out at. People use different social media platforms for different purposes, but your hashtag can help weave a thread back to your business throughout all these seemingly disparate networks. This will help your hashtag get more exposure across more social channels, which will increase the likelihood of your campaign catching fire. Secondly, this will help people remember your hashtag, as they’ll be exposed to it in multiple settings.   3. Always Research First You’d hate to tweet your super unique, extremely creative hashtag only to realize that another person has been using the hashtag for an entirely different purpose. This would not only be detrimental to the success of your campaign, but could also result in serious customer backlash. It’s always worth it to spend time researching potential hashtags to see what comes up. Make sure you check across multiple platforms as well. By doing this beforehand you could avoid a seriously embarrassing incident for your company.   Overall, an effective hashtag campaign is all about using a memorable hashtag at the right time, all in service of your customers. The steps above will get you going in the right direction.   Photo Credit: quinn.anya via compfight web hosting Continue reading →

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