If you have been involved in any conversations about getting traffic to a web site, you have almost certainly heard someone talk about cheap traffic. If you are new to internet marketing, you might not know what is meant by “cheap” site traffic. The first thing you should understand, however, is that “cheap” in the context of web site traffic is as relative as the word “cheap” is in any other context.

For an entrepreneur who is starting a business or a small business that has just invested thousands of dollars in a web site, any amount of money spent on traffic probably will not seem like cheap traffic at any price. But there are ways to get traffic to your web site that do not cost an arm and a leg.

Everybody wants free traffic for a business. But it takes time to build the kind an internet presence that will bring throngs of eager customers to your site every day. While you are building your online visibility, cheap traffic can get you customers who are ready to buy.

What qualifies as cheap traffic?

If you have a limited budget, finding targeted traffic is essential. Here are some ways to get targeted traffic at a low cost:

– buy traffic (average cost, $1.30/1000 clicks)

– buy visibility on search engines for your keywords

– use other pay-per-click advertising (banner ads, other ads, links on other sites)

– Choose local publications and web sites instead of national or international publications

– Focus on local search

– Opt for lower cost marketing tactics such as e-mail, direct mail, classified ads.

None of these marketing tactics is free. It will be up to you to decide what qualifies as cheap traffic for your business. Even some of the tactics that appear to be free (e-mail marketing, article marketing, PR campaigns) involve cost related to distribution, writing, design, etc.

With planning and a testing, you can develop a marketing plan that will bring cheap traffic (as you define it) to your site. Just balance the tactics and look for the biggest bang for the buck.

If you are a small business owner or professional and want to learn more about lead generation, view the short video, “How Article Promotion Can Send 25,000 – 50,000 New Prospects to Your Site Each Month – For Free.”