Getting traffic and sales to your site can be a constant struggle. I know that I am bombarded with marketing information day in and day out offering me the "next big thing".

However, there are some marketing methods that always work. That's why I stick with the classics.

You can use these methods to build more traffic and sales to your site if you are willing to do a little planning.

Below are marketing methods I use to drive traffic to my site. With long term marketing strategies, it will take you awhile to get traffic, but these methods are still worth it because they can be highly viral.

1. Free Search Engines (Long Term Marketing Strategy)
Although free search engines aren't as effective as they used to be, you can still use them to get traffic to your site.

The easiest way to do this is to use a program like Web CEO, http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com/search.html

The first thing you need to do is to select low competition, highly searched for words. Then optimize indidvidual pages for these words and do your submissions.

2. Article Writing (Short - Long Term Marketing Strategy)
Article writing will do several things for your business.

First, it will brand you as an expert, allow you to build a linking strategy for your website, and even improve your search engine rankings if you optimize your article.

You can also create a viral marketing strategy here because content is an important marketing strategy online. An article you have written today could continue to draw traffic to your site years from now.

Instead of using the push method of marketing, where you are trying to push visitors to your site, you are using the pull method. This method is much more effective because it draws visitors to you.

Article directories you should consider submitting to are:

http://www.ezinearticles.com
http://www.goarticles.com
http://www.articlecity.com
http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.articlemarketer.com

3. Forums (Short - Long Term Marketing Strategy)
Forums not only allow you to network with others in your field, you can also network with potential customers who are looking for information on what you sell.

The important thing to remember here is not to blatantly promote what you are selling. Answer questions. Build credibility. Include a signature block in your posts with a link to your website.

The Forums Package will help you with finding, tracking, and using forums to help you promote using forums. You can get it here: http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com/forums/

To find forums on your topic, do a search with your topic plus the search term forums.

4. Ezines (Long Term Marketing Strategy)
Everyone has one these days. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't offer one. You can use it to let your customers know about new products and services, updates to your site, as well as giving news and information about your industry. You can write articles and free reports to give to your list readers.

Ezine Directories you can submit to:
http://www.jogena.com
http://www.zinos.com
http://www.ezine-marketing.com
http://www.ezine-dir.com/

5. Blogging (Short - Long Term Marketing Strategy)
Blogging is the latest way to promote your business online. You can offer information on your industry, articles, downloads, and updates about your business.

You can even turn your blog into an ezine the way I did with mine and automate the whole process of subscription and distribution.

Blogs are also an easy way to create constantly updated content. Just make sure that you write posts of at least two paragraphs, and not a sentence or two. Search engines perceive this as spam.

You can easily set up your blog on Blogger, http://www.blogger.com, although I would recommend that you eventually migrate it to your own server.

RSS Directories to Submit to:
http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/
http://www.pingomatic.com

Although there are more marketing methods you can use to help you market your business online for free, these will get you started.

In my next article, I'll show you five more methods of marketing online for free that will help you drive even more traffic to your site.