By Daniel D Dwase

Recession-hit online businesses have reduced their marketing budgets keeping in mind the return on their investments.

But still, the concept of online promotion remains the same for all types of businesses.

The greater your visibility at the search engines, the higher the number of visitors you receive to your website.

No wonder that increasing number of online marketers are turning to search engines for cheap traffic to their websites.

If your internet business is pitted against many formidable competitors, making it hard to drive traffic to your website, you still shouldn't lose hope - there are many advanced internet marketing techniques that are effective and inexpensive.

Although each business has its own requirements, there are some online marketing methods that are effective to almost all sorts of businesses online.

Let's take a look at them one by one:

1. Writing and Submitting Articles to Inform your Niche

Writing interesting articles on subjects related to you business and posting them on your website is a great cheap traffic idea.

Often, visitors return to a website if the site is providing updated and useful information regularly.

Make sure the content of your article or any text you are writing presells your products or services.

Even, distributing articles in article directories are an ideal way of keeping your prospects informed about your products and services.

There are lots of free article directories that allow you to submit your article with a link back to your site.

In fact, any type of content for your website is important to drive visitors to it.

Some of the most popular article directories that you can submit your articles to are:

• Ezinearticles.com
• Sooperarticles.com
• Goarticles.com

(See "Increase Website Traffic with Article Marketing & Directory Submissions")

2. Search Engine Optimization to Boost Your Website Visibility

There is nothing more promising than search engine optimization (SEO) when it comes to generating targeted traffic within your marketing budget.

Though inexpensive, it is an effective way of driving relevant, targeted and potential traffic to your site.

However, it's all about selecting targeted keywords and promoting them strategically across the web to reach out to your prospects.

You should look for suggestions to optimize your website for competitive keywords and boost your site's visibility at the search engines.

Placement of keywords in all important positions of your webpages that search engines consider, building quality links and developing quality content are the key factors of planning SEO campaign for generating cheap traffic. (See "SEO Optimization Tips: Strategies to Get You Started!")

3. Forum Participation

It has been observed that people are active in forum sites to get useful information or participate in discussions.

Your worthy words during your participation will not only give you visibility but also enable you to come in contact with your visitors.

Search forums and threads relevant to your niche and give answer to the queries of your prospects.

Don't try to promote your business, else chances are that you may get banned by forum administrators.

As far as possible share your experiences to help your customers by contributing something worthy.

Your genuine and substantial contribution will get a link back to your site with free traffic.

4. Email Marketing to Reach Out to Your Targeted Audience

If done properly email marketing can be your effective medium of generating targeted cheap traffic.

Sending emails to your targeted customers with newsletters widen your chances of getting in contact with them.

Often, online businesses use this technique to get in contact with their existing clients.

However, this method of marketing can be used to make new contacts and increase visitors to your website.

You need a strategic implementation of the technique to enhance its effectiveness like ensuring that your recipients are interested in your services or products.

Develop an interesting content with a catchy title so that your readers will feel curious to read the email instead of sending it to their junk inbox. (See "How to Get the Best Response from Your Targeted Email Marketing")

5. Traffic Exchange To Boost Your Hits

You may be skeptical about traffic exchange programs. But if done properly, traffic exchange can bring significant results in terms of cheap traffic to your website.

It is cheaper than affiliate programs or any other kind of paid visitor programs.

The most effective way you can do it is by creating a separate landing page for visitors with complete information about your products and services.

Then, submit your pages to traffic exchange programs to notice the increase in volume of traffic to your website.

Use the techniques of getting cheap traffic and enjoy the benefits of generating increasing number of visitors to your website.

Return from Cheap Traffic to 2 Alternatives to PPC Search Engine Home Page

Return from Cheap Traffic to Targeted Traffic Home Page