There is one thing on which every online marketer agrees: the key to success is traffic. No matter how appealing your product or service may be, you will fail without traffic.

That is why website owners spend a large percentage of their time, and often lots of money, on online, print, and electronic advertising.

Instead, try the following.

1. Write articles on subjects of interest to the kinds of people you want to get to your website. End each article with an author’s box, like the one at the end of this article. Use article distribution software or one of several services to distribute those articles. Each time webmasters hungry for content (and there are many) use your articles on their sites, you will pick up a link. And, as you know, links produce traffic.

2. Send out emails offering to swap links with other website owners. Target those whose visitors might be interested in your site and those of high quality.

3. Got a really good site? Or, got something to offer other website owners (an ebook, a calendar, etc.)? If so, try for some one way links. One way links can move you up the search engine ranking ladder faster than reciprocal links because the search engines consider them a true endorsement of your site.

4. If you are not yet blogging, you are missing a great opportunity. The search engines love blogs. A post a week is optimal, but even a post a month can help. Be sure your website links to your blog and your blog links to your website(s).

5. Webmasters are not the only ones starved for content; the same frequently appliers to bloggers. Offer to supply them with guest blogs (which include author’s boxes).

6. This may surprise you, but press releases can get you hundreds of links (and lots of publicity). There are agencies and software tools which will help you distribute your releases. Neither are expensive: you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I realize that not everyone can write. If you are “writing challenged”, don’t despair. You might have to search around awhile, but there are folks who write blog posts and/or articles for less than $10. Press release are generally more, but the cost is not prohibitive. Remember, your potential return for each project can be hundreds of links. And, you know what that means.