Should you use online answer sites to drive traffic to your website? Many people use sites like Yahoo Answers to try to increase their SEO value and sales. Today’s blog post will tell you how this can help you but it will also tell you about the potential associated problems with using sites like these to try to generate traffic to your website.
Using Yahoo Answers To Drive Traffic
Answer sites like Yahoo and others give users the ability to ask questions and other users the ability to answer them. You can use them to answer questions already posted and you can ask your own questions in an effort to raise interest in a specific topic.
If you search for questions related to your niche, you could reference your site or affiliate code in the answers section. This can increase your sales and SEO as many of these sites index in the search engines for anchored keywords.
Not only might people browsing those questions find you but you could also be indexed in the search engines for keywords in your post as well as the fact that the link to your site will count towards your search engine page rank.
Some of these sites have points associated with them that are awarded by the community, which can elevate your standing in the community and get you homepage placement.
Caution: Don’t Spam
Be wary of being banned for spamming if you use these sites excessively or push your links to others without good reasons. The key to using these sites is to provide helpful information. You might choose to answer questions without always referring to your URL, for instance. Sometimes you might choose to refer to other URLs not owned by you to add extra value.
For example, if you are in the dieting niche you might choose to answer questions in that category. The same would apply to technology related questions for the technology niche. You wouldn’t want to simply push your url where it isn’t warranted. Refer to the terms of service when joining sites like these. These types of social networking sites can be helpful and useful if used wisely.
About Sean Rasmussen
Thanks for the information, useful, really :_)
Hi Sean,
I have only recently begun to use Yahoo Answers to see if it would help drive some traffic to my site. As yet I haven’t included the URL to my site as I was trying to establish some kind of relationship with the community, first. You know, kind of like, give before you expect to get anything in return. However, I have put in a couple of links to other sites that I thought would be helpful.
I’m hoping that in time, Yahoo Answers might help me attract some traffic to my site.
Answer sites can be great for traffic and building rapport Jazz. I am sure you will find it very beneficial if you keep posting in there.
Hi Sean,
I want to be a good member of the online community and I hope this will help me to build relationships with other people online.
Jazz
That sounds like a good strategy. Maybe you could start sprinkling your url around a bit.
I’m definitely going to have to do it more than I have been.
It’s OK to use your URL straight off because it says something about your source of information and its reliability. Plus the SEO benefit too of course.
I guess like with everything in the world it’s the good old 80/20 rule – 80% helpful and good information and you can get in 20% (or less) self promotion.
Renee
That sounds right on the money. That way you will stay out of trouble.
With the way you girls are thinking I think you will be very successful.
I never considered using online answer sites to bring more traffic. I have used Yahoo Answers infrequently but not once did I consider using it to link back to one of my blogs. An excellent suggestion, especially if you use it as Renee suggest: 80% helpful, 20% self promotion.
Good article and goof comments.
Hey, I didn’t really mean “goof comments”, y’all. Ya know what I mean.
Hi Sean
I have used Yahoo Answers a little bit for other reasons as well, such as finding out what people are searching for to be able to supply a solution. So far I haven’t used a link but will sometime in the future.
This article about Yahoo Answers et al is a timely addition to the fund of learning!
Thinking of Yahoo Answers, in light of yesterday’s webinar For A Few Tweets More, makes me think that people in general prefer sites that ‘interactive’ in some way.
I mean when you look at a lot of the questions in Yahoo Answers the writer could have just as easily Googled it an gone to a website or just checked with Wikipedia. But this sort of ‘cold turkey’ seaching obviusly doesn’t appeal to many folks.
They prefer to interact with live people and get personal opinions. Interesting eh?
I meant to add in my comment before that Yahoo Answers is also good because it makes you think and therefore hone your skills in providing clear and succinct response to the questions.
I find that it also gives me ideas – as I answer, something often pops up that I’d forgotten or hadn’t considered.
You have to laugh though at some of the questions – like the ones that are obviously a kids homework task – and they can’t be bothered researching themselves – or a smart enough to get us to do the homework for them. Cheeky monkeys!
Oh, and I love questions that are non sequiturs or dead on the water – like the person who asks how tall will my plant grow? Yet not identifying what the plant is!
Sounds like Yahoo Answers could be another site to use the ole egg timer/alarm clock must check this out for a chuckle (according to Peter). Seriously learning heaps on these blogs more ranking & SEO tips to add to my to-do-list. I think I will put a new label on my notebook and call it ‘Don’t forget Mr Relevance’! Seems appropriate
This links in with the previous post on Community and Forums. Being actively involved in answers and forums can only help build your reputation and of course the all important backlink.
Also being actively involved in answers sites means that you are keeping on top of the pulse and you are also learning valuable information from other contributors (as well as the giggles!)
Hi Sean,
Answering questions that relate to my niche could bring more traffic to the site. I have not had a lot to do with Yahoo Answers but will keep the site in mind. It’s good if it helps bring more traffic to my site.
I’ll be very careful not to spam the site.