Many people will tell you that Google SERPS (search engine results) is the only way to get your site traffic. This is totally untrue. For example, this forum has existed *without* pandering to Google or requiring SERPS from Google. Word of Mouth is still the #1 method of promoting a site and I personally believe that Google's monoploy on search terms is a very dangerous predicament for webmasters. For example, if Google likes a site, or the site is promoted in AdWords and the siteowner is paying Google a hefty sum for promotion, that site will be on top of Google's results. The end result is that Google *is not* an unbiased search engine but it is a "advertising engine". For all webmasters who find themselves fighting to even get Google ranking for obscure keywords, I suggest, stop using Google to search (use Teoma), don't use AdSense (use AdBrite) and pass the word on. Google has become way too big for their britches and if webmasters are going to allow one entity to dominate everything we see, do and interact with on the internet, then keep using Google. Otherwise, if you believe in freedom of speech, independence and purity, dump Google (and Yahoo) and move on. If you are happy with google monitoring every search you make, monitoring your websites, and in essence spying on all you online activities then stick with Google and put the Google toolbar on your browser.
Google has made me far to rich, to ever turn against them personally. All of my sites get 60-95% of their SE traffic from google, and most of them SE-Traffic is 70-80% of their total traffic
Yahoo can bring some traffic if you have good rankings for competitive keywords and MSN brings some hits but not too much Think outside of search engines. Some oother types of traffic I have had luck with are #1 Type-ins - from business cards and ads #2 Links and reciprocal links on relevant pages #3 - Craig list
if u have good content, people will visit without search engines, these will be people that have visited before but that just means you have a good base of dedicated visitors, google brings me less than 20% of my total traffic but its still a few thousand visitors a month
I would say most good sites get lot of traffic from G. but it is not the only source. If site is any good you get repeat visitors.. Like this forum .. not sure how many new pople come evey day.. but the repeat ones almost live on this forum
I agree google is not the only way to get traffic, but it is one of the top ways to get it. Google makes it's own rules and does whatever the hell it wants, for the most part. Any type a challenger steps to the plate, they are quickly struck-out by Google's power. Aside from the "God" Google, you are right in saying that we should use other methods to generate traffic and not rely on google as much. But regardless of your opinion, my opinion, or anyone elses', people are still going to do whatever they can to get a better Google Ranking.
There are other search engines out there but majority of the people use Google so the traffic is there.
i think google is way too big to try and challenge them. if you cant beat 'em ... join 'em trying to get a good ranking in google is wise because that is where the majority of searchers will go ... so don't cut off your nose to spite you face so to say ... by trying to fight google.
are you using PPC? if you are then you must try and optimise your ads ... you will get a lot more traffic and pay less for clicks. you may also have too little search terms if you're talking about search engine results ... well thats something i dont know much about so i wont try and advise you.
i don't know how it is now, but your forum had pay per post system. Most of the people were chinese and the few others were your friends from talkgold. Google remains #1!
You don't need adwords for good SERPs as you seem to be implying, but I do worry about depending on Google for traffic. Unfortuneately I can't figure out how Yahoo SERPs work. Everything I've tried hasn't helped much.
Apart from google most of my traffic comes from stumbles. One week my stumble traffic surpassed my google serp traffic and I've on the first page for my niche
murk, I agree I got a lot of traffic mainly buy submitting my sites to the stumble exchanges here in the buy/ sell section
I love google maaan, I use adsense, gmail. Thier the most important search engine in my mind, Google and 2nd is Yahoo, 3rd is that crappy windows one, whats it called again...msn.
Google isn't, and shouldn't be the only way to get traffic. Just like we shouldn't rely on any one single method of getting traffic. As soon as you rely solely on one thing that is completely out of your control you are screwed.