How can I increase my web traffic?

We are an online video travel destination that takes viewers to their destination before they ever get there. Our videos are high-quality, high-energy, TV-style, hosted by a local travel guru. We are on the ground level of building our business and we want to increase our web traffic while we get ready to advertise.

You've done a great job creating quality, engaging content for your visitors and that's the first step--so congratulations.

What many business owners often neglect to do, however, is find various means to "come from behind" their own websites and content to find traffic to make their content popular.

The best way to do this is to determine which communities, listservs and affinity groups are already flush with your target market. See if you can join those communities and, at first, just LISTEN. Don't start promoting your service or your website. Just listen and see what you're market is saying--then, when it makes sense and the conversation supports it, share links to your video content. Be totally transparent. Let people know that this is your site, but you thought seeing your video would help them make a better decision about where to stay, etc.

TripAdvisor seems like a natural place for you to "hang out."

Do this often and use other "get to know you" techniques for other noncompeting travel website owners and you'll be increasing your traffic organically in no time!