We can't predict the number of website visitors we will receive in the future. One thing is certain, it is just enough to sustain every Web business - yours, mine, everyone else's.

When it comes to actual first-time visits, there are really just three sources.

• Search Engines
• Social Media
• Internet Advertising

Lets explore each one. I'm sure you are familiar with at least one of these--search engines. I'll give you some pointers for your content so that you can start closing sales right away.

Search Engines:

If you don't have unpaid visits from search engines (aka. organic or natural traffic) you need to get some. This kind of traffic is the best kind because it is FREE. So, the smaller your business is, the more you need to work on this.

People are using search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing every day. These search engines provide websites with millions of visitors. However, these users have a diverse set of wants, needs, experiences etc. So, this is the most challenging environment for many websites -- especially those with limited budgets for content development, media assets and all that marketing stuff that I don't have. If you are like me, you are the entire business.

Search engines give people access to information, but they force website owners to be structured and disciplined with content development to attract visitors. This disciplined structure at least provides us with some tips for gaining new traffic.

For example, what kind of content are your competitors producing (videos, white-papers etc.) and what type of content is appearing in Google, Bing and Yahoo? When you do this searching use key words that your potential customers will us.

When I check on my competitors (I like to call it recon.) I don't use my company name "IT Maverick". Not that it is any big secret, but I have to think like a new customer, one that hasn't heard of my company. Therefor I use key words like "website design" and "Minneapolis". These are the words that my potential customers will use to find someone who does what I do.

When you go to your competitor's page pay attention to the structure of their page titles and the way the site is laid out. To acquire traffic from search engines, you must exceed the relevance of those ahead of you. To do this you must create more content, build links, and don't stop!

We've all heard of Facebook--it is true that the popularity of search engines has been sliding over the past year as the popularity of social networks, like Facebook, have become more popular. In spite of this, search engines are still the primary driver of traffic. Don't just focus on the big three search engines. Also focus on other specialized sites that may be appropriate for your business. Coupon and bargain search, image search, local search, shopping search etc.

Social Media:

Internet marketing, generally speaking, has become more transparent and open. From Facebook and Twitter and other social-media sites all businesses have a chance to be talked about. For good or bad. I believe this gives small business owners an advantage over the big businesses. As small businesses, each and every customer is very important to us. That means we're more likely to deliver satisfying results to our customers, and we are in a better position to politely ask for a positive testimonial.

When creating your own strategy, pay attention to the style and tone of your competitors before deciding for yourself what will work best. Keep in mind that the type of network will greatly influence the tone that you use. So consider modifying the message approach to each because personal networking is very different from professional networking.

Internet Advertising:

There is no more important visitor acquisition strategy than online advertising. That's because it is costly if it is done poorly. When executed efficiently it is the driving force behind many Web awareness campaigns. Not only is awareness generated, but people are often moved to action.

Personally, this is still too expensive for my business. Perhaps if I was selling a product online, then it would make more sense for my business. Once a visitor clicks on the ad, and is taken to your web page, then your page needs to move them to buy. That's a topic for another time. :)