A lot of people try to jump on the latest buzz to generate a lot of traffic. They work hard to find a way to tie their product or service to whatever is hot in the news. They scour the net looking for…whatever it is that everyone is looking for, and then they create a post or an article to capitalize on it…often the connection to their wares is tenuous at best.

“How to use the iPhone to find the perfect SoyLuscious® candles for any environment! iPhone…blah, blah, blah…iPhone, blah, blah, blah, etc.”

It’s an understandable tactic. After all, items with high buzz get lots of traffic online. The lure of gaining a fraction of that traffic can be enticing. The question, then, is: is such a tactic worth pursuing?

Sure, maybe you can get optimized and hit a pretty high rank if you jump on a trend early. But why go through all that hassle? Even if you do get a high rank, if people aren’t looking for soy candles, then the instant they realize you’re trying to sell them a candle, they’re gone. Not only have you lost that person, but you’ve wasted a whole bunch of time targeting a message to people who don’t want to hear from you.

Look at it this way: of you see someone shopping in the supermarket checking out the produce, do you walk up to them: “Hey, interested in a SoyLuscious® soy candle?” Or at the movie theater? Or while getting your oil changed?

Of course not.

Well, why do it online? Don’t get seduced by the ease of putting up a post or article online, and trick yourself into doing something that isn’t going to have an impact.

Instead of asking “how can I convince these people to buy a soy candle,” ask “what are people who buy soy candles interested in? What do they want to know?”

Remember, you’re best operating strategy is to find incredible ways to serve your customers. This should happen not only though the products and services you offer, but even through your marketing and advertising, as well. Every contact with customers (or potential customers) should work to add value to your brand. If you start trying to “trick” traffic into coming to your site, you begin eroding that brand, and then you have nothing to hang your hat on but price. And that starts cutting into your margins, fast.