Ways To Increase Traffic to your Website

Different Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Website

1. Advertise

This one is so obvious, we’re going to look at it first. Paid search, social media advertising and display advertising (try our Smart Ads Creator!) are all excellent ways of attracting visitors, building your brand and getting your site in front of people. Adjust your paid strategies to suit your goals – do you just want more traffic, or are you looking to increase conversions, too? Each paid channel has its pros and cons, so think carefully about your objectives before you reach for your credit card.

If you’re hoping that more traffic to your site will also result in more sales, you’ll need to target high commercial intent keywords as part of your paid search strategies. Yes, competition for these search terms can be fierce (and expensive), but the payoffs can be worth it.

2. Get Social

It’s not enough to produce great content and hope that people find it – you have to be proactive. One of the best ways to increase traffic to your website is to use social media channels to promote your content. Twitter is ideal for short, snappy (and tempting) links, whereas Google+ promotion can help your site show up in personalized search results and seems especially effective in B2B niches. If you’re a B2C product company, you might find great traction with image-heavy social sites like Pinterest and Instagram. Here's more advice on making the most of social media marketing.

Image via Pascale Communications

3. Mix It Up

There is no magic formula for content marketing success, despite what some would have you believe. For this reason, vary the length and format of your content to make it as appealing as possible to different kinds of readers. Intersperse shorter, news-based blog posts with long-form content as well as video, infographics and data-driven pieces for maximum impact.

4. Write Irresistible Headlines

Headlines are one of the most important parts of your content. Without a compelling headline, even the most comprehensive blog post will go unread. Master the art of headline writing. For example, the writers at BuzzFeed and Upworthy often write upward of twenty different headlines before finally settling on the one that will drive the most traffic, so think carefully about your headline before you hit “publish.”

5. Pay Attention to On-Page SEO

Think SEO is dead? Think again. Optimizing your content for search engines is still a valuable and worthwhile practice. Are you making the most of image alt text? Are you creating internal links to new content? What about meta descriptions? Optimizing for on-page SEO doesn’t have to take ages, and it could help boost your organic traffic.

6. Target Long-Tail Keywords

Got your high-intent keyword and popular keyword bases covered? Then it’s time to target long-tail keywords, too. Long-tail keywords account for a majority of web searches, meaning that if you’re not targeting them as part of your paid search or SEO efforts, you’re missing out.

Image via thegardensofeden.org

7. Start Guest Blogging

Before you say it – no, true guest blogging isn’t dead, despite what you may have heard. Securing a guest post on a reputable site can increase blog traffic to your website and help build your brand into the bargain. Be warned, though – standards for guest blogging have changed radically during the past eighteen months, and spammy tactics could result in stiff penalties. Proceed with caution.

8. Invite Others to Guest Blog on Your Site

Guest blogging is a two-way street. In addition to posting content to other blogs, invite people in your niche to blog on your own site. They’re likely to share and link to their guest article, which could bring new readers to your site. Just be sure that you only post high-quality, original content without spammy links, because Google is cracking way down on low-quality guest blogging.

9. Go After Referral Traffic

Rather than trying to persuade other sites to link back to you (a tedious and time-intensive process), create content that just begs to be linked to.

When Larry wrote about the kick in the proverbial teeth that eBay took from Google’s Panda update, we managed to secure a link from Ars Technica in the Editor’s Pick section alongside links to The New York Times and National Geographic. Not too shabby – and neither was the resulting spike in referral traffic. Learn what types of links send lots of referral traffic, and how to get them, in this post.

10. Post Content to LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become much more than a means of finding another job. The world’s largest professional social network is now a valuable publishing platform in its own right, which means you should be posting content to LinkedIn on a regular basis. Doing so can boost traffic to your site, as well as increase your profile within your industry – especially if you have a moderate to large following.

11. Implement Schema Microdata

Implementing schema (or another microdata format) won’t necessarily increase traffic to your website on its own, but it will make it easier for search engine bots to find and index your pages. Another benefit of using schema for SEO is that it can result in better rich site snippets, which can improve click-through rates.

12. Link Internally

The strength of your link profile isn’t solely determined by how many sites link back to you – it can also be affected by your internal linking structure. When creating and publishing content, be sure to keep an eye out for opportunities for internal links. This not only helps with SEO, but also results in a better, more useful experience for the user – the cornerstone of increasing traffic to your website.

13. Interview Industry Thought Leaders

Think interviews are only for the big leaguers? You’d be amazed how many people will be willing to talk to you if you just ask them. Send out emails requesting an interview to thought leaders in your industry, and publish the interviews on your blog. Not only will the name recognition boost your credibility and increase traffic to your website, the interviewee will probably share the content too, further expanding its reach.

Image via business2community.com

14. Don’t Neglect Email Marketing

So many businesses are focused on attracting new customers through content marketing that they forget about more traditional methods. Email marketing can be a powerful tool, and even a moderately successful email blast can result in a significant uptick in traffic. Just be careful not to bombard people with relentless emails about every single update in your business. Also, don’t overlook the power of word-of-mouth marketing, especially from people who are already enjoying your products or services. A friendly email reminder about a new service or product can help you boost your traffic, too.

15. Make Sure Your Site is Responsive

The days when internet browsing was done exclusively on desktop PCs are long gone. Today, more people than ever before are using mobile devices to access the web, and if you force your visitors to pinch and scroll their way around your site, you’re basically telling them to go elsewhere. Ensure that your website is accessible and comfortably viewable across a range of devices, including smaller smartphones.

16. Make Sure Your Site is Fast

Ever found yourself waiting thirty seconds for a webpage to load? Me neither. If your site takes forever to load, your bounce rate will be sky high. Make sure that your pages are as technically optimized as possible, including image file sizes, page structure and the functionality of third-party plugins. The faster your site loads, the better.

17. Foster a Sense of Community

People want to speak their minds and weigh in on subjects they feel passionately about, so building a community into your site is a great way to start a conversation and increase traffic to your website. Implement a robust commenting system through third-party solutions such as Facebook comments or Disqus, or create a dedicated forum where visitors can ask questions. Don’t forget to manage your community to ensure that minimum standards of decorum are met, however.

18. Make Yourself Heard in Comment Sections

You probably visit at least a few sites that are relevant to your business on a regular basis, so why not join the conversation? Commenting doesn’t necessarily provide an immediate boost to referral traffic right away, but making a name for yourself by providing insightful, thought-provoking comments on industry blogs and sites is a great way to get your name out there – which can subsequently result in driving more traffic to your own site. Just remember that, as with guest posting, quality and relevance are key – you should be engaging with other people in your niche, not dropping spam links on unrelated websites.

Image via organictalks.com

19. Examine Your Analytics Data

Google Analytics is an invaluable source of data on just about every conceivable aspect of your site, from your most popular pages to visitor demographics. Keep a close eye on your Analytics data, and use this information to inform your promotional and content strategies. Pay attention to what posts and pages are proving the most popular. Inspect visitor data to see how, where and when your site traffic is coming from.

20. Get Active on Social Media

It’s not enough to just share content through social channels – you need to actively participate in the community, too. Got a Twitter account? Then join in group discussions with relevant hashtags. Is your audience leaving comments on your Facebook posts? Answer questions and engage with your readers. Nothing turns people off quicker than using social media as a broadcast channel – use social media as it was intended and actually interact with your fans.

21. Submit Your Content to Aggregator Sites

Firstly, a disclaimer – don’t spam Reddit and other similar sites hoping to “hit the jackpot” of referral traffic, because it’s not going to happen. Members of communities like Reddit are extraordinarily savvy to spam disguised as legitimate links, but every now and again, it doesn’t hurt to submit links that these audiences will find genuinely useful. Choose a relevant subreddit, submit your content, then watch the traffic pour in.

22. Incorporate Video into Your Content Strategy

Text-based content is all well and good, but video can be a valuable asset in both attracting new visitors and making your site more engaging. Data shows that information retention is significantly higher for visual material than it is for text, meaning that video marketing is an excellent way to grab – and hold – your audience’s attention, and boost traffic to your website at the same time.

23. Research the Competition

If you haven’t used software like BuzzSumo to check out what your competitors are up to, you’re at a huge disadvantage. These services aggregate the social performance of specific sites and content to provide you with an at-a-glance view of what topics are resonating with readers and, most importantly, making the rounds on social media. Find out what people are reading (and talking about), and emulate that kind of content to bring traffic to your website.

24. Host Webinars

People love to learn, and webinars are an excellent way to impart your wisdom to your eagerly waiting audience. Combined with an effective social promotion campaign, webinars are a great way to increase traffic to your website. Send out an email a week or so ahead of time, as well as a “last chance to register” reminder the day before the webinar. Make sure to archive the presentation for later viewing, and promote your webinars widely through social media. If you're wondering how to do a webinar, click the link for some tips.

25. Attend Conferences

Whatever industry you’re in, chances are there are at least one or two major conventions and conferences that are relevant to your business. Attending these events is a good idea – speaking at them is even better. Even a halfway decent speaking engagement is an excellent way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and gain significant exposure for your site.

Well, that just about does it for today’s post. If you’ve got your own tips for increasing traffic to your website, I’d love to hear them.

Theme Analysis Book of Swami and Friends

The Political and the Personal Under British Colonial Rule

Set in a fictional town in south India circa 1930, Swami and Friends is defined by the pressures and complexities of British colonial rule over India. While the book’s events revolve around common childhood trials and tribulations, the personal experiences of the protagonist and his friends are colored by their political context, even when the characters themselves have little understanding of it. By examining British colonial rule through the lens of an ordinary boy’s relatable childhood, R.K. Narayan demonstrates the pervasiveness and subtlety of this political structure’s power. Swami’s story shows that the impact of colonial rule is present in every corner of Indian life during this era, and that no individual’s personal life can be truly separate from colonialism’s profound, sometimes contradictory effects.

The lighthearted conflicts of the book’s early chapters underscore Narayan’s point that that colonialism is present even in the innocent misadventures of children, although it may seem entertaining, inconsequential, or even impressive in their eyes. Narayan first addresses the influence of colonialism in the book’s opening chapter, when Swami and his classmates attend scripture class with Mr. Ebenezer, their fanatical Christian teacher. Narayan notes that the students sometimes enjoy the class because of the “stirring pictures” they imagine based on Biblical tales. For Swami and his friends, the Christianity imposed on them at the mission school is initially a source of idle entertainment rather than a menace or something to contemplate deeply. Yet Swami soon perceives the way that Ebenezer’s Christian teachings conflict with his own Hindu beliefs, and protests against his teacher. However, the consequences of this conflict are trivial; the class enjoys watching their teacher get scolded by the Mission School Headmaster and Swami is simply happy to escape punishment. Again, even in this direct conflict Swami is primarily occupied by childish concerns like impressing his friends and pleasing his father, and colonialism remains a backdrop that affects Swami without occupying much of his attention.

The budding friendship between Swami, Mani and their new classmate Rajam again illustrates the ways that the young boys take existing power structures for granted. Although Mani and Rajam at first intend to fight with each other, that animosity quickly dissolves into mutual admiration, leaving the boys untroubled by their initial reliance on violent dominance to solve their problems. When Swami finds out that Rajam’s father is the Police Superintendent, he is impressed and excited to be associated with such power, again demonstrating his childish inability to reflect on the value and legitimacy of the powers around him.

As Swami’s story progresses, however, the political context around him increasingly intrudes on his contained understanding of his life. Swami begins to take actions that appear outwardly political, but he still experiences these events in a personal, self-centered way. By blending Swami’s still-childish perspective with large-scale political events, Narayan again fuses the personal with the political and illustrates the impossibility of separating them, particularly within a context of colonialism. Swami, Mani, and Rajam try out the experience of being in power themselves by bullying a young boy named Karuppan and saying that they are “the Government Police out to catch humbugs like you.” The three boys make unreasonable demands and frighten the boy, but seem not to reflect on the effects of their actions. It seems, then, that Swami and his friends develop an unconscious tendency to act out the oppression they have experienced. Shortly thereafter, Swami and Mani inadvertently participate in a public protest against English oppression of Indian peasants, and become immediately emotionally attached to the cause. Swami “resolve[s] to boycott English goods” and burns his own cap “with a feeling that he was saving the country.” At this point, Swami’s emotional reaction to the notion of English oppression becomes clear, but he is not yet able to connect that feeling with his own actions more generally.  When Swami finds himself caught up in a school boycott the next day, he participates actively in the increasingly dangerous event but thinks mostly of the fun he’s having rather than his behavior’s political meaning, as when he realizes happily that “there were many glass panes untouched yet.” It is only when Swami witnesses Rajam’s father “grimly ticking off seconds before giving orders for massacre” that he begins to gain awareness of the political tension present in his own life. Narayan notes that Swami “had unconsciously become defiant” through his new experience of protest. It is this subconscious change that leads Swami to run away from the Mission School, for the first time renouncing a major aspect of colonial oppression in his own life.

Though Swami and his friends gain some degree of political consciousness over the course of the story, their lives continue to be circumscribed by colonial power in ways that are largely invisible to them. Narayan illustrates this reality especially vividly through the boys’ experiences forming a cricket team. By highlighting the prominent and complicated role that a quintessentially English activity plays in the friends’ lives, Narayan demonstrates that individuals living under colonialism often have no choice but to tolerate—and sometimes even embrace—the cultures of their colonizers.

Although Swami, Mani, and Rajam are initially excited about starting a cricket team, they quickly discover that the logistics are more complicated than they expected, and Swami in particular worries about government registration and taxes. Reflecting on these difficulties, Rajam has “a momentary sympathy for Gandhi; no wonder he was dead against the government.” By equating the boys’ seemingly trivial problems with Gandhi’s opposition to the government, Narayan humorously points to the oppressive presence of the government in every Indian’s life, no matter how slight it might seem.

The formation of the cricket team initially serves as a way for Swami and Rajam to repair their friendship after their conflict over what Rajam calls Swami’s “political activities,” but eventually, the cricket team is also responsible for the breakup of Swami and Rajam’s friendship, when Rajam is unable to forgive Swami for missing the match. By using the game to both unite and divide the story’s protagonists, Narayan indicates the extent to which the characters may be at the mercy of English influence, even as they devote themselves to an English sport with seeming freedom. Political forces work their way into the personal goals and relationships of Swami and his friends even during their leisure time, again demonstrating that no private life can be truly independent from politics in the context of a colonized state.

Education and Oppression

Difficulty within educational settings is one of Swami’s constant conflicts throughout the novel. Rather than simply depicting the ordinary childhood struggles of homework and unfair teachers, Narayan uses these familiar obstacles to enact a smaller version of the colonial oppression that suffuses the book. For Swami, school is a place of both growth and restriction, where rigid rules come into conflict with Swami’s nuanced inner life. Throughout, Narayan’s depictions of Swami’s school days add depth and specificity to the book’s larger points about the intersection of the personal and the political.

Many of Swami’s most immediate experiences of oppression occur within school settings. He encounters violence, humiliation, and requirements that quash his imaginative and sensitive nature. All of these restrictions on Swami’s individual life seem to mirror the dehumanizing nature of colonial power on India’s larger population. At both of his schools, Swami is subject to punishments that cause him pain and embarrassment, such as being caned or being made to stand on a bench in front of the class. After he leaves the Mission School and enters the Board School, Swami’s schedule becomes more restrictive, and he is required to complete drill practices and scout classes after school in addition to a heavy load of homework. Even though the Board School Headmaster is eventually revealed to be a frail older man who sleeps on the job, he still wields absolute power over Swami and will not let him leave school early to participate in cricket practice. Narayan’s descriptions of Swami’s engagement with academic work also hint at the way that his schools fail to engage his full humanity. Puzzling over a mathematical word problem about selling mangos, Swami feels “utterly hopeless” without deeper knowledge of who the men in the problem are and how their personalities affect the situation. With this example, Narayan hints at the ways that Swami perceives the lack of humanity in the structures he encounters at school.

However, Swami also derives meaning and a sense of belonging from his schools, even as they cause him pain. The positive aspects of Swami’s educational experiences indicate that because these institutions are so deeply ingrained in Swami’s life, he must necessarily learn to derive some satisfaction from them, just as the Indian people under English rule must carry on finding meaning in their lives even in unfair circumstances.

School forms the core of social life for Swami and his friends, as indicated when their friend Somu fails an exam and then vanishes from the story: “Somu was not promoted, and that meant he was automatically excluded from the group, the law being inexorable in that respect.” Because Swami’s friendships are so important to him, and school defines the structure of those friendships, the school plays a crucial role in developing meaning in his life. Although the Board School causes Swami more difficulty, it also helps him develop academically. He gains “rigour and discipline” where before he was unengaged with his work, which allows him to live up to his father’s high expectations and gain a greater sense of self-efficacy and interpersonal connection—even in regard to his old school. When Swami prepares to run away after leaving the Board School, he stops at his old mission school and fondly remembers his time there, thinking: “All his friends were there…happy, dignified, and honored within the walls of the august Albert Mission School. He alone was out of it, isolated, as if he were a leper.” His sense of belonging indicates that he considers the school a kind of home and that he is invested in the idea of its goodness, despite the pain he experienced there.

The schools’ dual role as structures of both support and oppression plays out vividly in the way that the school setting can change quickly from organized to chaotic. This sense of instability and potential for confusion again functions as a microcosm of Swami’s broader sociopolitical context, where the margin between safety and danger is often small. When the term ends at the Mission School, jubilant celebration rapidly turns into destructive mayhem. As Swami reflects on the rumor that enemies stab each other on the last day of school, Narayan writes: “Swaminathan had no enemy as far as he could remember. But who could say? The school was a bad place.” This scene exemplifies the uncertainty and sense of amorphous danger that pervades Swami’s life at school and, as the story progresses, begins to affect him outside of school as well.

The Fluidity of Identity

Although little more than a year passes over the course of Swami’s story, his identity and those of his friends change and develop many times throughout the novel. By demonstrating how malleable his characters’ essential traits and roles are, Narayan casts doubt on the idea of objectively “true” identity, instead seeming to argue that even core characteristics like goodness and badness can be changed and chosen according to the desires of individuals and groups. This changeability is often a positive force in the characters’ lives, but Narayan also uses it to underscore the inherent instability and ambiguity that Swami and his friends must learn to face.

Swami’s understanding of himself is particularly fluid throughout the novel. He often lies to others about his behavior or motivations and sometimes fools himself in the process, effectively changing himself into a different person to suit different circumstances. When Swami feels insecure about writing too little on his exam, he tells his friends that he wrote half a page and “believed it for the moment,” even though he only wrote one sentence. Swami is not actually a good student, but he takes on the identity of one in order to make himself feel more confident in his group of friends. Compiling the list of supplies he needs for that same exam, Swami finds: “The list was disappointing. He had never known that his wants were so few.” To cope with that disappointment, he creates a more detailed list of things he doesn’t particularly need, in order to fashion himself into a more important person with more substantial wants. When Swami first begins playing cricket, he bowls well once and is immediately nicknamed Tate, after a famous cricket player. Although Swami attends few practices after that point and ultimately misses the crucial match, his friends continue calling him Tate and he brags about the nickname to his family. Again, Swami’s identity shifts in a moment to suit the desires of himself and his friends and make them all feel more confident about their cricket team.

The malleable social roles of Swami and his friends also demonstrate the flexibility of each of their individual identities. Sometimes the friends choose to define each other in positive ways, but sometimes they choose to exclude and belittle each other. Their group dynamics illustrate how readily “good” characters can become “bad” and vice versa, again emphasizing the relative nature of each of their identities, particularly in the way they are shaped by the perceptions of others. When Swami and Mani first meet Rajam, they are convinced that he is evil and plan to fight with him. However, once Mani and Rajam face each other to fight, they quickly set aside their differences: Rajam says, “I won’t mind being your friend,” and Mani replies, “Nor I.” With that simple exchange, the boys effortlessly create a friendship that leaves Swami in a state of “perfect peace.” However, Swami soon loses the respect of his older group of friends, who begin calling him a “tail” because of his attachment to Rajam. Narayan calls this experience “probably Swaminathan’s first shock in life,” and describes how it leaves him wondering whether his friends are the same people they used to be. Although the friends soon reconcile, the shocking rupture shows how quickly esteemed individuals can become untrustworthy, creating danger in social contexts that had previously seemed safe.

Toward the end of the novel, Swami begins to understand the idea of identity, both his own and those of his friends, as less concrete than he has previously thought. Instead of alternating between distinct identities, Swami and his friends begin to take on multiple identities at the same time. This shift into greater ambiguity adds new depth to Narayan’s examination of the changeable nature of personhood. When Swami runs away following his departure from the Board School, he becomes lost and disoriented in an unfamiliar setting. He begins to imagine terrible dangers on the dark roads around him, and he even becomes delusional in his desperation. At the height of this crisis, Swami loses his sense of himself almost completely and perceives around him “a sense of inhumanity.” During this episode, Swami effectively merges with the frightening night, demonstrating that even the basic individual identity itself can vanish at times.

When Rajam moves away, he has not yet reconciled with Swami after their fight over the cricket match. With Mani’s help, Swami gives Rajam a book of fairy tales as a going-away present, but he is not able to hear Rajam’s reply over the noise of the train. The book ends with Swami uncertain of whether Rajam considers him a friend or an enemy. Similarly, the previously straightforward Mani takes on an ambiguous role at the end, refusing to give Swami a clear answer about whether or not Rajam will be in touch. Narayan writes that “for once Mani’s face had become inscrutable,” ending Swami’s story in uncertainty and confusion. This conclusion—or lack thereof—indicates particularly clearly Narayan’s point that it is impossible to define an individual’s identity with any real certainty, even when the individual is a close friend or even oneself.Although little more than a year passes over the course of Swami’s story, his identity and those of his friends change and develop many times throughout the novel. By demonstrating how malleable his characters’ essential traits and roles are, Narayan casts doubt on the idea of objectively “true” identity, instead seeming to argue that even core characteristics like goodness and badness can be changed and chosen according to the desires of individuals and groups. This changeability is often a positive force in the characters’ lives, but Narayan also uses it to underscore the inherent instability and ambiguity that Swami and his friends must learn to face.

Swami’s understanding of himself is particularly fluid throughout the novel. He often lies to others about his behavior or motivations and sometimes fools himself in the process, effectively changing himself into a different person to suit different circumstances. When Swami feels insecure about writing too little on his exam, he tells his friends that he wrote half a page and “believed it for the moment,” even though he only wrote one sentence. Swami is not actually a good student, but he takes on the identity of one in order to make himself feel more confident in his group of friends. Compiling the list of supplies he needs for that same exam, Swami finds: “The list was disappointing. He had never known that his wants were so few.” To cope with that disappointment, he creates a more detailed list of things he doesn’t particularly need, in order to fashion himself into a more important person with more substantial wants. When Swami first begins playing cricket, he bowls well once and is immediately nicknamed Tate, after a famous cricket player. Although Swami attends few practices after that point and ultimately misses the crucial match, his friends continue calling him Tate and he brags about the nickname to his family. Again, Swami’s identity shifts in a moment to suit the desires of himself and his friends and make them all feel more confident about their cricket team.

The malleable social roles of Swami and his friends also demonstrate the flexibility of each of their individual identities. Sometimes the friends choose to define each other in positive ways, but sometimes they choose to exclude and belittle each other. Their group dynamics illustrate how readily “good” characters can become “bad” and vice versa, again emphasizing the relative nature of each of their identities, particularly in the way they are shaped by the perceptions of others. When Swami and Mani first meet Rajam, they are convinced that he is evil and plan to fight with him. However, once Mani and Rajam face each other to fight, they quickly set aside their differences: Rajam says, “I won’t mind being your friend,” and Mani replies, “Nor I.” With that simple exchange, the boys effortlessly create a friendship that leaves Swami in a state of “perfect peace.” However, Swami soon loses the respect of his older group of friends, who begin calling him a “tail” because of his attachment to Rajam. Narayan calls this experience “probably Swaminathan’s first shock in life,” and describes how it leaves him wondering whether his friends are the same people they used to be. Although the friends soon reconcile, the shocking rupture shows how quickly esteemed individuals can become untrustworthy, creating danger in social contexts that had previously seemed safe.

Toward the end of the novel, Swami begins to understand the idea of identity, both his own and those of his friends, as less concrete than he has previously thought. Instead of alternating between distinct identities, Swami and his friends begin to take on multiple identities at the same time. This shift into greater ambiguity adds new depth to Narayan’s examination of the changeable nature of personhood. When Swami runs away following his departure from the Board School, he becomes lost and disoriented in an unfamiliar setting. He begins to imagine terrible dangers on the dark roads around him, and he even becomes delusional in his desperation. At the height of this crisis, Swami loses his sense of himself almost completely and perceives around him “a sense of inhumanity.” During this episode, Swami effectively merges with the frightening night, demonstrating that even the basic individual identity itself can vanish at times.

When Rajam moves away, he has not yet reconciled with Swami after their fight over the cricket match. With Mani’s help, Swami gives Rajam a book of fairy tales as a going-away present, but he is not able to hear Rajam’s reply over the noise of the train. The book ends with Swami uncertain of whether Rajam considers him a friend or an enemy. Similarly, the previously straightforward Mani takes on an ambiguous role at the end, refusing to give Swami a clear answer about whether or not Rajam will be in touch. Narayan writes that “for once Mani’s face had become inscrutable,” ending Swami’s story in uncertainty and confusion. This conclusion—or lack thereof—indicates particularly clearly Narayan’s point that it is impossible to define an individual’s identity with any real certainty, even when the individual is a close friend or even oneself.

Difference Between Can and May

The words can and may are auxiliary verbs, which are often juxtaposed when we talk about possibility or permission. Basically, the word ‘can‘ is used when someone has the ability to do something, or when you are allowed to do something.

On the other hand, may is used to discuss possibility or happenings in the future. It is also used when you want to take or give permission for doing something. Now, let’s move on to our examples to understand the difference between can and may in a better way:

• Can you ride the bike? Or May I ride your bike?
• Joseph can come tomorrow. Or Joseph may come tomorrow.

In this first example, you might have observed that the word ‘can’ is used to know the ability of a person in doing something, whereas ‘may’ is used to ask for the consent. In our next example, both the two discusses the possibility but may represent a strong possibility while can indicates an expectation.

Content: Can Vs. May

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Examples
5. How to remember the difference

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR COMPARISON	CAN	MAY
Meaning	Can refers to the capability of someone in doing something.	May is used in sentence to reflect the possibility or permissibility of something.
Permission	Sometimes	Always
Context	Informal	Formal
Examples	Team A can win this match.	May I go outside?
	Can you speak clearly?	This may not be true.
	Can I have your number?	May I check your bag?

Definition of Can

The word ‘can’ means ‘be able to,’ it denotes the capability of a person. It is also used for determining the possibility of something or informally ask for permission to do something. Now let’s discuss the usage of can:

1. It indicates the ability of a person:
   • Can you translate this letter into French?
   • She can help us in solving the problem.
   • I can do it in the best way.
2. To ask for permission:
   • You can keep your belongings over there.
   • You can take selfies with foreigners.
   • Can I get the email ID?
3. To request for something:
   • Can you pass this message to the manager?
   • Please, can I get your notebook for a moment?
4. To represent the possibility:
   • Can I expect you day after tomorrow?
   • If your age is more than 60 years, you can get retirement benefits.
5. To give an offer or suggestion:
   • Can I bring that book to you?
   • Can I play on your behalf?

Definition of May

In English, we use ‘may’ for expressing any kind of possibility, regarding happenings or events that may occur in the future. It is also used to give and take permission to someone to do something. Now, let’s move on to understand its usage, with the help of points given below:

1. To represent the possibility:
   • The exams may start from the next week.
   • She may not like the dress; we brought for her.
2. It can be used to seek or receive permission:
   • The candidate may bring normal calculators for the exams.
   • May I come in, ma’am?
   • You may take my book to read
3. For wishes and hopes:
   • May you achieve new heights of success.
   • May you have a happy journey.
   • May all your dreams come true.

Key Differences Between Can and May

The points given below are substantial, so far as the difference between can and may is concerned:

1. The word ‘can’ and ‘may’ are modal verbs, wherein can is used to denote a person’s ability in doing something or talking about any kind of possibility. On the other hand, may is used to take or give permission to/from another person. Further, it is also used when there is a strong possibility of something.
2. Both can and may are used to seek or receive permission, however, may is more usual and formal.
3. In general, we use the word can for informally asking for something. Conversely, may is used for formally asking for or allowing something.

Examples

Can

• Can you repair the mobile phone?
• I can call you if you want.
• This can change the way we work.

May

• You may go now.
• May I take your pen?
• You may not use my stuff.

Why Educational sector needs a Website

Having a website, whether for personal or business purposes, is now very common trend in today’s world. There’s a lot to achieve for Educational Institutions having their own school websites. You want your institution to stand out from the crowd. Part of what makes a great school is having a smart, well put together website. But still many Educational Institutions are not aware of certain facts that they can achieve by having an own website. It is easy to neglect a website, but this would be a big mistake. A Professional website can accomplish so much for your institution, your staff and your whole community. A website needs to not only look good and provide the basic information – it should also become an interactive hub for the community. Let me tell you about some benefits you are going to enjoy with an education Institution Website.

Save money, effort, and time
If your institution has its own effective website, you will have an instant online brochure. The administrators would not need to worry about print or TV ads to promote the institution. And there would be no need to print materials and announcements for parents and other members of the school community. Teachers save time on unnecessary administrative tasks and you can save money on printing, toner, photocopies and sending physical letters to parents. Finding reports for children becomes easier because you can track things like attendance stats with just a click. Paying for school meals and trips becomes more convenient for parents.

Easy Communication
Communication is paramount in education. Whether it is teacher to student, student to student, teacher to teacher, communication is needed to make sure our students are successful. Communication is something that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes is a lack of time, a lack of resources, a lack of knowing how to get the point across or a language barrier. Website can help improve communication in education: Social media networks are designed for the purpose of communal connections. These platforms are used by students to connect among themselves, institutes constantly communicate through websites, social media presence sharing relevant information. Having an online presence helps strengthen connectivity without any limitations on proximity.

Keep parents well-informed
When it comes to engaging parents and encouraging them for their involvement, websites prove to be valuable tool for education institutes.You may want parents to be able to see their children’s grades, what classes they’re taking, and if there has been any absences, or lateness. Having an online presence, Parents can easily access and view institute’s curriculum, understand class and teachers better. This helps them get clarity about the educational institute.

Enhance the learning experience
An interactive website can also improve the learning experience. Students can get access to materials that were not available in the class, and they can check notes and resources from anywhere. It can be a useful tool for working in groups because students can share notes and ideas. Essentially, it can become an extension of the classroom. Resource sections can also be added to the website, including:

• documents;
• videos;
• images;
• presentations.

These can then be accessed by students and parents so that they can get more out of the website.

Facilitate enrollment
The website can be the place to post the schedule and process of enrollment. It can also be used to house the enrollment procedure itself, just like the website of most universities. It will introduce people who don’t know much about the institution to its current events and general culture.

Provide immediate feedback
You can create a page for posting feedback. Because it is very easy to use, the Internet visitors could easily post feedback on school services and other related issues which they would not bother with telephones and letters. With the interactive feature of your website, you can willingly respond to the queries and issues. The morale of the teachers, students, and school administrators can be raised through the immediate feedback/ comments visitors could leave.

Serve as a database
An effective website can also serve as the storage of backup files about the school, the teachers, and the students.

Improve the brand image
You also want your brand image to be positive, and you can achieve this through taking the time and care to update a website and provide information to the community. You may be marketing your website online, and an interactive site can ensure that when people arrive at your website, they see your school in the best light.

Creation of an effective school websites however, does not happen overnight. By being effective, it would mean that the website is able to maximize the benefits as earlier presented. Careful planning should be the first step. Further, getting qualified and reliable people for the website project are necessary condition for a successful website.

Evol Technologies are known for delivering the best education websites to the famed educational institutions and universities in Mangalore. We embed E-learning tools in an education website along with latest applications and customized features which makes us best in this field.