[Reposted due to database problem]

As you know, I recently launched my website, blog and all its accoutrements, and I have been using a lot of techniques to get visitors to my site, all of which are measurable. I'm also asked by clients a lot what to do, and of course there are plenty of methods I can and will share at a later date (that's a "whole 'nother" set of posts, however).

However, while I have been helping others generate traffic to their websites for some time on a semi-casual basis (as in, I get to wear jeans <g> and offer advice without being the one to do a lot of the implementation myself), I'm wondering how many of you have hired an on-line marketing service to get traffic to your site.

I'm not talking link farms, search engine optimization firms or pay-per-click traffic -- I'm talking a company that uses ethical means to get more viewers to your website for a reasonable fee. (To clarify, I don't mean that SEO firms and pay-per-click ads are unethical, just that I don't need help in these areas. And yes, some SEO companies ARE shady, so do your research before hiring.)

If you have in fact hired an on-line marketing service, please do let me know. I'd love to hear any pros and cons, especially if you're also a small business owner with a typical small business budget. I want to be able to give solid advice that has been proven to work.