Hi, I have a site/blog which is doing pretty well at the moment but I'm looking to improve it. With almost no advertising I'm getting about 800-1k uniques a day mostly through search engines, digg, and a few blogs/forums/sites naturally. Where would you promote a site like mine? How would you promote it? What is the best way of reaching my target audience? Site: www.noddegamra.co.uk I am greatful for any tips you can provide.
1. Directories are tiresome work. No one really uses them and the PR only really seems to be for the front page, not the pages your link is on. = waste of time? 2. The trouble with digging your own site is that it doesnt necessarily get good hits/views. You need a powerful digger (one with loads of friends) to find and digg your stuff to get decent traffic. Can anyone give more info? Something a little more tailored to my site, rather than standard generic advice please? + Thanks for comments and suggestions so far
if you submit it to the right categories it will bring targeted traffic. how can that be a waste of time???
The ones ive already submitted to bring me zero traffic. No one uses directories. The only traffic directories get are from bots and webmaster looking to submit their link.
honestly, I think that you should continue getting some backlinks abd keep working on seo. In the future, that will be the place that u wish u would have invested more in
I really think directories are a bit of a waste of time. I'd rather spend time getting links from related blogs, sites and forums. Printing out the URL on cards and handing them out to target audience in the streets or cafe's. And advertising. I guess I could rephrase the question slightly.. If you had $100, what would you do to promote MY site. Not a generic one. If you advertise on sites, where would you go to? If you submit to directories, what sort of things would you put to entice members What sites and blogs would you try to ge advertising on? What wording would you use to promote the site / Adwords ? any useful information you can provide tailored to my site?
"Can anyone give more info? Something a little more tailored to my site, rather than standard generic advice please?" You were just given it. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that maybe you are looking for some sort of magic bullet, without having to work for it, along without having to read long articles, or books on how to make the $. There is no magic bullet, and you have to work at it.
Agreed. Then again - you can keep buying $7 ebooks that might put a million in your bank by tomorrow I'd suggest doing your research and sticking the course, don't get ahead of yourself - that knowledgebase that you lack is important to go through yourself, do not pass 'go'...
I was given the normal generic answer everyone seems to give to boost their post count. I know about submitting articles, optimising web pages, social bookmarking etc. It's all obvious stuff that can work for anyone. What I was looking for was a little advice to suit my site. A bit of streamlining. For example. 1. Link directories - some have a nice PR3 or PR4 front page. You click on a subcategory and the PR of that page is N/A or 0. Sometimes it's even a javascript or no follow link. what is the point? traffic? no one uses link directories other than those who wish to submit their own links. Normal users use search engines now. This method is OLD and TIRED. 2. Digg, del.icio.us, stumble etc - These are GREAT for traffic, especially for my site. BUT, the only good results is when high-profile users digg my stuff. If I do it, I get about 2-3 diggs max. Rubbish! Digging your own stuff gets you in google quick, but its crap for traffic unless someone with a lot of friends diggs you and gets you to the front pages. A focus was more what I was after. A thoughtful process by which someone expeirienced might go through to promote my site. Ideas of similar blogs, sites and forums to try and get links from. A list of maybe rival sites, blogs etc to compete against. Some adwords advice? - is it worth the money/time/effort? Something beyond the typical copy/paste answers you see littered about this forum. I'm not an idiot. I know there isn't a magic bullet. Different forms of advertising work for each target audience/site theme. There's no point wasting endless hours promoting a fishing website on a series of linux forums for example. A site based on selling gentlemans footwear wouldnt be successful on digg either. I'm looking for tips to suit MY site. In order to do well you need to know your audience, and how to get to them. I'm looking for aid in this
A couple of thoughts: Paid search in your niche? Stay away from it. For your particular site, forums in the areas your site focuses on - namely Entertainment, Humour, Music and Videos - look like a solid opportunity.
Noddegamra, had you read my article, you would have seen that I am in full agreement with you. You didn't read it, or you skim read it, which tells me you REALLY don't want to work for the $. You don't want to do extensive reading. You don't want to take notes or to study. You want something fast, a cure all, and, yes, a magic bullet. Sorry, but it is work! There are unique ways to get your name out there, which I talked about, but the botom line is that you have to advertise. If you don't think so, well, then, ok. All I or anyone can do is to wish you luck with your site.
"There's no point wasting endless hours promoting a fishing website on a series of linux forums for example. A site based on selling gentlemans footwear wouldnt be successful on digg either." You are right, it wouldn't. But submiting funny and cool stuff, and putting your name on the bottom just might. Think outside the box! But that's too much like work, isn't it?
thanks tomojunior And Perry Rose, you underestimate me, but I love your passion. I did read you article (http://www.thelist.fm/marketing-advertising.shtml). I admit I didn't read it all, but I will get around to it. Also, Im not working for the $. Just enough to keep the hosting going which I do easily. I guess I'm looking for help in "naming names". Like I said, sites to get good links from, and competitors. I'm finding it a little tricky. I can google "humour blog", but I don't really find any great results. I don't have hours and hours to do this. I already understand many of the techniques you covered on the article (if not all of them). I wanted helpful suggestions of effective non-time consuming methods. I guess I was wanting something similar to: "Ah yes, as your keywords are (...), I suggest you try to get links from these sites: 1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. .. If creating an advert banner I suggest that [this wording] will draw the most people to actually click your ad. I think adwords is a [great/crap] idea. A [great use of money/a waste of money]. If using adwords, I suggest you [advice here] From what Ive seen your main competitors would be: 1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. .. Some of these may be impossible to get links so try a few of these: 1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. Here are some good related forums to your keywords: 1.. 2.. 3.. .. [more related tips] [more tailored advice] " Now, I know I'm not going to get all this unless I pay through the nose for it. But a little advice would be great. Just a helpful hand. I know spamming my link over teh interbwez will bring me ultimate godly PR. But I'd rather grab the attention of people, and bring them to the site. Putting links out there is like fishing in a lake. You have some bait. Nice. Trouble is you want to try and catch some specific fish, not just some crappy common little ones you just wanna throw back. Rather than putting the bait there and expecting them to find you, you need to get some help as to which lakes have these great fish in them, and what bait to use. In this example, I need help on what bait is best to get them hooked on my line. I also need to know what areas of the lake are best for catching these fish. Sure casting out everywhere might get me a few chances, but this takes forever. Someone who has fished these waters before might be able to tell me the good spots, and what bait best worked for them. I hope I'm getting my point accross right. I'm not great at analagies (or spelling them.lol) + "submiting funny and cool stuff, and putting your name on the bottom". Ouch! Good one! hehe, you got me there. I also have some very good unique content (which brings in the most people). I'm looking to soon add more of this (via exclusive comic strips and written humour). I just need a bigger audience first so it doesn't all just slip past everyone. Also, if you have a big audience, it kinda protects you against copiers. If someone stole my image, but thousands of people saw it first, I have a stronger case than if a big webmaster stole my stuff and i had no one to back me up i did it first
I'm sorry, but I didn't understand what you were stating in the middle of your post. Then again, it's been a long night and I need to take my ass to bed. As for which bait to use and which lakes to fish in, that's an easy one. Example: Go here http://davesdaily.com/out.php?id=34...704EA423184F65AB39416A3B8/800lb-deadlift.aspx Now either advertise that or talk about it in an article, or whatever, in such sites as health and fitness, cars, weighlifting.... Of course it can be other sites, but you get me here. College sites, like collegehumor.com are also good lakes to fish in for such videos. Don't just advertise your site, advertise the funniest and coolest video and or picture: "Can You Deadlift 800 Pounds? Watch This Guy Do It!" And let that single one bring them to the rest of your stuff. "I also have some very good unique content (which brings in the most people). I'm looking to soon add more of this (via exclusive comic strips and written humour). I just need a bigger audience first so it doesn't all just slip past everyone." You might want to think about doing it now anyway. You want repeat visitors, right? And you can always recycle, or, have a section where they can click to see past videos and pics. "Also, if you have a big audience, it kinda protects you against copiers. If someone stole my image, but thousands of people saw it first, I have a stronger case than if a big webmaster stole my stuff and i had no one to back me up i did it first" Got news for ya...all those pics, jokes, stories and videos pass from site to site anyway. Come on, you know that one. I have a few more ideas, but it's time for bed. See ya in the funny papers.