Best way to get lots of cheap social networking traffic (facebook, myspace, orkut)?

Hi,

I am working on a site for which I will require a lot of social networking traffic (facebook + myspace + orkut). Now, I know the usual ways of generating internet marketing traffic (via SEO, articles, etc) but I'm guessing that driving social networking traffic would be different and hopefully simpler(?) as it isn't very targeted.

So I was wondering if the experts here can guide me on how I should go about this.
Please give me some ideas or at least please rate my ideas below based on your experience (because I have yet to learn a lot about social marketing)

1) I create a pointless viral app and submit it to facebook, myspace, orkut.. example that comes to mind is a slideshow generator for profile pics, etc. I'm guessing this will take a lot of time??
2) I buy social traffic from people who are selling it on DP. If so, any recommendations?
3) I buy social traffic from app makers who have their apps listed on top of the app dir (any idea the kind of rates i should be looking at here)?
4) Use a custom bot / friend adder script? Does this work??

.. what else? please add to the list

I hope someone here can help me from their experience.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

 

I think it shall be better if you integrate your application/site into the social network... otherwise, if its a spam, sooner or later users will be aware and you might lose some of them

 

hi,

thanks for the answer.. i think i will do this eventually, but that is long-term and i'm looking for some way to instantly get some social traffic to kick-start my apps.. what do you suggest?

thanks

 

There is no "easy" way of generating traffic through social networking unless you are actually spamming people, which nobody likes.

Signing up to all of the networking sites with an account, with your website address in your user profile is a start, and you may get a bit of instant traffic if you befriend/follow quite a lot of people in your niche.

Social networking is like SEO in the sense that it is not instant. It takes time to build trust and relationships online, because you are dealing with real people, not robots.

 

hi,

thanks for the additional info.. i understand and i'm gonna stay away from spamming (i guess the myspace friend adders and bots fall in that, right?)

the only other way i can think off is to buy traffic from people who already have their apps on the app directory? maybe i should contact them to ask if they would be willing to place a small link or banner ad for my site in their apps? do you have any approximate idea on what kind of budget i'd be looking at for, say, 500 unique social hits daily (for negotiation)? this i think would not be spamming and still ought to be cheaper than buying facebook ppc ads?? what your thoughts on this?

again the info and guidance is much appreciated!

 

Buying social networking traffic? it's worthless man, really. Just build a good product, and release some press releases. As for #4 it's illegal and/or unethical (if you mean indiscriminately adding everyone so you can pitch your product). Probably does work though, I can attest to witnessing the spam on those services. But is your conscience really worth a few dollars?

 

Why do you buy the traffic from social networking sites? Do not buy the traffic.
What is more effective is using facebook group. Make groups acc. to your niche and then try to add more and more members to your groups. Here is my method of adding members to facebook groups.

People joining your facebook groups are the targeted visitors to your website. I get near about 100-200 UVs daily only from facebook groups and they are giving me the income of $15-25 appx everyday.

 

Another idea to get Social Networking traffic can be like exchanging links with social networking member hangout sites like orkut tricks or display pictures...etc. It works big.
say for example http://www.idisplaypic.com