Right now I'm running www.FreeDeepLinks.com. The basic concept is to categorize articles from all across the Web, and in return for submitting their article pages, webmasters are getting an unlimited number of free one-way deep links to their individual article pages. The problem is that I don't just want to be focusing on the backlinks aspect. That's fine and all, but I also want to actively pursue actual users to use the directory to search for articles and resources - with the main differences between it and search engines being that they won't always get hit with the same sources that have simply been SEO'd to death for placement, and that they won't get "junk results" like in SEs (business sites, sales pages, etc.) when they're only looking for articles (also things like recipes, forms, templates, etc. - basically "free resources" on the Web). I was asking in another thread about upgrading from PHPLD 2.1 (or whatever it is) to the latest version, regarding whether I'd have to change templates. Since I will, I'll probably go with something a good bit different (not sure, but likely). And I was thinking... I'd really like to be able to better market to readers. The current domain hits the webmaster audience, but means nothing to readers looking for articles, and might be a turnoff. So I'm thinking about getting another domain as the primary, and just redirecting freedeeplinks.com to it, so I can still also market with that name to webmasters looking for backlinks. Do you think two domains for marketing would end up being more trouble than it's worth? What about changing the name entirely? It's still new, but there are enough repeat users that I don't want to scare them away when it's suddenly redirecting with a new name and all. Would it be better just to leave it as they are for now until more articles are added? Sorry, I'm still pretty new to directories. I'm worried about targeting webmasters scaring off readers, and in the same turn wondering if making the primary domain target readers might turn away webmasters. Thanks! Jenn
Absolutely yes: two domains = twice the work + twice the marketing costs. Of course, as a separate business decision, you may wish to operate two similar directories. Many members of digitalpoint own more than one directory. But having two sites for essentially the same thing doesn't make sense to me. Your website's name does seem to target webmasters. I guess the best way to answer this is do you already have a domain with a much better name? If so, it may make sense to switch while the domain is practically new. The longer you wait, the less sense it makes to switch domain names. You can 301 redirect a domain to a new one and that normally works well in all the search engines. Webmasters are a pretty savvy bunch. If you've got a PR7 site called asdlfkjaopweruadfjaldfj.com that offers free deeplinks, I think they'll find it. I'd brand the directory for the user, particularly since you're working so hard to create something unique for users. All of course IMHO. Ultimately, it depends on what your business goals and model are.
It wouldn't be twice the work, since it would simply be one directory. What I'm thinking is to simply recreate it with the current entries when I upgrade the script, and in the process use a new domain name. Then, redirect the current domain to the new one permanently, and keep using the current one in things like my DP sig and posts while focusing most marketing on readers. It wouldn't really cost more, since PR is my specialty and it's how I do most of my marketing, alongside guerrilla techniques that rarely cost much. I never advertise anything unless it's as a last resort, so it's not like I'd be doubling up PPC costs or something. I think what you're suggesting is pretty much what I was considering, so that's a little reassuring. I don't plan to have 2 separate directories for now, but also don't plan to get rid of the current domain, hence why I'd rather just redirect it for now. It might be an option in the future though if a second domain does well enough on its own. Then this one might work for a more general deep link directory. Thanks for your insight. Jenn
Interesting thread with contributions by some of the most articulate of DP posters The primary site contains the word 'free' which in many aspects is fine, but the way I would look at the site, is to monetize the process, and if that was your medium to long term objective, then the 'free' would become a branding and marketing issue that you would have to circumvent or accept ie live with it These are only my comments which may not fall in with your roll-out plans, hope you will construe my comments as objective as they are not meant to be critical in any way The site is doing well 2153 articles in 620 categories Just popped back congratulations on 1000 posts
I agree. I think it would actually help though if I were exclusively marketing it to webmasters... let's face it, if they can get something for nothing, they'll probably at least have a look. I agree with the point about monetizing the site and it relating to the domain. I don't know if that's really my biggest problem or the thing I have going most in my favor, but it's never what I think about up front. I make my money online through my PR firm, and not much from my sites yet. I create them b/c either I love the subject matter (like my first which was an indie music zine, to my business writing in the niches that I practice in), or b/c of necessity (I didn't start this b/c I woke up one day and say, hey that'd be cool. My Suite101 writers were submitting to directories, and the deep link ones I found were too limiting. So I created my own, and people kept saying nothing quite like it had been done before. I sort of stumbled onto it, but I want to make it as effective as possible now). I try to put the readers first. If I make money (and sure I'd love to), then that's great. But my first priority with this particular directory is to honestly help people find articles from across the Web, w/o all of the garbage in SEs. There are a ton of great resources that aren't "SEO'd to death" as I like to call it, and I want them treated equally at least on my own site. So that's why I'm thinking a more reader-focused domain might be best, and if I'll be changing the template with an upgrade anyway, I might as well just do it I guess. And yeah, it's doing ok. Not as many articles as I'd wanted by now, but it's coming along and there are several regulars who submit whenever they add something new. I've been hiring people to help build specific subcategory submissions for those that I want to focus in the header, and since I added those spotlights at the top, the revenue actually went up. So I guess it's win-win... I get to provide something to help direct readers, and it seems to be monetizing itself well for only the first month (about $2-3 / day - not great, but not bad since I haven't marketing anywhere other than mentioning here and to a few writers' networks).