Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

[DaveM]

Please share your ideas and methods to get traffic to your website and business?
SEO methods
Links
Social Media

My ideas(may not be yours) are to build a nice site and corresponding Facebook pages along with search words for google. I also like to have links on forums. Beyond that, I have a store to sell my items and a blog that also attracts people that may need/want my services. I advertise on Craigslist as well as appropriate newsletters(paid for) depending on the type needed.

Even the most business minded CEO or other users are more likely to purchase if they see a nice clean useful site with lots of information related to the needs. Mine is at http://www.aldaweb.com or http://www.aalda.com. They both go to the same place.

I am also on twitter, linked in and a couple others.

Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/ALDA-...41689235883414 and Groups is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/aldaconsulting/.

I am not saying I have all the answers, I do not. That is why I am starting this post.

If we all chip in, we can all benefit.

[kkfin]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

I also like to have links on forums.

Links in other people's/companies forums are considered web-spam by Google so not good idea for how Google view your site.

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Hi Ken,

I think they are looking at numbers past 70-75 as spamming. I see requests everyday of people asking to have their addresses posted on hundreds/thousands of forums. Now, that is spamming big time.
Mine are(as I suggest to others) are on forums and areas I frequent and support in some way. They are placed by me and usually in a context that fits.

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

On another subject, Emailings that are solicited(or not)?
I have sent thousands of emails for various projects for my self and others(by request). Of those, I have had 1(one) spam complaint and it was an ill advised address submitted by the actual sender.
What are the tricks? If you have the money, use a campaign company. If you do not have a campaign company, be sure to send as an announcement and make sure the first line of the email states thjis is the only one you will ever receive unless you want more information in Great Big Letters. Then, do not send again.

Is the spam??? YES Does it work??? YES

[crispy]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

David,

I suggest focusing on one core discipline (such as Alpha) and using a modern Wordpress template for the website asap. The current offering is confusing and unappealing. The site generally comes across as outdated and unattractive. There are also multiple typos in your FAQ which just makes it look unprofessional.

Happy to help with further advice if you want to PM or reply here, have plenty of experience with branding/marketing.

First thing to do is fix up the branding and message and simplify things.

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Christopher,

Thank you. I was not asking advice on my site. It does an outstanding job for me. It was built with Joomla as opposed to Wordpress because Joomla was dynamic in sizing at the time and Wordpress seemed to have some problems with that.

I, as most, do not just use one language(discipline as you put it).

I am currently re-working a large alpha desktop app. Prior to that was a Jquery plug in for an app built with Expression web. I also put up 12 joomla websites for a healthcare company and am still maintaining them. I also was charged with creating a very weird menu system on a hand built html5 website for a UK company that operates world wide. Currently under construction is another entity that will be nationwide with asp pages and mssql database.
In essence, I am at the point of not taking any more work for a few months or I will need to hire a helper.

Maybe the point was missed. This thread is about discussing ways of building a flow of dollars for the people who come to this forum in the least expensive ways possible.
If each of us tosses in ideas that have worked well for us, maybe others can benefit.

[crispy]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Thanks David ... Okay I think I understand your point, I apologize for being so critical as I assumed you were after ways to increase your customers/traffic.

I guess the comment I would make is that would it be terrible if you doubled sales/leads and had to employ someone else or are you happy doing your own thing? If not, why wouldnt you be receptive to new ideas to increase your sales/leads?

And is it that easy to employ Alpha Developers, I would suggest not really at this time but with all the positive things are happening with new releases perhaps that will change.

For what market segment as you wanting to raise ideas for increasing sales/leads ... Alpha Software Developers/Consultants? Its hard to contribute without specifics.

Great to hear you are busy and have plenty of work, I do love the honesty that you portray on your website its hard to find that these days (in terms of what you charge and how etc.) To be admired.

Edited:

David... I think the reason we are not seeing eye to eye is this.. I am very passionate about marketing and branding and for me it's a bottom up approach. In other words, It's about analyzing everything that the business does from the bottom to the top. Only then is it possible to comment on what might be best for that business, at that time. This post needs to be much more defined/specific otherwise it will just (as demonstrated above) just go off on tangents.

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Christopher,

I did not post this for ME. I started this for everybody. Meaning it is a very broad subject.

Yes, if I were critiquing your or some else's business, it would be different than mine or yours. I might make suggestions for you that would never work for John Doe's business. I personally prefer working on my own and do not want a lot of backlog. Others may have several people working for them.

Hopefully each can take something from a discussion that will generate more cash flow and help Alpha or others in the process.

Do you use Googles tools with your business? Does it work for you and how?
Do you use banner swapping? Does it work for you and how?
The list of possibilities is long.
Alpha will do well in the future as they get their product is more and more recognized and accepted. BUT this thread is about the developers, not a company.

[crispy]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply and yes I understand now where you are coming from. In terms of Alpha Developers though I think there are those that derive income from consulting/developing based on either an hourly rate or a fixed quote and those who are interested in developing a single product to bring to market to meet a particular consumer or business need i.e SAAS. They each have different marketing requirements, in the case of SAAS there is much more emphasis on the marketing/branding whereas if you are selling your time then its much more about your reputation, credibility etc.

Can I suggest you define which market you are referring to. I would also suggest that there is little point in discussing marketing ones personal services because it never 'works'. Personal services are best sold through word of mouth and testimonials and recommendations.

I have FWIW had alot of experience with Adwords, and happy to share that although not with personal services but more with general broader stuff like SAAS.

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Ok, you have built a web or desktop application and need to sell it?
It seems you are on Facebook as most people are.
Suggest you join groups that are compatible with what you are selling like "insurance groups" if you are selling and Insurance app
Create a blog for your app/website and post the blog in the groups fairly often. Say one time a day.
Some of my ads get put in front of over 1 million Facebook people every day and not all are the same and not all are on the same groups.

A clue is here:
http://nhclam.com/index.php/advertis...lassified-site
This will take you to a simple blog that was created an hour ago.

[CharlesParker]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

I would suggest an adwords campaign, they can be very effective especially using your keywords in a phrase match method. Broad match may be too generic and cost you in terms of your cost per impression and or click whereas phrase match will always include your key word or phrase regardless of what comes before or after it in the searched terms. Second, I like Facebook ads, they are very inexpensive and allow for some targeted ads. I have had success with both in driving traffic. Creating a blog post to fully inform someone on your topic, creating a post on your Facebook business page and then promoting that post seems to work as well. I think those are the most effective low budget ways to drive traffic.
Creating a terrific blog that will cause someone to bookmark it is also key to the success of your campaign.

This advice isn't exactly just for an alpha developer and my advice could relate to about any industry or business idea. I wouldn't consider it ground breaking either but for the most bang for the buck, this is what I have found works for me.
The other thing is to join an association of professionals related to your target market, I do this also and am listed as a vendor member of their trade association, this allows me to post in their private forum, advertise directly to them in their newsletter if I wish and also to host an online learning seminar about my product.

Hope this helps!

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Adwords advertising is a good pay for alternative to get potential clients to your website.

Use of keywords are not at all helpful. They do nothing in today's seo.

Another thought for revenue is an ad campaign using banners. I have MS store, Best Buy, Walmart and others delicately placed to generate more income.
I use a company called Linkshare found here http://marketing.rakuten.com/index.php where you can sign up. They give you the ad codes you can plug into your site(s).

This one is for Walmart and tied to my account. Been using them for over 3 years now.

<a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/fs-bin/click?id=9titsq71wx8&offerid=223073.10004943&type=4&subid=0"><IMG alt="Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC" border="0" src="http://img.affil.walmart.com/b/558992da1b0000370055a35e.png?encryptedId=9titsq71wx8"><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=9titsq71wx8&bids=223073.10004943&type=4&subid=0"><img src="//beacon.affil.walmart.com/affil/ttap.gif?affillt=4&affilwmls=9titsq71wx8&affilsid=0&affiloid=223073.10004943" style="display:none;"/></a>

[DoronF]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Hi Dave,

Writing articles and post them in different high PR sites while having a link pointing to your sites could be great for you. In addition, some press release articles could be helpful as well.

Regards,

Doron
The Farber Consulting Group, Inc.

Main Web Site: http://www.dFarber.com
Avis Car Rental Software
Custom Software Development

[DaveM]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

Thanks Doron,
I have some of those and hope to add more as I go.

[The Mage]

Re: Sharing of ideas on driving traffic

There is an old adage, "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door."

But that's a lie.

Too many people have fallen for the idea of just building a website, or think they can invent, or create something, and that is good enough. But without marketing it just falls flat on it's face.

Tim Ferriss and Noah Kagan are great at marketing, their products, businesses, and themselves. What is great is Tim Ferriss is completely open as to how he markets and promotes, having written, and talked about it multiple times. Listening to them talk on Ferriss' podcast is enlightening.

Two decent books I had heard him mention are The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, and Guerrilla Marketing. The last one I owned before I ever heard about Ferriss, and has spawned a whole book series, (at least 40,) but both these books are fairly cheap to buy used.

I'm in the middle of building my app, but I have the first 3 phases of a marketing plan in place. (The third built directly into the app.) But I'm still fully aware that my app must be top notch. Marketing will get them there, but the app will keep them there, and the one thing I'm worried about.