What do you *actually* do to promote your websites?

smn2 · 18-10-06

Hi,

There are many, many ways to promote a website
(I have a website full of advice to prove it

), but
the thing is, nowadays, I follow very little of it!

So I was just wondering what you actually do to
promote your sites?

As I said, I'm not sure I do that much, but will
start this off by saying that...

1) I write forum posts(!)
2) I write blogs
3) I (sometimes) accept link-swap requests (never initiate them)

That'll do for starters.

What do YOU *do*?

Cheers,
Steve

zinc · 18-10-06

Pretty much the same but dont do any blogging even though its very effective for SE's. I need to start really.

Forums are good - I have got about 3 of my sales from forums in 2 months

-Ben

deano6410 · 18-10-06

I do a bit of everything and then evaluate what worked, what could be improved and what didn't work and why.

I have done every common technique and a LOT more besides. But every web site is different, it is a case of:

TEST, IMPROVE, REPEAT

essdeekay · 19-10-06

How do you work with forums?

For example, I see someone asking on another forum which satnav system to buy - how do I drop my URL in there without it being blatant????

Si

Mogga · 19-10-06

Sig files!

Make a useful comment about how to work out which is the right sat nav for you and your sig does the rest

ep90 · 19-10-06

Simon, you need to drop it in without saying your the owner. Like "I came across this site the other day www.... its pretty good for sat nav stuff"

Mogga · 19-10-06

NEVER Do that - some smarty pants will quiickly work it out and then you've spammed.

Be honest - if you have a useful review site with articles - post a bit of the article and say the rest is on this page ... blah blah

yesasia · 19-10-06

You can also post a discount code on a forum. Thats often more acceptable. Then you can link to your page for an explanation. If you have your own exclusive doscount code, some mechants will also pay you for all the sales through that code, even if no affiliate link is used.

Brendon · 19-10-06

>> NEVER Do that - some smarty pants will quiickly work it out and then you've spammed.

You can do that IF 1) you are good enough to hide your ownership, 2) yopu assume that however well you hide it, you may get caught anyway. I'd only ever do it with a throwaway domain.

Mogga, interesting that you identified the "point of spam" as when you get caught....

smn2 · 19-10-06

Hi

I'm also interested in the 'spam is in the eye of the beholder'
concept. However, I want to know what people *do* (and
are willing to confess to doing

) to promote their sites.

Re. the forum question, I like Moggas approach - show
your expertise (just enough) then offer a link. If you had
written a guide to satnav systems, then that would be
the best link to show, and they could make their own mind
up.

I think forums is a slow process of building trust and
(nearly as important) no. of posts a la Mogga. Lol

So, again! What do you *do* to promote your websites?
Doesn't have to be explicit!

Steve

PS I used to have a sigfile on a4u but wondered whether it
was a good idea. I've plumped for the lame one, below, for
now, but will include one with a link, , soon!

zinc · 19-10-06

Quote:

Originally Posted by essdeekay

How do you work with forums?

For example, I see someone asking on another forum which satnav system to buy - how do I drop my URL in there without it being blatant????

Si

Welcome to the world of forum spam Simon - it sucks... but it works and you can pick up some nice PR by doing it. I wouldnt do it here cos I respect this forum. Also try using your anchor text in your signature, for example for me...

link>designer clothes<link from designer clothes for less

It will help with the se's

Blogs are the best place to post these imo.

Alternatively.. Join a related forum, make legit posts and become an expert on the boards people will get to know you and respect you and in turn recommend people to your site... This take too long for me though

but is the most ethical way

I wont give away too much but another thing I have done is dropped Aff links into my posts like "This t-shirt is awesome" the visible text is t-shirt and it links direct to the merchant site, with my aff link on it, many people cannot tell as the URL structure just appears as if it were linking to a productID, if teh url is blatent though I wouldnt bother...

Cheers
-Ben