Marketing advice for new website??

maurice06

I have set up a new discussion board website and I'm looking for advice on how to get people to start visiting in large numbers?

SlitheryImp

Try these websites for help:

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum103/

http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=71

leftofcentre

**Sigh**

OK everyone listen up, you are the back put down that ruler.

The first rule of marketing is too plug your product at every opportuntiy.

So in your case why did you not tell us the address of the site?

coolcon

leftofcentre wrote:

**Sigh**

OK everyone listen up, you are the back put down that ruler.

The first rule of marketing is too plug your product at every opportuntiy.

So in your case why did you not tell us the address of the site?

Exactly. all the small things help, like putting the name in your sig for instance!

StopGap

The address is 1 .... what it is about is 2 .....

Tell us more!! What is the topic?? When we know what your board is about then we might be able to give you some more hints!

paulocon

Hi all,

Interesting post because I am in exactly the same position.
Have a site that just went live at the weekend - basically, it has paid listings for a certain product/sector - catch 22 in that I need listings to make the website worthwhile to visitors and I need visitors in order to entice people to list...

As regards having your URL in your sig, is this not against site rules?

Genghis

paulocon wrote:

Hi all,


As regards having your URL in your sig, is this not against site rules?

From Boards Sig Rules

A subtle link to something you run online if fine.

maurice06

StopGap wrote:

The address is 1 .... what it is about is 2 .....

Tell us more!! What is the topic?? When we know what your board is about then we might be able to give you some more hints!

The website is justfordublin.com it's a Dublin specific discussion, what makes it different, is that it targets Local Dublin communities, not gamers, not techies, sci-fi fans, online shoppers, etc..., it's about providing a useful Communication service without the global dilution of today's discussion boards..

I have already experimented with some advertising and currently in the process of gettign leaflets/business cards printed up...

Any advice/experience appreciated...:)

paulocon

One obvious thing is to get yourself listed in Google.
Signup for Google SiteMaps and Analytics, two very good resources...

maurice06

I'll give it a shot, tks..

fintan

another idea would be target new housing estates.
Lots of new housing estates going up around dublin, lots of people about to move in, it could be a good way for them to get to know there neighbours.

Search around there are a number of these set up, I think lymewood mews in cherrywood has one for example.

StopGap

maurice06 wrote:

The website is justfordublin.com it's a Dublin specific discussion, what makes it different, is that it targets Local Dublin communities, not gamers, not techies, sci-fi fans, online shoppers, etc..., it's about providing a useful Communication service without the global dilution of today's discussion boards..

Hi,

Thanks for that .... this makes it a bit clearer. I had a look and it looks very bare now .... maybe you should try to get some good local topics and post them and try to engage .... it now looks like you sit back and wait ....

My advice is to look at local (door-to-door) newspapers/newsletters and try to get them involved put some issues you see in there on the board and source them back to them and see if you can get them to mention you!!

Another option is to see if there are other communities up and running in the various areas, sports-youth-church or whatever other clubs, and get them involved ....

The main issue in my opinion is now that there is NO activity .... it is like a empty restaurant ... people will pass it by and go to wherever the others go unless you are able to show that it is a good place to be ... show them the BENEFIT of joining you ..... Explain what makes this site different and why you should join .....

Good luck

josephd

Hi Maurice,
What you've embarked on, is noble, difficult, but very do-able.
You won't know yourself in six months to a year if you stick with it, and its a very good idea.

Some thoughts though (constructive);
1. You must enlist you friends at the beginning. Its not a specialist forum and anyone could contribute to the general banter.
2. Recognising that it is a work in action, start tidying up the forum rather than adding extra discussions. I see two instances of "Local Action Groups" for "Skerries" with seperate forum id's (petty i know, but lose one of them)
3. You need to be found by the S.E.'s.
I'll take care of this personally, but keep it in mind yourself. In other words, you should be aiming to be found for "discussion board dublin", and find directories which are related to specific location within Dublin (this will help with deep linking and s.e. indexing. They may not crawl too deep without someone linking in at such depths). When they do index the depths, you should then be found for a whole range of keywords like for example: "local associations clontarf", etc..
I'll do something for Adamstown, which you are quite right; such communities will love "their own" discussion board (though within a board, its still a focussed board). Do likewise but other domains as this will increase your pagerank (more likely to capture a visitor, for a given set of keywords) as well as a deep linking practice.
Submit you site to all directories with an Ireland or Dublin category, and use anchor text for your desired targeted keywords.


4. Try to do something with the "site description" (your admin interface) today if you can.
5. Again, enlist some help with general discussions. (anyone here from those areas, or near it?). In a small country, personal communities or s.e. interception can be enough to propel something, but both are ideal?
6. Consider joining the seo-ireland.com forum.

Good luck!