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I have submitted my site to all of the search engines. I am waiting for Google to update and I'll see what kind of results I get there, but for a site that does not generate revenue, what can I do to raise more traffic.
I run a FREE real estate search engine specifically catering to New York property seekers. I need to find a way to get more people to the site. I have a great site design, it's easy to use and the people who have used it and seen it like it very much. Now how can I possibly get more users to the site now that my best listing which is On MSN, PR6 for my targeted search phrase "apartments for rent new york" is going PPC?
Please advise me guru's!
Look for on-theme directories, vortals etc and get listed there. Partner with other free sites who share similar topics.
Unfortunately, the free web as we knew it is dying. The big boys are chomping into our channel...
Too true!
...a quote from someone viewing my site and wishing to put it in a "niche directory" and a mailshot for a site with free content
"From the looks of the pages and the content, I though you were one of those big bad media companies lurking on the web, trying to lure people to your site, then start terrorizing them. Just kidding"
Seems people are beginning to see those nasty trends on the net for big corps to try and cover every keyword and potential traffic source on the globe!
Kastro, a good bit of my traffic comes from inbound links from related sites....no better way to get sustained, "on topic" traffic
How can I find a related site that isn't going to be a potential threat to my company? That has been the hardest part so far.
I need to no what direction to go. Where do I look to find sites that would be good to start reciprocal linking with?
I know my questions may be pretty silly, but I'm new to this whole concept of marketing.
Perform searches on the search engines or dig into the categories of the directories and go through the web sites within your market. When searching through the search engine add "add link", "add site", "resources", etc., to your search to pull up the potential sites.
How about furniture rental companies, moving & storage, home decorating, housewares, even restaurants and pet care.
We had a FREE site about Healthcare back in 1998 / 1999.
We lost our only advertiser who merged with WebMD.
We couldn't find a replacement.
We signed up for affiliate STUFF and sold the ads to ourselves. Been doing affiliate marketing ever since.
Selling your ad inventory to yourself can be very profitable and the $ can be used to drive more traffic.
Also, if your product/service is restricted to one geographical area, you then have the choice of linking/reciprocal linking/dealing with similar businesses outwith your catchment area.
kastro, youre site is free, and therefore non-commercial IMO. The best advice I ever received in here was getting a free Zeal listing, perhaps you could get one of those so that you can "get your foot in the door" with looksmart, and also get a bonus in MSN I believe
Suggestion>
Your site consists of X amount of pages. If your navigation is linear, ie all pages are one click away, then you could add an additional link to "search other countries" or "related products". The negative aspect of this is that link pop also filters to this new page which isnt really promoting your real service.
But on the other side of the coin, youre then providing an "extra" service, and also serving to provide link pop....which of course your gonna be wanting links back for :). Its worth considering.
Feeder said >>Look for on-theme directories, vortals etc and get listed there. Partner with other free sites who share similar topics.
Couldnt be more true. You already know your niche market, so market it as such. Stamp your authority on the web "FIND AN APARTMENT HERE". The more places you can be found, the more cumulative your traffic and link pop will be
Provide more content and youre sorted. Thatll help you get more search listings and in turn more link pop.
Hopefully people appreciate the service and link to it...and so on....
Well, in an ideal world, thats how it would work for me :)
Oops, and as for keeping it free, slamming a few ads in the corners of your site may keep you ticking over in the short term :)
Along with the thoughts of the others, I do think you can achieve good linking but I think you are going to have offer potential linking partners some unique incentive. In your case, you have an invaluable asset, that is, that people trip over themselves for "early edition" news on available apartments. I visited your site and yes, it seems you have done a nice job with it. But your sources are also your competitors, so as you've already figured, that's a dead end revenue stream (I assume) until you've got some wonker traffic numbers.
Are you able to extract the fresh apartment listings and get them into a newsletter format? If you can do this, then this weekly newsletter can be the incentive you offer in exchange for a link. After that you can go after any local business on the web, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker (or in nyc terms: the nightclubs, the artists, the cooking schools) and make your offer. Craft text links back to yourself that use your top keywords.
Create a separate directory on the site, right below the root, which contains another self-contained "website" that uses text content about your topic. Create as many pages of text and graphics as you can and keep your context very specific on the topic. Heck, create press releases about your site and put 'em up there. Make each of these pages as "flat" as possible: no javascript, nothing fancy, everything in line with the most conservative page-creation practices. Link out on each page to one or two high pr real estate sites. Of course, on each page, link to your Start Search Here Page. Tough market, you'll have to be diligent and flexible.
Pshea, I'm glad you took a look at my site and your newsletter idea is already coded and complete, I just wanted to take my time positioning it correctly on the site. Your definetly right about the real estate amrket here in NY, but your wrong about my sources being my competitors. My major competitors are the NYTimes, Village Voice and LOOT newspapers and websites. The property owners who have created listings on my site so far, also have listings in all of the above. My idea is to lure them away from using those Paid services and have them using mine. I need a way to drive more traffic to the site for the scheme to work. Although the site is free, thats not going to be enough to make these NY real estate agents come and place their listings. They need to get at least as many contacts from placing their property with me as placing their property with my competitors. 5 or more RE firms that can vouch for the contact rate will create a domino effect, because these brokers out here are greedy. If they find out the guy down the block just made as much or more money then him without spending any, naturally he will make the move.
I am definetely going to launch my newsletter within the next week and that will hopefully do as you said and give the locals a reason to start a link exchange with me. As for creating static pages below my root, i'm not really sure what you mean, or actually what the goal is. I need someone to clear that up for me please.
If any 1 has anymore poor-mans traffic building techniques I would really appreciate hearing them.
I am grateful to all of you who posted in this discussion and I thank you all very much.
Thanks,
Kastro
So while you are not in the business of explaining what a Classic 6 is, these types of pages play around the fringe of potential visitors to your database pages. On the web, not everyone walks in the front door. They come in the windows and teeny cracks in the basement. That's what I've seen anyway.
