Question

Topic: Strategy

Promoting Social Networking Website

Posted by Anonymous on 6/21/2007 at 1:35 PM ET 125 Points
I've started a social networking site for friends and I am struggling to get the word out about the site. There is lots of competition but even the sites that are "worse" than mine have thousands of users so i know it can be done. My marketing budget is tight but I am willing to do anything I can to make it happen.

I have posted the article on prweb and have just started an email campaign on the 6/19/07 (600,000 emails). I've also posted on google groups, mashable.com, and any article that i've found that deals with social networking. I am also using Google AdWords but I don't think that is worth the $.

Currently there is only about 250 users on the site and i am trying to get first 3,000 or so users as fast as I can.

What are my options to promote this thing on my limited budget and get lots of users in short period of time?

I would appreciate any help.

Thank you,
Joe
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 6/21/2007 at 2:35 PM Accepted
    Hey, Joe.

    I'd definitely submit news of this to the big tagging sites, like digg, reddit, stumbleupon, etc. Also, put an addthis button on your home page (go to addthis.com for instructions) so that others can add it to the social networking sites. Go one step further and ask your loyal users to digg it (and join digg if they aren't on it) to generate some buzz, although you have to be a bit careful with this because the digg-type sites want to avoid link spam (ie. people promoting themselves).
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 6/25/2007 at 1:10 AM Accepted
    Perhaps people don't 'get' what they have to do?

    You might want it make it a bit clearer how to join. "Sign up now" in tiny print didn't do it for me.

    I'd have a big logo to click saying "Join here - free" or Start making friends here - free".

    Try it. What have you got to lose?

    Hope that helps.

    ChrisB

    PS I joined, anyway.
  • Posted on 6/28/2007 at 11:35 AM Accepted
    Joe,

    My name is Seantrell Smith and I work for an internet measurement firm. Hitwise, now part of Experian, monitors how consumers interact daily online. Our data helps sites to understand and see exactly how their competitors are getting traffic to their site. Understanding your competitor’s strategies (affiliates, partners, successful keywords etc) will help you to inherit those ideas to gain more and better quality traffic to your site. I recently joined your site and see much potential. If you are interested in hearing more about Hitwise please send me an email so we can set up time to chat.
  • Posted by Mushfique Manzoor on 7/2/2007 at 10:53 AM Accepted
    Hi admin

    agree with ChrisB on your site.

    have a look at Orkut or Facebook or even LinkedIn. your opening page should have a big sign-in prompt/space to allure people to be member. your search box should also be a bigger one to attract people.

    i think you should come up with a differentiated name of networking. example Orkut is known as "Online Community" while Facebook is known as "Social Utility". if u google either of these terms the page of orkut and facebook comes in the first 6/7 options.

    so i suggest you develop/come up with a new name of networking, and then do a SEO of your new term into Google and wikipedia. this will deliver more than any promotion.

    just my 2 cents, hope this helps

    cheers!!
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