Have you ever advertised your website/forum in real life like posting flyers or business cards at different places?
Did that help you any?
Did that help you any?
Advertising in real life?
- Thread starter Allenafaith
- Start date
Joshua Farrell
FP's Housekeeper
Not forums persay, but there was a MMORPG that I used to be on that was pretty successful with bringing people to the site, by advertising at different places like Libraries, fast food places and the like.
I thought about doing that many times but I thought well!! the websites are worldwide and and really need to send cards, flyers to other people around the world. Can be costly way if you aren't going to get anything back.
I rather do stickers and t shirts or mouse pads with the website logo and whatnot that people will love to use 🙂
I rather do stickers and t shirts or mouse pads with the website logo and whatnot that people will love to use 🙂
I tried putting some flyers up around my college for my site when I first got it up and running. I didn't really notice any increase in traffic during that time, so I don't think it was successful.
It is definitely something that can work better with games and service type sites better. For forums it can sometimes work but you need to target the niche your forum is in. So for example, if it is a book/story/writing/reading forum you would want to try and get your flyers in libraries and bookstores.
Blanketing a whole area with flyers (say with direct mail for example) isn't going to get a good return on your investment because you will need target people specifically interested in your niche if you want to get their conversions.
It is definitely something that can work better with games and service type sites better. For forums it can sometimes work but you need to target the niche your forum is in. So for example, if it is a book/story/writing/reading forum you would want to try and get your flyers in libraries and bookstores.
Blanketing a whole area with flyers (say with direct mail for example) isn't going to get a good return on your investment because you will need target people specifically interested in your niche if you want to get their conversions.
Yes I did many times for my company before, I did many ways such as hang out flyers, leaflets, hang banners in front of store, road show, offline event, standy,...and many other ways. And in almost event the sale got increases few more percent (+5%, 20%)
lucycarter
Reputable
I have distributed promotional giveaway at trade shows and events for my client website. Apart from this, i also give newspaper advertising for it. It helped me to bring new leads for my business.
I did this a lot in college. When I had Nashville Web Services going, i printed off hundreds of fliers and went around taping them up everywhere. I didn’t get permission from Student Development to put the fliers up, so I kept seeing my fliers get taken down. I’d have to put them up in tactical locations so that no one would take them down.
I fell for this web store scam in my early 20s. Well, I was inexperienced, so I didn't understand that it would take marketing - and real marketing takes money! In that case, I put flyers around every grocery store, gas station in Appalachia. O.K., it was fun, kind of like a Boy Scout project - but nothing, of course.
Well, this did introduce me into web marketing which is passion now.
Well, this did introduce me into web marketing which is passion now.
Maria Jonas
Familiar Face
Not yet! It is a good idea but depends on the niche too that we should go for it or not.
D
Deleted member 49125
I do for mine. Since it's natural & holistic, I focus on Health Food Stores. I notice I have an increase in guests & views but not many joined. People I talk to tend to prefer social media over forums.
HolisticStorm
Up-and-Coming Sensation
Back when I ran forums (about ten years ago or so), I was always far too timid to tell people I knew in real life about them. I guess that I felt that they would find it silly.
D
Deleted member 17779
I've not done this, no.
There have been some online friends that I've asked if they don't mind joining my forum. Or asked them if they wouldn't mind doing exchanges with me.
There have been some online friends that I've asked if they don't mind joining my forum. Or asked them if they wouldn't mind doing exchanges with me.
D
Deleted member 17779
What do you think won't work about it?
Niche is the key, spending money on cards, flyers and also posters on a gaming related site with your local town nowadays, most older age groups go shopping or visit, as mostly young age group doesn't anymore or they tend to speed time elsewhere or online shopping, and then having to think who will understand what means to them that you are aiming at or what the site is about, also who reads flyers and cards nowadays.
I myself never stop reading billboards anymore, in fact, I never do.
I myself never stop reading billboards anymore, in fact, I never do.
So my main brand is a hiking and outdoor recreation company. I don't really sell much, I give away information in the form of digital media, videos, photos, blogs and etc. I do have some paid service like Patreon, itinerary planning and a guided hiking/biking service.
But I have written nearly 50 local hiking guides. I provide them for free. I wanted to advertise them more. Through SEO, I have successfully got on page 1 in SERPs but I needed more local advertising.
So I had 500 business cards made with a QR code that you scan with your phone camera and it takes you to the directory of all my guides. I've seen a pretty good increase since I've been using this method.
I've made myself into a "local celebrity" (lol still weird saying that) so people come up and say Hi a lot when we meet hiking. I ask if they've seen my guides after a conversation starts and if not, I give them a card. I also have booths at a few local events in state parks and other town events and I give them away there as well.
Don't underestimate print or guerilla marketing at that, especially for local niches.
The only thing I've seen this work for in my situation was in-person music lessons. It didn't work for some online store thing I started doing - when I was first into computers in the early 2000s. However, it was fun going to all these supermarkets all over my area, some even a few hours away.
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