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Interesting (cheap) way of promoting your website and getting traffic...

by Johnathan
23 replies
Ok,

Well, I heard about this a long time ago (I think this was 2-3 years ago), but something now just reminded me of it, and I thought a lot of people here might get a kick out of it as an idea/way to generate traffic.
As a matter of fact, when I saw the "bum marketing" post here, I thought it was the same thing, but it looks like that (bum marketing) is different from what I am talking about.

Now, I'm not saying that I personally *recommend* it (this particular method I don't think is really that ethical). But anyways.

A few years ago... some guy realized that there were a lot of homeless people asking for food/money on the streets in California... They would just be having big signs asking for this. So some bright guy went and got a bunch of these homeless people to agree to hold a sign with his website URL, underneath their "please give food/money" sign, and he paid them like $10 for the day (figuring they might be standing there all day, so might as well).

Anyways, just looking in google, (under "bum advertising"), it actually appears to be quite popular
#cheap #interesting #promoting #traffic #website
  • Profile picture of the author TLTheLiberator
    Don't know, there's so many ways to promote online - dirt cheap and free, I don't want to be bothered.

    TL
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    "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. -- Mark Twain

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  • Profile picture of the author winebuddy
    I'm ON it! plus - the Bums will LOVE my site!
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    "Knowledge is NOT power... ACTION on Knowledge is power"
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    • Profile picture of the author tommygadget
      Originally Posted by winebuddy View Post

      I'm ON it! plus - the Bums will LOVE my site!
      Conflict of interest.

      TomG.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jared Alberghini
      Originally Posted by winebuddy View Post

      I'm ON it! plus - the Bums will LOVE my site!
      ROFL... awwww now that's just wrong winebuddy
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    • Profile picture of the author Amidala
      Originally Posted by winebuddy View Post

      I'm ON it! plus - the Bums will LOVE my site!
      Hahaha would that be the wine blog on your siggy? Crazy idea. I cannot see this working here in Portugal, but who knows? I know I won't be trying lol I like the hot girls wearing t-shirts with my url better
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  • Profile picture of the author 20colors09
    I know this is quite a popular and successful medium but definitely not an Internet marketing idea...
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Hmm.. So the implication is:

      "Visit this site - and you too could end up homeless"




      Frank
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      • Profile picture of the author Trieu
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        Hmm.. So the implication is:

        "Visit this site - and you too could end up homeless"




        Frank
        well, you could say something like

        "I can't afford a PC, to visit this site, please help"
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        • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
          $10 a day - until they wise-up and decide to cash in by making a labor claim complaint about not getting a minimum wage.

          Too bad I haven't seen one of these campaigns. Attorney's fees are also recoverable.

          Here in California, with penalties, that could be a really expensive marketing campaign.

          Worst marketing idea I ever saw promoted, by one of the 'gurus' in a $97 per month premium members section, was eating at a restaurant and writing your website url in ketchup on the table. I think this was Nitro Marketing, and they had this killer idea mentioned 3 times. Needless to day, I cancelled.
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          • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
            Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

            Worst marketing idea I ever saw promoted, by one of the 'gurus' in a $97 per month premium members section, was eating at a restaurant and writing your website url in ketchup on the table. I think this was Nitro Marketing, and they had this killer idea mentioned 3 times. Needless to day, I cancelled.
            Ew. That would only be worth doing for one of your competitors' urls



            Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarah Johnson
    As clever as the idea is...I think I will stick to the Internet.

    Plus, I agree that the association with being homeless may not be exactly what you want.

    Mrs. Johnson
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  • Profile picture of the author Mad Dawg
    Hrmm, promoting a seduction site via grungy homeless people? Sounds great!

    Really, there are a lot of homeless though in my town, and I would definitely not mind giving them 10 bucks for the day...thats more food and booze than they've probably had in one day in a while. And maybe I get some curiosity traffic out of it.

    Thanks for the idea haha
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  • Profile picture of the author edman
    No comment just yet...
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    Don't Google it... ASK Edward
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  • Profile picture of the author dsilvestre
    Good way to help homeless people but I wouldn't do this... It just isn't my type... There are gazillion ways to promote your website online...
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  • Profile picture of the author Louis Raven
    Clever method, in fact, this method has been used for many years.

    Just walk through London and you'll see thousands of sign holders. OK they might not be bums but what's the difference lol.

    Louis
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  • Profile picture of the author Shannon Herod
    I would rather pay them to hold my sign than pay them to put my link under their give me money sign.


    Shannon
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  • Profile picture of the author Jared Alberghini
    I just tried peeing my domain name in the snowbank in front of my house...

    it get's a ton of drive-by traffic... trouble is, I only got the WWW done so far...

    I'm off to drink some fluids...

    - Jared
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  • Profile picture of the author BizBooks
    the trick is to pay 50 fellaz $1 each to take a pic with your sign

    then take the 50 pictures, make a viral video for youtube, and you are off to the races
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  • Profile picture of the author RockstarBen
    Ha! I can see it now!
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    • Profile picture of the author dail
      If you have to stand there all day to watch if they are holding up the sign you may as well hold it up your self.

      Just give them a donation instead at least you know what you get for your money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nathan Denton
    different take on the term "bum-marketing".
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    Online marketing, offline marketing and various other things.
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  • Profile picture of the author OmarNegron
    never heard that type of bum marketing method before..lol

    I guess we should be open to new things...don't know if I would do that though

    Omar!
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  • Profile picture of the author daisey
    Optimize your site yourself
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