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Help With Getting Targeted Traffic

by Aduley
8 replies
Hey all, I really hate to ask for the typical review my site and tell me what I am doing wrong thing, but I am literally having a stumped moment here.

Ever since I started in "IM" about 6 or 7 months ago, it is the funniest thing because I absolutely can't help but want to do this. Every day at work, all I look forward to is coming home and adding content to my sites or learning something new.

I have made a total of about $8.00 over that time. The funny thing though is that isn't what really bothers me. I know it will make this my full time job in time.

I first learned that you have to get traffic, so I worked on that with making squidoo pages and sending articles to some of the article directory sites.

(I do know that there are many other ways as well, I recently set up an RSS feed at feedburner.com for my most resent site from a suggestion from another member maybe a week ago. Yet another thing I learned, and why I love this forum so much.)

BTW I am in the learning to play an instrument niche, since I have played the guitar for about 14 years now, and I am focusing on everything that has to do with beginners and guitar.

So here is the problem. I decided I was going to try and be an affiliate for physical products from Amazon for this site. The site has about 30 pages, all that have to do with information about guitars, music theory, and accessories.

I am getting clicks, about 550 or so this month, but the problem is not one single conversion.

I hate to even admit this, but I am doing something really wrong, and I am not sure how to remedy this. For all you pros, I am sure it would be cake walk to fix this, but I am feeling kind of low right now because I don't know how to fix the problem.

It comes down to not having targeted traffic, but what I really need to know is what kind of keywords incite the public to get into that buying mode. Or even better what kind of keywords should I research that will be aimed towards netting targeted traffic.

If you have some free time and would be willing to take a look at my site and *gulp* tell me exactly all the things I am doing wrong, including colors, fonts, and everything else that would be extremely awesome.

LOL I will probably regret this, but I guess it is the only way to improve my copywriting (since I am very new at this) and overall website.

Thanks again everyone

Andrew
#targeted #traffic
  • Profile picture of the author Aduley
    Sorry the site I am referring to is the guitar lessons for beginners in my signature.
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  • Profile picture of the author nedox
    to be honest, your site doesn't look like someone who I can trust to sell me something. When it comes to sites that offer sales, design of site and "serious" look of it comes at number one spot.
    I am saying this as someone who often purchase things from internet, and I know that if site doesnt look serious, I don't care how cheap is their product, I will move on to better looking one and even if it's more expensive, I will buy there.
    So in my opinion, design is something you should work on, make it eyecandy and I'm sure your conversion rate will jump.
    Also focus on keywords like "buy guitar" (just example) to drive even more targeted audience.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    I would move the "Sign Up" opt-in box above the fold.

    List building is paramount; sales made are usually the result of a connection made through your list. Visitors should see your opt in box without having to scroll down the page so I'd switch it up with the youtube video widget.

    You also give the viewer too many choices: I'd remove the 2 Learning to Play guitar links down below. The more choices, the more confusion, the less you get the viewer to do what you want them to do. I'd teach your list how to play guitar in the list updates.

    Hope this helps

    RB
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    Ryan Biddulph helps you to be a successful blogger with his courses, manuals and blog at Blogging From Paradise
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    • Profile picture of the author WillR
      Originally Posted by ryanbiddulph View Post

      I would move the "Sign Up" opt-in box above the fold.
      I think you are looking at the wrong site. He's talking about the second one in his signature if I'm not mistaken. But your points on list building are valid. You have no optin form at all on the site - big mistake. The site does need a more professional and neat layout, I agree with that, but you should be building a list.

      Majority of people are not going to buy anything the first time they visit a website, that's just fact. You need to build a list and sell to them over time. Sticking banners on your site is not going to make you many sales - you would need a lot of traffic for that to happen. Start writing some reviews on those courses you are promoting in the banners so people can find them when they are searching for more information/reviews on those products.
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  • Profile picture of the author angel951_girl
    Merry Christmas!
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    I'm a mother of two beautiful boys that my world revolves around. I've been doing internet marketing for 3 yrs now and I love the financial freedom.
    Check out my blog
    http://joinwealthyaffiliatenow.com

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    • Profile picture of the author Aduley
      Thank you all very much for the valuable input. So here is what I am getting out of this.

      First off about the layout, great to know, that will be what I work on first. Is anyone able to recommend some good themes that may work better and look more professional?

      I realiza I need an opt in box, but I really am struggling with what to offer in exchange for peoples email. But you are absolutely correct about needing to collect emails.

      And I have written reviews about the guitar courses I am promoting, but I made them into posts, so they don't show as the landing page.

      Most importantly I want to portay a more serious look to the site, and I need some advice on how to do that.

      Thanks again everyone

      Andrew
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      • Profile picture of the author WillR
        Originally Posted by Aduley View Post

        Thank you all very much for the valuable input. So here is what I am getting out of this.

        First off about the layout, great to know, that will be what I work on first. Is anyone able to recommend some good themes that may work better and look more professional?

        I realiza I need an opt in box, but I really am struggling with what to offer in exchange for peoples email. But you are absolutely correct about needing to collect emails.

        And I have written reviews about the guitar courses I am promoting, but I made them into posts, so they don't show as the landing page.

        Most importantly I want to portay a more serious look to the site, and I need some advice on how to do that.

        Thanks again everyone

        Andrew
        Andrew,

        Here's the kind of site you should be heading towards - he's in the same niche, promoting a lot of the same courses (Railroad Media) and has a simple, clean looking blog. He could probably get rid of the big banner at the top of the page but I know he probably has it there because there is a sale on all the courses right now. He could also make his logo smaller and put it where the banner is, right at the top, to bring all the content of the page further up - including his optin form.

        The Paradiddler

        You'll notice he has an optin offer in the sidebar. He also uses a popup for the same optin offer. He writes very detailed reviews on all the courses as well. You don't have to have the reviews on your homepage. The idea is to write nice detailed reviews and those posts will start to show up in the search engines by themselves.

        The theme this guy is using is the Thesis theme: Thesis Theme Blog

        It's a very clean coded and clean looking theme - it's also very easily customized by yourself. You do have to pay for it but it is a great theme and used by a lot of Internet Marketers.

        Hope that helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author Aduley
    Ok I just tried visiting that guys website, but I am at work on my phone and it didn't load up correctly. What I did see though is that he has branded himself with the paradiddler name. So I will have to check it out when I get home.

    As far as the thesis theme is concerned I am really thinking about buying it because I have heard a lot of good things about it.

    Keep up the suggestions I really appreciate them all!

    Andrew
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