Whoever said "Build it and they will come!" is full of sh*#...

by jharri
36 replies
Fellow warriors, I am need need of some serious help. I have an online store (oscommerce-based) that is completely ready for business. The store has been up and running for a good 2-3 years. Recently, i had built small buffer sites for a few of the main products and I would get a small number of trickled orders every month. But in the last few months, most if not all of those sites were hit by panda, etc and no longer working to bring in traffic. In fact, I have let most of those sites/domains expire.

My question is, how can I generate a good flow of traffic to my online store?

I sell clothing, skateboards and accessories. I have a great selection, and the pricing is pretty competitive. Any advice/information would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!
Jim
#full #online marketing #online marketing advice #seo #sh# #traffic
  • Profile picture of the author wackiin
    Have you tried videos are niche web2.0s that lead back to your sites? they rank well
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901218].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jharri
      Thank you wakiin. That's a really good idea and I have thought about it a couple times but don't really know how to promote it. Do you think posting a small 30-60 video on each of my product pages would do the trick? I guess I would have to figure out the higher searched/lower competition keywords to use for the video titles and figure out some sort of speed ranking method or something...
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901285].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Thomas W
    LOL, i've heard this same statement before. I have daily backlinking strategy by using Article directories and web 2.0 properties.

    You can get the full details in the newbie mastermind group
    http://www.warriorforum.com/local-me...irections.html
    Signature

    Established webmaster since 1998. Bought my first domain name for $70 and had to pay $1000 a month for hosting. It was the good life

    Skype: twool9
    Email me at thomasw9 ((((a)))) G mail

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901231].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jharri
      Thomas W, are you still getting good results from directories and web2.0s? I will take a look at the link you sent me...
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901291].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    Signature



    Moderator's Note: You're only allowed to put your own products or sites in your signature.

    Signature edited.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901319].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jharri
      Wow, 300+ kindle covers in one month!!! Congrats on your success Adie! It sounds like your persistence and consistency really paid off with your backlinking skills ;-)

      Would you be wiling to share some info on your articles and review strategy? Perhaps a PM?

      Either way, I am glad to hear someone is making money selling products online. Keep up the good work!

      Jim
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901374].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AlphaWarrior
    "Built it and they will come!" came from a make believe movie "Field Of Dreams". I don't know of any real life successful person who has said it or even claimed it. The statement is bogus and clearly not true.

    BTW, in the movie, they build a baseball field out in the middle of nowhere (no big cities or urban areas anywhere nearby) and, at the end of the movie, they show a never ending stream of cars going to the field - all coming without any promotion whatsoever. Its' like the saying "only in your dreams".
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901429].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    Welcome to the real world. You have to work hard to get customers.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901434].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author glowworm
      Banned
      YouTube videos. Small investment=big returns, if you make it quirky enough.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901475].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author jharri
        Thanks Glowworm. Do you have any proven system in mind (or that you use) that is currently successful?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902873].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author fedor50
      Originally Posted by mosthost View Post

      Welcome to the real world. You have to work hard to get customers.
      This. It takes hard work getting the name of your site out there and if you want to really achieve success in the online world you must NOT be passive. You must instead focus on becoming Proactive. Success comes to those who take ACTION. NOT to those who wait.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901565].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author jharri
        Fedor50 I totally agree with you. My problem is that I don't want to continue "spinning my wheels" and wasting the time and energy on something that no longer works. That's why I am asking how people are getting traffic (buyer traffic) these days.

        I am all about taking action, just looking for a good direction to proceed in...
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901594].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author fedor50
          Originally Posted by jharri View Post

          Fedor50 I totally agree with you. My problem is that I don't want to continue "spinning my wheels" and wasting the time and energy on something that no longer works. That's why I am asking how people are getting traffic (buyer traffic) these days.

          I am all about taking action, just looking for a good direction to proceed in...
          Here's a little secret to find out "buyer" keywords. Go to Google and type in keywords related to your niche. If there are any Google Adwords Ads displaying, then that means there is money to be made with those keywords. In other words, those are buyer keywords. Also be sure to mix up your traffic sources. Forum marketing, Blog commenting, Guest posting, etc. And remember to stay consistent.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901655].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Azam Marketing
    There's probably more webpages on the internet than people on the planet so, as the others have said, it's incredibly hard to get visitors to a website. And that's only step one. Then one has to get them to buy!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901487].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    The guy who said "build it and they will come" was some ghostly voice in a Hollywood movie where Kevin Costner builds a baseball diamond over part of his cornfield and dead baseball players magically appeared on it and played for his enjoyment.

    So yeah, of course they were full of crap.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901503].message }}
    • Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

      The guy who said "build it and they will come" was some ghostly voice in a Hollywood movie where Kevin Costner builds a baseball diamond over part of his cornfield and dead baseball players magically appeared on it and played for his enjoyment.
      Gee, when you say it that way it all sounds kind of hokey somehow.

      fLufF
      --
      Signature
      Fiverr is looking for freelance writers for its blog. Details here.
      Love microjobs? Work when you want and get paid in cash the same day!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901554].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author GlobalTrader
    But isn't that what Google's front man Matt Cutts keeps telling everyone?
    Signature

    GlobalTrader

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901878].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Zimmerp
      No one ever said "Build it and they will come".

      The actual phrase used in the movie was "If you build it, he will come"
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901922].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author joseph7384
        [DELETED]
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902088].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Zimmerp
          I was referring to "Field of Dreams" with Kevin Costner
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902141].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author theory expert
            Banned
            Originally Posted by Zimmerp View Post

            I was referring to "Field of Dreams" with Kevin Costner
            But you said that is not the quote as if the quote was never said before. You know what the OP meant what is wrong with you?
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902167].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Prankster
          If You Build It, They Will Come.- Teddy Roosevelt
          Field of dreams:"If you build it, He will come"
          Wayne's World 2 quote "If you book them, they will come.
          Earths Quotes Dot Com
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902228].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author AlphaWarrior
      Originally Posted by GlobalTrader View Post

      But isn't that what Google's front man Matt Cutts keeps telling everyone?
      Sure seems to be.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902218].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    You should run some TV ads. Do seo and rank high for the kind of products that people are looking for. Is this a high competition niche?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901894].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
      Originally Posted by Randall Magwood View Post

      You should run some TV ads. Do seo and rank high for the kind of products that people are looking for. Is this a high competition niche?

      TV ads can get quite expensive and especially if you don't know what you are doing..Be careful with that approach

      Start small, test...and scale UP
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902251].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author theory expert
    Banned
    Did you search your niche first? Find out what the market wants and give it to them. Go to where your market hang out....any skate board forums? Spy on tony hawks fan base on twitter see what their saying. Go to amazon and look for skate board books see what people are saying. Maybe you can read those books add a review and plug your ecommerce site at the same time.

    Also, get someone to do a cool youtube video with your clothes on doing stunts and maybe plug in your wears that way. Can you do some ppc, ppv? Press release? Bloggers in a similar niche? Can you guest post? buy advertising? or, give them a percentage for any leads they can generate?

    How about latching on to a story and offer to donate some of your wears to a cause locally or other wise. So much more but I digress.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6901902].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
    Target easy-to-rank products and provide good content and "Build it and they will come" certainly holds true. I've got 10 sites all generating traffic and they have been since the first week of their existence.
    Signature
    Want a REAL Online Business That's Fun to Run?
    CLICK HERE FOR INFO
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902182].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author chdduncan
    Hello,

    I would suggest going to different forums where people of that niche hang out.

    Facebook has a huge market for products such as that, try out building a page and gathering like minded people as your friends

    You can create a blog and enter in a product for each post and gain emails by giving away a coupon when they subscribe

    Hope this helps!
    Signature

    "I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that wont work"

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902242].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Defacto
    This may not always be the case but video is ridiculously inexpensive to get ranked for many buyer keywords. I have several Amazon sites ranked that continue to trickle in commissions every month. I drive the traffic with video.

    I also do Pay Per Call campaigns with video for even better commissions. I fear there will be a "YouTube Panda" someday but until then video is the most cost effective way to gain fast rank.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902330].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      I think the thread got it all wrong.

      If you just build they all will come:

      1 The Aweber Fees
      2 The Hosting Fees
      3 The Domain Renewal Fees
      4 Your ISP Fees
      5 Your Frustration
      6 Your Wordpress plugin update Fees
      7 Your Taxes
      8 Your Mortgage or Rent Fees

      Tust me they all will come, so do like Zig Ziglar said prime that pump and go to work.
      Signature
      Use Feeder Sites, Articles, And Social Media Sites To Generate Unstoppable Traffic, FREE! Click Here Now To Get It For FREE
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902844].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author IMSince2003
    YouTube videos work very well, so yes, by all means do that. For quick results, I would do keyword searches on your products and bid low on content network clicks from AdWords. I used to do this when I sold physical goods back in the day. I would invest $3,000/month in PPC and make $3,000/month in profit. You can do it too with proper tracking and campaign optimization. Start with a free AdWords coupon for $50 or so. They're everywhere. Good luck!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902880].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lerxtjr
    Is anyone going to bring up guest posting on related blogs? Seems jharri has a perfect fit for guest blogging. jharri, I'm guessing you have some sort of knowledge or interest in the skateboarding demographic, yes? Then go find a list of, say, 100 blogs that cater to skateboarders and others that will wear your clothing and accessories and offer to write guest posts of valuable content. The blog owners will supply you with links back to your site from within your guest blog post. Expect 200-800 visits over a 5-day period from just about every blog you would be a guest poster on. Works like a charm.
    Signature

    Come practice your public speaking skills with us FREE every week! SpeakersSpeakLIVE.com >>

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6902995].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JoeTavs
    If you don't have a blog attached to your site I would suggest adding one. Target long tail keywords that get some traffic and you can rank for to drive traffic. Have a give-a-way item and start a list. Stay in contact with list members.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6916388].message }}

Trending Topics