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Marketing a small sports blog

by hennen
21 replies
I just launched my sports blog on an NFL team. I have two affiliates that I have already been approved for. I also have adsense set up.

What are legitimate traffic sources that are free? How do I make the most money out of the affiliates I have set up?

Has anybody already had success with sports blogs?

Thanks so much in advanced!
#blog #marketing #small #sports
  • Profile picture of the author keithb89
    Use groups and hashtags to promote your site on social media.
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    • Profile picture of the author TCrosby
      Twitter is huge for sports. HUGE.

      Get close with other bloggers, guest post back and forth, and interact a lot on twitter.
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  • Profile picture of the author Trivum
    Forums dedicated to the team. But your stuff better be good. Guys who hang out in team forums tend to be the most knowledgeable fans (and the most likely to think they know it all).
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  • Profile picture of the author loaf1011
    Having run a soccer website for six years now, here's a short list off the top of my head:
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+ (patience... it's growing!)
    • StumbleUpon
    • Reddit
    • Google News (they have a blogs section)
    • Forums
    • Guest posting on other blogs
    • Publicity (sign up for HARO if you haven't already!)
    • Let other people post on your blog... it's inevitable that they will promote their articles
    • News aggregators (find some in your industry)

    That should give you plenty of homework to get started with! Don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions!
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    • Profile picture of the author hennen
      Originally Posted by loaf1011 View Post

      Having run a soccer website for six years now, here's a short list off the top of my head:
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Google+ (patience... it's growing!)
      • StumbleUpon
      • Reddit
      • Google News (they have a blogs section)
      • Forums
      • Guest posting on other blogs
      • Publicity (sign up for HARO if you haven't already!)
      • Let other people post on your blog... it's inevitable that they will promote their articles
      • News aggregators (find some in your industry)

      That should give you plenty of homework to get started with! Don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions!
      Thanks for the suggestions! I'm trying StumbleUpon, but each time I only get a few views. Is there a way to maximize traffic from StumbleUpon? Also, Reddit is super confusing to me and I've never had success. How much success are you having with Google+ and how?
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  • Profile picture of the author jrigdon73
    Twitter is great for sports -- try timing your tweets when your team plays or has a major development. Also, have content loaded and ready to go for these events.
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    • Profile picture of the author hennen
      Originally Posted by jrigdon73 View Post

      Twitter is great for sports -- try timing your tweets when your team plays or has a major development. Also, have content loaded and ready to go for these events.
      Twitter is so crowded now a days. How do I stand out?
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  • Profile picture of the author Complex
    Have you tried reaching out to the team in any way possible? Because, if you could actually land exclusives, like even 30 second soundbites or 2 minute interviews ... you'd be light years ahead of what other sports affiliates do. (You'd probably have to start with bench players at first, of course ... maybe even reach out to former players, retired role players who were fan favorites)

    Also, is there a sports radio show that you can become a regular caller for? Because after a little while, if you are a "favorite," they might actually let you get away with a quick plug after you call in.

    Like, if I had a Jets or Giants fan blog, I'd be calling into WFAN. All the time
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    • Profile picture of the author hennen
      Originally Posted by Complex View Post

      Have you tried reaching out to the team in any way possible? Because, if you could actually land exclusives, like even 30 second soundbites or 2 minute interviews ... you'd be light years ahead of what other sports affiliates do. (You'd probably have to start with bench players at first, of course ... maybe even reach out to former players, retired role players who were fan favorites)

      Also, is there a sports radio show that you can become a regular caller for? Because after a little while, if you are a "favorite," they might actually let you get away with a quick plug after you call in.

      Like, if I had a Jets or Giants fan blog, I'd be calling into WFAN. All the time
      I've tried doing this with some well known players (asked them through Twitter), but it never gets much traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author cyberzolo
    Market you site in forums in the football or NFL niche. Social media is very good for sports related content as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author linaterese
    I would say facebook or twitter!

    Good luck to you
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  • Profile picture of the author AffEngineer
    Write great articles focusing on certain keywords. Overtime this will generate you traffic.

    Forums and popular blogs are also great traffic sources but don't spam them, be part of the community and have your website in the signature area or something.
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  • Profile picture of the author rlopez88
    Go to facebook and search in the search bar for sports group and link your blog there. thats good traffic for a start.
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    • Profile picture of the author hennen
      Originally Posted by rlopez88 View Post

      Go to facebook and search in the search bar for sports group and link your blog there. thats good traffic for a start.
      There aren't any real good ones in my niche.
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  • Profile picture of the author hennen
    Thanks for all the help! Has anyone already had success with sports related sites?
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    If it was me, I would be on Youtube.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kikrly
    Twitter in the first place, then comes Facebook.
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  • Profile picture of the author Yaro
    I coached a guy named Mitch who started with a college football blog and then expanded to cover most top popular sports (Free Picks, Free Pick, NFL Pick, CFB Pick, College Football Pick, NBA Pick, MLB Pick, NCAA Pick, Expert Pick, Expert Prediction, Against The Spread). He's doing over a million dollars a year now in advertising and membership income.

    His biggest strength has been staying on top of the most recent updates as they happen with mountains and mountains of content, thanks to a team of writers. If you can break news and then jump on the hashtags on twitter with your news that's a formula for your first few thousand readers for sure.

    However you're going to need a way to get the best stories and lots of them! - either by being really good at curating content, being at the games and writing as it happens live, or using your superior knowledge to produce content that other sites can't match.

    Pick a strategy and then execute!

    Yaro
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    • Profile picture of the author hennen
      Originally Posted by Yaro View Post

      I coached a guy named Mitch who started with a college football blog and then expanded to cover most top popular sports (Free Picks, Free Pick, NFL Pick, CFB Pick, College Football Pick, NBA Pick, MLB Pick, NCAA Pick, Expert Pick, Expert Prediction, Against The Spread). He's doing over a million dollars a year now in advertising and membership income.

      His biggest strength has been staying on top of the most recent updates as they happen with mountains and mountains of content, thanks to a team of writers. If you can break news and then jump on the hashtags on twitter with your news that's a formula for your first few thousand readers for sure.

      However you're going to need a way to get the best stories and lots of them! - either by being really good at curating content, being at the games and writing as it happens live, or using your superior knowledge to produce content that other sites can't match.

      Pick a strategy and then execute!

      Yaro
      Hi! Thanks for the motivating response! Can you give me an example of how you jumped on Twitter hashtags and got noticed in the clutter of Twitter.
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  • Profile picture of the author DigitalAmbition
    Like others have pointed out, start by utilizing social media to drive traffic to your site. There are lots of avid sports fans on Twitter and Facebook who you can reach out to. Sign up to relevant forums as well as and put the link of your website in your signature if the website allows it.

    You could also try blog commenting, YouTube,and guest posting. I would start by utilizing social media and forums first though.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Traffic for every site is about being where your core target audience hangs out online.

    Figure out which blogs, forums and social media networks they like to spend time on.

    Then get your own presence there. You have to do whatever you can (without spamming or being annoying) to get your ads or content in front of them.

    It might be paid ads (banner, PPC, FB ads etc)

    It cold be guest posting or blog commenting.

    Maybe it's forum marketing.

    Maybe it's social media marketing.

    Every site is different.

    But if your content is top notch, you network with authorities and other people who have the audience in your niche, and have a presence where your target audience is then you can't go wrong.
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