8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

What's the most profitable longeterm strategy? I'm kind of frustrated, so this is sort of a vent...

by JasonParker
6 replies
  • SEO
    • |
So here's where I'm coming from...

Basically I'm doing the opposite of what most people are talking about.

Instead of depending on Google and finally building a list and buying traffic, etc, I'm doing the opposite.

I've been successful buying traffic and listbuilding for a while.

I'm trying to diversify and create something that will work with free Google traffic in case email marketing ever goes away... and stuff like that.

So about a month ago I decided to revive one of my old guitar sites and turn it into a product review site.

I built 350 new product review pages on the site, all unique content, in under a month using outsourcers.

Been building links to pages using BMR and I've been ranking and getting traffic...

However...

Turns out I don't like the conversion rate of the products I've chosen when people click through to Amazon.

And in light of Panda it seems like review sites wouldn't really be a good longterm strategy.

So I'm thinking growing a few mass market forums where people talk about products would be a good longterm strategy for me.

The guitar niche stuff has totally pissed me off.

Everything was looking great except for the conversion rate of expensive guitars and gear, and that's pretty much all my site is made up of... $3,000+ down the tube... lessons learned... so whatever...

Do you think growing these forums would be a good longterm strategy?
#frustrated #kind #longeterm #profitable #sort #strategy #vent
  • Profile picture of the author milapetersburg
    The problem with sites built around user generated contents like answer sites, forums, article sites is that they tend to shy off especially when a mass mix of spammers gets on board. So not unless you also have a concrete plan to strictly filter contents, like in forums a moderator is necessary to check separate spammers from authentic users to live up the promise of a quality sharing community, you will have little success.

    Regarding the guitar site, I think a web site doesn't only need contents and traffic to make it a money machine. The most recent project I have from a big SEO company in Minneapolis is that they require me to optimize pages on keywords that are the perfect match, which means they don't care if the keyword shows low volume search as long as it is the perfect match of the page. So, even a keyword with only 10 visits per month is good for them. Why? Because it converts 100% knowing that it is a perfect match. Do they earn big money from this strategy? Hmmm.. The site I am assigned to has over 900 product pages targeting unique keywords each, each product is sold for no less than $10. Now you do the math.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4882667].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author vServer Center
    Before you give up on the guitar site I would try other sources of revenue than Amazon. I have found the conversion rate from Amazon's affiliate program terrible.

    Could you create a national directory of guitar stores and charge the stores to be listed? or allow stores to pay for upgrades to premium listings?

    Have you tried Google AdSense on the site?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4882821].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mkl3377
    I think you went about monetizing it all wrong. You built a site not understanding your target market (guitar players) and then you blame them for not acting the way you want them to.(buy a guitar online). Maybe it's just me but i dont know of any musicians that would buy an instrument without testing them out. When pianist buy a piano they play it to make sure all the notes sound correctly, all the keys have just the right feel. Violinist will test out the violin to make sure the bow is straight, and when it's brushed against the strings it makes a crisp clear sound. I'm sure guitarist do the same. they'd want to pluck the strings before they spend thousands of dollars on a brand new guitar. They'd want to sit down and have the guitar be placed on their lap to make sure it feels good to them. Now are there those that would actually buy a guitar worth thousands of dollars online. Yes but I tend to think those are the exceptions rather than the norm. adn therefore you'd get a very low conversions. I think your site would be perfect for adsense. If you are getting a lot of clicks to amazon then adsense would be a killer for you cuz you'd make your money before the visitor have to buy anything..
    Signature

    Michael Lee

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4882918].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JasonParker
      Originally Posted by mkl3377 View Post

      I think you went about monetizing it all wrong. You built a site not understanding your target market (guitar players) and then you blame them for not acting the way you want them to.(buy a guitar online). Maybe it's just me but i dont know of any musicians that would buy an instrument without testing them out. When pianist buy a piano they play it to make sure all the notes sound correctly, all the keys have just the right feel. Violinist will test out the violin to make sure the bow is straight, and when it's brushed against the strings it makes a crisp clear sound. I'm sure guitarist do the same. they'd want to pluck the strings before they spend thousands of dollars on a brand new guitar. They'd want to sit down and have the guitar be placed on their lap to make sure it feels good to them. Now are there those that would actually buy a guitar worth thousands of dollars online. Yes but I tend to think those are the exceptions rather than the norm. adn therefore you'd get a very low conversions. I think your site would be perfect for adsense. If you are getting a lot of clicks to amazon then adsense would be a killer for you cuz you'd make your money before the visitor have to buy anything..
      Hell I dont blame anyone but myself for being dumb... And I'm a guitarist. I guess you live and learn though.

      I'm getting 20 to 30% ctr through amazon links but don't think I'd get near the same with adsense.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4883114].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author InternetMarketingIQ
    Become Slash and blog about your experience.

    Money follows value. How much value is there in another review site?

    Do you play guitar? Do you have a band? Do you have anything that can make people want to follow you?

    You know twitter is a great way to find out if you have market value as an authority. If you can build a huge twitter following you can market just about anything.

    Trust and Value.
    Signature
    Internet Marketing IQâ„¢
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4883089].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author 4morereferrals
      If guitars are your passion - then write about that. Guitarists need a lot more for their passion/hobby/way to earn a living ... other than a $3k guitar off the internet.

      - footpedals
      - strings
      - picks
      - amps
      - pickups
      - people to fix broken guitars
      - other people to jam with
      - people looking for bandmates
      - people looking to sell their stuff
      - studios wanting to rent recording time
      - guitarists looking to get hired for gigs/work
      - sound engineers looking for work / gigs
      - restaurants looking for musicians
      - musicians looking for restaurants to play gigs in

      Sounds like fun ...

      good luck
      Signature
      Rank Ascend Network - High PR Links / Guaranteed Rankings Increase
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4883128].message }}

Trending Topics