This is a bit of a long article…but the content herein works!
There are hundreds of different ways to get traffic to your site. What may work for one may not work for another. I am going to share with you what I have used to gather hundreds of subscribers in just a few short weeks.
Ready?Once you know your niche – it is time to familiarize yourself with forums in your niche subject.
Just Google ‘forums’ and the topic of your niche – and you will find all the forums you could possibly want on your subject.
Then start to get involved in the forums. Read posts. Ask questions. See who posts good content.
Start contributing!
If you don’t know what to say – just post a thread introducing yourself! You will get a lot of response from other members welcoming you. I clearly remember how nervous I was when I started using forums – even to say hello! But online forums are very welcoming – particularly to new members.
Very quickly you will discover you are amongst a safe and supported network of like-minded individuals.
You should aim to become actively involved with forums for two reasons.
- ONE: To learn as much as you can.
- TWO: to cultivate relationships with other forum members.
Look at other member’s websites.
APPROACH other members direct. I do this OFTEN. See a website you like? Email them and TELL them! Very quickly you will build relationships with others in the same niche as you. There is a good reason for this which I will come onto…
I spend just a few short weeks building relationships with as many people as I can in my niche, commenting on their site, asking questions, finding out how they started etc. HARDLY ANYBODY DOES THIS!!!
And it is by far the simplest way to increase a network of contacts/friends online. Who wouldn’t like an email from somebody complimenting their site?
And Now The Best Bit!
Once you have spent a few weeks getting comfortable with various forums in your niche, the real fun part begins.
This next bit will take a bit more work – but the results are well worth it.
A GREAT way to build your list – is to offer something of value for free. The simplest way to do this is to write a short report.
Now – PLEASE – do not panic if you have never written something before. Remember this is a business based on relationships. By now you will have a few relationships that you have cultivated in your niche. Using the knowledge that you already have in your niche (lets use out mortgage tips example from earlier) you simply put together a few short pages of USEFUL information.
In this case – you could easily write a short report called (lets say) 4 Mortgage Tips for Beginners.
Inside your report put a number of links to your website.
You also need to mention that people are free to do whatever they want with the report – pass it on – give it away – even sell it if they wish.
What do you do next?
You GIVE this report to those people you have already built a relationship with. Simply email them direct and tell them they can use it/read it/have it etc. I have done this many times, and most people are only too happy to get something of quality that they can use – for free.
Many of your contacts will already have a website – and if you have already built a relationship with them – most will be delighted for some good quality content for free. If they have a list, allow them to send your report to their subscribers.Post a thread on the various forums – telling of your FREE report.Long story short – GIVE AWAY your report for FREE. This will cost you ZERO money – just a bit of time and effort (3 weeks max).Before you know it – your report will be out there.On the front page of your report you will have something like ‘For more free information and more tips and tricks, sign up for free to www.yourwebsite.com‘.I used EXACTLY this method recently, and had 112 people join my list in just over a week, and it cost me NOTHING (except the time and effort I went to creating the report).So, to recap:
- Join the various forums (and ezines) related to your niche.
- Spend a few days learning how they work.
- Start contributing. Don’t be scared. Ask questions. Email members. Get involved.
- Start building relationships/friends in the various forums.
- Create a very simple, short, free report on the same subject as your niche.
- Post a thread telling of your free report.
- Email the new contacts you have made about your report.
- Watch as you begin to get subscribers to your site.