What would you do? Marketers, I could use your help!

[OctaneInv]

I have just started a new forum, it took me a very long while to create.

The forum is in a fairly specific niche, with another forum, already dominating the market. I know many members of the other forum, and they seem to be rather unhappy with the way it is ran, and I have seen many people I don't know, have the same problem. The other site is VERY strict, and no one is happy with that.

Now, I know I can't advertise there, because I would end up in a blender -on high.

So, I am really looking to get some "Expert" opinions, so to say, as to how to market this site.

Thanks everyone!

Ryan

 

[lzy]

I'm no marketer but perhaps you could try PMing the members or email them since you already know them very well? :o

 

[OctaneInv]

Thanks for your reply LZY.

I have emailed the members, that I do know.

I don't want to go around mailing the entire forum though, as I think this would do more bad than good.

Thanks again,

Ryan

 

[HcDomains]

Ryan,
I am not Expert at all, I think I failed in my forum already. I am running my Forum since this Feb. It is really a hard task for me to make it growing...

I did all I could to promote it: Googel Adwords, Untargeted Pop-under traffic, free gifts to members, Paid2post.... Whatever I can think about, I do

But there are still few active members. Each of my campaign only works for first few days, then nobody cares.

I think the only workable way to burst a new forum is get the Big Guy who is well respected in the industry to post in your forum, or even ask him to be your Mods. But, how to make the big guys accept your invitation, I don't know...

 

[Domagon]

Viral marketing, just like you've been doing, is the best way...

It will take time, but it's better to go slow than get locked out of the other forum ...

It's not a zero sum game ... both the other forum and yours can prosper - and thus consider at some point trading links with the other forum; allow people to post links back to the other one from yours - seems counter-intuitive, but you will likely get more traffic over time as a result.

Another avenue to try, assuming your forum is in a very narrow niche / subject matter, is buying paid links on Google, Yahoo, etc - be sure to buy keywords that are very specific to stay in budget and to get visitors truly interested in the topics on your forum.

Ron