Creating a Marketing Plan For a Site

[macfraser]

I have a number of sites - some fairly successful many not. So I'm looking to improve my batting average this year. What type of successful marketing / promotion have you done when launching a site? I know realistically people aren't going to give away their best techniques but I'd love to see what things you are doing.

So I'll go first - Many of my sites have to do with free things so I typically do the standard submissions to all of the key free directories out there.

Mac

[Submerge]

The key to success for any marketing plan is evaluating the common user/marketing target. ave you interviewed your target, have you studied them at all? That is where I'd get to know them first. :) Well, where my marketing class would have lead me at first anyways.

[iworkforthem]

To me, it really depends on the customer or target audience you are targeting for your website... Design something that will appeal to them, something to make them think or compete... Something to let them get involve in...

This work best for me! :D

[macfraser]

A few weeks ago I had some training on new product development - this was an amazing 2 day class. I'm actually an IT guy at work but they pulled some of us into the training they were having for the product development team. Knowing your customer was the most important thing (along with creating something which fulfills a need for the user / customer). So how do you guys find a focus group or good representative set of users/customers to poll/talk to to make sure you are hitting the mark with your new sites (because remember your sites are products)? Also your friends don't count because no matter how honest you think they are - they typically only really tell you what they think you want to hear.

Mac

[Submerge]

I agree. Finding a focus group is extremely challenging when on the Internet. I've opinion polled friends, and some have told me honestly and some you really don't know about because they are friends. I would assume the website critique sections on forums would be the best places to go.

[macfraser]

I'm sure the critiques are helpful - I just watched one that Tyler did on his blog. But I would rather get feedback / optinions before I spend all my time making a site.

Does anyone know some good reference sites for product development / marketing that you trust?

-Mac

[Submerge]

Your trying to get opinions on an idea? If that's true, it's usually not a good idea on the Internet to research with others as someone will run off with the idea. Hmm, have no clue how to go about it low budget off line otherwise.

[thelaw]

I believe he was asking advice/ideas about marketing his web sites. The directory submission is a really good start, once done that, it is time investing some money on advertising on related sites, forums, blogs etc. or at least advertising on sites of which visitors you think might be interested with your site.

I do not have an idea what kind of sites you are trying to promote, is it content related (articles, blogging, tutorials etc) or it is a services website, that is as well very important to know before giving an advice.

Another useful trick would be to study your current visitors, or at least to start studying your visitors since the first month you will start advertising, an easy and free way to study your website visitors would be the Google Analystics, it is very helpful feature, at least it was for me to study my visitors, where they are from, how often they return, how long they stay on the site, where do they come from and how they surf my website.

Why Google Analystics?
Lets say you have a site content related, with similar but different topics, with google analystics you would find out what your visitors like to read, and maybe invest on advertising on related sites, target the related topics.

Just my 2 cents worth..