Help needed on marketing new site [Archive]

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deso66

1st September 2005, 12:46

Hey

We are just finishing a site called gamesfactor.com, selling preowned video games.

We need to promote the site and also submit it to search engines.

Two things :

1) The site uses a php wrapper (like an iframe) so it get information from another site for the games, meaning that the search engines have difficuty in picking up all the content.

2) We have a small budget so where, apart from search engines, would be best to advertise the site? Do you think we would benefit from advertising in gaming magazines?

Thanks

TechFox

1st September 2005, 13:28

http://www.htmail.com/order.html?mike@techfox.co.uk

MinuWeb

1st September 2005, 13:52

http://www.htmail.com/order.html?mike@techfox.co.uk

Quite strange to see you giving advise here about site promotion (using your own affiliate link) when a couple of days ago down you yourself were asking were asking "What is the best way to promote your site?" ( in thread http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4573 )

TechFox

1st September 2005, 14:00

Anonymous

1st September 2005, 14:37

well all learn as we go and even the "youngest" amongst us has knowledge to offer

1)keywords in a page thats always up (one of the pages in the frame set)

2)look at the games mags..if theres already lots of ads for services like yours you may be wasting your money (though itll be good later on). Ebay, its there look into using it..117million other people do... avoid emailing ads instead do a "newsletter" upcoming game releases news cheats etc..and use that (banner ad at the bottom) less likely to get labeld as spam..also try putting some free flashgames on your site if a couple of hackers can be caught because they spent two hours playing a startrek game on a companys computer while being traced..then the less flighty computer user can be encoarged to stick around play games browse your stock ;)
its costs about 40p-£1 to put an ad in a newspaper shop window for a week..small investment but it will bring a few customers..after all how many people walk past the newsagents? how many kids go there to by sweets etc?

hope it helped

deso66

2nd September 2005, 11:19

A few good ideas, i like the newsletter idea, have to avoid becoming spam but i think it would work well

Thanks!

MichaelG

2nd September 2005, 13:55

If you can code here is something you can do to help yourself;

01: Create a new sub folder "productlist" so that it can be accessed using "http://www.gamesfactor.com/productlist"

02: Add the following to your index page between <head></head>
<link rel="index" href="http://www.gamesfactor.com/productlist/index.html" />
<meta name="robots" content="Index all,follow" />
<meta name="revisit-after" content="5 days" />

03: Create 2 robot.txt files and dump one in the root and the other in the "productlist" folder

04: Generate some static page (index.html) dump it in the "productlist" folder.
This static page can be the entry point to all the products in your OSC catalogue.

For example:
<tr class="productListing-odd">
<td class="productListing-data">. Hack // Outbreak (http://playstation2.gamesfactor.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=6&products_id=88)</td>
<td align="right" class="productListing-data">£13.99</td>
<td align="center" class="productListing-data">includes/languages/english/images/buttons/button_buy_now.gif (http://playstation2.gamesfactor.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=6&sort=1a&action=buy_now&products_id=88)</td>
<td align="right" class="productListing-data">1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="productListing-even">
<td class="productListing-data">. Hack // Quarantine (http://playstation2.gamesfactor.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=6&products_id=89)</td>
<td align="right" class="productListing-data">£14.99</td>
<td align="center" class="productListing-data">includes/languages/english/images/buttons/button_buy_now.gif (http://playstation2.gamesfactor.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=6&sort=1a&action=buy_now&products_id=89)</td>
<td align="right" class="productListing-data">1</td>
</tr>

Or .. create the following static page structure

FOLDER: productlist
FILE: index.html (contains links to all product category index.html pages)
FOLDER: productlist/playstation2
FILE: index.html (contains links to all product detail pages for playstation2)
FOLDER: productlist/xbox
FILE: index.html (contains links to all product detail pages for playstation2)

etc etc.

Best thing to do is write a small SSS to generate these static pages/structure.

Finally - google "Google Sitemap"

Enough?

The_JinJ

2nd September 2005, 16:42

One possibility would be to pay to advertise on a bust games forum - the target audience would be perfect. Usually cost about £10 for 1000 click throughs

ebonybailey

2nd September 2005, 21:14

Loving PS2 Games as I do, have you considered being the main sponsor at a games event, like xbxo and PS2 do, you could hold a MK championship, with a turnover of over £240k a year you culd afford it and you could get press involved, not only national papers but all the big games mags.

Any good to you.

Marina Stone

3rd September 2005, 00:36

There are lots more ways to market your new website apart from advertising in magazines etc.

With Xmas coming up, if your products are in good condition, now would be a good time to start promoting.

I imagine kids are an ideal target market. Lots of Xmas school fayres coming up in early December with 100's of parents looking for stocking fillers, perhaps you could have a banner made up to put up at the entrance in exchange you give the school a small donation towards their fundraising. Easy and cheap! Although some schools may have a problem promoting games... you need to do a little research.

This will only encourage local business... but it's a start! If you're cheeky you could even do a press release (local again!) on how you sponsored local school events...

Ebay is a good idea :idea:

On the subject of advertising and whether it works...
Out of interest can anyone, without cheating, tell me who is advertising on this forum on the right hand side of the screen with a fish? :?

This should be interesting!!! :P

Marina

MichaelG

3rd September 2005, 08:04

Marina, thats a wonderful idea - I have a store that could do with your help - PR/Marketing wise. Visit http://www.kidspcgames.co.uk and let me know what you can do for the store - We only started last month already in the search engines.

I like creative people like you and although we believe in the internet and Googling everything - we still strongly believe offline marketing and PR is the best source of getting the sales.

Get in touch.

PS: I am not a big fan of ebay any more - I think there are too many "Buy Now" commercial sales on it now - it's loosing its uniqueness - it's becoming just another "Kelkoo or Price Runner".

By the way - We are beta testing something similar to ebay for the UK market - watch this space ;) - For those that want to try this new website goto http://

Marina Stone

3rd September 2005, 11:06

Michael - Thanks for your comments... I work will lots of SME's, who understandably don't have huge budgets, so I am always trying to create cost-effective ways to market their products.

I've had a look at your website http://www.kidspcgames.co.uk Looks good and prices very competitive and so is the market!

There are many websites aimed at parenting... perhaps try and get some links from them to try and generate some more traffic. The same applies to you... Xmas should be a good time for you so start the marketing now!

I agree with your comments about ebay, I liked the 'car boot sale' bargain feel it used to have, but now you have to wade through all the advertisements for new stuff! :cry:

Speak to you soon,
Marina

deso66

5th September 2005, 11:05

Thanks for all the ideas. The site should be completed within the next week so we shall get to work on the suggestions you have brought forward.

Thanks Again!

Greg

6th September 2005, 07:31

For your SEO there are details about a free keyword research guide at http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/releases/c99502.php

PR - you should send a launch press release to relevant publications. We have the following tips at http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/99323/press_release_hints_and_tips.php?PHPSESSID=5f8c1f9 9c7895845ac75552f996cdf0a
- Tips on writing a press release
- Tips on when to issue a press release
- Tips on liaising with journalists

You can see examples of press releases on the right hand side of our home page at www.pressdispensary.co.uk

Hope that helps.

jvbase

13th September 2005, 12:41

Hi, here are some marketing ideas that you could use.

1) Write fresh informative content about your industry & distribute the content to article databanks with your contact info. These will be picked up by ezine publishers and websites looking for free content and so advertise your business across the web for free. You can try http://www.goarticles for starters.

2) Write a content-rich ebook containing your contact details & product information. Then distribute it for free.

3) Join a forum / database for companies who are actively seeking joint ventures and partnerships to further both yours and their business - like JVBase!

4) List your company in relevant industry directories

Hope this helps! :D