Mini (Niche) Affiliate Site using a Forum - Part 4
Posted on December 18, 2007 by
Adie 
Affiliate Marketing, Minisites 
12 Comments
So far it has all been about promotion but then that is most of what you have to do with any business. The rest is easy, I find. I have now paid for VisitorHost just to get numbers flowing and have also purchased the DIRSP 1000 directories submission for $69.99 for long term link-building benefits. (I do wonder how many directories actually activate your link, but its worth doing even if I got a 10% ratio)
I have come across someone on Sitepoint who is offering their serivce for $99 USD to hand-submit a Press Release to 57+ PR Sites & Networks. This will be invaluable as it will also do wonders for both SEO and link-building.
Outsourcing these tasks allows me to concentrate on getting content in the forum but to be honest I could just outsource everything. So far I have joined four forums within my niche asking for help and advice, I might even find a user who may even help me build my forum or come on board. The possibilities are endless once you start.
I have had lots of replies in the forums to my questions which is good as I can continue (slowly) to build up ideas and relationships.
I have found a suitable replacement for the BBB Reliability Program or near enough as a lot of high end sites are using this stamp of approval and end users will know they’re in safe hands which I want.
HackerSafe will cost me $TBA (still waiting to hear from them…)
According to HackerSafe:
When you display the HACKER SAFE certification mark, you not only increase sales by increasing shopper confidence, you build your brand with the security seal seen on more top sites than any other.
I’m in good company:
* Used by over 80,000 websites
* Seen on over half of the Internet TOP 500 (as reported in Internet Retailer Magazine)
* Proven in over 800 studies to outperform other seals
* Automatic listings in HACKER SAFE Merchant Directory
* Leader in security- chosen by companies such as Yahoo!, HP and Sony
This is even more important with the users I am targeting whom will not be willing to get involved or trust my forum unless you can show them you’re a bonafide business with good intentions. All of which I am.
Next to do is get some forum posts in but I am still having issues with the SEO plugin I mentioned in my last post so once that is fixed I will be getting a team of people to start posting and finding questions to ask and answer. Should be the weekend when all of this is started.
I’m happy so far and am looking forward to seeing users in my forum in the coming weeks.
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Thanks for your posting..I love to read this small case study..I could follow you and do same for my insurance site as well..I want to know how this traffic service work out..most of traffic service I used before is all crap. can’t wait for part 5
Adie, how much will you spend on outsourcing? As you say you can probably outsource everything but don’t you agree that you will have to have made a business plan, a budget and some profit estimates?
I would hate spending +$1,000 to see the deal flop. But maybe thats just me :)
Hello Mikael,
Yes I do agree with you, I decided to do this so quickly I haven’t put a business plan together. You see, that is the problem sometimes with the net, it all seems to easy to buy a domain name throw a site up and hope for the best!
I have do have a plan in my mind but I think I will document everything in a eBook at the end of the Case Study which will include my marketing plans, budgets, goals etc…
Great case study Aide, looking forward to see how you get on
Thank you all very much, I hope it inspires you to have a go yourself. There are so many niches you can exploit…
I’m with Mikael, I’m curious to see what your spending limit is on getting the forum off the ground. I’m running a few ads currently on specialized sites and a campaign on Microsoft adCenter to drum up traffic for fbappdevelopers.com. Do you think there is any value in getting your forum a custom skin/style? I’ve been posting questions myself and I’m getting some decent daily referral traffic but I’m wondering if the default look of the forum is turning people off?
Hi Justin,
You really need a custom logo and forum skin to match as in your market it will make a big difference as it looks like to many out there.
You have to be different in many ways…
I will let you all know how much I have spent in my next update.
Oh, remove the (PHPBB as soon as possible)
Thanks for the feedback!
One thing I learn this year that you really can’t do everyhting yourself..and at somepoint outsourcing is the way to go to be pro
Thanks for your post.
This is a nice way for Affiliate Site.
Merry x’mas Justin
One more thing about outsourcing is the capital of the siteowners and the ability of the contractor…if one can match this 2 successfully, half the battle is won:)