Request for NEW site marketing ideas

[Nomad]

As some of you know, I have a new site that is in the works. I have a facebook page, have begun a blog, created a short video (actually modified a little based on comments made by members kind enough to spend time reviewing the original), and created a pre-launch splash page.

Of course, I plan on joining a couple of online groups related to business networking.

Here's my specific question: I'm trying to drive people to the site PRE-LAUNCH (now), to the splash page to sign up so that they get blog articles, updates and most importantly for me--- notification of when it officially launches.

But how do you get A LOT of people to a site that isn't quite there yet? Any ideas on how to do this effectively? Google Ad words? Targeted email marketing lists? This is my first launch of a site where I need to get people interested in it pre-launch... so I can reach a critical mass of sign-up to make the site worthwhile to members from the get go.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Harold Mansfield]

If you are already proficient in adwords, then go for it. If not, there is a learning curve that will probably take longer than the time that you have for this purpose.
Targeted email lists are great, if it is a list that you have built yourself. Buying lists is a crap shoot and usually is a bust since are created in different ways and are resold multiple times.

Writing a series of great blog posts, heavily promoted, can do wonders to introduce yourself to people and get them to check you out. As well as guest writing on industry related websites and blogs or those that target your target market.

Other than that. i have seen clients do wonders with Facebook advertising with little or no experience and gain a ton of followers to launch thier new websites or companies.

[mettro2]

Short Term:
Try to get your friends and family to join it and like it on the social media platforms. If it's really good they might recommend it to the people they know who might suggested it to their friends and so on.
Ad-Words is great because you can get visibility right away. But just as eborg9 pointed out, you have to know what you are doing so hiring someone reputable at first is highly recommended.
Long Term:
Search Engine Optimization is great but takes a long time before you see some good rankings so starting early is always recommended.

[Nomad]

Thanks eborg and mettro. I suspect that honing my skills on adwords will be good for the second phase, but utilizing social media and blogs will probably me my method of choice to start. Lots of other options out there, but I'm trying to direct my marketing efforts intelligently. I appreciate your input.

[Duston McGroarty]

Depending on your overall goal of the new site... I would search for some joint venture partners, have them mail to their list telling their subscribers to sign up to your page and in turn reward the JV's with affiliate commissions (again, only if you're actually selling something).

[jpohl]

I am on the same page with Duston. I used to belong to a web site called JVNotifyPro.com that owners would announce launches and affiliates would push their products in various ways. This will be the quickest but it still may be too late as you still have to sell the JV people to push your product over others. The other issue is you may be giving up a good chunk of change for each sale. Most of those affiliates will want 25-50% of the price or go to another product. I suspect there are other JV sites out there, the one I listed is the one I am most familiar with from a couple years ago.

[greenoak]

i would read all about how to launch on ITTYBIZ.....if i remember right she has a real good record on this.....

[SoloResults]

A quick note on Adwords that hasn't been mentioned. If your "pre-launch splash page" is simply an email capture, you're most likely going to get a very low quality score on Adwords. Your bid prices will be high and your ads won't show.

If I were you, I'd focus on the road you're already taking. Use a Facebook fan-page to your advantage. Create a tab that "incentivizes" users to like your page. Perhaps offer them a coupon or some sort of free content for "liking" your page. You could even take it a step further by collecting emails off of your fan-page (you'll need a little knowledge of FML) by driving traffic with a Facebook Ad showing to your target demographic.

[websonalized]

I suggest you begin to do a series of press releases. For one, the press releases themselves will give some page rank juice to your website, then use a social media management tool, and begin to drip twits about your product and such.

Why are you trying to have everyone splash in the deployment day? What is the goal? The reason I ask is that for websites is about long term traffic and ideally search engine traffic. And for these, well we know the story...

[HomeToHeather]

ok, so I don't know anything about your business or the site you're planning to launch so please forgive me as I'm just new today But, if you have a solid network on twitter you could have a contest - offer up a prize that can be won by simply re-tweeting a simple message about your launch with a link to the splash page where they can fan your facebook page, sign up for email notifications etc. Get things started with a twitter party...create a hashtag just for the party, enlist some of your best contacts to help out and get tweeting. At the end of the party, draw a random number and give out the prize. Tada!