Building traffic on your website is a daunting task for any
webmaster, however there are certain lines drawn which you
may wish to be aware.
Internet newsgroups are probably one of the oldest and highly
used functions of the internet, though they have declined
in popularity since the introduction of web based forums,
blogs, and other communications mediums.
Newsgroups feed information to thousands of websites, are
used as a resource for finding information, largely in part
to "Google Groups" and the quick and easy scanning of massive
amounts of internet history.
For the newbie marketer this may seem like an untapped resource
for marketing, but in fact newsgroup marketing and far less
subtle spam has been going on as long as newsgroups have
existed. Getting spam in your e-mail is annoying enough,
but how about having a public forum in which to chat and
getting hundreds of junk mail posts just aggravating everyone?
People that post spam on newsgroups are far more likely
to have their information gathered (via the header information
in the post) and reported to their ISP (Internet Service
Provider) than on any other area of the Internet. People
get very disgruntled and the odds of you getting put on a
blacklist are quite significant.
Generally speaking there are a few rules when posting to
newsgroups that should be observed:
Post relevant responses or queries in the correct newsgroup
- There are thousands of newsgroups to use, find one that
is specific to the topic you are interested in.
Do not cross-post excessively! Cross-Posting means your
post will be seen in several different newsgroups at the
same time, it not unlike carbon-copying (CC) someone in your
e-mails.
Generally speaking people who use spam on newsgroups are
not going to find the results they desire. I admit that posting
on newsgroups is an excellent source of generic traffic to
your website. Odds are many people will click on your site
and you will see a spike on your traffic counter that is
hard to equal. However, statistically you will notice that
sales and click through rates for hits will be extremely
low.
Building traffic via newsgroups can be a good way to start
off your website. Bare in mind that if you want to make good
hits, and build a reputable website you will carefully select
you posting groups, and you partake in the conversations
of the group. Do not post advertisements in the group, simply
add a signature block at the end of your post. If people
believe in what you have to say, you seem like a legitimate
user, then people will click and use your website as a legitimate
resource as opposed to the evil spammer that they wish to
smite.
Newsgroups can be a huge asset as part of your marketing
scheme if used correctly. Be a good person, partake in the
banter, and reap the rewards.
Ken Dennis
http://KenDennis-RSS.homeip.net/ Hundreds
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