I want to start off marketing one ebook I'm writing. Some experts say just to put up a one page mini site with a long sales letter. Other experts say to provide free content pages for visitors along with links to affiliate sites, a links page, etc. Any opinions as far as the site itself? I plan to do other marketing not just relying on the site itself by the way.
Posted on: 7:24 pm on March 2, 2004
EBookCompiler
IMHO:
Hint #0: You are not limited to 1 web site
Hint #1: The danger with content sites, is the person reads all the content and never finds the sales pitch, or gets distracted before they get to it.
Hint #2: But content sites can be useful for driving traffic to sales sites, and having lots of pages will, for example, mean that it's more likely one of your pages will come up in a user's search results.
Hint #3: The best type of content site for driving traffic to a sales site, is one that is on a similar or closely related topic, or at least interests the same type of people
In short, if you can afford it, have 2 sites (at least) and get the best of both worlds.
For a sales site, you can just make it one page, but it might be useful to have a couple of other pages, like details of your affiliate program, how people can contact you, on there too.
Posted on: 11:04 pm on March 3, 2004
DougN
Thanks Sunil. The concept of two websites does make sense especially if your're promoting affiliate programs.
Posted on: 3:12 pm on March 5, 2004
theideaman
Or, close your eyes, visualise a flyer in your head and apply that vision to making your sales (mini)site or visualise your content site as a special 20 page report on your topic.
See which delivers, see which doesn't.
Posted on: 3:34 pm on March 30, 2004
auctioneer
My vote is that a web site should have both!
We all know content is KING! It is what drives visitors to your site! We should also remember that copy is content, however, content is not necessarily copy.
The following pages should be "copy" pages: 1. Home Page 2. Newsletter Subscription Pages 3. Order Pages
Everything else should be content pages that leads and guides the visitor to your "copy" pages.
Just my $0.02
(Edited by auctioneer at 4:21 pm on April 12, 2004)
(Edited by auctioneer at 4:23 pm on April 12, 2004)
Posted on: 9:19 pm on April 12, 2004
swiftdeal
I'm currently trying both. I run a 'company site' that will include content, and then mini sites for each of my main titles.
This way, my main company site will gradually gain momentum, and I have a way of upselling my other titles too.
Posted on: 5:53 pm on June 30, 2004
Storyman
First, no one has the solution for all situations and quite frankly I've seen a lot of self proclaimed experts who are excellent copywriters, but that is the limit of their knowledge.
My thinking is that the two most critical factors are getting users to your site, then keeping them there.
My test results (so far) indicate that about half of the information regarding SEO is on target and the other half is meaningless. The most important factor that I've found is content. Period.
Of course the content needs to be written in a way that will appeal to the end user.
Designing a site that is SEO friendly is important. Designing a SEO friendly site and one with content are two separate issues that need to work together.
From what few studies there are about email newsletters is not encouraging. The studies suggest that about 6% of all newsletters are read. How many newsletters have you signed up for and how many of those do you actually read?
My suggestion is that every web page needs to move the user to make the purchase. I feel that is a little forceful because most people are hesitant about making impulse purchases over the Internet. Instead, my focus is to get them to download the ebook.
The advantage of getting them to download the ebook is that they know the book works on their system before making the purchase and they can review the pre-purchase sample chapters at their leisure. What is important is that they have the ebook installed on their system. When ready they can make the purchase.
Personally, I value the ebook being stored on their system more than having their email address to send follow messages that encourage them to buy.
My approach is not suitable for all business models because the shift is away from a "buy-buy-buy" marketing approach to "try it, you'll like it" model. The analogy I use to describe it to friends is like going to a bookstore and taking a book home to puruse at your leisure--except you can only look at three chapters. If you want to read the rest of the book, then you'll have to buy the book.
Those are the basics as this non-expert sees it. Hope it helps.
With any business, it is up to the individual owner of said business to ensure the success of the business. You may make more or less than any sample figures or results that might be quoted on our web sites or other publications. All business involves risk, and many businesses do not succeed. Further, Answers 2000 Limited does NOT represent that any particular individual or business is typical, or that any results or experiences achieved by any particular individual/business is necessarily typical.
Disclosure:
Our company's websites' content (including this website's content) includes advertisements for
our own company's websites, products, and services,
and for other organization's websites, products, and services.
In the case of links to other organization's websites,
our company may receive a payment, (1) if you purchase products or services,
or (2) if you sign-up for third party offers, after following links from this website.
Unless specifically otherwise stated, information about other organization's products and services,
is based on information provided by that organization,
the product/service vendor, and/or publicly available information - and should
not be taken to mean that we have used the product/service in question.
Additionally, our company's websites contain some adverts which we are paid
to display, but whose content is not selected by us, such as Google AdSense ads. For more
detailed information, please see Advertising/Endorsements Disclosures
Our sites use cookies, some of which may already be set on your computer. Use of our site
constitutes consent for this. For details, please see Privacy.
Click privacy for information about our company's privacy, data collection and data retention policies, and your rights.
