Ways of promoting websites?

[bob]

We have built a site for selling premium WordPress themes and also we develop free themes to promote our site. For now we have a SEO guy working for us and of course we are trying to be active in all social networks but for now we need more traffic to our site beside SEO method. What should we do next? Any ways of promoting websites to drive traffic?
Thanks

 

[PTTed]

It seems like everyone who owns a website keeps asking how to get more traffic, when the thing they should be thinking about is how do I get one person (who is actually interested in buying my product) to come to my website. When you think in terms of "bulk traffic" your mind gets cloudy and wanders in circles. When you think about how to go find one person who would actually want to buy what you sell and get him to come to your website, then your mind gets really clear and starts focusing on the right things. That is when you will discover how to properly advertise and market your site. If you don't know how to go get one person to come buy right now, then you will struggle a great deal (even more so) trying to figure out how to get bulk buyers.

I learned that firsthand when I first went into business for myself back in 1995. Figure out how to get one customer first. Then scale that. Everything else you try is likely to be mostly ineffective.

The Best Approach In My Opinion - Figure out what type of person would want to buy your premium theme? Figure that out first. Then spend the time to figure out where that person spends time online or offline. Then go to those places and figure out how you can let those people know you have the ideal Wordpress theme for their situation. If you don't have a theme that would be ideal for that type of person, then I suggest you think about creating one. And then go try to sell it.

Other possible options/ideas:
* Create an affiliate program and go recruit affiliates one at a time to promote your premium themes
* Run Google Adsense ads targeting buying keywords (maybe the same keywords you are targeting with SEO)
* Create free information products that educate people on how to pick the right Wordpress theme for their needs (give these away in exchange for the person's email address) Send educational material to that list and also advertise your themes
* Create an information based website that educates people on how to pick the right Wordpress theme for their needs - Advertise your themes on there (use one of your own premium themes for that site)

 

[Developer]

@ PTTed:
Hey PTTed, that's some kick-ass advice you give there. I second your thoughts. Too
many people focus on getting "traffic" when what they really should be looking for is
"buyers". Once one has mastered the art of attracting buyers to their site, then, and
only then, will they be as successful as they could have ever imagined.

@bob:
Love the avatar by the way, always LMAO whenever I see that particular image.

ANYWAY...

First off, I would definitely heed the advice PTTed just offered, he is DEAD ON. You
really need to focus on finding BUYERS rather than just generic traffic. Having a ton
of "visitors" will do you NO GOOD if not a single one of them purchase anything.

To add on to the advice Ted has offered, I would also suggest subscribing/joining the
many "webmaster" forums out there as that is where many "bloggers" hang out.

You may also want to consider creating some "lite" versions of your themes which you
could offer for free on WP.org... Be sure to place a link in the footer, of course, leading
to a salespage where people could purchase a "FULL" or "PRO" version.

If you feel any one (or more) of your themes is superior to any of the better known
blog themes out there, consider contacting the site owners and offer a free copy of
one of your themes in exchange for him/her posting a link (or 2 or 12, lol) throughout
his/her site.

Another thing you may want to consider is starting up a Blogger Design Tips newsletter.
Those who subscribe would obviously be your ideal market.

One final thought, CRAIGSLIST... Do not underestimate the power Craigslist can offer.
Scope out the site and check out the "Gigs" sections as people are constantly looking
for others who can install a theme or setup the entire blog for them. You could easily
promote your blog themes to them as well. Hell, if you can install WP real quick (who
can't, right?), then you could simply offer your theme for free if they hire you to do
the install and initial setup (if it helps any, look at it as they are buying your theme
and you're installing it for free, lol).

I would also definitely consider the "Create an affiliate program" advice PTTed offered,
however, if doing so, I would definitely consider SELLING your affiliate program just as
you do your themes... By "sell the program" I am not saying "charge a fee" of course,
but rather focus on your "Affiliate Recruiting" as a sales adventure, sell your affiliate
program just as hard as you would the actual themes. RAMP UP your efforts to gain
new affiliates as they can certainly help take your business from zero to here in no
time at all. Hell, just 1 or 2 SUPER affiliates is all you would really need to get things
rolling extremely fast.

One last thing... could you provide us with a link to your site?