How to Build a Huge Group
Building and maintaining a large group can add 10,000 visitors to your profile page and website a month.
Guideline #1: Create an Appealing Group
Look at the Groups, and create a group that is somehow related to your industry. Look for an opportunity where there is not already an existing group. If there is an existing group that your new group would be competing with, make sure the existing group is beatable…in other words, that it doesn’t have strong momentum (few members, little activity, group creator not effectively monitoring quality of comments and discussion posts).
A good example of a “demographic” group is Women Entrepreneur
A good example of an “occupational" group is Search Engine Marketers
A good example of a “marketing medium” or “website-based” group is Twitter for Internet Marketers
Though you are a group creator, make sure to also use the group as a member of the group. As you create intelligent and stimulating discussions and comments, people will naturally want to check out your Sta.rtUp.biz profile. On your profile page, they will see your business website link and go there. This way, you are not pushing them to your business, but pulling them through the quality of the reputation you are creating by showcasing your expertise.
Guideline #2: Promote Your Group Through Welcome Comments
Read the forum post Getting Massive Traffic Through Value Added Commenting for templates on how to effectively promote your Group to get members to join and maximize your traffic. Hint: Emails and comments which say “Join me on ABC! Join us on ABC" are NOT effective and typically are regarded by members as spam).
Guideline #3: Nurture Your Group Daily
Visit your group daily to monitor the discussion and comment posts that are being left in your group. You want to delete irrelevant posts and anything your members may perceive as spam. If you maintain your group integrity, you will avoid members from “tuning out” valuable messages from your group and leaving your group.
After deleting off-topic messages, you could educate the poster of the comment/discussion by reminding them that the “Introduce Yourself & Promote Your Business” section of the Biz Forum, and the appropriate category of the Marketplace are places for self-promotion. Also, a HUGE way to get traffic is through welcome comments. You can let them know about the templates in Getting Massive Traffic Through Value Added Commenting.
Visit your Admin rights. Uncheck the ability for members to send everyone in the group an email with one click. You, as the creator, will still be able to do so. But you don’t want members joining your group, spamming your members, and then members leaving your group.
Guideline #4: Great Group Comments and Discussion Posts
Post an interesting discussion relevant to your group.
Then post a discussion that is survey-style and invites participation from your group members. It could be something like “What is your business and why are you interested in ABC Group?” Or it could be something like “Have you used ABC and if so, what did you think?”
The key to great comments and discussion posts is to keep them “on-topic.” If you have an e-book that you want to give away, spend some time to tailor the title and contents to target the demographics of the group specifically so that you can deliver value. The more the members of the group perceive you to be speaking directly to them, and not just posting something carelessly that you have attempted to post everywhere else, the more traffic you will receive and the more you will prosper. People quickly tune out canned posts they have seen elsewhere. So not only are canned posts not effective, they reflect poorly on your online reputation and image, and risk spam complaints.
Feel free to ask any questions here on how to tailor your comments. This is about your success!
Guideline #1: Create an Appealing Group
Look at the Groups, and create a group that is somehow related to your industry. Look for an opportunity where there is not already an existing group. If there is an existing group that your new group would be competing with, make sure the existing group is beatable…in other words, that it doesn’t have strong momentum (few members, little activity, group creator not effectively monitoring quality of comments and discussion posts).
A good example of a “demographic” group is Women Entrepreneur
A good example of an “occupational" group is Search Engine Marketers
A good example of a “marketing medium” or “website-based” group is Twitter for Internet Marketers
Though you are a group creator, make sure to also use the group as a member of the group. As you create intelligent and stimulating discussions and comments, people will naturally want to check out your Sta.rtUp.biz profile. On your profile page, they will see your business website link and go there. This way, you are not pushing them to your business, but pulling them through the quality of the reputation you are creating by showcasing your expertise.
Guideline #2: Promote Your Group Through Welcome Comments
Read the forum post Getting Massive Traffic Through Value Added Commenting for templates on how to effectively promote your Group to get members to join and maximize your traffic. Hint: Emails and comments which say “Join me on ABC! Join us on ABC" are NOT effective and typically are regarded by members as spam).
Guideline #3: Nurture Your Group Daily
Visit your group daily to monitor the discussion and comment posts that are being left in your group. You want to delete irrelevant posts and anything your members may perceive as spam. If you maintain your group integrity, you will avoid members from “tuning out” valuable messages from your group and leaving your group.
After deleting off-topic messages, you could educate the poster of the comment/discussion by reminding them that the “Introduce Yourself & Promote Your Business” section of the Biz Forum, and the appropriate category of the Marketplace are places for self-promotion. Also, a HUGE way to get traffic is through welcome comments. You can let them know about the templates in Getting Massive Traffic Through Value Added Commenting.
Visit your Admin rights. Uncheck the ability for members to send everyone in the group an email with one click. You, as the creator, will still be able to do so. But you don’t want members joining your group, spamming your members, and then members leaving your group.
Guideline #4: Great Group Comments and Discussion Posts
Post an interesting discussion relevant to your group.
Then post a discussion that is survey-style and invites participation from your group members. It could be something like “What is your business and why are you interested in ABC Group?” Or it could be something like “Have you used ABC and if so, what did you think?”
The key to great comments and discussion posts is to keep them “on-topic.” If you have an e-book that you want to give away, spend some time to tailor the title and contents to target the demographics of the group specifically so that you can deliver value. The more the members of the group perceive you to be speaking directly to them, and not just posting something carelessly that you have attempted to post everywhere else, the more traffic you will receive and the more you will prosper. People quickly tune out canned posts they have seen elsewhere. So not only are canned posts not effective, they reflect poorly on your online reputation and image, and risk spam complaints.
Feel free to ask any questions here on how to tailor your comments. This is about your success!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lesly Federici RN, CWC on -
Thank you for the information! I am learning something new everytime I look around. I needed to know this info to get better at it. Thank you very much!
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Permalink Reply by Lynn Clifton on -
Hi Natalie,
Your suggestions on nurturing can go far here. I was surprised to notice so many groups left unattended. Ads bombard. Not many pay much attention to them.
People seem to want to read, learn and talk about themselves. If they sense interest in their needs and well being, they'll take some time to let you know who they are, what they want and how to market to them.
I sincerely hope Write Endeavor adds value to this site.
Lynn
www.lynnslink.com
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Robbins on -
Sound advice, I will have to consider creating my own group using the techniques you provided.
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Permalink Reply by Andrea of Internet-Creatives.com on -
Great advice, as usual. Thanks Natalie. I read through this in detail before setting up my new group and I'm very happy with the final result!
Andrea
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Permalink Reply by Rob Easley on -
Thank you for the group.
I try and respond to every inquiry on a personal basis and I see you do it too. That shows respect and creates an attitude of trust which is what we in the internet business have to rely on when finding contacts, potential clients, and customers. Thanks again for the wonderful marketing opportunity for the small business owner. Words are key to your success!
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Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, CEO on -
I agree. Responding personally builds trust, credibility, and the relationship itself. Relationships, directly and indirectly, lead to customers.
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Permalink Reply by Workathomemomblogs on -
Great idea I will use them
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Permalink Reply by Ralph on -
Thanks so much to share the knowledge. And you you, before I found it really funny how some successful people are sometimes selfish about sharing information and knowledge about their "Know-How". This place is just AMAZING, and every time I read a blog and apply it, I feel more confident about myself, and I see the results coming little by little.
On another note, what I usually do in my groups, I start something controversial or disagree in a bizarre manner with people in order not only to attract them, keep them coming and commenting, but also challenge them to go to my site to see for themselves. For instance, I put all the Black Berry models for less than $200, and people could not believe they could find a Black Berry for 125 or 135 dollars. REMEMBER PEOPLE WORDS TRAVEL FAST. One
example on how you can develop your group and have people coming to your site:
YOU KNOW WHY I SAY YOU GUYS ARE ALL IGNORANT? In fact, I try to tell them why do they go and buy an expensive phone at a X, Y, Z store just because they have a name, instead of buying it from my store........ We all use our groups differently, but it works for me
Ralph
www.payoless.com
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Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, CEO on
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Fostering and maintaining interaction within your group is important. Groups are an great way to form relationships with several people at once.
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Permalink Reply by Santokh Singh Saggu on -
Hi ,
Starting something controversial or disagree in a bizarre manner is nice way to attract people's attention .
Santokh
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Permalink Reply by Norine 'Action' Jackson on -
Natalie, the information you share is excellent. But, I'm at a quandary. My business will be an online dating website. How can I start a group to share informative information to others with such a business as this? Any tips you can give me would be more than appreciated. Please feel free to email me directly, if your tips are more detailed. Thanks so much!
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Permalink Reply by SUp.biz, CEO on
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Yes, thanks for the message as well on this.
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