Marketing help for California

[Tubby]

New Classified ads site for Californiia (not a webmaster site) but if you use category; = Website, you can list what you are selling, for example - Web design, web programming, toy ducks, etc.
Fill the form out with an eye to informing my users what is available. Your ad will get listed. there is room for URL.

These ads are hand listed. and the site is under construction at www.restored-classsics.com/california .

comments, suggestions may be made in the forum.

I am extending my Classic cars section to include States, starting with California (still in experimental format - still playing with format colours etc)

place ads here - http://restocar.com/cgi-bin/usfm/form.cgi?form=25

category; websites

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

Have you ever thought about separate pages covering different famous cars that are widely known, keying on the appropriate keywords and phrases that may generate targeted traffic? Why not dedicate individual pages to specific show winning cars and show stopper cars like the 33-34 Ford that is an icon for ZZ-Top?

There are a S___ Load of them in California! Get my drift?

By the way, I have seen several posts about the ZZ-Top car... Is that a 1933 or 1934 Ford Coupe?

Who knows, the key may be in covering the "stars cars"! - Talking about keyword rich!

IMO - Endless Hot Keyphrase Content, when optimizing the stars names too! What was James Dean buried in? Surely, that's not a myth is it? What was/is a Porsche Spyder?

Ken

[Tubby]

Ken, I have got a few cars on site mainly UK cars and Australian. Basically I follow what users ask for. The site has been having problems with scams, and I am slowly changing direction to aim ads at local areas - dropping email contact and going for phone contact - getting good feedback on this. Just starting to get feedback saying. Why only classic cars in California?

I am working on getting more cars on site - currently updating this section (with help) http://restored-classics.com/bvac/ Actually got two WPW members putting in an hour or so a week.
(its way way out of date and ignored)- waiting for my budget to increase before I can put together everything I want Ken . . .

But in the last three months I created a new Office with three new computers. (upstairs - no longer under the house) I have one trained staff ) If ad revenue can cover the 50 cents per ad. . I have capacity to hand place thousands of ads daily. But I am a Plod Plod type fellow, Feel safer growing slowly..

[greeneagle]

Quote:
"Ken, I have got a few cars on site mainly UK cars and Australian. Basically I follow what users ask for. The site has been having problems with scams, and I am slowly changing direction to aim ads at local areas - dropping email contact and going for phone contact"

There are all kinds of ways to handle this issue effectively:
http://www.mountaineagleweb.com/Contacts/Contacts.htm
http://www.calvinresources.com/Contact/Contact.htm

I don't get any spam at all on m site's e-mail address!

A big goose egg, absolutely none!

Let me quote myself:


"By the way, I have seen several posts about the ZZ-Top car... Is that a 1933 or 1934 Ford Coupe?"

I really want to know!

Ken

[Tubby]

Ken,My main thinking was, I only have classic cars.
Expanding this to cover California will leave me with a California classifieds section that only has one catagory. Looking to be able to create more than the one category Classifieds for California.

My user want local ads, I have no problem with this.
Except I shall find myself with state classifieds in only one catagory (feels like wasting space to me)

I want to Up a level to cover more!

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

How many classic car collectors do you suppose there are in California?

How many of them have big names?

How many of them show them?, or have shown them and won awards?

Why can't you play on the car models, owner names and the obvious localization? I don't get it?

Ken

[Tubby]

Fords In Ausralia, Vary I am no expert on USA models, it often took a while for cars to arrive with many makes, local dealer fittings, date of original registrations etc. Enthusiast Will argue till death about the originality of the most minor parts, and I have not even seen the car in question.

But; I do have some photos I took a couple of years ago of An Ausralian 33 (original registration was NZ.)

If the ZZ car looks like this It's a 33 to me.
http://restored-classics.com/gladstone/ford/page17.html
another page that needs updating, I have a write up somewhere lost or hidden...


If its got bits sticking out the bonnet and huge whhels, then what it was derived from is not important. call it what you like . . .

Ken there are many streams of classic car enthusiasts. ZZ sound to me like he might not be content with a standard 33 34 .....

[Tubby]

Getting to California is stategically a problem. Yes, I would happily take on a few security guards to get my hands on some of these exotic classics, and If anyone does do it, I expect I would not be in the bidding for the article written. It would probably end up on TV.

Ken, it can take me days before somebody elses thought rounds itself off and settles in my mind. The seed has been planted Ken . . gonna wait and see if it grows inside the humid atmosphere of my head.

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

Don't get me wrong, I don't pretend to know your business as well as you...and you seem to know it well!

Just food for thought, though.

Ken

[Tubby]

I need outside thought Ken. . I have a slow fermenting mind, these things take a while before I can absorb all the thinking that's behind sometime just a dozen words. If ever I seem 'blank' on a subject it usually means it needs fermenting. .Words are peculiar things Ken, they do not communicate thoughts. . just the key to them.
I like that..
"Words do not communicate thoughts, just the key to them" Tubby

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

You wouldn't know it from many of my posts, but...when I am not sure, I also enforce a "Don't Rush In/Don't Rush Out Policy".

I am with you there, probably more than you know.

Just trying to help.

I might not bother so much if I didn't hold your contributions here in such high regards...

Carry on...

Ken

[Tubby]

Ken, I started off about seven years ago, with a good rounded knowledge of cars. my first three users were looking for parts, I spent countless hours trying this,that, slowly picking up little bits of infomation that would help me get parts listed and sold. The classifieds field is very tricky, I kept struggling until I found my own formulae that works.I was unable to make data bases work, I was unable to make anything work except the actual programs, Programmer create programs that work. If users will not submit or read the ads nobody can blame them. mine is a peculiar system, but it works. So I find myself with a classified ad system that works, and a growing user base.
I want to keep expanding my classifieds system, messy or not, testing it out in other than my own speciality looks like a challenge I am ready to tackle. Some time in the next ten years I would like to be able to pesent a programmer with a blueprint of my needs.

[greeneagle]

As happens sometimes, we were posting at the same time.

I hope you didn't take my suggestions as critical of obvious success.

I also hope others will throw in their 2 cents for you here.

Ken

[Tubby]

Yes Ken, I have noticed a few paths we tread together. What is better is that you paced a few well tred paths that I have not trod. . Nothing worse than talking to someone who knows precicely the same as yourself.

I do tend to use my site as a learning tool - I will just try 'pink' for a week to find out if users don't like it. the net is a totally new concept, in real terms its hardly approaching its infancy, I want to know what makes it tick. . I do not want to 'accept' what is, as the rule for what works. I can make money off line quite succssfully. . I need to develop my own set of rules for the web. I want my own creation. .

I do need a forum where a few original thinkers reside. the 'Formulae for success' ? are posted everywhere, why isnt everyone successful - Is the formulae wrong?

We do have some original thinkers on this forum Ken, and its a Damn shame that most of them are reluctant to fully let go of their inhibitions and put up some outlandish thoughts. There is a fear I think that sometimes they might get bombarded with "oh no that can't work thats why it's never been tried"

I am slowly working up to it Ken. This would be a great Forum if the 'Poo pooers' were outnumbered .

[Tubby]

Ken, You have a flaw in your personality.

When you make a post, please presume that we all know that it is with good intent... We all know your posts are with good intent.

Quote
"I hope you didn't take my suggestions as critical of obvious success."

No more of these Ken, Your good intent is accepted as read.

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

I really hope we are setting that stage in the "Marketing Strategies" Forum here!

IMO - It needs to be unbridled (within WPW Guidelines), free-spirited and Straight-Out, where no-one gets their little "feelers" hurt.

I really don't think that there is much room here for "pansies".

This is a serious forum where we discuss topical decisions influencing livlihoods!

I do my best to pay every topic that respect!

But that doesn't preclude "fun" in the process.

Getting back on topic... You are obviously endowed to take your Site where you want to go, within immediate means, and you do it well...

My suggestions were quite broad, and I might be a myoptic. Most of us are to some extent.

I am looking forward to others replies to your orginal question!

I know you have given your next steps careful consideration in the process... Do you have any particular leaning right now, that you want to devulge openly?

Can we preview a marketing strategy here?or, are we looking to help form one?

PS - I don't deny any character flaws if they fit, or if I can wear them proudly!

Ken

[Tubby]

Ken. I took a little inspiration from the DMOZ thread. It is clearly not an easy task putting together a directory - I am thinking in terms of accepting a few webmasters submissions to see what they look like. using a classifieds format I do not see how listing a page full of say PHP programmers on a page with the title PHP programmers in California would not be useful. But I would want honest information in an honest format. I do not feel comfortable with business's that do not have a home location phone contact up front etc, If you are located in the garage, lets be honest - false corporate websites ruin the Image of the netlong term. If you are a design genius working in the shed, lets put you on the net so people can look at you. Its totally silly having to create a website get it rated before you can present an image to the world. If I were to get a few hundred submissions from webmasters I could look at the problem of how a user would prefer to view the list. I sometime think the web is heading the wrong way, and giving money to multi millionairs is the wrong way for a heathy future. **minor rant**
No I am not saying I can compete. I am saying I would like to experiment with presenting a different format. . . Why not 'present Californians'not filter everyone off shore,
My classifieds System is versatile. I already have California traffic. I want to expand my skills and streach my education. . and as you know webmasters are extremely criticle . My current user base needs emails explaining how to cut and paste. It looks like a fun challenge, and will not hurt my California traffic. I think ads would cover my costs. And my motive would honestly be to do it in a way that is better for the user.

Call me a dreamer, call me a fool - just never call me late for lunch...

and . . . everyone else is making directory's? . I do not realy have time to do it, so it looks like the way I should go.

Ken I am at the crossroads - either go with Cars - or I go with Classifieds.

[greeneagle]

Tubby,

Before you stray too far off the beaten path... Take a little time to review the links posted on this thread about the issues Directories are facing with GOOGLE right now:

http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=51235

Ken

[Tubby]

I do not worry too much about Google Ken, They either get it right or the get it wrong, Next month they will either be closer to getting it right or they won't.
If Google algorythmicate themselves into a totally convulsive knot and find themseves completely unconfigured on the front lawn with the sprinklers on, I will not feel sorry for them.

[greeneagle]

"algorythmicate"

Ohhh, I like it; "al-go-ryth-mi-cate"....

That's something teenagers do, isn't it?

I like it even though it sounds like a dirty word!

You may have somethng here! Did you "coin" that word?

Do you think around 10/2 or so we can proclaim that GOOGLE just "algorythmicated"?

So far we are not getting "bleeped" for it in the forum here!

LOL - That's great!

Ken

[Tubby]

Ken I just realised - you are in Texas - lot of classic cars there too. I started a texas section too, its only a day or so behind the California section
http://www.restored-classics.com/texas/

still undecided on the final format.

[Tubby]

Is this Forum Scary? - I ask this because today I got a useful email with a suggestion regarding this thread. Its not the first time I have had a direct email, (mostly for my advertising posts) But the question did pop into my mind.

I know from past experience that sometime extremely smart people do not feel confidant with writing words. I have several users on my site that email me asking if I can re-write something before I post it.
A webmaster forum I would presume would have members that feel quite confident. .

Has anyone looked at this 'avoid it' problem.

The suggestion was by the way that instead of linking to the main page on say a car club site, that I should link to only 'members cars' page. the writer thought it would avoid linking to more adverts, and that users could click back to the main page if they felt like it instead of the other way around. I thought it was nice thinking.

[Tubby]

OOPS !