Comments on: Learning From (A Specific Example Of) Failure http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/ B2C stands for "Bingo To Customer" Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:18:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jury Duty Is a Bit Like Running a Business « Jesse Smith’s Blog http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1922 Jury Duty Is a Bit Like Running a Business « Jesse Smith’s Blog Fri, 01 May 2009 05:01:06 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1922 [...] that sounded like good ideas at the time. Patrick McKenzie has an illuminating write-up of a web marketing promotion that never quite figured out how to turn viewers into customers. (But he shouldn’t feel too bad - he’s in fine company there, and he didn’t even [...] [...] that sounded like good ideas at the time. Patrick McKenzie has an illuminating write-up of a web marketing promotion that never quite figured out how to turn viewers into customers. (But he shouldn’t feel too bad – he’s in fine company there, and he didn’t even [...]

]]> By: Bingo Card Creator Year 2008 In Review « MicroISV on a Shoestring http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1476 Bingo Card Creator Year 2008 In Review « MicroISV on a Shoestring Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:25:27 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1476 [...] MicroISV on a Shoestring The schedule: 8 days. The budget: $60. The results: read on. « Learning From (A Specific Example Of) Failure [...] [...] MicroISV on a Shoestring The schedule: 8 days. The budget: $60. The results: read on. « Learning From (A Specific Example Of) Failure [...]

]]> By: Pascal http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1475 Pascal Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:55:43 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1475 Thank you Patrick, I'll try these 2! Thank you Patrick, I’ll try these 2!

]]> By: Jesse Smith http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1464 Jesse Smith Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:49:03 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1464 I had a feeling you were starting too late with this to get enough traffic in time for Christmas. I think a site like that could work to convert parents into customers, but at a much lower rate than for teachers, so you'd need much higher traffic in order to make the numbers work. One thing you didn't really talk about in this article but that I believe was part of your original motivation for this site is whether the exact match domain name really improved your search engine rankings for the phrase. I'm guessing not, given that as of today, a search for "christmas bingo cards" does not put your site on the front page, and you were using AdWords to get there. Thanks for writing this, though - it's a very nice summary of why things didn't pan out how you hoped. I had a feeling you were starting too late with this to get enough traffic in time for Christmas. I think a site like that could work to convert parents into customers, but at a much lower rate than for teachers, so you’d need much higher traffic in order to make the numbers work.

One thing you didn’t really talk about in this article but that I believe was part of your original motivation for this site is whether the exact match domain name really improved your search engine rankings for the phrase. I’m guessing not, given that as of today, a search for “christmas bingo cards” does not put your site on the front page, and you were using AdWords to get there.

Thanks for writing this, though – it’s a very nice summary of why things didn’t pan out how you hoped.

]]> By: Andy Brice http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1463 Andy Brice Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:55:11 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1463 StumbleUpon ads didn't work for me either. >most sites will take months to rank, unless they go viral. And, as we’ve discussed, the combination of users and site design was a pretty good antibiotic. Just to be pedantic - viruses aren't affected by antibiotics. ;0) StumbleUpon ads didn’t work for me either.

>most sites will take months to rank, unless they go viral. And, as we’ve discussed, the combination of users and site design was a pretty good antibiotic.

Just to be pedantic – viruses aren’t affected by antibiotics. ;0)

]]> By: Mike Volpe http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1465 Mike Volpe Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:07:10 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1465 Just to clarify, our success with StumbleUpon at HubSpot has been with promoting viral content and building up overall traffic, buzz and inbound links to interesting content. And this has mostly been through organic work on StumbleUpon, not paid promotion. You are 100% right that StumbleUpon traffic does not convert well at all. In fact it is pretty close to 0% conversion. But, if you have a fun, entertaining and interesting blog article, video or something like that, you can get a lot more exposure for it pretty cheap on StumbleUpon. But if your goal is conversions or sales, StumbleUpon is not going to help at all. Just to clarify, our success with StumbleUpon at HubSpot has been with promoting viral content and building up overall traffic, buzz and inbound links to interesting content. And this has mostly been through organic work on StumbleUpon, not paid promotion. You are 100% right that StumbleUpon traffic does not convert well at all. In fact it is pretty close to 0% conversion. But, if you have a fun, entertaining and interesting blog article, video or something like that, you can get a lot more exposure for it pretty cheap on StumbleUpon. But if your goal is conversions or sales, StumbleUpon is not going to help at all.

]]> By: Atle Iversen http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1466 Atle Iversen Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:33:12 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1466 I must admit I'm NOT in your target group, but very interesting article anyway. "Well, that hurt like the Dickens" - if you don't continue your software development efforts, you should really try professional writing - you're THAT good ! But with the amount of money you've been able to get from such a "limited" niche as bingo cards for teachers, I'm sure you'll just get even more successful in time - making mistakes and LEARNING from them is a great experience. I must admit I’m NOT in your target group, but very interesting article anyway.

“Well, that hurt like the Dickens” – if you don’t continue your software development efforts, you should really try professional writing – you’re THAT good !

But with the amount of money you’ve been able to get from such a “limited” niche as bingo cards for teachers, I’m sure you’ll just get even more successful in time – making mistakes and LEARNING from them is a great experience.

]]> By: Posts about SEO as of December 13, 2008 | The Lessnau Lounge http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1469 Posts about SEO as of December 13, 2008 | The Lessnau Lounge Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:43:37 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1469 [...] industry, throwing a fork in the spokes of how Internet marketers drive traffic to sites. Web Learning From (A Specific Example Of) Failure - kalzumeus.com 12/13/2008 Images are thumbnails, click to see the larger versions. Background [...] [...] industry, throwing a fork in the spokes of how Internet marketers drive traffic to sites. Web Learning From (A Specific Example Of) Failure – kalzumeus.com 12/13/2008 Images are thumbnails, click to see the larger versions. Background [...]

]]> By: Scott K http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1468 Scott K Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:42:08 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1468 Very interesting. I've been following this experiment of yours and I appreciate the update. By the way, the movie is Caddyshack. Very interesting. I’ve been following this experiment of yours and I appreciate the update.

By the way, the movie is Caddyshack.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.kalzumeus.com/2008/12/13/learning-from-a-specific-example-of-failure/#comment-1467 Patrick Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:14:08 +0000 http://kalzumeus.com/?p=452#comment-1467 James, that would have obviated one of my major reasons I thought it was going to work: the exact-match domain name. Getting pre-built Google juice equivalent to my pre-existing rankings wasn't going to do it for me (if it had, I would have just avoided the promotion all together ;) ) I did 301 the existing subdirectories/pages that I thought would match it well to the appropriate places. James, that would have obviated one of my major reasons I thought it was going to work: the exact-match domain name. Getting pre-built Google juice equivalent to my pre-existing rankings wasn’t going to do it for me (if it had, I would have just avoided the promotion all together ;) )

I did 301 the existing subdirectories/pages that I thought would match it well to the appropriate places.

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