Hi edawerd, reddit creators created :) fake contents in early stage to have something on their site.
I wouldn't say the content was fake. They posted real urls to real stories they found interesting but under many different user accounts.
2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
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Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a very niche site. I would think that the type of people that would be into this service would be (mostly) over the age of 35. What type of marketing/market research have you done for your target demographic? Do you have an advertising campaign set up to reach your target? You have to realize that the kind of people that would like to share restaurant experiences are probably not the same type of people who e…
"What type of marketing/market research have you done for your target demographic?" What kind of market research can you do on a shoestring budget?
you'd be surprised. i work for a market research firm for start ups, and most of it is knowing how to search online, figuring out who to call, and pounding the pavement to get feedback from people most likely to use it.
that said, it's a lot easier to build something catered towards a specific user first than to build something, and try to find a use for it.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#23PATIENCE, grasshopper. Give yourself longer than two weeks to build up 'traction'. The more stuff that builds up on your site, the more people will want to go there. And that takes time.
I would not worry about yelp or any other sites people are comparing you to. Google emerged after the problem of internet search was 'solved', and Flickr appeared and succeeded after photo sites had been around for years.
You might want to concentrate on (and emphasize) what differentiates you.
If you have not already, use every channel you have available. Tell everyone you know, and remind them. Link to other food sites (even competitors?) and post on restaurant forums and sites.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#24Hi edawerd, reddit creators created :) fake contents in early stage to have something on their site.
I hate that - I don't think it's quite dishonest, but it doesn't feel real, either. Unfortunately, I think it's also a good idea:-( Edit - hate is too strong a word, but still, it annoys me - see below.
Have fun basking in your honesty, all alone on your fantastic new site.
(if you were against it, that is.)
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#25PATIENCE, grasshopper. Give yourself longer than two weeks to build up 'traction'. The more stuff that builds up on your site, the more people will want to go there. And that takes time. I would not worry about yelp or any other sites people are comparing you to. Google emerged after the problem of internet search was 'solved', and Flickr appeared and succeeded after photo sites had been around for years. You might w…
More anecdotal info: Digg didn't have very much traction until Paris Hilton had her Sidekick hacked, and someone posted a link to her photos. All of a sudden everyone went to Digg to see Paris kissing girls, and apparently the traction started there.
Even with a Digg/Reddit effect, there is no guarantee of traction. It takes time and persistence.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a very niche site. I would think that the type of people that would be into this service would be (mostly) over the age of 35. What type of marketing/market research have you done for your target demographic? Do you have an advertising campaign set up to reach your target? You have to realize that the kind of people that would like to share restaurant experiences are probably not the same type of people who e…
Food is a niche? Everybody eats...Most people prefer to eat good food rather than crap food.
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Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#27After months of after-work-hours programming, I launched my site http://www.mygrub.net but haven't seen any traction. Any tips for getting traffic? How did reddit get its very first users? I applied to YCombinator with this, but was rejected. Maybe for good reason =(
Intriguing idea in the abstract, the current implementation isn't quite grabbing me. Getting more content would help, but if I were you, I wouldn't be too eager for a lot of users just yet. What you need are a dozen or so people who are intrigued enough to give you some content and feedback to act on.
Things for you to consider:
Where have you been plugging this thing? Are you active in other food related communities, like eGullet? Have you thought about simple ways this can complement existing "web 1.0" discussion board based communities (like eGullet)? How about people who already have their own blog and sometimes blog about favorite meals/restaurants?
How about forums/communities for business and/or pleasure travelers?
Finally, what's in it for me, why, beyond self-expression, would I contribute to your site? If I enter my favorite restaurant at lunchtime, will I be glad I did by dinner time?
Some nits: Why are you showing me a map of Palo Alto by default after I register, and why isn't it easy as pie for me to change it.
Having the toolbars for the text editor be almost as large as the text area = not good. Simplify.
Make the logo a link back to the home page.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#28Thanks for all the comments and suggestions! It's all been very encouraging and I now have a lot of new ideas as a result.
There were a couple suggestions about linking my site to other existing food sites, like eGullet. I have a hard time thinking about how to do this without having it appear like shameless self-promotion or even spam. I posted something on chowhound.com about my site, only to find that it was quickly removed as spam.
As for marketing, I'm working with a shoestring budget, which consists on spending about 50 cents a day on google adwords. I guess I really just need to go out there and tell more friends about it. For whatever reason, I tend to be a little shy when it comes to making a big splash among my friends about my startup.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#29Hi edawerd, reddit creators created :) fake contents in early stage to have something on their site.
I wouldn't say the content was fake. They posted real urls to real stories they found interesting but under many different user accounts.
I don't think there's anything wrong with seeding your early content personally. As noted, the reddit folks did exactly that, and over time, it worked out.
I'm doing something similar with http://www.DailyHub.com (a social content site for business geeks). Right now, most of the links submitted are mine, but my hope is that over time, others will also start contributing.
Not all of us have a wide network of early users via YC. I'm envious.
Re: 2 weeks after launch, and no real traffic. What should I do?
#30I think you want to focus, focus, focus. Ex. become the absolute authority on Pizza places on the lower east side of Manhattan (or whatever your thing is). Be SO important to a tiny 'slice' of the world that restaurant owners are encouraging their customers to review.
Definitely post your own reviews and talk about the idea an insane amount = as much as you can. How did CL grow - there may be ideas there.
All the easy ideas have been taken. Build it and they will come just isn't easy anymore. You have to immerse yourself in the market to get traction.
If all else fails, hire some hot girls.