Quote:
Originally posted by hahmike
remember, it is easier to drive traffic to a 4free program counting raw traffic, when you can tell people that they don't need a credit card, won't need a credit card, and will never be asked for one either... 
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TRUE! I bet we'd see alot more webmasters doing those kind of numbers if they were promoting it to the best of their ability. It is not difficult to "sell" a "free" membership. Click thru ratio is just as important as conversion ratio. Our tours are always fresh so once we get the surfer to the tour, you're looking at an average of 1:20 ratio. The trick is to get them there. A banner ad just isn't going to cut it these days. Surfers are getting more savvy and you need to make sure you gain their trust right at the beginning. Don't promise them the world because they aren't going to get it for free. They aren't stupid either. They know there are limits to what is free on the web.
A screen shot of the front page of the tour and/or the members area is a nice way to get the surfer familiar with what they're going to encounter after they click. This alone WILL increase your click thru ratio by surprising amounts. I like to tell the surfer of the several steps it takes to become a member and what to expect as far as the newsletters they will receive. It doesn't hurt to describe the newsletter as delicately picked paysites that we recommend to our members. Just because we care about them
Know the program you're promoting. Does your 4free program of choice allow access to all niche sites they offer with one membership? Or do they pay seperately for each site? Important to know so you know how to promote.
Your traffic source is also a big factor as you already know. Bookmark traffic is going to do very well at first, and then you will see a decline as your most regular visitors are more than likely already a member. So it is important to use other trusted programs that are similar in conjunction with your 4free proggie of choice. If you are sending a nice mix of tgp, toplist, search engine, and link list traffic you should do consistant signups with no problem. KNOW where your traffic is coming from too. Some people don't realize that your traffic sources sometimes change THEIR traffic sources so keep a close eye on this as well. Do your surfers even speak English? Again, very important to know.
Anyhow, it's not impossible to get those kind of numbers as long as you're driving fresh traffic in. Don't forget 404, credit card decline pages, double opt in emails, and consoles though. Regular tgp submissions alone aren't going to cut it.