I was reading another thread, when I noticed that everyone was basically trying to get clients through as more localised keyword, such as "Web Design Yorkshire".<br /><br />I just wanted to know, how much traffic, and clients have you got through those specific keywords? I am very interested, as I am about to spend alot of time getting my site to the top for "Freelance Web Designer".<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Ben<!--content-->
Interesting question. I'm in the process of marketing myself as well.<br /><br />I was going to focus><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It comes down to this word "freelance" which we were talking about last night.<br /><br />I haven't taken time to read a lot about what you do so I'm unsure what your target audience is.<br /><br />I would dumb it down a bit if you are aiming at non techie (is that the word?) people. Freelance is not a word that springs to mind except amongst.....er........freelancers<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />If I may hijack just a tiny bit, what do you think people actually search for when they want a website? Most companies seem to go after "web design" as keywords but I can't imagine your average SME using that term either. I'm not denying it brings in a ton of search results, but I'm wondering if it brings in the RIGHT search results.<br /><br />Maybe "cheap website"? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--content-->
When you think about it, it almost seems impossible to rise above all the other sites and appear><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm planning to send out letters to the local businesses and approach people directly. Hopefully the word will get around by recommendations, but at the moment I just need to make sure people know I'm here.<br /><br />I was thinking of maybe placing an add in some of the local directories for businesses.<br /><br /><b>I'm thinking I got a better chance of getting results by direct communication instead of trying to push my site up><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If I may hijack just a tiny bit, what do you think people actually search for when they want a website? Most companies seem to go after "web design" as keywords but I can't imagine your average SME using that term either. I'm not denying it brings in a ton of search results, but I'm wondering if it brings in the RIGHT search results.<br /><br />Maybe "cheap website"? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Good Webdesign is never cheap <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--content-->
I am going to spend my money style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /><!--content-->
<!--quoteo(post=9108:date=Sep 1 2007, 10:37 AM:name=Thomas Thomassen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thomas Thomassen @ Sep 1 2007, 10:37 AM) <img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I was thinking of maybe placing an add in some of the local directories for businesses.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />In my own experience I've had 0 success with style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /><br /><br />I've also heard the phone book works quite well, believe it or not.<!--content-->
Well we have a site><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well we have a site style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> <br /><!--content-->
<!--quoteo(post=15049:date=Nov 2 2007, 16:32:name=DesignArrow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DesignArrow @ Nov 2 2007, 16:32) <img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What do you mean with regards to using the phone book? Is it even legal? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Meaning: Buy a listing/ad in your local phonebook as a way for people to find your business and contact you. Totally legal. <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><br /><br />(Using the phonebook to make unsolicited sales calls, however, is not legal... at least that's what my old boss told me right before she slapped a book down style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> . I lasted less than two weeks there, fwiw, and went back to freelance.)<!--content-->
I optimised for "website design (area)" and "web design (area)" and have reasonable results - number one in yahoo, and normally 3 - 6 in google depending on how much work I've put in. I'd never really set to get clients from this, was just trying SEO really.<br /><br />So far I'd say about 70% of the contacts I've had from "the Google", I've closed the sale.<br /><br />Just depends on what local people search for.<!--content-->
Interesting question. I'm in the process of marketing myself as well.<br /><br />I was going to focus><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It comes down to this word "freelance" which we were talking about last night.<br /><br />I haven't taken time to read a lot about what you do so I'm unsure what your target audience is.<br /><br />I would dumb it down a bit if you are aiming at non techie (is that the word?) people. Freelance is not a word that springs to mind except amongst.....er........freelancers<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />If I may hijack just a tiny bit, what do you think people actually search for when they want a website? Most companies seem to go after "web design" as keywords but I can't imagine your average SME using that term either. I'm not denying it brings in a ton of search results, but I'm wondering if it brings in the RIGHT search results.<br /><br />Maybe "cheap website"? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--content-->
When you think about it, it almost seems impossible to rise above all the other sites and appear><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm planning to send out letters to the local businesses and approach people directly. Hopefully the word will get around by recommendations, but at the moment I just need to make sure people know I'm here.<br /><br />I was thinking of maybe placing an add in some of the local directories for businesses.<br /><br /><b>I'm thinking I got a better chance of getting results by direct communication instead of trying to push my site up><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If I may hijack just a tiny bit, what do you think people actually search for when they want a website? Most companies seem to go after "web design" as keywords but I can't imagine your average SME using that term either. I'm not denying it brings in a ton of search results, but I'm wondering if it brings in the RIGHT search results.<br /><br />Maybe "cheap website"? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Good Webdesign is never cheap <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--content-->
I am going to spend my money style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /><!--content-->
<!--quoteo(post=9108:date=Sep 1 2007, 10:37 AM:name=Thomas Thomassen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thomas Thomassen @ Sep 1 2007, 10:37 AM) <img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I was thinking of maybe placing an add in some of the local directories for businesses.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />In my own experience I've had 0 success with style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /><br /><br />I've also heard the phone book works quite well, believe it or not.<!--content-->Well we have a site><img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well we have a site style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> <br /><!--content-->
<!--quoteo(post=15049:date=Nov 2 2007, 16:32:name=DesignArrow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DesignArrow @ Nov 2 2007, 16:32) <img src='http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What do you mean with regards to using the phone book? Is it even legal? <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Meaning: Buy a listing/ad in your local phonebook as a way for people to find your business and contact you. Totally legal. <img src="http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><br /><br />(Using the phonebook to make unsolicited sales calls, however, is not legal... at least that's what my old boss told me right before she slapped a book down style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> . I lasted less than two weeks there, fwiw, and went back to freelance.)<!--content-->I optimised for "website design (area)" and "web design (area)" and have reasonable results - number one in yahoo, and normally 3 - 6 in google depending on how much work I've put in. I'd never really set to get clients from this, was just trying SEO really.<br /><br />So far I'd say about 70% of the contacts I've had from "the Google", I've closed the sale.<br /><br />Just depends on what local people search for.<!--content-->