Banner adverts

[David from Stockport]

Has anyone ever used banner advertising on this site either in the days when the Org did it themselves or now when it is thru Google adwords . Im intrested in how good conversion rates where etc . Im starting a small Online Greeting card website and as my dream would be to open a small card/giftshop in Caithness I like the idea of advertising using the org and putting my money into Caithness .

Ive heard conversion rates on google/facebook can be poor and can cost 50p a click which soon works out expensive if they dont convert.

thanks David www.theweecardshop.co.uk

[henry20]

I ignore ALL advertising on any sites - can't be bothered with it. If I want to look for something, I'll search for it.

Briefly followed your link, my first thoughts were that your 'shop by occassion' should be alphabetical, but that may just be me........going to have a proper look now.

[David from Stockport]

thanks did by occassion in order as it comes in the year - site is a work in progress , my son is doing it when not at uni or work -he actualy doesnt like the site , he wants to re-build it completly , it will do for now as it is just a hobby business at the moment ive got a full-time job . I used to spend lots of time in Thurso on hols years ago and would love to live there / Dunnet /John og
and it has always been my ambition to have a card/gift shop , as there is not a great deal of "footfall" in Caithness a website would be needed as well as a bricks/mortar store . Im not aiming to be a "Moonpig" and my first aim is to be having 3 customers a day by May - and can build slowly from there , its more important to do something I love in a place I love than make lots of money,thanks for your input .

[henry20]

No problem - as valentines was coming up, I automatically went to look for it under 'v'. Still think alphabetical would be better as 'wedding' or 'civil partnership' can happen at any time of year.

Back to banner advertising, not sure of best way to advertise yourself, but imagine I'd never hear of you if you had an advertising banner here.

Someone I respect as a business person once told me, the best business advice he ever got was to not waste money on advertising. I truly believe this was good advice - I know people that spend thousands on advertising that don't bring in the money spent trying to promote themselves. Its a difficult thing to balance!

[David from Stockport]

Thanks - I did a quick pay per click advert just before xmas and got nothing back for £100 spent - the people who did buy came across the site by mistake . Its just going to be trial and error . Getting a proper shop is the dream but as dont have a silver spoon in my mouth had to start online first so i dont need to draw a wage !
thanks for your help.

[dragonfly]

I ignore them too, maybe as the majority that seem to appear aren't local companies (all I ever seem to see is the Plusnet one)

For my business the biggest advertising I have (free or paid) is my Facebook business page - it reaches a huge audience and no cost involved and I've also put ads on other facebook group pages (Caithness.Org, Thurso Caithness, Caithness Horizons to name a few) promoting offers I have, therefore reaching another viewing audience.

good luck in your wee venture

[David from Stockport]

Thanks Dragonfly - added Facebook on Friday ,spoke to my son today and am going to use pay per click advert on Facebook and give it a month @ £ 5.00 a day to start as you can aim the advert at the right demographic - did not bring any orders when tried it before but was not on facebook then so anyone who visited and "liked" the sight but did not want to buy so clicked off was lost forever , but this way if they press like at least when we get new ranges in u can post on facebook page and maybe they buy sometime later !
Im very lucky to be doing this as a hobby as the pressure is off ! thanks for your good wishes , may also do ad like you did on Caithness sites as that is were id love to re-locate to .

thanks again David www.theweecardshop.co.uk