I would like to know what would be the best way for a web site to gain
popularity include ways which would or would not require a fee.
List them by most expensive to inexpensive and average cost.
Give examples and timing to reach popularity (if it can be determined)

Hi! Thanks for the question.

Please take note that before providing a rating; please ask for
clarification if you will need further assistance in the answers I
have provided below.


I have here the different methods use in online marketing. Of course
due to the vastness of the net and the different ways and methods in
which search engines rate index such websites, it is quite difficult
to make things work. Anyway,  here are the different tried and tested
methods.

Timing and popularity are rarely discussed but you might find helpful
tips in the articles referenced after each topic.


Do it Yourself Search Engine Optimization - Free  
http://www.surf22.com/basic/2web.htm
http://www.surf22.com/basic/3search.htm 

Search Engine and Directory Submission ? Free
http://searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/article.php/2167881 

Stationary Marketing (Meaning Email Signatures in Company Correspondence) ? Free
http://www.surf22.com/basic/4station.htm

Link Exchanges ? Free
http://www.surf22.com/basic/5link.htm

Use Newsgroups ? Free
http://www.surf22.com/basic/6news.htm 

Email Newsletter ? Free
http://www.surf22.com/basic/8ezine.htm 

Join Affiliate programs of other companies ? Free
http://www.surf22.com/basic/9affilia.htm 

Viral Marketing ? Free
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_marketing#Methods_of_transmission 

Paid Listings ? from $25 to $50
Paid Search Engine Submission - $75 to $300 (Prices may seem high at
first glance but I put these two categories above since marketers
perceive them as giving much more value for your money than other
methods)
http://searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/article.php/2167841

Ezine Advertising ? less than &2 per 1000 viewers
?They are cheaper on average than banner ads. The average cost of a
banner ad is $10 per thousand viewers. The average cost of an ezine ad
is less than $2 per thousand viewers. For example, our newsletter has
16,000 readers and only charges $30 for a classified. This works out
to only $1.88 per thousand readers. With our current special, you can
actually get the costdown to $1.25 per thousand readers.?
http://www.home-business-search.com/articles/killerclassifiedads.html

Banner Ads ? Average of 50 cents per 1,000 impressions
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-advertising2.htm 

Using a Search Engine Optimization Consultant - $400 to more than $3500
?It was verified that the prices vary from $400 to $3500 and up (more
up!) depending on your site specifications.?
http://www.allmerchants.com/Articles.Internet-Marketing-Consultant.Skyrocketing-SEO-prices-make-blood-cold-discount-ones-make-it-stir.id.32364.htm

Setting-Up Your Own Affiliate Program ? from under $100 to Thousands
of Dollars  Based on Sales Commissions
http://www.merchantseek.com/merchantnewz/020201b.htm
http://clickbank.com/overview.html?hop=irisjetta (Sample Setup Fees
for an Affiliate Program is found below this page)


Search strategy used:
Different online marketing methods basics

I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
                                                          
                              
Regards,                              
Easterangel-ga                              
Google Answers Researcher

---

Request for Answer Clarification by mi2mia-ga on 17 Aug 2005 08:33 PDT

Do you know the rate of success for each one or stats on them.

I know you did the previous research for me, can you use those sites as example?
I.E. Craigslist, where is he now, and what did he do?
Match.com, Myspace.com I don't want their stories. Ialready have that.

Thanks

---

Clarification of Answer by easterangel-ga on 17 Aug 2005 16:59 PDT

Hi again! Here are some of things used by the websites we collected in
the other question. I only got studies for Match.com and LinkedIn.

Match.com - Link Exchanges and Viral Marketing (Specifically "Word of Mouth")

"...Match's AOL alliance is only one of many portal relationships the
site leverages for distribution; others include MSN, Excite,
EarthLink, Netscape and BET."

"Word-of-mouth endorsements also help on the marketing side. 'Once [a
personals site] gets to a certain size, you hardly need to do any more
promotion because it just promotes itself.'"

"Case Study: Match.com" By James Maguire
http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/news/trends/article.php/1577861

LinkedIn - Stationary (Email Signature Marketing) and Email Newsletter Marketing
http://www.clickz.com/experts/article.php/3323031


--------------------
Here are some of measures of success rates for the different marketing
methods. You will find that the measures mostly talks about
click-through rates. Here is a definition of click-through rates.

"It is important to distinguish what a click-through rate does and
does not measure. The CTR (click-through rate) measures what
percentage of people clicked on the ad to arrive at the destination
site; it does not include the people who failed to click, yet arrived
at the site later as a result of seeing the ad."

"click-through rate (CTR)"
http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/clickthrough_rate/


Here are the figures I was able to find. I don't have figures for all
methodologies listed above. The ones  I have here are the ones which
show what are the typical success rates when these campaigns are done
properly.

Viral Marketing - 66% to 3,746%
http://www.wedgewise.com/vm-rep-xsum.htm

Banner-Ads: 0.3% to 0.5% click-through rates
Email Marketing:  5% to 15% response rate
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/mediaresourcecenter/documents/gertner.pdf

Paid Listings - 5% click-through rate
http://vivisimo.com/docs/websearch.pdf

Search Engine Optimization (Sample Click-Through Rates)
http://www.seobook.com/archives/001013.shtml

Link Exchange - 20% to 30%
http://www.akamarketing.com/reciprocal-link-templates.html

I hope this would be helpful.

Thanks!

AS always, great answers.

Thanks again for the compliment, the 5 stars and the generous tip! :)

Some good information. Did not tell how to do myself.

These guys did a good job of optimizing my site at a reasonable cost.
http://www.keithcash.com