A more traditional approach to getting customers is through outbound marketing. This is the route most well-funded companies take, because it just takes a massive budget.
If you head over to Google Adwords and bid on “web hosting” you’re going to find yourself paying astronomical CPCs (cost per click). Companies that have millions of dollars in investment capital can stand to spend $5,000 – $10,000 a day as long as they’re bringing in new customers.
Those like me who are boot-strapping their companies would go bankrupt quickly. Even if I leveraged all of the capital I’ve ever made online, there is no way I would be able to compete with multi-billon dollar companies like GoDaddy. That’s why I always suggest the inbound marketing route first, and then add in some more traditional outbound marketing as you can afford to do so. But don’t get crazy with it!
One outbound marketing method that you will find works very well with inbound marketing is through re-targeting. Using both Google and Facebook you can easily implement a pixel into your pages that tags visitors that visit your website. Even if that don’t buy anything but go to a website the serves Google ads or over to Facebook to check their newsfeed, they’re going to see your banner.
If you produce valuable and useful content, they’re going to already remember you, so by seeing your logo over on sites they already trust, they’re going to be more receptive to buy your product or service.
And when they go to click – you’re not going to be paying those massive click prices!
We freaking crush re-targeting over here at NameHero!
After reading this, I want you to pay special attention to your Facebook newsfeed or your favorite news website. You’re going to see us everywhere!
Besides re-targeting, I wouldn’t worry too much about buying “traditional” ads on Google or Facebook. I would rather see you focus on websites in your niche where you are more likely to connect with customers interested in your web hosting.
Let’s face it – we’re not going to compete with the GoDaddy budgets, but they’re also not going to work as hard on producing useful content. No way they’re going to pay people the amount it would take to garner such content.
That’s what I love most about working on the Internet. You have the ability to out-smart and out-work billion dollar companies!
Ryan Gray is the founder and CEO of NameHero, one of the fastest growing independent web hosts in the United States. Ryan has been working online since 1998 and has over two-decades experience in Internet Entrepreneurship.
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