Feedback for a new free site please!

[carrie15]

I just recently launched http://www.adultsonlylist.com and would love any and all feedback. I'm new to this forum and am not trying to spam. I really would like feedback.

Thanks!

[Useless]

How would you describe your site? What's your goal?

[NY Jester]

Im trying to get a grasp on this thread..but I think you are spamming it 100% - the entire site is a push to adult friend finder? You probably wont hear what you want to here. Thats not a free site..but you already knew that.

[carrie15]

jester, once again you are just plain 100% wrong....in other words "excellent guess Kreskin, wrong, but excellent."

[Greenguy]

I'll play along....Why would you advertise other dating/personal sites? Isn't that like selling Pepsi & having ads for Coke?

[carrie15]

Greenie, the idea is that all those website that are advertised are paid websites whereas this one actually is a 100% free site. So even if people want to go to other sites where they pay, it shouldn't affect them using a free site. I don't think of it as pepsi having ads for coke, more like a free blog having advertising for the wall street journal or nyt.

[Toby]

Don't give up your day job.

[carrie15]

Originally Posted by Toby

Don't give up your day job.

That's not very helpful feedback.

[SheepGuy]

Originally Posted by carrie15

Greenie, the idea is that all those website that are advertised are paid websites whereas this one actually is a 100% free site. So even if people want to go to other sites where they pay, it shouldn't affect them using a free site. I don't think of it as pepsi having ads for coke, more like a free blog having advertising for the wall street journal or nyt.

Actually, I kind of like the idea, just not the way it's laid out. Is your priority to sell memberships for other dating services or to get people into your free one?

[NY Jester]

Originally Posted by carrie15

jester, once again you are just plain 100% wrong....in other words "excellent guess Kreskin, wrong, but excellent."

You can be as witty as possible but dress the can up anyway you want, hell throw a holiday ribbon around it, but Spam is Spam...and is only good fried in a pan, thrown between two slices of toast, slapped with cheese and mayo and eaten while watching your favorite rerun of Three's Company and chased down by an ice cold sody-pop.

...in other words..."All circuits are busy. Please hang up and try again"



but who am I to judge

[Toby]

Originally Posted by carrie15

That's not very helpful feedback.

Not helpful? Perhaps. But still sound advice.

Sheep Guy brings up a good point. What are you trying to do, build traffic or make money? It's pretty tough to do both until you've built up enough members to your free dating community for that traffic to be self-sustaining. The banners to AFF are nothing more than traffic leaks at this point.

[carrie15]

Toby, I am trying to do both. I know that the same people who are willing to pay for something like AFF would still be willing to use a free site if it adds value. So I guess the question is does it add value. You can look at it another way, a site like pof.com is completely free and it has ads going to any and every pay site you can think of, yet they are still maintaining big user retention.

The site has only been up for about a month and I've have build up a few thousand users along with some dollars from the affiliates. Would I get more users faster without the affiliate ads?

The reason why I joined up here was to get some news eyes on the site to give me some real feedback and maybe some fresh ideas.

Thanks!

[carrie15]

Originally Posted by NY Jester

You can be as witty as possible but dress the can up anyway you want, hell throw a holiday ribbon around it, but Spam is Spam...and is only good fried in a pan, thrown between two slices of toast, slapped with cheese and mayo and eaten while watching your favorite rerun of Three's Company and chased down by an ice cold sody-pop.

...in other words..."All circuits are busy. Please hang up and try again"



but who am I to judge

actually, i perfer my spam with eggs .... it's a hawaii thing i guess.

[NY Jester]

all joking aside...I really think you need to grasp what your purpose is. If the site is only a month old, it really has not brought in enough traffic to have it stand alone and most certainly cannot draw them back nor sustain any of its own members by pushing surfers elsewhere. The soundest advice I can give, is to either do it one way or another. Bulk it out and have it be a portal to the adult dating community through various programs, friend finder, fling, xxxblackbook, ulust, wild matches, etc. OR remove the adverts to other dating sites and bring up the traffic to gain your own members. Honestly the first is a bit easier in my opinion. Whatever you decide, all the best with it.

[carrie15]

Thank you very much jester... I really do appreciate the advice. It makes sense.

[carrie15]

Jester, in your opinion, do you think that even if I kept the other dating ads, people still could come back because my site is free?

[Kisa]

Just like I ask how one competes against tubesites, I would ask you the same thing concerning your main competition. Craigslist. They've been doing the free personals/dating/casual connections thing for years and it's only gotten bigger not smaller.... Craigslist is very effective as it's so localized. I don't know... you'd have to convince me why I should go to your site and search for four people nationwide vs. hundreds on craigslist in my area.... I'd just advise you to do more research into your competition and figure out what makes you different.

[Kisa]

Originally Posted by carrie15

Greenie, the idea is that all those website that are advertised are paid websites whereas this one actually is a 100% free site. So even if people want to go to other sites where they pay, it shouldn't affect them using a free site. I don't think of it as pepsi having ads for coke, more like a free blog having advertising for the wall street journal or nyt.

I agree with Greenie and if I had a free 'news' blog, I would not drive traffic away from it to the NY Times or WSJ (unless I was using them as my direct news source). So I would say that's equally misguided. And by the way, NY Times and WSJ do not charge for online memberships so again, the example doesn't apply the way advertising AdultFF does. I would just say that most of us who have looked at your site don't get it and arguing with those of us who don't get it isn't the answer since you can't argue with the average surfer. So if we don't get it, no one else is just going to 'magically' get it.... just something to consider... I "get" craigslist personals. It's straightforward and upfront and there are zero ads....

[carrie15]

Originally Posted by Kisa

I agree with Greenie and if I had a free 'news' blog, I would not drive traffic away from it to the NY Times or WSJ (unless I was using them as my direct news source). So I would say that's equally misguided. And by the way, NY Times and WSJ do not charge for online memberships so again, the example doesn't apply the way advertising AdultFF does. I would just say that most of us who have looked at your site don't get it and arguing with those of us who don't get it isn't the answer since you can't argue with the average surfer. So if we don't get it, no one else is just going to 'magically' get it.... just something to consider... I "get" craigslist personals. It's straightforward and upfront and there are zero ads....

Kisa,

Could you please be a little bit more specific on exactly what you don't get? Of all the people that are or have used the site, I haven't heard any negative feedback about the layout, usability, concept, etc. I have received thank you emails and positive feedback. That is not to say that there aren't a lot of negative comments that I should be receiving. It could just be that some people go to the site, can't figure it out and leave (obviously without sending me a feedback email). That is why I am more than excited to get all negative feedback that is constructive.

So, it you can, please be a little bit more specific about exactly what is confusing.

Thanks in advance!

[NY Jester]

Originally Posted by carrie15

Jester, in your opinion, do you think that even if I kept the other dating ads, people still could come back because my site is free?

I personally feel, that by leaving the ads to other dating sites you leak or have the chance to leak all your traffic to more established dating programs. And even though more than half I'm sure are fake ads, there are "millions" of profiles rather than a handful. If I were you, I'd remove the dating ads, and replace them with others - maybe sex toys, rx, penis enlargers, but keep it discrete. You don't want to slam the people with "Your cock is too small" ads. You want to get them to place ads, then "magically" get them to click off to your sponsors. But I'd stay away from other adult dating ads.

As suggested above, if you are going to take this route, look further into your competition. CL is the top of the heap in regards to free personals and classifieds.

[carrie15]

Originally Posted by NY Jester

I personally feel, that by leaving the ads to other dating sites you leak or have the chance to leak all your traffic to more established dating programs. And even though more than half I'm sure are fake ads, there are "millions" of profiles rather than a handful. If I were you, I'd remove the dating ads, and replace them with others - maybe sex toys, rx, penis enlargers, but keep it discrete. You don't want to slam the people with "Your cock is too small" ads. You want to get them to place ads, then "magically" get them to click off to your sponsors. But I'd stay away from other adult dating ads.

As suggested above, if you are going to take this route, look further into your competition. CL is the top of the heap in regards to free personals and classifieds.

Thanks Jester!

I do like your idea about removing the "competing" ads and sticking with products or other helpful services. I want to keep the users happy and coming back to use my site.

As far as cl, I have spent a very considerable amount of time studying them

Thanks again!!!

[carrie15]

Jester,

So I have removed the "competing" ads from the homepage and I think it even makes the site look better.

What do you think?

Does it still feel like it is an AFF portal or does it look/feel more like a stand alone?

Thanks again! I really appreciate your help.

[Kisa]

Originally Posted by Useless Warrior

How would you describe your site? What's your goal?

Carrie, I think this (UW's very first question) answers your question as to what it is people don't 'get.' But hey, if everyone is digging on your site then kudos to you... You might want to put some of those testimonials up But if this is the case, then why waste your time with asking anyone here????? If things were groovy for me, I don't think I would have ended up here..... unless of course, Jester is right... which is looking more and more like the case-

btw- you never answered UW's question and you never answered mine which is: why someone would want to go to your site vs the well established, super functional, totally free and no blind ads and no ads at all home of Craigslist personals?

[Kisa]

Originally Posted by carrie15

Jester,

So I have removed the "competing" ads from the homepage and I think it even makes the site look better.

What do you think?

Does it still feel like it is an AFF portal or does it look/feel more like a stand alone?

Thanks again! I really appreciate your help.

Carrie: To which site are you referring?????????????????????????????????

This one: http://www.adultsonlylist.com/Featur...-Ads/ca-2.aspx

or

the one you listed above???????? And is this you?

If you are the webmaster of an adult website and serious about driving qualified traffic to your site, purshase a banner on AdultsOnlyList today. Contact us for custom packages at XXXXXX@adultsonlylist.com.
http://www.adultsonlylist.com/Advertise/ca-3.aspx

So do you want us as affiliates Carrie? I'm so confused..... just a dumb newbie I guess....

[NY Jester]

Carrie - I think you should remove the ads off the home page all together. Get them "in" first before trying to send them away.

As for the ads on the subsequent pages..I'd reduce their overall height size. Make them less intrusive...if you can. A small header ad as well as a small footer ad would do the trick...either textual or graphical. Just some ideas.