Sending a successful bulletin

[worlddom]

So, my friends are building up nicely on each of my profiles and I'm close to an amount where it should be worth posting a bulletin.

I'm pretty new to the MySpace marketing game and I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on how to word a bulletin in order to capture people's attention at the same time as not being flagged as spam.

I read through some of the ones sent to my profiles and to be honest I can't determine the good from the bad from the ugly. I know one person here is pretty good at it judging from results and I'd appreciate feedback from seasoned bulletiners, if they are prepared to divulge these secrets!

[Drew]

In the past I've run two kinds of campaigns...

1. In your face, come to my resource site kind - When I have done these I remove AdSense from my Site for at least 3-4 days either side of the campaign. (The big G doesn't like bulletin advertising)

2. The subtle kind, the profiles post some random message, jokes, something to make you think, etc. the bulletin includes an image or two from my sites and is created using my sites bulletin editor, so their are a few links to the site I am actually trying to market.

Both work pretty good, 1 probably brings in more traffic per bulletin, but can't be run as often as 2, so over a week they are probably even, and 2 is better at keeping friends. (Because it doesn't look like spam)

Sometimes I even use images from my other sites when doing a 2 style bulletin, that way I'm advertising multiple resource sites.

I've even gone so far as marketing a non myspace related site in the text, using images from one resource site and the bulletin editor advertisers another. So 1 bulletin advertisers 3 sites.

As to the content, write it in the style that you would expect from a real person that fits the profile you have created, make the subject something that draws people in to read the bulletin and generally don't make the bulletin huge. (unless it's full of jokes or something like that)

[Scilynt]

All good tips from MrGeek. Although I haven't pulled my adsense when doing/paying for bulletins but it's probably a good idea for the really big campaigns. Sure you may lose out on a good amount of clicks but if you build the usrebase, they will be back to click soon enough.

Another tip I got from one of our now Gurus, Cyclops, is to not have your links clickable. Although it may cut down on "clickthroughs" a bit, it is much safer for a couple reasons. First, it doesn't stand out as bad for myspace and less risk of having your URL banned if you do lots of bulletins and second because it helps cut down on your bulletin.myspace incoming traffic so google doesn't have as much of a problem with it. As long as you offers something that is legitimately needed/wanted you should still get visitors who actually want it while not pissing off the bosses. Of course well writting bulletings will only help with that too.

[money_train]

i am in the process of adding friends right now. will like to start posting bulletins this month end or something.

now i was reading some bulletins on some of my profiles and they dont make any marketing sense. something like answering 20 questions bout urself or some joke or an viral msg saying fwd this and happiness will come and no link or any url there.
could you tell me what the stratergy is?

ok as i am writing this i think i figured it out. most people are only looking at profile impressions which will bring target traffic to their site and keeping bulletin traffic minimum.

another thing i want to know is how effective are these bulletins for Myspace resource sites where the click rate is under 5 cents.

Also what is the kind of traffic that one gets with bulletin?
like how many visitors for every 10K friends recieving bulletins.

any other tip on these will be highly appreciated.

[worlddom]

MrGeek, Scilynt: thanks for the advice guys, very useful. Got a few angles now that I can work from, unfortunately I don't have a resource site as yet so looking to market non myspace sites initially.

[MKInfo]

Well I've got quite a following on one of my profiles by posting a daily funny pic......from my site of course.I get 30-40 messages a day just about the funny pic and about 50-80 friends requests daily.I put it down to "The Daily Funny"

[Drew]

Yup that kind of thing works, so do strange/unusual stories if you have a source for them...

[Cyclops]

Keep it short, try not to mention what they will see when they arrive at your site.
Don't use images or banners, they often get filtered and look too professional anyway so people automatically think its spam.

My best converting bulletins are similar or variations to this.
Headline: This is sort of cool.
Body: I just received this and thought you might find it useful, it's worth checking out anyway.

Nothing there that lets on what the site is about but enticing enough to get them to take a look anyway.
The hardest part is getting people to view a site, once there it's up to your content to convert them.

As to revenue, well even at .01 to .05 I have never sent out a bulletin where the costs weren't covered.......some have just broken even but the cost/income factor has to be looked at from a longer term point of view.......the amount of repeat visitors you receive from it and the amount of visitors that comes from those people. Particually with resource sites visitor numbers/revenue continues to spyrl upwards over time.

[Drew]

now i was reading some bulletins on some of my profiles and they dont make any marketing sense. something like answering 20 questions bout urself or some joke or an viral msg saying fwd this and happiness will come and no link or any url there.
could you tell me what the stratergy is?


Easy: No strategy, those kind of bulletins are real users posting stuff.....thats the kind of thing they post....

[worlddom]

Paying you all green rep love as I speak.

Cyclops: you indicate a minimal cost element there, what would those costs relate to?

MKInfo: cracking idea, although with my time restrictions I may have to start at The Fortnightly Funny, no make that The Annual Funny

[Cyclops]

Cyclops: you indicate a minimal cost element there, what would those costs relate to?
The costs I am refering to are for paying someone to post the bulletins to their list of friends.

If you are posting to your own Myspace accounts then of course there is no cost involved.

[Connections]

sending a sucessful bulletin involves the following

1) language - using teenagers language, throw a bit of slang in - eg Yo peep this hawt new site it totally sexcccc....make it look liek a teenage is sending it not a commercial website, here is a example of a bulletin that would suck/ and a bulletin that is good for myspace - "hello this is ERG computers LTD and associated, we would allow you to visit out informational web site based on PHP and DOS windows formate and spread sheets" or something that might appeal to teenagers "hay how u doing want to peep a sick new website called ERG comp's yeh it's totally cool and fun just hit this link now dont be a sad kid and MISS out on this"


2) bulletin wording - not using a commercial advertising format, make the add look very simple make it look like your a newbie with the hyper link, maby even put a comment like "oh I hope this link works"

3) timeing - send the bulletin at a good myspace time around 7-9pm sunday - thursday nights NYC time is great for sending buleltins.

their are many mroe elements to use aswell :d

I ahve done work for over 400 clients on myspace and I know whats effective and what is not.

thanks

[Cyclops]

Not sure I agree with part of point, 1) from what I see looking through a lot of profiles is that Myspace is evolving. Kids or teenagers seem to be getting replaced by an older generation....I notice a lot of family stuff happening, people are using it as a means to post photos and videos of family events to share with other family members, they also use it to get together and chat, similar to the way we use PMs here to communicate with each other.

The younger crowd are moving on to other sites which are perceived as being more cool. Myspace has become too mainstream for them.

I just use normal language but as I keep the bulletins really short I don't think anyone would really notice....that way nobody is alienated.

[chihpih]

sending a sucessful bulletin involves the following

1) language - using teenagers language, throw a bit of slang in - eg Yo peep this hawt new site it totally sexcccc....make it look liek a teenage is sending it not a commercial website, here is a example of a bulletin that would suck/ and a bulletin that is good for myspace - "hello this is ERG computers LTD and associated, we would allow you to visit out informational web site based on PHP and DOS windows formate and spread sheets" or something that might appeal to teenagers "hay how u doing want to peep a sick new website called ERG comp's yeh it's totally cool and fun just hit this link now dont be a sad kid and MISS out on this"


2) bulletin wording - not using a commercial advertising format, make the add look very simple make it look like your a newbie with the hyper link, maby even put a comment like "oh I hope this link works"

3) timeing - send the bulletin at a good myspace time around 7-9pm sunday - thursday nights NYC time is great for sending buleltins.

their are many mroe elements to use aswell :d

I ahve done work for over 400 clients on myspace and I know whats effective and what is not.

thanks

i agree 100%, language & timing!

as far as timing i there are several types of myspace users that you should target:

1) those who check myspace from work (10am-12pm)
2) kids checking after school (3pm-6pm)
3) people checking in the eveing (7pm-12am)

[kreutz]

I'm curious as to why people are removing their AdSense when sending out a bulletin. Google cannot see where you are getting your traffic from, unless of course you are also running Google Analytics.

The only thing to be worried about would be the quick spikes in traffic, which might make google think you're using clickbots or something.

[money_train]

i belive adsense can logg source of traffic as well.
thats the reason why people take precautions.

[avi8r]

Anyone have any thoughts/feelings about how many friends a profile should have before bulletins tend to be an effective marketing tool?

Also just to add my own two cents about effective bulletins--I've found that I need to set up several myspace profiles to go after different demographics. As I'm adding the friends I am keenly aware of who my market is for that product/service/site. Does anyone know if adderbot or badder adder give you time to screen for friend demographics?

[Connections]

Anyone have any thoughts/feelings about how many friends a profile should have before bulletins tend to be an effective marketing tool?

Also just to add my own two cents about effective bulletins--I've found that I need to set up several myspace profiles to go after different demographics. As I'm adding the friends I am keenly aware of who my market is for that product/service/site. Does anyone know if adderbot or badder adder give you time to screen for friend demographics?


to set up accounts via demographics on AR

go to browse then choose your certian demographic you desire,

I have been building friend accounts via demorgrahic for the last 3 months.

thanks.

[money_train]

i use AR to add friends and i only select friends 2 years younger and 2 years elder to my account.
i have also gone ahead and kept some women profiles only selecting women. some only men and some both.
also a couple of my profiles i only add new to myspace friends.
have not thought how this will help but am looking for information here about this.

money_train

[kreutz]

i belive adsense can logg source of traffic as well.
thats the reason why people take precautions.
There's no technical way for them to do that. When somebody goes to your page via a bulletin, the refferer (bulletin.myspace.com, I think) is registered for the page on your server.

The page on your server then gets the AdSense ads. So Google will see your site/page as the referrer.

[Connections]

The younger crowd are moving on to other sites which are perceived as being more cool. Myspace has become too mainstream for them.

I just use normal language but as I keep the bulletins really short I don't think anyone would really notice....that way nobody is alienated.


hmmm I think in australia where I live every one is still kind of into myspace...yet in the USA and UK people are getting into other sites aswell liek BEBO and facebook etc etc...

Ive been a member for over 2 years but its really only taken off in the last 6 months here...in the USA it took off like 9-10 months ago...

I know what you mean by older people joining up, but I dont worry about them as I only target teenagers with my adding...

[Cyclops]

I'm on the Gold Coast and talk to my kids and my nieces and nephews and also my friends kids, I know more about some of these kids than their parents lol.
I attended a family christening today and found kids from 10 onwards have profiles at various sites. They like me cause I am an adult they can converse with about stuff like that...in truth I only comprehend about 30% of what they are talking about but they don't know that lol.

What I have found is that they are deserting Myspace in droves....most are moving on to BEBO but there are other sites as well, some I never heard of.
There doesn't seem to be a specific reason for moving either..... it's like the herds moving on to greener pastures.

[Ted Hat]

Bulletins are overrated

Unless you have 100k forends dont get your hopes up