Double Isara's Web Traffic Month

[PK]

It's time to hit the campaign trail and inform more people about this non-profit alternative to the rich web portals. Our goal for the month of October is to double our unique visitors, average daily visits, and page views. We ended September on a high note (our best Sunday all year) so let's get out there and educate more people about Isara.

There are many FREE ways to help:

1) Print either (or both) of these hand-outs and place them in high-traffic areas at your school or place of work. The tear-off sheets can be placed on bulletin boards in grocery stores, schools, or libraries. And the fliers can be given to individuals on the street or shops can give them to customers.
Hand-out PDF: http://www.isara.org/images/isara_flyers.pdf
Tear-sheet PDF: http://www.isara.org/images/isara_tear-offs.pdf

2) Write about Isara on your website, blog, mailing list, or ask the webmaster of another forum if its ok to post something. We have plenty of graphics for you to chose from here. Also, consider contacting local DJs and newspapers.
Blog Example: http://www.adhole.com/?p=63
Graphics and Banners: http://www.isara.org/content/view/265/150/
Project Videos: http://www.isara.org/component/option,com_...id,216/catid,1/

3) Tell your friends, classmates, or coworkers about Isara.org and how easy it is to make a difference. Also, each time you use someone's computer, secretly set their browser homepage to Isara. lol
Tell Others: http://www.isara.org/comp...ommendfriends/Itemid,218/

Don't forget to tell everyone, "Charity begins at your homepage." or "Isara, a small website making a big difference."

-pk

[Hunter]

Seriously, I feel like an evangelist (or I-vangelist maybe?) I just can't seem to stop telling people about this site. My favorite is the amount of people who come to me for tech support. I always tell them. The first one is free, anything else they need to register for. :)I like helping people and if I can help Isara by helping people, well, even better. Keep up the great work PK!

[SofA]

Ok isara...

I took my sunday and pretty much devoted every second of it to getting
the word out about you folks. But not for one instant did I feel like
this was a pain in the arse, It actually feels kinda good. I'm sure most of
you around here can relate to that.

I took the approach of posting a topic on "large" forums for the most part.

Issues I ran into there were.

1.)My topic being deleted by staff
2.)My topic being ignored *receiving views but no replys.
3.)My topic being called spam and being perceived poorly by some.


Why am I posting this?

Because I want to keep track of the Objections and what seems to be the best way to
handle them. Also to share that knowledge for others that may wanna take part in this
type of "word spreading"

Also I am using different words & putting sentences together differently experimenting
with variant ways of describing what isara is without site staff and members percieving
it as spam. SPAM! I've really come to hate that word with in the last 24 hrs.! What I
have found thus far through trial and error is keeping it short and sweet seems to be the
way to go. When I feel I got some sort of perfected "script" I wont hesitate to share it.

Wish me luck.   

[lambie83]

Wow!  Nice of you to share your Sunday, SofA!

PK, I'm curious, is there someplace we can see how many hits Isara is getting, maybe that would be encouraging as it increases...exponentially! (crossing fingers!). 

[SofA]

Thx Lamb.

And I should have added that just because ppl arnt jumping at the whip
to support isara they arn't all locking and removing the topics from their site.

One topic in particularly has over 1000 views. That has to be doing somethin.

[Ginafish]

Ha! SofA, Thanks for your hard work! I know where you are coming from on the posting in forums venue. Something I've done before. I've had people 'accuse' me of being an Isara cheerleader.  Can I help that I get excited about a charity that makes no demands of you other than "make it your homepage"??

HA! Hunter, like the method to your madness there. Sneak in a freebie, then hit 'em with Join, Arr! pirate

[SofA]

I've had people 'accuse' me of being an Isara cheerleader.   

So be it.

[PK]

SofA, I know exactly how you feel. It's a sad reality that all these forums (including Isara) have topics which contain links to YouTube, Imageshack, and many other commercial sites which profit from web traffic, but when somebody tries to "inform" the public about a "non-commercial alternative" that doesn't profit from web traffic but rather helps the less fortunate with it, they immediately yell SPAM. But if you were to post a Topic in those same forums about a cool new Game or Photo Album feature that G**gle has, they wouldn't have any problems with it.

The system works against the small guys and that's one of the reasons why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

I think it's a good idea to contact a moderator or the owner of the forum before posting. Sometimes if a moderator/owner posts the topic then the topic will receive a MUCH different reply from the members. I contacted a few big forums yesterday (they have more visits in one day than we have in one year) and haven't received any replies "yet". But all it takes is one.

Thanks for all your hard work on Sunday. The stats for today are much higher than normal so it is helping.

[Ginafish]

HA! Thanks Sofa!

[SofA]

I searched for isara over at http://wikipedia.org/
and nothing poped up I though about writing an article
but suddenly realized I probably wasn't the best candidate for
that.

Ever consider this?

[PK]

That's one of the things on our To Do List. thartley is currently writing a Press Release which we will submit to PRWeb.com (thanks to ZeroG for the info). Once it's complete Ginafish will post the Wiki article using some of the same verbage.

Should be up in about a week.

[KitKat]

  Thanks SoFa for your hard work and I know exactly how you feel.
 
I've tried posting articles about Isara on many websites and I've had similar responses. However, we must keep on. Isara is a community of loving people working together for good and we will reach our goal, I just know it!!
  Just look at what's been accomplished, in such a short time.

[ZeroG]

Instead of starting a thread about isara at these forums, try making a isara sig and a isara avatar, and contribute to a popular thread.

[SofA]

Finally I spoke with an admin who was willing to let me post a
 topic on there forum. The jury is still out on whether
they will pin the topic or not, but at least its there.

Here is the forums link to that topic.
http://www.tapsmainforum....27023.msg525145#msg525145

If you can be arsed join up and post in that topic once in a
 while keeping it high on the page. We were told not to post
links to isara in the topic so plz do not! Thx!

[Vin.]

I don't get people.
Did you explain to them that It's a not for profit organisation and everything? What is the problem with linking to Isara?

Strange.

But good work Sofa
Btw, join Zaibatsu.

[PK]

Instead of starting a thread about isara at these forums, try making a isara sig and a isara avatar, and contribute to a popular thread.

Good idea, ZeroG. Sigs and avatars are seen in every topic you post in so it's a great way to get the word out.


SofA - Thanks for posting the topic. And thanks to TAPS for their hospitality.


I can understand why some don't want us to post a link, since that would cross the line of advertising (which forums must be careful of). But, once again, forums seem to have no problems with posts that link to YouTube or MySpace, which profit from web traffic.

[lambie83]

Hey my promo-writing peeps, if you need a proofreader, I'd be glad to help.  That's one of the things I do quite a bit of as a translator, so if you'd like to have a second pair of eyes go over your texts, PM me or something

[PK]

Thanks for offering your proof-reading skills. Let me know if you see any more mistakes on this site.


Just so we're all on the same page (don't you hate that saying?). When posting/talking about Isara to other people, please don't say, "Isara helps Thailand". That really limits the audience we can reach. Yes, right now we are located in Thailand and have done a majority of our projects here but, the truth is, we have done projects in other countries (Nepal and Vietnam) and our main goal is to branch out into South America and Africa. Instead, please say, "helps the less fortunate in developing countries" or however else you want to describe it.

What do you think?

[SofA]

I can understand why some don't want us to post a link, since that would cross the line of advertising

I just wanted to point out between the time I pmed you
and checking back at the taps site, Pyro (The helpful admin) Pm'd me
urging me to put the Isara link in my profile and in my sig
which I did (in huge letters.) So I guess its important to
remember what you pointed out... These admin are "running"
sites for others and have to follow rules just like regular
members. But in Pyro's case she was kind enough to point out
a loop hole, which makes her totally awesome imo. 

I also wouldn't be terribly shocked if we saw her running around here at some point.

Modification:
Thx Vin after trying for 2 days thats really all I got to show for it but well worth it.
Ohh and since when were you Z!?! I seriously just noticed this!

[PK]

STATS: We had a good Monday and Tuesday and we're off to a great start today (should be a new record). Overall our traffic is up about 20% from last months average.

Keep on surfing and keep on spreading the word.

[Ginafish]

Hey my promo-writing peeps, if you need a proofreader, I'd be glad to help.  That's one of the things I do quite a bit of as a translator, so if you'd like to have a second pair of eyes go over your texts, PM me or something

Lambie, it'd be great if you'd translate a little spill into French and post on some Canadian forums and French ones. Oui? S'il Te Plaît?

[Hunter]

Here is the forums link to that topic.
http://www.tapsmainforum....27023.msg525145#msg525145

If you can be arsed join up and post in that topic once in a
 while keeping it high on the page. We were told not to post
links to isara in the topic so plz do not! Thx!

Sofa, I think I just spent more time there trying to get my sig right, than I did actually going through the forum. Good stuff. Keep up the great ideas people!

[KitKat]

Thanks SofA for all your help! This is very good and important info. 

[lambie83]

About French...
It's maybe not so useful to promote in French if the site is all in English. 

People would have to understand some English to use it, and if so, they'll understand an English "spill" (1st time hearing that wd).

Is it a distant possibility that Isara (some of the site at least) might be translated into French?  Like the Thai version?

I think that would be very cool and I'd love to help.

Well, maybe I'll make a try at a French sig for Isara anyways :

Tu veux faire une différence dans le monde? Commence par changer ta page d'accueil!

Isara.org est un portail web sans but lucratif qui utilise 100 % de ses revenus pour financer des projets humanitaires!
Ça veut dire que chaque fois que tu cliques, que tu fais une recherche, que tu joues un jeu ou que tu regardes un vidéo-clip, tu es en train d'aider les plus démunis dans des pays en développement.
Et ça ne te coute rien!

There ya go!

[Vin.]

Modification:
Thx Vin after trying for 2 days thats really all I got to show for it but well worth it.
Ohh and since when were you Z!?! I seriously just noticed this!

Haha, for about 3 (I think) months? Yeah. It's a good place. You're gangless at the moment yeah? Think about it, and I'll chat with Waddy and them.