Conversion Rates from Forums

[Dural]

What kind of conversion rates do you guys receive from forum traffic? I've been posting answers to questions on a popular site in my niche (real estate investing). If I've already written an article on the topic, I post a link to the article. I also have links to my free reports in the signature.

Interestingly, I'm receiving much more traffic from links within the article than the signatures. About five times more. Apparently, people are learning to block out advertisements in the signature.

Stickiness seems good. I'm averaging four page views per unique.

My objective is to funnel users into the site and get them to sign up for a free report. Right now, I'm converting around 6% of uniques.

Since I'm posting to a site that is perfectly related to my topic, I've been a little disappointed by the conversion ratio. Should I be?

I'm toying with the idea of putting up a pop-up for first-time visitors that advertises my free reports. But I don't want to turn away first-time visitors. What do you think?

[Chris]

I would go with the popup. The thing is that people who really hate popups probably use a blocker, so you won't be upsetting them.

http://www.websitepublisher.net/article/popup-power/

[Dural]

Thanks for the link, Chris. I missed that article somehow.

What about pop-ups that go around pop-up blockers? For example, my Google toolbar never catches the one on sitepoint.

Do you recommend that kind as well? I personally don't mind it, because it sets a cookie and it doesn't show up again unless I delete my cookies.

[mark1]

You might want to take a look at dhtml pop up.

They can't be blocked AFAIK, and Imho they are easier on the eyes compared to
a "classic" pop up window. And their relative novelty tends to make them more effective.

I mean I usually don't give a rat :p about those few pop up that manage to pass my blocker, but whenever I see a dhtml pop up , I think ..oh that's cute.. :rolleyes:and I actually take alook at their content , I don't know, maybe it's just me.

I don't have the code atm, shouldn't be too difficult to find it though.

my 2 eurocents :cool:

edit:
I just found a free code generator

http://www.scriptsearch.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2681

check it out

[organ]

pop up usually block by software

[Cutter]

If you are using aweber they have an option for an in-browser pop-up.

I've found that embedded e-mail opt-in boxes at the bottom of an article work pretty well. Otherwise put it on the side and make a really great offer. Use an image that pulls user's eyes to the offer (your site doesn't have any images yet so this will be easy.)

6% isn't actually that bad at all. My on-page sign ups are usually 1%-2%, with special offer pages more like 6%.

[john190]

I agree, I would say that 6% is around average.