Getting your first 100 members
Pick your target audience and relate to them in your messages
Make the best of managed profiles
Start building your network early
Use Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites
Use a landing page to gather subscriptions before you go live
Any subscription may turn into a paid membership
Start a blog to tell your story and present your website
Give your very first members a royal treatment
Once you are all set up with your dating website and satisfied with the result, you’ve got to spread the word! How else are people going to sign up unless you tell the world you are live?
Pick a specific audience and try to relate to them in your messages. You will need to make them understand that your website gives them the opportunity to find the right match quick and easy. Segmentation is key; for example, you can focus on targeting people that speak Danish, live in Brussels and are big fans of The Matrix movies by sending out messages that reference info about Brussels or fun facts about The Matrix. And if you throw in a bit of Danish as well, you are guaranteed to get their attention.
A controlled start
Getting your first 100 real members doesn’t have to be a difficult task. You just need a bit of guidance.
Because we all have to start somewhere, it is ok to use “some extra special help”. So get busy and create about 50 managed member profiles. Make sure they are brightly mixed and have a realistic appeal. Add detailed descriptions and other profile items, and of course, use attractive profile pictures.
It is important to keep the managed profiles active and always reply to any private message or interaction with real users on your dating website. This will get the ball rolling for your success.
Do not hesitate to contact us for more details about these actions via our contact page or via private messages on Twitter and Facebook!
Social media does not only provide an opportunity to contact us but it can also help you attract more users.
The ever-powerful social media
Even before you go live with your website, start building up your network on social media websites like Twitter or Facebook.
Primarily, set up Twitter and Facebook accounts. Of course, you don’t need to stop there. You can create accounts on any other social media sites you know.
Next step is to follow known names in the industry like match.com, okcupid.com or eHarmony.com.
Again, you don’t need to stop there. You can follow anyone you like. Now, take a peek at what they post. For example, see which hashtags are used on Twitter and make sure you use those when tweeting.
Think about creating a landing page, which gives visitors the option to subscribe! Anyone that subscribes might become your future paying member. To get visitors to subscribe, give them a quick overview of your website (try to make an eye-catching presentation) and include offers that they may receive when they go from subscribers to members.
With all this taken care of, start posting. Anything you can think of! Or simply highlight features of your dating website.
Mention the accounts of big names you followed in your posts and maybe their followers pick up your posts; add a link to your landing page in your posts, whenever possible.
Now, when you go live, your followers and subscribers will know and they may choose to become members.
Write your stories
A blog is also an important part of growing your network. You can write articles to tell the story of your website, highlight its features, give some tech tips.
When presenting a feature, consider adding screenshots, but make sure not to reveal too much.
Add a post on social media with every article you publish. You can also post about the same article several times at regular intervals, just spin its intro and try to be creative.
A royal treatment
You should lavish your first real members! Their good experience on your website may prompt them to give positive feedback or a recommendation to their friends, bringing in new members.
Consider giving free memberships, free access to a feature, a discount or other perks for just being among the first to register. If they convince a friend to sign up, up your offer and extend it to the new member as well.
If they contact you, try to reply as soon as possible giving support. If you don’t have an answer yet, just reply to let them now you’re on it.
