Hello! What tools did you use to promote your site?
Did you ever use webpromoting companys (such as http://web.1asphost.com/webpromotion/ )
and how much visitors you got. Or maybe you promote website yourself? Thank's.

I've never used the services of an online company (yet).... would be interesting to see some of the responses and investigate some options

I'm the same. I've been doing what I can to market my site myself. I think most of the companies that say they will promote your site for little cost probably aren't going to anything to help and the companies that really can help just charge a little more than I can afford at the moment.

Of course that's only an opinion since I haven't tried any to know for certain.

I also promote myself. For my dating site (edatingplanet.com) I use search engine optimization techniques and I write dating articles and link building. I managed some top rankings on MSN with this approach for a very competitive word term. For my new venture ProBuilderPlus I use pay per click and articles so far. I also use the tools that the program provides because I believe that every online marketer needs them to be successfull.

Erick Shipmon
shipmone@tds.net

One of the biggest benefits for me was actually being involved in the online community. My results have been really great since I opened last week. I also use places like SitePoint. And even your signature can go a long way!

Yes it can. I get a significant amount of traffic from this and other forums I post to. Remember that in link building sometimes it's the link itself that's important and not so much the benefit you'll get from a search engine.

A well promoted site will get traffic from a lot of different sources and not be dependent on one or two.

To market my sites I was depended on search engines and relevant sites. Like forum message boards, link exchange and so on. And to make my sites strong with search engines I've used a software called IBP. You can get that software here: http://www.axandra-web-site-promotio....com/index.htm

I'm generally not a big fan of using software for seo though I suppose depending on your experience it can provide useful. Most seem to have features that aren't important to make them look better. For example I did look at the one in your link roosevelt and it includes something for search engine submission. It's kind of a useless practice and their's evidence you're better off letting search engines find you.

I'm downloading the trial version of the software anyway just out of curiosity about it and the seo book it contains.

And please understand that I'm not saying the software is bad. Most top seo consultants don't use software so if the people who's sites are on page one don't use software I figure I don't need to either.

Well search engine submission should be your final task. But before submission or before search engines find your site you should play with your site's targeted keywords, keyword density, how your advisory’s sites are doing, validate your site with W3C and so on.

I agree with everything you're saying except for submitting to search engines. I don't think you ever have to do submit your site and there's been a lot of talk that it's better off not too. I've heard it often that your sie will do better if you let search engines find you. All you really need is a link or two pointing to your site from another site the search engines already know about. A link to your site in a forum signature will do.

I haven't submitted a site in years and it never takes more than a few days for the major search engines to find my site.

Everything thing else though I agree completely and it's good advice.