How Many Quote Requests Did Your Website Receive in 2012?

[Josh]

I guess some people can't help but try to spread the wealth. Merry Christmas josh.

My primary reason for pointing out how exceptional your situation is comes from talking to agents on a regular basis that think driving traffic to a website is going to solve their lead generation problems. With thousands of visitors a day to this site, many agents get misinformation. I believe your post was well intentioned and helpful, but I also think it's important for folks reading this thread to have some perspective.

Merry Christmas to you as well!

 

[JohnWalker]

I also think it's important for folks reading this thread to have some perspective

That's why I shared the other side of the coin. The problem with agents on this site is they don't seem to grasp the concept of actual marketing so they would rather pay some lead aggregation company to market for them. Learn to earn. If someone out there can do it why can't you. What makes me and my situation so special....

 

[Nanci]

I'll bite. P&C agent only.

i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u629/johnyWalk/stats_zpsd271362e.png (picture but I can't post a link yet)

I started my site in March of 2012 and got my first lead in June. I'm currently averaging 400-450 organic visits / month and converting 150-200 leads / month. I started my website as a side project for my business and now that side project has been averaging me $5000-$6000 in revenue a month for the past 5 months.

Maybe I got lucky but within 6 months of doing all my own SEO I was adding an extra $5k+ a month to my bank roll. Granted I've only been averaging this the past 5 months but when you put into an ROI perspective its insane.

My website cost is $50 / month. I studied and learned as much as I could about SEO and applied everything myself. If you do the math, my total actual dollar cost from March till now is only $450 for the estimated $31k+ I've managed to generate.

Not bad for a 9 month side project but to each, his own....

That's incredible. I started my site two months before your site (Jan. of 2012) and all I got was 3 quote requests for the entire year. I, too, read up considerably on SEO. But, look at the vast difference in our results! I have a deep suspicion that there is some SEO trick out there that I am just not getting. Anyways, I have a question for you...did you design your own site or did you have it designed by a web designer?

 

[somarco]

John Walker, thanks for sharing some information. Since you seem to be in a generous mood, care to provide a link to your site?

 

[Josh]

I have a deep suspicion that there is some SEO trick out there that I am just not getting.

It's a bit more complicated than a single trick. Everyone and their cousin seems to be offering a "SEO secret that will change your life", but the reality is there are a number of things involved with SEO that are much more involved than a simple trick. Feel free to visit traffick planet or blackhat world and there is a wealth of information about SEO on both of those.

 

[djs]

If you want a lot of 'quote' opportunities, give away a free ipad once a month to someone that requested a quote. Then make sure you market the @#$#@@$# out of this with email blasts, banner ads, etc.

Doesn't necessarily mean you'll make a lot of money, but you'll get a lot of 'leads'.

I suspect, based on his numbers, JohnWalker was selling leads, not policies. I could be wrong and would love to be proven wrong.

Dan

 

[JohnWalker]

Mind sharing what kind of linkbuilding you are doing for $50/month?

I don't but not with everyone. I cant pm so if you can find another way to contact me i dont mind discussing strategy.

Terminology question, when you say 'converting', does that mean to a sale or just to a lead?

You are doing well with visits. I'm not sure what you mean when you say converting, but I assume you mean to a lead. Number is still good (awesome actually).

converting for me is visitor to lead. closing would be lead to policy.

Now, based on your numbers (monthly revenue), you are selling what appears to be 1 in 10 visitors to your site. Now, I assume this is home and auto policies being written, but maybe not. This type of conversion rates would work in a niche market, but its tough in the open 'preferred' market. If you are pulling it off, I'm very impressed.

I wish I was selling 1/10 my ratio is higher than that. Its all auto policies in California. I'm not really in a niche market I'm a broker I insure anyone and everyone competitively unless they want limits over 100/300.

That's incredible. I started my site two months before your site (Jan. of 2012) and all I got was 3 quote requests for the entire year. I, too, read up considerably on SEO. But, look at the vast difference in our results! I have a deep suspicion that there is some SEO trick out there that I am just not getting. Anyways, I have a question for you...did you design your own site or did you have it designed by a web designer?

its a custom design built on an insurance based website platform. Don't use tricks in SEO after this year you wont get far with cheap tricks. Think actual marketing strategies when building links.

If you want a lot of 'quote' opportunities, give away a free ipad once a month to someone that requested a quote. Then make sure you market the @#$#@@$# out of this with email blasts, banner ads, etc.

Doesn't necessarily mean you'll make a lot of money, but you'll get a lot of 'leads'.

I suspect, based on his numbers, JohnWalker was selling leads, not policies. I could be wrong and would love to be proven wrong.

I'm an insurance broker. I've never sold a lead in my life. 5-10 leads a day is manageable for a single agent. Sorry but I have nothing to prove so you can stay right if you like.

 

[pcbinsurance]

Wasn't John Walker the marketing guru who was on here about 6 months ago? You know the guy----with the attractive red ball cap??? Has he returned to (re)enlighten us?

 

[JohnWalker]

Wasn't John Walker the marketing guru who was on here about 6 months ago? You know the guy----with the attractive red ball cap??? Has he returned to (re)enlighten us?

I came back to try to help someone you guys were going to defer from doing something that could benefit his business. Just because nobody has done it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. If everyone can be successful at something, its probably not worth doing.

BTW I responded to the majority of the questions but it needs a mods approval but since I feel it's useful information it probably wont get approved. I only came back to give perspective as josh says. And I'm not staying.

 

[djs]

BTW .... but it needs a mods approval but since I feel it's useful information it probably wont get approved.....

Your posts were approved. Sorry, missed the fact that the system moderated them for some reason.

Dan