Targeting keywords/phrases with the word "free" in them... Good idea?

[Infantry Veteran]

Free Shemale Porn, Free Hardcore Porn, Free Webcams, etc...

Since what we are trying to do is make a few bucks from our visitors, is it a good idea to go after keyword phrases like the ones above? I am guilty of this on a few of my blogs, and even put the word "free" in the URL, but am I making a mistake?

The few blogs that I am talking about have made me a couple sales, but I have a hunch that maybe I am taking the wrong approach... By telling the visitors that they will be getting something for free, what are the chances of them actually paying for a membership if they click through to one of my sponsors? I know when I do a search on google for something free, like "free ringtones", I will not stop looking until I find exactly what I am looking for... Free ringtones!

What is your opinion on this topic? Do you stay away from the word "free" in your keyword phrases?

[friporr]

I have a few sites since when I started that target phrases like those. I haven't had much sucess with these and won't soon be targeting any phrases like them either.

Maybe you could successfully sell "free memberships" to the kind of traffic that searches for free porn. But it can't be a good demographic to target.

[Infantry Veteran]

Thanks for your input friporr.

I have tried to push the "free memberships" to that kind of traffic, but even then, I dont think they like the idea of providing CC numbers for "age verification" or whatever other reason they are needed.

I think Im gonna do exactly like you did when you realized your "free" sites werent converting... stay away from them!

Thanks again for your input!

[daedal]

The problem with the term free is that so many websites use it, even one's that are not free. That basically mean's your competition is very high. For example free shemale porn you are competing with 1,440,000 other websites, although not the highest it's a lot.

Something like free hardcore porn you will be competing with 5,140,000 other websites.

So the word free doesn't actually help you in anything, you are better of targeting specific niches rather than 'free'

[Infantry Veteran]

I understand that the examples that I gave have very high competition... I only gave them so that I could show what I meant.

Take the phrase "Free adult cams" - which is the phrase I was considering going after, and the reason I made this thread.

"Free adult cams" only has about 55,900 results on google (Thats before filtering out the duplicates by setting prefs to show 100 results, and going to the last page of the results to see an even smaller number of 702 unique results).

I would think that something like this would be worth going after! Im just not sure that my site would convert well if my visitors are prompted to enter a credit card number from the cam sponsor, when they were searching for FREE adult cams.

[daedal]

I don't know what specific google site you are basing your results on but I just searched on Google and it showed 910,000 for free adult cams on google.com.

If you are targeting english speaking surfers they generally use google.com and I doubt you will find a decent search term with the word free in it, with only a few search results.

Surfers don't filter out duplicates, so you have to factor them into your equation.

And that's the point, if someone is looking for free they want free.

[friporr]

The point isn't which keywords with "free" in it are high competition or low. The discussion was if it's even worth having a good position for that kind of search phrase. Is it possible to convert that traffic?
In my experience, it's not. Sure I've had a few sales from these sites, but not nearly good enough to be worth my time.

[daedal]

Unless your truly offering something for free the conversion can never be high, and that's why most 'free' sites don't make money. The big mainstream freebie sites make shit loads of money, they are offering people want they want and it's something for free.

I have a basic free adult dating site, never advertised it, has a few links in, don't care about serp's, it gets me at least 1-5 signups a day and it costs the people nothing to join. If they upgrade I make money, if they don't I have still earn't a $1

I also have a mainstream freebie site, makes a decent amount of money, but again because it's free.

I have a free mainstream forum, again makes a bit of money, but again because it's actually free.


The problem with most free sites they mislead people,they are not free, cam sites you have to pay to use are not free, the odd sale here and there is why people continue with pretending they are offering something for free.

[Infantry Veteran]

That makes total sense Daedal. Thanks a lot.

Also, I sent you a PM to discuss the whole thing about the number of google results and how I got them- so we dont get off topic in this thread.