Member Avatar for electroskan.com

OK. First things first. I am a graphic designer I am not promoting my services through this post. Moderators, if you find anything self promotional about this post, Kindly let me know.

THIS THREAD IS ABOUT ONLINE ADVERTISING

So back to where I started. I am a graphic designer (once more ) So, lately I have been trying my hands on advertising my services. Previously all the work I got were through references and ODesk. Now I would like to further expand my business (again ) and start investing on advertisement but the problem is I am confused about which sites to advertise on. Being a graphic designer I thought my best bet would be to advertise on sites hosting logo design competitions like elogocontest etc because it is one place people looking for logo designers would come to. However much to my dismay I found out that very few people clicked on my ads. I tried several things like changing my ads from simple through moderate to outrageous but found little difference. Could someone here especially designers tell me which site to advertise my services on to get best returns.

Besides that I would also like to know what would be a good budget to set aside for advertisement purposes (remember that I am a start up) What startegies do you generally employ to advertise your services like type of ads (animated/plain), size of ad, ad placement, length of advertisement campaigns, type of ad service you use like adbrite/buysellads etc.

I created a similar thread at SP but to no avail.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by jogkely007

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Short answer: contest marketplaces and generic display buys often bring click volume without quality leads. , if clicks aren't converting, the problem is usually targeting and the offer, not creative bravado. As notes, reputation wins—so make yours easier to find and to share.

Focus on discovery channels where decision makers look at creative work and process. Build a crisp presence on portfolio networks (Behance, Dribbble) and on visual social platforms (Instagram, Pinterest); use LinkedIn to reach founders/marketing managers. Run small, time-boxed creative tests on two channels at a time and measure cost per qualified lead, not just clicks.

Convert traffic with single-purpose landing pages: one page per package or industry that shows the client problem, your approach, and a short case study with a measurable result. Have a single clear CTA - book a 20-30 minute consult or buy a low-cost paid audit - to filter serious prospects. Pack your pages with social proof, process steps, and expected timelines so buyers can compare you quickly.

Track what matters: scheduled calls, conversion-to-client, average invoice, and customer acquisition cost. Test simple packaging (three tiers) plus a retainer option to lift average order value. Systematize referrals with a small finder fee or credit to past clients. Put these tests on a 60-day cycle, use UTM tags and basic analytics, then double down on channels that deliver profitable customers. That approach complements the outreach and SEO points already made by others here (, , , ) while keeping focus on value, qualification, and measurement.

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Member Avatar for Avasulthiris

I have been having the same problem with my development company. The best advertising is just word of mouth!

Member Avatar for InsightsDigital

My advice: 1. Attend local meetups that you may encounter potential clients; 2. Create and post Craigslist ads every week and include a creative sample and link to an online portfolio - Make sure you refresh your ad every week when it expires; 3. Do call calling to local advertising agencies - project managers and client services - yes, it is tedious but it works.

Member Avatar for shubh09

Link building, posting add on free sites, bloging etc are standard SEO practices. I would suggest you to participate in online competitions for graphic designing, this will bring the fame and repute to you. You may start free consultancy service also to attract the customers.

Member Avatar for ithelp

You can try google adword , bidvertiser ,etc .

Member Avatar for ajit1984

Thanks buddy for all the information.
SNIP

Member Avatar for jogkely007

First of all make a website and then promote it.

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