How they Found ZHPMafia.com

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I used to have a similar feature over at a blog I ran. My readers really enjoyed it.

It works like this: I check to see how people find the blog (google search, etc.). My traffic software monitors search phrases.

This little feature will become more popular as we grow as a site. None of you guys will be able to read every thread. You will inevitably miss some good threads. Posting how people actually found our site will likely acquaint you with a thread or two you may have originally missed.

Anyhow, some recent searches -- and the threads they turned up:

Search phrase (Google): bmw 330i zhp wheel touch up paint

It turned up as the number one entry on Google US: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?247-Touch-Up-Paint-for-ZHP-Shadowline-B-Pillars


Search phrase (Google): OBDII BT Diagnostic

It turned up on the first page of Google Japan: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?357-Bavarian-Technic-BT-Cable-OBDII-Diagnostic-Tool


Search phrase (Google): restore alcantara

It turned up on the first page of Google US: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?402-DIY-Restore-Your-Alcantara-Steering-Wheel

That's it for the first installment of how they found us. I will supplement as warranted.

[zhp43867]

I used to have a similar feature over at a blog I ran. My readers really enjoyed it.

It works like this: I check to see how people find the blog (google search, etc.). My traffic software monitors search phrases.

This little feature will become more popular as we grow as a site. None of you guys will be able to read every thread. You will inevitably miss some good threads. Posting how people actually found our site will likely acquaint you with a thread or two you may have originally missed.

Anyhow, some recent searches -- and the threads they turned up:

Search phrase (Google): bmw 330i zhp wheel touch up paint

It turned up as the number one entry on Google US: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?247-Touch-Up-Paint-for-ZHP-Shadowline-B-Pillars


Search phrase (Google): OBDII BT Diagnostic

It turned up on the first page of Google Japan: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?357-Bavarian-Technic-BT-Cable-OBDII-Diagnostic-Tool


Search phrase (Google): restore alcantara

It turned up on the first page of Google US: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?402-DIY-Restore-Your-Alcantara-Steering-Wheel

That's it for the first installment of how they found us. I will supplement as warranted.

Great idea!

And I feel special :eeps

Though my one thread has nothing to do with wheels... I do that though; I can hook y'all up with a DIY if you want. :shifty

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Here are three more.

Search phrase (Google): replace belt 2005 zhp

It turned up on first page of Google US: AC and Serpentine Belt DIY (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?36-AC-and-Serpentine-Belt-Diy).


Search phrase (Google): GREAT LAKES christmas ale cinnamon RIM HOW

It turned up on first page of Google US: Winter Brews -- What BMW ZHP 330 Owners Are Drinking (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?355-Winter-Brews...-who-ya-got/page2).


Search phrase (Google): Custom bmw 330 stance

It turned up on first page -- first entry -- of Google US: Final Stance on Dane's BMW 330i ZHP (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?158-Final-Stance).

[danewilson77]

Good deal. Looks like what we do here matters.....hehe

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Especially the winter brews!

[SC4ME]

cool stuff.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Yep. You'd be surprised at how many people liked this feature.

I started doing this about 2.5 years ago. At the time, no one else was doing it. Then, I got a few copycats (competitors who were readers of mine) doing it. I knew I was onto something.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Search phrase (Google): 330i zhp 245 front wheel 8"

It turned up on first page of Google US: What's the Widest Wheel that Can Be Used on a BMW 330 ZHP (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?442-How-wide-can-I-go)?


Search phrase (Google): mike miller old school maintenance bmw

It turned up on first page of Google US: Mike Miller's Old School Maintenance Schedule (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?408-Mike-Miller-Old-School-Maintenance-Plan).


Search phrase (Google): alcantara magic eraser

It turned up on first page of Google US: Restore your alcantara wheel on a BMW 330 ZHP (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?402-DIY-Restore-Your-Alcantara-Steering-Wheel/).


Search phrase (Google): bmw zhp iphone wallpaper

It turned up on first page of Google US: Who can make signatures for ZHP Mafia members? (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?63-Can-anyone-make-sigs/)

That last entry gives me an idea, though. We should create a thread with some of the best ZHP pictures we can find. They won't necessarily be pictures of our cars.

[pyreguy]

I like the picture idea... for my collection.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Search phrase (Google): autobahn no speed limit

The person searching found this thread: Germany Autobahn - NO SPEED LIMIT (Part 01) (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?347-Germany-Autobahn-NO-SPEED-LIMIT-%28Part-01%29)


Search phrase (Google): youtube video for optimum no-rinse

The person searching found this thread: Optimum No Rinse (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?368-Optimum-No-Rinse)


Search phrase (Google): zhp wheel cleaner recommendations

The person searching found this thread: Is Meguiars Wheel Brightener too strong for our wheels? (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?205-Is-Meguiars-Wheel-Brightener-too-strong-for-our-wheels)


Search phrase (Google): dice mediabridge manual

The person searching found this thread: DIY Dice Mediabridge Radio Interface (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?242-DIY-Dice-Mediabridge-Radio-Interface)

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Here's a new one for us.

Search phrase (Google): godfather trilogy tonight

[kayger12]

Here's a new one for us.

Search phrase (Google): godfather trilogy tonight

Well, that's certainly one way to find us.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Yep. They found the mafia. Probably not the one they were looking for, though.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Various searches from the past three days:

1. zhp mafia
2. bmw old school maintenance schedule
3. 330i zhp wheel offset
4. brakeyourself bmw
5. http://zhpmafia.com/
6. zhpmafia.com
7. site:zhpmafia.com
8. zhpmafia
9. zhpmafia.com indy|und3rground
10. 2004 zhp
11. bmw crimson red paint code
12. bmw zhp forums
13. bmw zhp paint codes
14. e46 zhp
15. mellow yellow paint code bmw
16. mike miller bmw schedule
17. zhp malfia
18. 2003 bmw 330 zhp craigslist boston
19. 2005 330i zhp for sale-+ 2010
20. 2011 bmw zhp
21. 330i zhp classifieds
22. bavarian technic
23. bavarian technics cable
24. beisan rattle sanding
25. bmw 330 cable software
26. bmw 330 z package
27. bmw 330ci zhp
28. bmw a82 paint code
29. bmw la wheel, v spoke 360
30. bmw mineral white paint code
31. bmw paint code a90
32. bmw paint manilla
33. bmw performance statistics
34. bmw vermilion red metallic
35. bmw vermillion red paint code
36. bmw zhp forum
37. bmw zhp sedan forsale 2010
38. craigslist bmw 330i zhp
39. dice mediabridge microphone install
40. e46 dice mediabridge interface
41. e46 mafia
42. e46 rear bulb replacement
43. enter code bmw bavaria rds radio
44. fix steering rack 330i bmw
45. ford valet switch
46. lunar worship
47. my car produces a foul smell
48. nautic blau bmw 1
49. restoring alacantra sterering wheel
50. running mediabridge wires to the front
51. samir m3 sedan
52. snowboard boots sale san diego
53. www.zhp
54. wwwruich.2m
55. zhp bmw package
56. zhp brakes
57. zhp engine
58. zhp mafa
59. zhp package
60. zhp registry
61. sex zhp

[Marcus-SanDiego]

By the way, 99% of my search traffic comes from Google. What's interesting -- and pleasing -- is that those Google searches result in quality hits. Two thirds of the searches result in the searcher viewing more than one page once they get here (if the searcher does only view one page -- and then leaves -- that's considered a bounce. My bounce rate for Google searches is 32.8%).

Anyhow, Google searchers spend nearly 30 minutes on the site, while viewing nearly 29 pages. Compare that with the average figures, which show that people spend 18.2 minutes on the site and view 16.6 pages per visit.

The bounce rate for the site is 25%. I can understand why, too. A good amount of traffic is coming from links on other car forums. In particular, a lot of traffic comes through Dane's link over at Bimmerforums. Those people, though, are visiting the home page of ZHPMafia.com, but they're going no farther.

[danewilson77]

I think this is because they don't have zhp and think they'll catch sheet if the join.

Anyway to mitigate this..?

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I'm constantly thinking of how we attract non-ZHP owners. It's a tough balancing act, though.

We're a ZHP site. We're not pretending to be, nor do I think we want to be, an all-purpose BMW forum. It's just the nature of the beast that non-ZHP owners and enthusiasts will not stick around here.

Having said that, we do have members on our site who are active -- and who do not have ZHPs. They may hold the key as to how we market this site.

It would be interesting to know how those without a ZHP feel. Once we know why they hang out here, it gives us a starting point on how we target non-ZHP users. It may help us identify a strength that we need to exploit.

[kayger12]

#46 is my favorite so far...

[Marcus-SanDiego]

But 61 is pretty cool.

That lunar thread is here, by the way: Lunar worship (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?500-Lunar-worship)

[kayger12]

I'm constantly thinking of how we attract non-ZHP owners. It's a tough balancing act, though.

We're a ZHP site. We're not pretending to be, nor do I think we want to be, an all-purpose BMW forum. It's just the nature of the beast that non-ZHP owners and enthusiasts will not stick around here.

Having said that, we do have members on our site who are active -- and who do not have ZHPs. They may hold the key as to how we market this site.

It would be interesting to know how those without a ZHP feel. Once we know why they hang out here, it gives us a starting point on how we target non-ZHP users. It may help us identify a strength that we need to exploit.

The strength of this site is in the demeanor and respectful nature of the members. My guess would be that that is one of the primary things that would draw a lurking non-ZHP owner to join.

How nice to have a BMW message board where you don't have to be self-conscious and worry about getting flamed for asking a question....

I think the members here go the extra mile to create that kind of environment.

I think as long as the core group of members does everything to foster that kind of an environment, we will continue to attract quality members of the BMW community.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

So maybe that's our message. The friendliest BMW forum on Earth.

[pyreguy]

LOL ZHP Mafia Do No Harm

[kayger12]

But 61 is pretty cool.



If there is no eating or drinking in my car, there will certainly be no #61 :rofl

[Marcus-SanDiego]

That's a good point, Keith.

[pyreguy]

:rofl

[Marcus-SanDiego]

This is the top 10 search list from January 7, 2011.

1. zhp mafia
2. nautic blau bmw 1
3. zhp mafia forum
4. 330 zhp
5. bmw zhp website
6. brakeyourself bmw
7. duplicolor vinyl fabric paint longevity
8. e46 mafia
9. enkei on 330i
10. monster hts 1000 for sale

I'm not surprised that so many people find our site by searching for paint colors. I have, as far as I can tell, the most comprehensive BMW paint code list (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?583-BMW-Paint-Codes-List) on the Internet now. I've been busy adding to the list.

I'm kind of surprised that people keep searching for E46 mafia. But it does happen quite a bit. As a result, I will use this information and tweak my meta tags on the site.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Here is the list for January 6, 2011:

1. zhp mafia
2. 2003 bmw 330 zhp craigslist boston
3. nautic blau bmw 1
4. zhpmafia
5. mellow yellow paint code bmw
6. 2003 bmw 330i zhp for sale
7. 2003 bmw zhp
8. bavarian technic vin cable
9. bmw e46 135m
10. clean e46

Once again, you can see those paint colors popping up. I'm a data hound when it comes to running my sites. I take all of this information and figure out what I can do to make the site better.

[danewilson77]

Thanks for the update boss...

[Marcus-SanDiego]

How they found us this week (google searches and terms):

zhp is not "special" -- which found this: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?983-Nough-Said-My-BMW-ZHP-Is-Not-Special-%28a-video-by-Kayger12%29

bmw dis help -- found this: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?765-BMW-DIS-Software

bmw indie shops -- found this: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?556-List-of-indie-BMW-repair-shops-by-city-amp-state

how to remove radio in bmw 330i zhp -- found this: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?242-DIY-Dice-Mediabridge-Radio-Interface