Marketing/Promoting a hiphop based social bookmarking/media site

Hello, I've launched a new rap and hip hop centered 'digg' like site a couple months ago, and am looking for free ways to promote it. Other than emailing webmasters from the same niche I'm in, and trading stumbles, not sure how to promote it.

Currently debating doing the myspace thing for it, as well as potentially doing a youtube 'official launch' video, but I have no experience with video editing, and I really dont like the whole myspace thing. I don't have any money to invest in promoting this site right now, so I'm looking at ways to do so with a time investment instead.

The site in question is www.rap-it-up.net

 

Don't use spam to promote it. It is useless. Try paid service. What do you say?

 

i dont consider email webmasters of other sites in my niche, spam, im usually pretty personal, and seem to have gotten replies and good feedback from most of them. Im unemployed, and the site is more of a personal project then an investment at this point, so paid service is not an option, at least not until the site generates enough income to cover it. Thanks for the reply though.

 

Personally (and sorry to say) I don't believe any domain with a xxx-xx-xxx name will ever make it.

Please name me one site that is successful like that?

Lets say you make it huge, the owner of rapitup.com or other domains would just copy everything you did and shut you down.

Find another venture IMO.

 

I didnt really think about this when I bought the domain, yes your right, but it doesnt mean I can't try does it? The owner(s) of the .com without the hypens are all domainsquatters, capitalizing on a TV networks safe sex campaign of the same name, so I'm not sure whether its worth worrying about, at least not at this point. Maybe in the future Ill find another name, and redirect, but for now I dont see the harm in promoting my site. I respect your opinion, and am aware of the risks, but is it fair to say "find another venture"? You and I both know that just because you said that, doesnt mean Im going to shut down and sell the domain tomorrow does it?

 

why not use digg or anything alike to promote that site. their community should know better whether your site is good or not.

 

Well thats kind of the whole reason I decided to become a webmaster, and launch this site, was because I watched almost every hiphop or rap related submission get buried within the hour on digg. I did submit it to digg though, although its fairly old, and I don't think I can/want to resubmit it. I wish it was that easy though, but thanks for the advice.