Anyone who owns a website wants it to be extremely popular with high amounts of traffic that converts to new business. This is the always the case whether its a local service like Andrew Hill Salon, a big company like WH Smith or a national charity such as the PCRF (Prostate Cancer Research Foundation). By developing websites everyday, we have a vast understanding of not only design, accessibility and usability for a website but more importantly, search engine optimisation. Search engine optimisation is a very competitive area with every web site wanting to come on the first page for particular key phrases. Companies want the number 1 spot in Google as well as Yahoo, MSN and AltaVista - the major players in the search engine world.
Animation Technologies focus their web site optimisation both on-site and off-site optimisation on the search engine Google, the reason being, 72.8% of online users use Google as their primary search engine. It is also the case that if you get website optimisation right in Google - gaining a high page rank - it is often the case that the other search engines will follow, even though each one has its own unique algorithm for ranking web sites.
To increase your website traffic takes not only excellent search engine optimisation but also a number of other factors which make up your website on the whole.
Learn about usability - Having a great looking website is useless if users cannot use the website and view the content.
Invest in a good design - Design is not the be all and end all of a website, it is one key aspect that will make a first impression on the user, so quality is important gaining the visitors trust.
Keep it up to date - Your website needs to look fresh, new and great. If the website has outdated news, broken links or hideous graphic animations, this will all deter users.
Topical News - A news feed/blog is a great way of not only keeping new and returning customers up to date about your industry/service, company information and popular news stories.
Create a useful website - Relevant content is king when it comes to increasing your traffic. Your website will not only be telling users about your company but tips that actually help users, thus users referring others to the website.
Manage your reputation - Responding to your readers comments is key to establishing your company as one that cares about what people say about you.
Make Accessible - Many web design companys focus purely on design, in partiuclar flash websites which may jump around the page or make all sorts of noises however, blind and deaf people still need to be able to use it. If they cannot use your website then you will not get their custom - thats potential business your ignoring.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label advertising. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label advertising. Tampilkan semua postingan
Jumat, 03 Februari 2012
Senin, 02 Januari 2012
Get the Most Out of Web Directories and Article Directories
There are ways around promoting your site. And it isn’t even going to cost you a cent (only a bit of your time). There are what we call web directories and article directories. Web directories, simply, are directories of various categories containing website listings. On the other hand, article directories are directories also containing various categories where you can publish your articles. Why mention the two? You’ll soon find out.
First off, are web directories. Did you know that there hundreds of web directories exist all across the net? What you do is you submit your site to these directories, and there you go – instant links to your site! Did you also know that most of those web directories are free? That’s right, they won’t charge you anything (maybe just some occasional link backs to their site – “reciprocal linking”). What matters is that a site is linking back to your site. If you do this with hundreds of other web directories (thousands, if you have the time and perseverance), you would have that many sites linking back to you. By doing so, your link popularity will increase. Link popularity is the number of links pointing back to your site (the more links, and the higher their PR, the better). It also the basis on how search engines would rank your site. If a search engine sees that you have high link popularity, they would see your site to be important, and rank you accordingly.
Next are article directories. I know what you’re thinking. How would articles help your site get traffic? First reason – by submitting to article directories, you will have the chance to promote your site through the resource box or author’s biography. Like web directories, several hundred article directories exist. And again, they are also free. What you want are directories that let you submit and use their other articles for free. Why use free articles? Second reason – if your site is lacking content and you want people to regularly visit you, use these free articles as your web content (always include the author and source). With your site having more content, more traffic will eventually come to you.
These are two ways of boosting your link popularity, page rank, and of course, traffic. Other than these, you can try getting inbound links through forum participation and link partnership with sites that are related to yours (but that’s another story). I hope you would find this useful, so enlist to web directories and write your articles now.
First off, are web directories. Did you know that there hundreds of web directories exist all across the net? What you do is you submit your site to these directories, and there you go – instant links to your site! Did you also know that most of those web directories are free? That’s right, they won’t charge you anything (maybe just some occasional link backs to their site – “reciprocal linking”). What matters is that a site is linking back to your site. If you do this with hundreds of other web directories (thousands, if you have the time and perseverance), you would have that many sites linking back to you. By doing so, your link popularity will increase. Link popularity is the number of links pointing back to your site (the more links, and the higher their PR, the better). It also the basis on how search engines would rank your site. If a search engine sees that you have high link popularity, they would see your site to be important, and rank you accordingly.
Next are article directories. I know what you’re thinking. How would articles help your site get traffic? First reason – by submitting to article directories, you will have the chance to promote your site through the resource box or author’s biography. Like web directories, several hundred article directories exist. And again, they are also free. What you want are directories that let you submit and use their other articles for free. Why use free articles? Second reason – if your site is lacking content and you want people to regularly visit you, use these free articles as your web content (always include the author and source). With your site having more content, more traffic will eventually come to you.
These are two ways of boosting your link popularity, page rank, and of course, traffic. Other than these, you can try getting inbound links through forum participation and link partnership with sites that are related to yours (but that’s another story). I hope you would find this useful, so enlist to web directories and write your articles now.
Minggu, 23 Oktober 2011
Improving Your Website For More Sales
If you create more value for your customers, you will get more sales. So to increase your success you must make adding value to your website a top priority. This is directed towards Information marketing, (one of the best ways to make money), but can generally be applied to any web site. Here are some great tips to making your site the best it can be:
1.You can add more value by adding more pages to your site
Think about creating a whats new page or a FAQ page to increase your customer service. People will appreciate the new helpful information.
2.Add new products
You need to be adding to your current products to increase your sales. No one can buy from you more than once if you only have one product! This can also attract more customers if you write more material that wasn't in the first book, or if you write about a different topic in your niche market.
3.Test different versions of your website
The only real way to figure out exactly what website set-up is best is to make different versions, and test them out. Keep the one that makes the most sales!
4.Add audio
This can be a great selling point on your website. Adding audio creates a greater connection between you and your customers. The more they feel safe buying from you, the more often they will buy your product. Audio is also good because your customers are more likely to stop and listen to your audio then they are to read a sales letter. You can also use audio in combination with a sales letter.
5.Add testimonials
Your customers will love the reassurance of previous customer's great experiences with your product.
6.Improve current content
Add value to your current information to generate more sales. Create more chapters in your e book and maybe even widen your topic range. Widening your topic range creates more of a market and that means more customers. Just be careful to stay in your general market so your customers will still be interested. When you add more content you may want to have an idea in mind for a sequel.
7.Add more paragraphs to your sales letter
Add more text to your sales letter, so your customer gets more bang for their reading time. Don't forget to mention what your product can do for them and all the great things that are included!
Use these tips to keep your website updated and ready to take on your competition.
Best Wishes!
Maranda
Mann
1.You can add more value by adding more pages to your site
Think about creating a whats new page or a FAQ page to increase your customer service. People will appreciate the new helpful information.
2.Add new products
You need to be adding to your current products to increase your sales. No one can buy from you more than once if you only have one product! This can also attract more customers if you write more material that wasn't in the first book, or if you write about a different topic in your niche market.
3.Test different versions of your website
The only real way to figure out exactly what website set-up is best is to make different versions, and test them out. Keep the one that makes the most sales!
4.Add audio
This can be a great selling point on your website. Adding audio creates a greater connection between you and your customers. The more they feel safe buying from you, the more often they will buy your product. Audio is also good because your customers are more likely to stop and listen to your audio then they are to read a sales letter. You can also use audio in combination with a sales letter.
5.Add testimonials
Your customers will love the reassurance of previous customer's great experiences with your product.
6.Improve current content
Add value to your current information to generate more sales. Create more chapters in your e book and maybe even widen your topic range. Widening your topic range creates more of a market and that means more customers. Just be careful to stay in your general market so your customers will still be interested. When you add more content you may want to have an idea in mind for a sequel.
7.Add more paragraphs to your sales letter
Add more text to your sales letter, so your customer gets more bang for their reading time. Don't forget to mention what your product can do for them and all the great things that are included!
Use these tips to keep your website updated and ready to take on your competition.
Best Wishes!
Maranda
Mann
Minggu, 04 September 2011
Search Engine Optimization: The Advertising Bargain of the Century
Yes, in this case the hype is true, search engine optimization (SEO) is the advertising bargain of the century. SEO is the process of tweaking and positioning websites so that they rank well in the search engines. And as most website owners know, if their website does not appear on the first two or three pages of search engine results pages (SERPS), then their website is not being found by prospective clients searching for their products and services. SEO is such a great bargain for a number of reasons.
SEO, the gift that keeps on giving
The benefits of SEO continue long after SEO services have been commissioned. Traditional advertising is like buying a plane ticket: once you’ve gone on your trip, the benefits have been used up. SEO, on the other hand, is like buying a car: it will keep on transporting you long after it has been paid for. That said, for most markets, once the initial SEO campaign has been implemented, good SEO requires a certain amount of upkeep. In this way, of course, SEO also resembles owning a car.
I want it now!
Unlike traditional advertising, which builds brand awareness and may eventually lead to more sales, SEO targets prospective customers who are actively searching for your products and services. They are using the search engines to find you! But is your website ready to be found?
“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don't know which half.”
John Wanamaker’s adage is still true, but it’s not true about SEO. Why? Because the results of SEO can be quantified and tracked. This is why in a recent article the Economist notes that “Thanks to the power of the internet, advertising is becoming less wasteful and its value more measurable. In terms of efficiency, if not size, the advertising industry is only now starting to grow out of its century-long infancy, which might be called ‘the Wanamaker era.’” (“The Ultimate Marketing Machine,” The Economist, 6 July 2006).
SEO, the gift that keeps on giving
The benefits of SEO continue long after SEO services have been commissioned. Traditional advertising is like buying a plane ticket: once you’ve gone on your trip, the benefits have been used up. SEO, on the other hand, is like buying a car: it will keep on transporting you long after it has been paid for. That said, for most markets, once the initial SEO campaign has been implemented, good SEO requires a certain amount of upkeep. In this way, of course, SEO also resembles owning a car.
I want it now!
Unlike traditional advertising, which builds brand awareness and may eventually lead to more sales, SEO targets prospective customers who are actively searching for your products and services. They are using the search engines to find you! But is your website ready to be found?
“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don't know which half.”
John Wanamaker’s adage is still true, but it’s not true about SEO. Why? Because the results of SEO can be quantified and tracked. This is why in a recent article the Economist notes that “Thanks to the power of the internet, advertising is becoming less wasteful and its value more measurable. In terms of efficiency, if not size, the advertising industry is only now starting to grow out of its century-long infancy, which might be called ‘the Wanamaker era.’” (“The Ultimate Marketing Machine,” The Economist, 6 July 2006).
Jumat, 04 Maret 2011
Doorway page generator and Internet cloaking
Doorway Page
Doorway page generator and Internet cloaking scripts when used judiciously can improve the search engine ranking of any web-page or website. The search engine optimisation doorway pages are keyword rich smart pages or hook pages, that links and/or redirects to the content page. The content page meant for the user is cloaked from the search engine, (hence the term Search Engine Cloaking). Keyword rich hook pages or bridge pages appear in the search results page. When followed the link from the search result, the user is automatically redirected to the intended page. Or in simple words, search engines don’t see what the users see and vice-versa.
IP cloaking is possible if the Webmaster know the IP address of search engines. Only the doorway pages or search engine optimisation doorway pages are caught by the search engine spider while crawling the website. The door page script or doorway generator script are usually too short to be caught by search engines. The cloaking software identifies the IP addresses of search engines, and when a search comes from the search engine IP, the real page is hid and the keyword filled doorway is displayed. This is called IP cloaking. Website cloaking and page cloaking needs to be done with care and the users shall be led relevant pages only.
The doorway page generator also helps you protect your search engine optimisation techniques from being copied by your competitors. Making a page visible to search engine requires a special quality. Learn about the search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques that can help you improve the search engine rankings of your web-pages.
Next Week More on Doorway Techniques.
Doorway page generator and Internet cloaking scripts when used judiciously can improve the search engine ranking of any web-page or website. The search engine optimisation doorway pages are keyword rich smart pages or hook pages, that links and/or redirects to the content page. The content page meant for the user is cloaked from the search engine, (hence the term Search Engine Cloaking). Keyword rich hook pages or bridge pages appear in the search results page. When followed the link from the search result, the user is automatically redirected to the intended page. Or in simple words, search engines don’t see what the users see and vice-versa.
IP cloaking is possible if the Webmaster know the IP address of search engines. Only the doorway pages or search engine optimisation doorway pages are caught by the search engine spider while crawling the website. The door page script or doorway generator script are usually too short to be caught by search engines. The cloaking software identifies the IP addresses of search engines, and when a search comes from the search engine IP, the real page is hid and the keyword filled doorway is displayed. This is called IP cloaking. Website cloaking and page cloaking needs to be done with care and the users shall be led relevant pages only.
The doorway page generator also helps you protect your search engine optimisation techniques from being copied by your competitors. Making a page visible to search engine requires a special quality. Learn about the search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques that can help you improve the search engine rankings of your web-pages.
Next Week More on Doorway Techniques.
Rabu, 23 Februari 2011
tips for better webdesign
For better websites you have to build sites which are user-friendly AND optimized for search engines.
Here are 10 strategies for better webdesign:
1. Use valid HTML/CSS code. Searchengines and users hate wbesites which cannot be read correctly
2. Try to find out the most relevant keywords of your clients. Sort them by relevancy and list the first 12-15 keywords
3. Provide useful and structured content which referes to the keywords
4. Set keywords in bold within the text. Use keywords within the title tag.
5. Use h1-headlines for the most important keywords
6. Use alt-tags for images
7- Design. Try to create an unique and attractive design. High-quality images will impress your visitors. Seach for nice images in the web but do not copy them without permission!
8. Submit your website to the most important search-egnines like google, yahoo ...
9. Try to get new backlinks every weekSearchengines will love that. Be sure not to get bad neighbourhood. Only quality websites should link to you. Directoy listings will provide you with good links when they have a pagerank of 2 or higher.
10. Keep your website actual. A news section will provide visitors and searchengine with new content.
If you have not the time or ability to design a website contact an agency with long-termed experience in webdesigning and seo. Before placiong an order you should check the references. There should be at least 20 web projects from different customers.
Here are 10 strategies for better webdesign:
1. Use valid HTML/CSS code. Searchengines and users hate wbesites which cannot be read correctly
2. Try to find out the most relevant keywords of your clients. Sort them by relevancy and list the first 12-15 keywords
3. Provide useful and structured content which referes to the keywords
4. Set keywords in bold within the text. Use keywords within the title tag.
5. Use h1-headlines for the most important keywords
6. Use alt-tags for images
7- Design. Try to create an unique and attractive design. High-quality images will impress your visitors. Seach for nice images in the web but do not copy them without permission!
8. Submit your website to the most important search-egnines like google, yahoo ...
9. Try to get new backlinks every weekSearchengines will love that. Be sure not to get bad neighbourhood. Only quality websites should link to you. Directoy listings will provide you with good links when they have a pagerank of 2 or higher.
10. Keep your website actual. A news section will provide visitors and searchengine with new content.
If you have not the time or ability to design a website contact an agency with long-termed experience in webdesigning and seo. Before placiong an order you should check the references. There should be at least 20 web projects from different customers.
Jumat, 11 Februari 2011
Why You Should Blog!
I have been blogging for just over two months now. Many of my mentoring students have been asking my advice on blogging. I have so far hesitated to teach much about blogging, because it’s not something I feel I “know” yet. I feel much more comfortable teaching about things I know.
Well… I took a look at Alexa today and noticed that this blog almost hit the top 10,000 most visited sites on the Internet today. I have been seeing success with many of the methods that are unique to blog promotion. I felt it was time to write a post about blog promotion… BUT… WAIT! I haven’t even explained why I have this blog thing. I can’t really jump into getting traffic to your blog without explaining why I have a blog and why you should have one too; now can I?
Let’s go back to my history. I “made it” online without many of the tools you see me offering today. I had no products. I had no copywriting ability. My search engine ranking data was my key to my original success on the Internet. I would simply create high ranking web-sites for some market and sell the traffic from those sites directly to those who did have copywriiting ability and products. Obviously I no longer recommend that. Having your own product and copywriting ability are both multipliers to knowing how to get traffic. Now-a-days I focus on all three aspects of your Internet business and recommend that you do the same.
With that said… don’t underestimate the traffic business. Consider this. Who is the richest man in the world? Right. Bill Gates. He sells software. Software is a good business! Consider this though. Who are the 3 leading sites on the Internet? Go check Alexa if you don’t know. OK; don’t check. I’ll just tell you:
1. Yahoo
2. Google
3. MSN (Microsoft)
Now take a look at that third one. That’s the company that Bill Gates (the richest man in the world; remember?) started. Now he’s messing around on the Internet in the #3 spot.
Now; let’s take a jump here. What do those three sites sell? Ok; take a minute on this one. There will be a test.
That’s right. They sell traffic (or they mostly sell traffic… Yahoo and MSN are a tiny bit more diverse than that). Now isn’t that interesting… The richest man in the world… who go that way by selling software… now wants to sell traffic.
OK; that was a diversion. We’ll come back to that later. What I wanted to tell you about was my experience selling traffic (which is still the largest part of my business). I made a mistake. I sold traffic anonymously under corporate names. None of my traffic customers know who I am. They just buy traffic from XYZ Corporation because it converts to sales for them. XYZ Corporation has no personality. In fact, it’s fully automated and most of my customers seem to like it that way.
I tried to change that a couple of years ago. I started sending them emails teaching how they could get the most out of my traffic service. I was too late. They didn’t know me and they didn’t want to hear from me.
Then I tried one last attempt (I’m glad I did) by offering them a special on traffic that month. I think I did a two for one deal or something like that. Over 25% of my customers bought a new campaign that day. I made over $60,000 in one day with that one email. I thought that was cool! I still do. I can write a single email and make thousands of dollars in a single day. I think a lot of marketers like that.
The power of your customer list is incredible! If you can convert 2% of strangers into customers with a sales page, you can convert 25% of your existing customers into customers of another product with that same sales page. That’s powerful!
I tried it with another product. It was a good product. It was mine. It was the search engine research itself that lead to the traffic those customers were buying. In effect, I was offering to teach them how to generate the same traffic that I was selling to them. It flopped miserably. No-one bought. I tried several other products. Nothing. Why?
Some of the responses told me right away. Even though I was writing under the company name, they didn’t know me. I’ll repeat that. They didn’t know me. They knew my company. They knew that my company delivered great converting traffic, but they simply didn’t know me. An endorsement of one company by another isn’t very powerful. It isn’t nearly as powerful as an endorsement by an individual.
So, I went on to do the Freedom Events. You know how they went. Based on the endorsement of a few well-known Internet marketers, they sold out. Lesson learned. To get that 25% number, you need one of the following:
1. To be marketing to your customers as a company and selling a special offer on the product of your company that your customers already know about.
2. To be marketing to your customers as a person and selling a special offer on any product that you personally endorse… and have never given a bad endorsement on a product to your customers before.
I wanted to do the latter with my own customers… not those of another Internet marketer.
What is the best way to do that? As I look around, a blog is the absolute perfect vehicle for that. As I sell products (and cross-promote them on the owner’s pages), I also promote this blog. I do it very early in the process. It is mentioned on the owner’s page and is also mentioned in the very first email most people get after purchasing one of my products.
They buy the product from a stranger, but I introduce myself as the creator of that product very early by pointing them (you) at this blog.
Then, I don’t hide the blog behind some corporate image. You do buy my products from a corporation, but do you even know the name of that corporation? Who cares what it is called? I want you to get to know me. That’s the purpose of this blog.
Now some folks are finding this blog before they purchase one of my products. That’s OK too. Some people buy a product based on the sales page. Some buy because they know the author never produces junk. Some have a combination of those reasons.
OK; so… yes… you should have a blog. I suggest that you create your blog between your 3rd and 4th product in your primary market. That’s when I created this blog. That is also when you want to start cross-promoting your 3 or 4 products on their owner’s pages.
Here are some other things that I think are important:
1. Register your name for the domain for your blog.
2. Put your name at the top, not some cutesy blog name.
3. Share of yourself. Do not post to your blog like you are a customer service rep answering the phone for a large company… never revealing anything of yourself… only the corporate script. Chat with your customers like they are dear friends. Don’t give out your home address or phone number, but within the context of the blog… what are you afraid of? Let your blog readers get to know you.
4. Post often. People can get into the habit of doing something daily or hourly very easily. It is much more difficult to get into a weekly or monthly habit. Post at least daily so your blog readers can get into a daily habit of reading what you have to say.
5. Don’t worry about giving away secrets of your products. That’s one reason I only sell software, video and mentoring products right now. It’s simply not possible to accidently give away too much in text on your blog. Software and video are both more robust mediums than text. I can explain in words all day long how to do something… it will still be useful to buy the software to automate that task and/or buy the video to actually see how it all works.
6. Get a subcribe link up on your blog (and all of your content sites). Some people will want to follow your blog, but won’t remember. You need to give them a way to allow you to send them reminders when you post. This will dramatically increase your number of repeat visitors over time.
OK; I think that answers the question about why I have a blog and why you should too… and how you should set it up. Now, I can jump into the specific ways to get traffic to a blog that only exist for blogs… not other types of sites. I’ll do that in a future post.
For now, go register your name and get Wordpress installed on that domain. Get your subscribe link up. Write an article and submit it to your blog… and then submit it via Artemis Pro with your blog mentioned in the resource box of your article. That’s how I started just a little over two months ago and as of today… I’m almost in the top 10,000 most visited sites on the Internet. See if you can beat me in the next couple of months.
Well… I took a look at Alexa today and noticed that this blog almost hit the top 10,000 most visited sites on the Internet today. I have been seeing success with many of the methods that are unique to blog promotion. I felt it was time to write a post about blog promotion… BUT… WAIT! I haven’t even explained why I have this blog thing. I can’t really jump into getting traffic to your blog without explaining why I have a blog and why you should have one too; now can I?
Let’s go back to my history. I “made it” online without many of the tools you see me offering today. I had no products. I had no copywriting ability. My search engine ranking data was my key to my original success on the Internet. I would simply create high ranking web-sites for some market and sell the traffic from those sites directly to those who did have copywriiting ability and products. Obviously I no longer recommend that. Having your own product and copywriting ability are both multipliers to knowing how to get traffic. Now-a-days I focus on all three aspects of your Internet business and recommend that you do the same.
With that said… don’t underestimate the traffic business. Consider this. Who is the richest man in the world? Right. Bill Gates. He sells software. Software is a good business! Consider this though. Who are the 3 leading sites on the Internet? Go check Alexa if you don’t know. OK; don’t check. I’ll just tell you:
1. Yahoo
2. Google
3. MSN (Microsoft)
Now take a look at that third one. That’s the company that Bill Gates (the richest man in the world; remember?) started. Now he’s messing around on the Internet in the #3 spot.
Now; let’s take a jump here. What do those three sites sell? Ok; take a minute on this one. There will be a test.
That’s right. They sell traffic (or they mostly sell traffic… Yahoo and MSN are a tiny bit more diverse than that). Now isn’t that interesting… The richest man in the world… who go that way by selling software… now wants to sell traffic.
OK; that was a diversion. We’ll come back to that later. What I wanted to tell you about was my experience selling traffic (which is still the largest part of my business). I made a mistake. I sold traffic anonymously under corporate names. None of my traffic customers know who I am. They just buy traffic from XYZ Corporation because it converts to sales for them. XYZ Corporation has no personality. In fact, it’s fully automated and most of my customers seem to like it that way.
I tried to change that a couple of years ago. I started sending them emails teaching how they could get the most out of my traffic service. I was too late. They didn’t know me and they didn’t want to hear from me.
Then I tried one last attempt (I’m glad I did) by offering them a special on traffic that month. I think I did a two for one deal or something like that. Over 25% of my customers bought a new campaign that day. I made over $60,000 in one day with that one email. I thought that was cool! I still do. I can write a single email and make thousands of dollars in a single day. I think a lot of marketers like that.
The power of your customer list is incredible! If you can convert 2% of strangers into customers with a sales page, you can convert 25% of your existing customers into customers of another product with that same sales page. That’s powerful!
I tried it with another product. It was a good product. It was mine. It was the search engine research itself that lead to the traffic those customers were buying. In effect, I was offering to teach them how to generate the same traffic that I was selling to them. It flopped miserably. No-one bought. I tried several other products. Nothing. Why?
Some of the responses told me right away. Even though I was writing under the company name, they didn’t know me. I’ll repeat that. They didn’t know me. They knew my company. They knew that my company delivered great converting traffic, but they simply didn’t know me. An endorsement of one company by another isn’t very powerful. It isn’t nearly as powerful as an endorsement by an individual.
So, I went on to do the Freedom Events. You know how they went. Based on the endorsement of a few well-known Internet marketers, they sold out. Lesson learned. To get that 25% number, you need one of the following:
1. To be marketing to your customers as a company and selling a special offer on the product of your company that your customers already know about.
2. To be marketing to your customers as a person and selling a special offer on any product that you personally endorse… and have never given a bad endorsement on a product to your customers before.
I wanted to do the latter with my own customers… not those of another Internet marketer.
What is the best way to do that? As I look around, a blog is the absolute perfect vehicle for that. As I sell products (and cross-promote them on the owner’s pages), I also promote this blog. I do it very early in the process. It is mentioned on the owner’s page and is also mentioned in the very first email most people get after purchasing one of my products.
They buy the product from a stranger, but I introduce myself as the creator of that product very early by pointing them (you) at this blog.
Then, I don’t hide the blog behind some corporate image. You do buy my products from a corporation, but do you even know the name of that corporation? Who cares what it is called? I want you to get to know me. That’s the purpose of this blog.
Now some folks are finding this blog before they purchase one of my products. That’s OK too. Some people buy a product based on the sales page. Some buy because they know the author never produces junk. Some have a combination of those reasons.
OK; so… yes… you should have a blog. I suggest that you create your blog between your 3rd and 4th product in your primary market. That’s when I created this blog. That is also when you want to start cross-promoting your 3 or 4 products on their owner’s pages.
Here are some other things that I think are important:
1. Register your name for the domain for your blog.
2. Put your name at the top, not some cutesy blog name.
3. Share of yourself. Do not post to your blog like you are a customer service rep answering the phone for a large company… never revealing anything of yourself… only the corporate script. Chat with your customers like they are dear friends. Don’t give out your home address or phone number, but within the context of the blog… what are you afraid of? Let your blog readers get to know you.
4. Post often. People can get into the habit of doing something daily or hourly very easily. It is much more difficult to get into a weekly or monthly habit. Post at least daily so your blog readers can get into a daily habit of reading what you have to say.
5. Don’t worry about giving away secrets of your products. That’s one reason I only sell software, video and mentoring products right now. It’s simply not possible to accidently give away too much in text on your blog. Software and video are both more robust mediums than text. I can explain in words all day long how to do something… it will still be useful to buy the software to automate that task and/or buy the video to actually see how it all works.
6. Get a subcribe link up on your blog (and all of your content sites). Some people will want to follow your blog, but won’t remember. You need to give them a way to allow you to send them reminders when you post. This will dramatically increase your number of repeat visitors over time.
OK; I think that answers the question about why I have a blog and why you should too… and how you should set it up. Now, I can jump into the specific ways to get traffic to a blog that only exist for blogs… not other types of sites. I’ll do that in a future post.
For now, go register your name and get Wordpress installed on that domain. Get your subscribe link up. Write an article and submit it to your blog… and then submit it via Artemis Pro with your blog mentioned in the resource box of your article. That’s how I started just a little over two months ago and as of today… I’m almost in the top 10,000 most visited sites on the Internet. See if you can beat me in the next couple of months.
Rabu, 02 Februari 2011
Getting Blog Visitors
This article will cover one of the unique methods of getting traffic to a blog that doesn’t work for regular sites. Remember that every blog is a web-site, but not every web-site is a blog. My top methods of getting traffic to a web-site are still my top methods of getting traffic to a blog. Those include: article marketing, link building and content creation/ranking factors.
But blogs are a special breed of web-site. There are additional methods of getting new visitors to your blog that are very effective. The first one I played with was linking to others. For your blog marketing efforts to work, you must understand that bloggers are part of a community. Those of us old-timers on the ‘net remember when the entire ‘net was a small, close-knit community… when it was OK to send an email telling others in your topic area that you just set up a site and would like a link on their site.
That isn’t what I’m suggesting with the blog community. The days of sending even a personal email to someone you haven’t met are nearly over. The spam problem has made that more and more difficult. However, it is still OK and still rather expected that you introduce yourself when you come into a community. It is also a good idea to let your new community know that you are a friendly guy and are willing to help out in the community.
This post will tell about one way to do that when you enter the blogosphere. First, you should find your neighbors. The Alexa toolbar is going to help you find out who the leaders are in your new community. Start by searching for “______ blog” on Google, Yahoo or your favorite search engine. Fill in the blank with the topic of your blog. Take a look at the blogs you see.
Do you like them? Good; these are leaders in your new community. Link to them in your blog roll. Read them daily to find out what is going on in your community. Do you not like them? No problem. Don’t link to them then. Don’t read them. Don’t introduce your visitors to them. It isn’t required that you like everyone in your new community, but you do want to be a part of the community you now live in…
Now as you read those blogs daily, notice their blog rolls (links they have to other blogs in your community). Go visit them. This is where the Alexa toolbar comes in. You will find some new leaders (those with blogs showing less than 100,000 on your Alexa toolbar). Check out their blog and if you like it… add it to your own blog roll.
I recently moved to a town of about 300 way up in the top of the Utah mountains. It was a new community. I had never lived in a rural area before, so it was critical for me to go through this exact same exercise as I became a part of my new community up here in the mountains. Sure; it didn’t involve Alexa or linking to others… but the concept is the same. When you enter a community and want to be a part of that community, get out there and get to know people. This is one way to do that in the blogging community.
I now have a hundred or so links from those in the blogging community after just a couple of months. From those links, I have over 600 daily visits and over 100 loyal readers who come to read my blog almost every day.
Did I ask for any of those links? Nope. Just like they didn’t ask me for the links I gave them. Do I have 100 outbound links? Nope. A lot of those links came in without me linking to them. As I get the chance, I go and check out their blog and if I like it… I give them a link. If I don’t like that blog for whatever reason; I don’t include it in my blog roll. It’s not always a tit for tat link exchange.
Some of you may be confused at this point about how my outbound links became inbound links without any other action. You may be confused about why I called this article “Getting Blog Visitors” when I have only talked about how to send my visitors to others by linking to them. OK; let me go into why this uniquely works very well on blogs, but not on other web-sites.
First, of all… I use Wordpress. It is the fastest growing blogging software out there. I’m not sure of the features of other blogging software, but I know the follow applies to Wordpress. When I log in to my control panel to write a blog post, I am given a page that shows a number of blog stats. One of the most prominent parts of those stats is the number of inbound links… AND a list of those who recently linked to me.
When you see that a blog called “Mattress Cleaners” just linked to you… can you ignore that? I can’t. I’m immediately distracted… and what do I do? I click on it. I go and check out that Mattress Cleaner blog. They just got another reader (at least for that day). If they were a quality blog that was actually relevant to the blog community of my own blog (and they aren’t)… they would get a link in my blog roll so that I could check them out periodically.
The same thing is possible with non-blog web-sites. When you link to a site and send them traffic, that shows up in their referrer logs. However, a lot of webmasters don’t look at their logs or stats. Those who do may use stat software that doesn’t even show referrers. They may only focus on traffic and not where it comes from.
However, most bloggers DO see when someone links to them. It is right in their face when they login to make a new post. All you need to do to let someone know that you have moved into their blog community is to link to them. BTW, it not only introduces you… it lets them know that you are friendly and you like their part of the blog community you just entered. Don’t be surprised when they link back or even write a post about your blog.
It's that simple.
But blogs are a special breed of web-site. There are additional methods of getting new visitors to your blog that are very effective. The first one I played with was linking to others. For your blog marketing efforts to work, you must understand that bloggers are part of a community. Those of us old-timers on the ‘net remember when the entire ‘net was a small, close-knit community… when it was OK to send an email telling others in your topic area that you just set up a site and would like a link on their site.
That isn’t what I’m suggesting with the blog community. The days of sending even a personal email to someone you haven’t met are nearly over. The spam problem has made that more and more difficult. However, it is still OK and still rather expected that you introduce yourself when you come into a community. It is also a good idea to let your new community know that you are a friendly guy and are willing to help out in the community.
This post will tell about one way to do that when you enter the blogosphere. First, you should find your neighbors. The Alexa toolbar is going to help you find out who the leaders are in your new community. Start by searching for “______ blog” on Google, Yahoo or your favorite search engine. Fill in the blank with the topic of your blog. Take a look at the blogs you see.
Do you like them? Good; these are leaders in your new community. Link to them in your blog roll. Read them daily to find out what is going on in your community. Do you not like them? No problem. Don’t link to them then. Don’t read them. Don’t introduce your visitors to them. It isn’t required that you like everyone in your new community, but you do want to be a part of the community you now live in…
Now as you read those blogs daily, notice their blog rolls (links they have to other blogs in your community). Go visit them. This is where the Alexa toolbar comes in. You will find some new leaders (those with blogs showing less than 100,000 on your Alexa toolbar). Check out their blog and if you like it… add it to your own blog roll.
I recently moved to a town of about 300 way up in the top of the Utah mountains. It was a new community. I had never lived in a rural area before, so it was critical for me to go through this exact same exercise as I became a part of my new community up here in the mountains. Sure; it didn’t involve Alexa or linking to others… but the concept is the same. When you enter a community and want to be a part of that community, get out there and get to know people. This is one way to do that in the blogging community.
I now have a hundred or so links from those in the blogging community after just a couple of months. From those links, I have over 600 daily visits and over 100 loyal readers who come to read my blog almost every day.
Did I ask for any of those links? Nope. Just like they didn’t ask me for the links I gave them. Do I have 100 outbound links? Nope. A lot of those links came in without me linking to them. As I get the chance, I go and check out their blog and if I like it… I give them a link. If I don’t like that blog for whatever reason; I don’t include it in my blog roll. It’s not always a tit for tat link exchange.
Some of you may be confused at this point about how my outbound links became inbound links without any other action. You may be confused about why I called this article “Getting Blog Visitors” when I have only talked about how to send my visitors to others by linking to them. OK; let me go into why this uniquely works very well on blogs, but not on other web-sites.
First, of all… I use Wordpress. It is the fastest growing blogging software out there. I’m not sure of the features of other blogging software, but I know the follow applies to Wordpress. When I log in to my control panel to write a blog post, I am given a page that shows a number of blog stats. One of the most prominent parts of those stats is the number of inbound links… AND a list of those who recently linked to me.
When you see that a blog called “Mattress Cleaners” just linked to you… can you ignore that? I can’t. I’m immediately distracted… and what do I do? I click on it. I go and check out that Mattress Cleaner blog. They just got another reader (at least for that day). If they were a quality blog that was actually relevant to the blog community of my own blog (and they aren’t)… they would get a link in my blog roll so that I could check them out periodically.
The same thing is possible with non-blog web-sites. When you link to a site and send them traffic, that shows up in their referrer logs. However, a lot of webmasters don’t look at their logs or stats. Those who do may use stat software that doesn’t even show referrers. They may only focus on traffic and not where it comes from.
However, most bloggers DO see when someone links to them. It is right in their face when they login to make a new post. All you need to do to let someone know that you have moved into their blog community is to link to them. BTW, it not only introduces you… it lets them know that you are friendly and you like their part of the blog community you just entered. Don’t be surprised when they link back or even write a post about your blog.
It's that simple.
Minggu, 23 Januari 2011
How to Write Effective Copy for Your Company’s Blog
Weblogs, more commonly known as blogs, are spreading feverishly across the Internet. According to Robyn Aber of Cisco Systems Inc., about four million blogs populate the Web. Though most private individuals maintain blogs, many companies are beginning to launch company blogs to communicate and interact with their clients, customers, and the public.
How can you create a company blog that outshines and outlasts every other blog? And how do you hypnotize readers to keep coming back? This article provides tips to write effective, attention-arresting blog copy and shows how you can develop reader and customer loyalty.
1. WRITE CONVERSATIONALLY.
The most engaging blogs speak to their audience in a casual and conversational tone. A big benefit of a blog is its ability to speak to readers in a way that is personal, candid and straightforward. Write your blog the same way you’d speak to your audience, face to face. The personal element is almost always what attracts people and keeps them coming back to your blog.
Amy Joyce of the Washington Post says, “Web logs—or blogs—started as a way to talk about new technologies, vent about life and interact in a no-holds-barred forum. Since blogs became the next big thing, an increasing number of companies have come to see them as the next great public relations vehicle—a way for executives to show their casual, interactive side. But, of course, the executives do nothing of the sort. Their attempts at hip, guerrilla-style blogging are often pained—and painful.”
To avoid this pitfall, simply be yourself. The best blogs reveal the interests, opinions, and personality of the writer. Your perspective, personal and professional, is unique in all the world. Let it shine through, and your blog will automatically be one-of-a-kind. An interesting blog will bring back customers again and again and will generate priceless interest in your company.
2. TELL STORIES.
Readers want to know things they already don’t know about your company. They want to know what the products, services, people, challenges, and innovations in your organization are really like. If you give them a glimpse of the inner workings, express your opinions boldly, and tell engaging stories, you will foster reader interest and loyalty. In a biography, both interviews and quotations usually are the most intriguing parts. Think of your company blog as a business biography. Personalize it with your unique thoughts and perspective.
3. MAKE IT PERSONAL.
Write about what you know. Draw from your expertise to inform the public about the finer points of your business. Detailing development ideas, setbacks, successes, and reactions reveals the human element and engages the reader. It’s fine to talk about new products and innovations, but blogs devoted mostly to marketing and promotion are the most boring and least popular of company blogs. Make these topics more appealing to readers by framing such announcements with personal impressions and insights. Customers want to feel a kinship with the brand. Letting them in on the details of your business will make them feel part of your company culture and increase the chances of their lifetime loyalty.
4. UPDATE FREQUENTLY.
Once you have established a good reader base, offer new insights regularly to reward surfers for coming back. Not only does this provide more information and exposure, but it also reflects that your company is active and on top of things. Link to current articles from other sources to keep readers abreast of developments in your sector. A rarely-updated blog feels stale and tired. This is not the reputation you want your company to have!
5. ADHERE TO COMPANY RULES.
You are personally responsible for whatever material you publish on your company blog. Respect the confidentiality of your organization and employees. Though you may express disagreements or concerns, do not make personal attacks or use the blog to air petty complaints. Do not reveal proprietary information; and avoid discussing revenue, share price, or other financial statistics. Observe copyright law, and quote sources as you would in any other document. Make sure what you write in the company blog reflects the company’s goals. Keep in mind the ultimate goal of most company blogs is to increase visibility and promote the exchange of information. While most companies allow and encourage blogging on company time, you should avoid letting your writing time interfere with your regular workload.
6. WRITE GRAMMATICALLY.
Finally, make sure that what you write is grammatical. Your blog entries reflect your company, and you want to give the best possible impression of the organization and its personnel. The Internet is rife with bad English. Though blogs tend to be relaxed in tone, it is no more appropriate to ignore standard English than it is to wear flip-flops and swimming trunks on casual Friday. Use a program like StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ) or White Smoke ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com ) to find and fix embarrassing grammar mistakes and help you write like a pro.
A company blog is an excellent tool for promotion, communication, and information. The tips outlined here will help elevate your blog and generate traffic and interest. Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of blogging!
For more articles on business writing and writing for blogs, visit http://www.ElectronicWritingCourse.com or http://www.ReadabilityFormulas.com and click on “Free Articles.”
How can you create a company blog that outshines and outlasts every other blog? And how do you hypnotize readers to keep coming back? This article provides tips to write effective, attention-arresting blog copy and shows how you can develop reader and customer loyalty.
1. WRITE CONVERSATIONALLY.
The most engaging blogs speak to their audience in a casual and conversational tone. A big benefit of a blog is its ability to speak to readers in a way that is personal, candid and straightforward. Write your blog the same way you’d speak to your audience, face to face. The personal element is almost always what attracts people and keeps them coming back to your blog.
Amy Joyce of the Washington Post says, “Web logs—or blogs—started as a way to talk about new technologies, vent about life and interact in a no-holds-barred forum. Since blogs became the next big thing, an increasing number of companies have come to see them as the next great public relations vehicle—a way for executives to show their casual, interactive side. But, of course, the executives do nothing of the sort. Their attempts at hip, guerrilla-style blogging are often pained—and painful.”
To avoid this pitfall, simply be yourself. The best blogs reveal the interests, opinions, and personality of the writer. Your perspective, personal and professional, is unique in all the world. Let it shine through, and your blog will automatically be one-of-a-kind. An interesting blog will bring back customers again and again and will generate priceless interest in your company.
2. TELL STORIES.
Readers want to know things they already don’t know about your company. They want to know what the products, services, people, challenges, and innovations in your organization are really like. If you give them a glimpse of the inner workings, express your opinions boldly, and tell engaging stories, you will foster reader interest and loyalty. In a biography, both interviews and quotations usually are the most intriguing parts. Think of your company blog as a business biography. Personalize it with your unique thoughts and perspective.
3. MAKE IT PERSONAL.
Write about what you know. Draw from your expertise to inform the public about the finer points of your business. Detailing development ideas, setbacks, successes, and reactions reveals the human element and engages the reader. It’s fine to talk about new products and innovations, but blogs devoted mostly to marketing and promotion are the most boring and least popular of company blogs. Make these topics more appealing to readers by framing such announcements with personal impressions and insights. Customers want to feel a kinship with the brand. Letting them in on the details of your business will make them feel part of your company culture and increase the chances of their lifetime loyalty.
4. UPDATE FREQUENTLY.
Once you have established a good reader base, offer new insights regularly to reward surfers for coming back. Not only does this provide more information and exposure, but it also reflects that your company is active and on top of things. Link to current articles from other sources to keep readers abreast of developments in your sector. A rarely-updated blog feels stale and tired. This is not the reputation you want your company to have!
5. ADHERE TO COMPANY RULES.
You are personally responsible for whatever material you publish on your company blog. Respect the confidentiality of your organization and employees. Though you may express disagreements or concerns, do not make personal attacks or use the blog to air petty complaints. Do not reveal proprietary information; and avoid discussing revenue, share price, or other financial statistics. Observe copyright law, and quote sources as you would in any other document. Make sure what you write in the company blog reflects the company’s goals. Keep in mind the ultimate goal of most company blogs is to increase visibility and promote the exchange of information. While most companies allow and encourage blogging on company time, you should avoid letting your writing time interfere with your regular workload.
6. WRITE GRAMMATICALLY.
Finally, make sure that what you write is grammatical. Your blog entries reflect your company, and you want to give the best possible impression of the organization and its personnel. The Internet is rife with bad English. Though blogs tend to be relaxed in tone, it is no more appropriate to ignore standard English than it is to wear flip-flops and swimming trunks on casual Friday. Use a program like StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ) or White Smoke ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com ) to find and fix embarrassing grammar mistakes and help you write like a pro.
A company blog is an excellent tool for promotion, communication, and information. The tips outlined here will help elevate your blog and generate traffic and interest. Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of blogging!
For more articles on business writing and writing for blogs, visit http://www.ElectronicWritingCourse.com or http://www.ReadabilityFormulas.com and click on “Free Articles.”
Senin, 27 Desember 2010
Are you Blogging Effectively?
Perhaps “blogging” isn’t such a graceful word. For me, personally, it sounds like a worded drudgery the way cereals can be soggy, skies can be foggy, and the way minds can be groggy. But for now, it’s too late to rename this shortened word for web-logging. Widespread blogging is nevertheless one of the most engaging Internet developments of the past few years. As a medium it gives rise to many new and worthy voices and plays a new and vital force in shaping opinions, political realities, trends, and even our language.
I believe that a blog is simply a tool to use for someone who’s got something to say. Let me be clear in saying that a blog is a poor choice for someone who needs a megaphone to scream out to cyberspace in order to elicit a meaningful response from Internet users. If you want attention and want it now and expect blogging to bring it to you, then this will surely be a disappointment. However, if you like to write and engage others on subjects of which you have some command or experience, then it’s a wonderful application with which you can interact with people who share similar interests as you. The hype is well founded.
Anyway, here’s a list of blogging tips…
1.) Be topical.
Cohesiveness in message is not optional. Readers may or may not be interested in your topic, but if your message is haphazard that few will bother remembering to return to your blog because it essentially would offer nothing to remember. This doesn’t mean blogs can’t jump from subject to subject. For instance, a blog with a humorous focus has all the leeway in the world for subject matter, but it would be foolish for such a blog to turn the humor on and off. In such an example, the aspect of humor would be content’s glue, the strength of the blog. The beauty of staying on point and on topic is that eventually, due to the nature of the Internet, you will find those interested solely in your topic. (as opposed to online diaries. There are millions of them on the internet, few have any readers. Email me with examples if I’m wrong and I’ll be able to show you why you’re showing me a blog and not a diary.)
2.) Refresh your content
Create a schedule and stick to it. Realizing that blogging requires time and effort, don't create unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver. An occasional lapse or holiday is generally understood but readers returning to find stale, out-dated content are going to find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds are popping up on a daily basis. If you have worked hard to develop an audience and a community you don't want to lose them due to lack of communication.
And remember, what’s old is not new and, for blogs, thusly not interesting. 2006 isn’t the time to rail against Enron or Vanilla Ice. Insight doesn’t matter much to yesterday’s news.
3.) Clear Language Counts.
Blessed is the blog with a clear line of logic. Write without inside jokes, clique-y catchphrases or ambiguous logic. First time readers need to be close to your message. They are more likely to return to blogs that strike them positively. If the first read is confusing there will not be a second read.
4.) Feed the Spiders.
Search engines take notice of active blogs and blog search engines are especially sensitive to activity. If nothing else, search engines are smarter today than they were yesterday and are only getting smarter. In constantly improving they are seeking to aggregate quality; quality blogs are updated several times a week, if not daily, as opposed to once or twice a month. I don’t mean to scare you but a big spider is watching, so dance for them.
5.) RSS.
Think of RSS like a magic to blogging world, because that’s the effect it’s had. RSS feeds are a way to exponentially sound your voice to the interested. These feeds are a great means to increase the distribution and readership of your original content.
6.) Spell check.
Hey man, use the spell-check. I do – if I didn’t you probably wouldn’t have made it to #6. It only takes a minute and can save you from looking like a hack.
Your weblog audiences will be small at first. And, frankly, that’s the way it should be. Who are you to think that half the internet will flock to you after three or four posts of your blog, anyway?
If you tough it out while maintaining quality, readership will materialize. You will link to good, relevant blogs and, in turn, they will to you. While your voice may be unique, your niche likely isn’t and if your content is emitted smartly to the Internet those relevant readers will respond through readership and interaction. That I guarantee.
Joseph Pratt
Media Analyst
ICMediaDirect.com
http://www.icmediadirect.com
e: joseph@icmediadirect.com
I believe that a blog is simply a tool to use for someone who’s got something to say. Let me be clear in saying that a blog is a poor choice for someone who needs a megaphone to scream out to cyberspace in order to elicit a meaningful response from Internet users. If you want attention and want it now and expect blogging to bring it to you, then this will surely be a disappointment. However, if you like to write and engage others on subjects of which you have some command or experience, then it’s a wonderful application with which you can interact with people who share similar interests as you. The hype is well founded.
Anyway, here’s a list of blogging tips…
1.) Be topical.
Cohesiveness in message is not optional. Readers may or may not be interested in your topic, but if your message is haphazard that few will bother remembering to return to your blog because it essentially would offer nothing to remember. This doesn’t mean blogs can’t jump from subject to subject. For instance, a blog with a humorous focus has all the leeway in the world for subject matter, but it would be foolish for such a blog to turn the humor on and off. In such an example, the aspect of humor would be content’s glue, the strength of the blog. The beauty of staying on point and on topic is that eventually, due to the nature of the Internet, you will find those interested solely in your topic. (as opposed to online diaries. There are millions of them on the internet, few have any readers. Email me with examples if I’m wrong and I’ll be able to show you why you’re showing me a blog and not a diary.)
2.) Refresh your content
Create a schedule and stick to it. Realizing that blogging requires time and effort, don't create unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver. An occasional lapse or holiday is generally understood but readers returning to find stale, out-dated content are going to find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds are popping up on a daily basis. If you have worked hard to develop an audience and a community you don't want to lose them due to lack of communication.
And remember, what’s old is not new and, for blogs, thusly not interesting. 2006 isn’t the time to rail against Enron or Vanilla Ice. Insight doesn’t matter much to yesterday’s news.
3.) Clear Language Counts.
Blessed is the blog with a clear line of logic. Write without inside jokes, clique-y catchphrases or ambiguous logic. First time readers need to be close to your message. They are more likely to return to blogs that strike them positively. If the first read is confusing there will not be a second read.
4.) Feed the Spiders.
Search engines take notice of active blogs and blog search engines are especially sensitive to activity. If nothing else, search engines are smarter today than they were yesterday and are only getting smarter. In constantly improving they are seeking to aggregate quality; quality blogs are updated several times a week, if not daily, as opposed to once or twice a month. I don’t mean to scare you but a big spider is watching, so dance for them.
5.) RSS.
Think of RSS like a magic to blogging world, because that’s the effect it’s had. RSS feeds are a way to exponentially sound your voice to the interested. These feeds are a great means to increase the distribution and readership of your original content.
6.) Spell check.
Hey man, use the spell-check. I do – if I didn’t you probably wouldn’t have made it to #6. It only takes a minute and can save you from looking like a hack.
Your weblog audiences will be small at first. And, frankly, that’s the way it should be. Who are you to think that half the internet will flock to you after three or four posts of your blog, anyway?
If you tough it out while maintaining quality, readership will materialize. You will link to good, relevant blogs and, in turn, they will to you. While your voice may be unique, your niche likely isn’t and if your content is emitted smartly to the Internet those relevant readers will respond through readership and interaction. That I guarantee.
Joseph Pratt
Media Analyst
ICMediaDirect.com
http://www.icmediadirect.com
e: joseph@icmediadirect.com
Minggu, 07 November 2010
Blogs: Free Promotion For Your Online Business.
It's been a few years since blogging first emerged. But it's only recently that it's been considered as more than just a fad.
Many teenagers have resorted to blogging as an outlet for their emotions, a little online nook where they can sound off about whatever bugs them or makes them happy.
Now savvy marketers have discovered that blogging is one of the best Internet marketing methods that doesn't cost a cent.
So, what exactly is a blog? Blog is the shortened form of "web log". Basically, a blog is an online journal. A blog can be set up for no cost at all, and can be used just for the fun of it or for business purposes.
Blogging for your Internet business is a great way to boost the visibility of your products and services. Here are a few ways that your internet advertising will benefit from using a blog:
1. Keep your clients or customers abreast of changes to your website. You can announce new products and affiliate websites through your blog.
2. Publish your opinions, advice or reviews on specific products or services that are related to your business. Publishing is an easy process with blogging.
3. Include articles that will fetch back-links, and links to your website that will subsequently improve your ranking on search engines. This can be helped by putting well written articles in both your blog and your website.
4. You should also include affiliate links in your blog to earn extra income. In fact some people earn good incomes just from niche blogs with relevant affiliate links.
5. Collect responses through the ability of blogs to accept comments from your blog readers. Not only does this build your content without any effort on your part, but you can learn and improve your products and services through the feedback from your readers.
6. Connect with other bloggers. When other bloggers notice that you have something good to say in your blog, they might put you in their favorites lists - that will automatically link you to their blogs and further help your rankings and traffic.
So, how do you set up a blog? There are a few options you can use to take advantage of this fun and fairly easy way to advertise your Internet business.
You can either load blogging software, such as "wordPress", on your own domain or use a blog hosting service. Host services such as LiveJournal and Blogger.com are the most popular in this field. Those hosts provide you with easy instructions on how to put up your blog.
Once you've got your blog up and running, you can promote it through the usual methods. Some examples are blog directories, participating in relevant forums or writing and submitting articles.
Remember also that most blog software or providers have an inbuilt function to provide an RSS feed of your blog contents. So you can also submit that feed to RSS directories, and to feed servers such as FeedBurner.com
But whatever else you do, remember to add the RSS feed as content to your personalized home pages at Google, my.yahoo.com and my.msn.com It'll help get your blog spidered and listed faster by those search engines.
So now you know a bit more about the free advertising benefits of blogging, the next step is to take action - now. Happy blogging.
Many teenagers have resorted to blogging as an outlet for their emotions, a little online nook where they can sound off about whatever bugs them or makes them happy.
Now savvy marketers have discovered that blogging is one of the best Internet marketing methods that doesn't cost a cent.
So, what exactly is a blog? Blog is the shortened form of "web log". Basically, a blog is an online journal. A blog can be set up for no cost at all, and can be used just for the fun of it or for business purposes.
Blogging for your Internet business is a great way to boost the visibility of your products and services. Here are a few ways that your internet advertising will benefit from using a blog:
1. Keep your clients or customers abreast of changes to your website. You can announce new products and affiliate websites through your blog.
2. Publish your opinions, advice or reviews on specific products or services that are related to your business. Publishing is an easy process with blogging.
3. Include articles that will fetch back-links, and links to your website that will subsequently improve your ranking on search engines. This can be helped by putting well written articles in both your blog and your website.
4. You should also include affiliate links in your blog to earn extra income. In fact some people earn good incomes just from niche blogs with relevant affiliate links.
5. Collect responses through the ability of blogs to accept comments from your blog readers. Not only does this build your content without any effort on your part, but you can learn and improve your products and services through the feedback from your readers.
6. Connect with other bloggers. When other bloggers notice that you have something good to say in your blog, they might put you in their favorites lists - that will automatically link you to their blogs and further help your rankings and traffic.
So, how do you set up a blog? There are a few options you can use to take advantage of this fun and fairly easy way to advertise your Internet business.
You can either load blogging software, such as "wordPress", on your own domain or use a blog hosting service. Host services such as LiveJournal and Blogger.com are the most popular in this field. Those hosts provide you with easy instructions on how to put up your blog.
Once you've got your blog up and running, you can promote it through the usual methods. Some examples are blog directories, participating in relevant forums or writing and submitting articles.
Remember also that most blog software or providers have an inbuilt function to provide an RSS feed of your blog contents. So you can also submit that feed to RSS directories, and to feed servers such as FeedBurner.com
But whatever else you do, remember to add the RSS feed as content to your personalized home pages at Google, my.yahoo.com and my.msn.com It'll help get your blog spidered and listed faster by those search engines.
So now you know a bit more about the free advertising benefits of blogging, the next step is to take action - now. Happy blogging.
Selasa, 29 Juni 2010
Build it and they will come…Yea Right!
It amazes me, people still believe that all they have to do is “build it and they will come“. I promise that is the only movie quote that I will use. Having personally developed well over 100 websites since 1997 I am always stunned by people complaining that there website is a failure and blaming the person who built it. Having a website is only half the battle! You must promote, promote, and then promote some more. No matter how great your product is no one can buy it unless they know about it.
First let me say that having someone develop a custom website for you is very important. Go cheap and buy a prefab website is usually a prelude to failure. Yes they are affordable and I know you are on a tight budget but never forget “You Get What You Pay For”.
Now to the point. There is a simple formula for success. Spend money = make money. Sounds easy right?
First figure out what you can afford to pay a developer for your website, if you have a product to sell you should be thinking in the $1000 range. Also find a developer who believes in web standards, trust me this is important.
Next figure out a monthly advertising budget and spend it wisely. This is by far the most import advice I can give. Your website is not going to shoot to the top of the search engines or miraculously develop visitors all on its own. While we are on the topic of search engines, keep in mind that a person on the web only has a 4% chance of winding up on your website through a search engine. Most likely they will find your site while browsing on another website. Your best bet, if you can afford it, is to hire a reputable firm to promote your website. They will know what will work and what is a waste of money. If you can not afford to hire a firm, do your do diligence before spending your money. Only advertise on websites that are relevant to your product otherwise you are wasting your money.
This leads to our third point. Believe in the power of link exchange. I do not care what it will do for you in the search engines. The more links you have out their the greater the likely hood that someone will click that link and wind up on your website. If you are on a tight budget this is the best way to promote your website.
This article only covers the basics. Keep an eye out for part two which will have more detail about internet promotion.
First let me say that having someone develop a custom website for you is very important. Go cheap and buy a prefab website is usually a prelude to failure. Yes they are affordable and I know you are on a tight budget but never forget “You Get What You Pay For”.
Now to the point. There is a simple formula for success. Spend money = make money. Sounds easy right?
First figure out what you can afford to pay a developer for your website, if you have a product to sell you should be thinking in the $1000 range. Also find a developer who believes in web standards, trust me this is important.
Next figure out a monthly advertising budget and spend it wisely. This is by far the most import advice I can give. Your website is not going to shoot to the top of the search engines or miraculously develop visitors all on its own. While we are on the topic of search engines, keep in mind that a person on the web only has a 4% chance of winding up on your website through a search engine. Most likely they will find your site while browsing on another website. Your best bet, if you can afford it, is to hire a reputable firm to promote your website. They will know what will work and what is a waste of money. If you can not afford to hire a firm, do your do diligence before spending your money. Only advertise on websites that are relevant to your product otherwise you are wasting your money.
This leads to our third point. Believe in the power of link exchange. I do not care what it will do for you in the search engines. The more links you have out their the greater the likely hood that someone will click that link and wind up on your website. If you are on a tight budget this is the best way to promote your website.
This article only covers the basics. Keep an eye out for part two which will have more detail about internet promotion.
Minggu, 27 Juni 2010
Tips to get your FREE website promotion!
You’ve put loads of effort in designing a site. You’ve added eye catchers and promotions to grab your visitor’s attention. And now you’re waiting... waiting for those visitors to come.
There are many ways to attract visitors to your site. You could of course spend a lot of money buying advertisements and promotion tools... Why not try it the FREE way first? You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!
First thing first: when promoting your site, always keep these tips in mind:
TIP 1: Persist
Keep your site promotion constant – if you promote your site with persistence, it will catch your audience’s attention.
TIP 2: Be patient!
As you know, Rome wasn’t build in one day, neither is a continuous traffic stream... Try each method to decide what (combination) works best for your site.
TIP 3:
Never put all your efforts into only one kind of advertising – you don’t want to reach the same potential visitors over and over again.
There are numerous ways to get your web site seen around the net without spending a dime. Listing them all would probably take hours. I’ve narrowed it down to the ones I think are the most important:
* Get your site listed in search engines en directories. Make sure to check your web site’s ranking to know whether or not this type of free promotion is right for you.
* Trade links with other web sites. Make your link description as attractive as possible. You’ll want people to click it! It’s a good idea to design an button and/or banner for your site to offer to your potential link partners.
* Use free classified ads: post them all around the web. They’ll attract non-targeted visitors to your site.
* Design an attention-grabbing banner and spread it all around the web. There are loads of free banner-exchange services on the net.
Like I said, listing them all would take hours, that’s why I’m not going to.
The above ones will be a good start. Just give them a try, and you’ll be amazed.
(Use an ad tracker to find out which free traffic generating system works best for you.)
And remember... the best thing in life are free!!
There are many ways to attract visitors to your site. You could of course spend a lot of money buying advertisements and promotion tools... Why not try it the FREE way first? You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!
First thing first: when promoting your site, always keep these tips in mind:
TIP 1: Persist
Keep your site promotion constant – if you promote your site with persistence, it will catch your audience’s attention.
TIP 2: Be patient!
As you know, Rome wasn’t build in one day, neither is a continuous traffic stream... Try each method to decide what (combination) works best for your site.
TIP 3:
Never put all your efforts into only one kind of advertising – you don’t want to reach the same potential visitors over and over again.
There are numerous ways to get your web site seen around the net without spending a dime. Listing them all would probably take hours. I’ve narrowed it down to the ones I think are the most important:
* Get your site listed in search engines en directories. Make sure to check your web site’s ranking to know whether or not this type of free promotion is right for you.
* Trade links with other web sites. Make your link description as attractive as possible. You’ll want people to click it! It’s a good idea to design an button and/or banner for your site to offer to your potential link partners.
* Use free classified ads: post them all around the web. They’ll attract non-targeted visitors to your site.
* Design an attention-grabbing banner and spread it all around the web. There are loads of free banner-exchange services on the net.
Like I said, listing them all would take hours, that’s why I’m not going to.
The above ones will be a good start. Just give them a try, and you’ll be amazed.
(Use an ad tracker to find out which free traffic generating system works best for you.)
And remember... the best thing in life are free!!
Senin, 25 Januari 2010
SEO Advertising
If you are a web developer and would like to advertise your web sites, there are plenty of very easy and inexpensive ways to promote your site. Many SEO’s make their living by promoting their web sites, products and services. If you do not advertise effectively, then you can not reach the core audience of people that can make your site extremely profitable. Here are some tips.
Advertising your web site is extremely important, there a few easy and inexpensive ways to do it. Many SEO’s use Google Adwords, affiliate marketing sites and banner exchanges to promote and sell their web sites, products and services. Google Adwords is a great way to advertise to people looking for a specific keyword or product and usually costs pennies per lead. Google Adsense is a perfect way to start a small advertising campaign.
Affiliate marketing is also a great way to get your products sold to the masses by offering your products with a high commission to other web developers that already have traffic. If you are looking for free advertising, you can join a banner exchange and promote other sites banners as they promote yours. So if you are looking for great SEO advertising techniques check the tips above.
More informations are available at http://www.affiliate-00.com
Advertising your web site is extremely important, there a few easy and inexpensive ways to do it. Many SEO’s use Google Adwords, affiliate marketing sites and banner exchanges to promote and sell their web sites, products and services. Google Adwords is a great way to advertise to people looking for a specific keyword or product and usually costs pennies per lead. Google Adsense is a perfect way to start a small advertising campaign.
Affiliate marketing is also a great way to get your products sold to the masses by offering your products with a high commission to other web developers that already have traffic. If you are looking for free advertising, you can join a banner exchange and promote other sites banners as they promote yours. So if you are looking for great SEO advertising techniques check the tips above.
More informations are available at http://www.affiliate-00.com
Jumat, 15 Januari 2010
Promoting A Website For Free
When you have a website, one of your most difficult tasks is to figure out a way to get people to come visit your site. If you are selling something, it becomes vital for your business that people will come and take a look at what you have built. The easiest way you can get more traffic to your website is to promote. Promoting a website is not a difficult task. In fact, it doesn’t even have to cost any money. Take a look at these ideas of promoting a website and bring more traffic to your site right away.
The first thing you can do to start promoting your website is start trading space with other websites. You can find websites and offer them space on your website to advertise their site. In return, you would get a free space on their website. Many times you will be able to earn more money if you make deals with sites who offer products that are related to yours, without being in competition. You might have to talk to fifty website owners to get a few to agree, but if you can do this for free, it will be worth it.
Another way you can go about promoting a website for free is by utilizing blogs and message boards to your advantage. When you post thoughtful comments on random blogs and message boards that somewhat relate to your website, you will be reaching more potential consumers. For example, if you have a fish hook website, you could post about your website on a fishing blog or message board. Those who came there would be most likely your targeted consumers and you could earn more money this way.
So, as you can see, to earn money online you do need to learn how to promote your website. However, you don’t have to pay an ad company a ton of money to do it for you. You may have to put in some time and effort, but you will be able to take on the task yourself.
The first thing you can do to start promoting your website is start trading space with other websites. You can find websites and offer them space on your website to advertise their site. In return, you would get a free space on their website. Many times you will be able to earn more money if you make deals with sites who offer products that are related to yours, without being in competition. You might have to talk to fifty website owners to get a few to agree, but if you can do this for free, it will be worth it.
Another way you can go about promoting a website for free is by utilizing blogs and message boards to your advantage. When you post thoughtful comments on random blogs and message boards that somewhat relate to your website, you will be reaching more potential consumers. For example, if you have a fish hook website, you could post about your website on a fishing blog or message board. Those who came there would be most likely your targeted consumers and you could earn more money this way.
So, as you can see, to earn money online you do need to learn how to promote your website. However, you don’t have to pay an ad company a ton of money to do it for you. You may have to put in some time and effort, but you will be able to take on the task yourself.
Kamis, 07 Januari 2010
Promote Your Web Site Fast & Inexpensively
Don’t expect that your site will grow automatically. The old saying of build it and they will come does not ring true online. Here are some tips on promoting your web site fast and inexpensively.
There are a variety of ways to promote your web site. Blogs, direct links, advertising and search engine submission. Blogs are great ways to provide viewers to come visit your site. Many people create blogs just to promote their web site. Blogs can also be pinged so that spiders will visit your site and hopefully rank your web pages in their search engine index.
Links are also a great way to promote your web site. You can swap links with other sites that viewers might find interesting. You can also create one way links on articles and submit these articles to be used on other web sites. These articles are great advertisements for people to see and check out your site.
Advertising is always a great way to promote your site. You can promote your keywords at Google Adwords or on a site that already has good traffic. No matter what kind of budget you have, you can find advertising that can work for you. Lastly, you can submit your sites to the search engines. If the search engines rank your site high in their indexes, you are almost guaranteed daily visitors. So follow the above tips to promote your web site fast and inexpensively.
More information can be found at http://www.advertising-00.com and http://www.marketing-00.info
There are a variety of ways to promote your web site. Blogs, direct links, advertising and search engine submission. Blogs are great ways to provide viewers to come visit your site. Many people create blogs just to promote their web site. Blogs can also be pinged so that spiders will visit your site and hopefully rank your web pages in their search engine index.
Links are also a great way to promote your web site. You can swap links with other sites that viewers might find interesting. You can also create one way links on articles and submit these articles to be used on other web sites. These articles are great advertisements for people to see and check out your site.
Advertising is always a great way to promote your site. You can promote your keywords at Google Adwords or on a site that already has good traffic. No matter what kind of budget you have, you can find advertising that can work for you. Lastly, you can submit your sites to the search engines. If the search engines rank your site high in their indexes, you are almost guaranteed daily visitors. So follow the above tips to promote your web site fast and inexpensively.
More information can be found at http://www.advertising-00.com and http://www.marketing-00.info
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