It's tedious, right? Finding your bookmark or typing in the URL for any of the hundreds of article directories out there. Then you have to navigate through to find the proper submit article or author login link. Then trying to remember your username and password. Then copying and pasting the title, then the summary, then the article content, then your resource box information. Woo. After 20 minutes, you finally hit submit and have to start all over.
If only there was a better way.
Well, there is, of course. There's a couple of better ways.
First, you could hire a company to submit artcicles for you. For example, one company will submit your article to 357 article directories for only $14 per article. You buy credits via Paypal or Credit Card, and they can submit the articles under your own account (you have to provide the usernames and passwords) or their account.
It's a good option. Especially if you are short on time. To submit articles manually to article directories takes a ton of time. Fourteen dollars for 357 directories is a steal.
But there are some drawbacks.
One drawback, you lose some control over the category selection. If the subject of your article is something like, article submitting software, and your submission is put under the category, business, well, that's just not good enough. You want it placed under something more in line with Search Engine Optimization or Link Building, or at the very least, Internet, right?
Another drawback is you lose your ability to edit the article later; or see stats for the article if you choose to use the article directory's username and password.
If your plan is to become an aggressive affiliate marketer, you will be writing and submitting tons of articles to market your website. You are in it for the long haul, right? If you crank out 5-10 articles a week, paying someone to submit articles for you could become REALLY expensive.
In this case, article submission software is not just a luxury, it is a must have. Here are five points to consider...
TIME SAVINGS
Since content is king, your time is best served creating content for your sites. Any extra time you can save is time you can be using on some other way to promote your business. Article submission software will save you hours of tedious manual submitting. No more copy paste, copy paste. You copy paste ONE time, and you are off and running.
OVER 1400 DIRECTORIES
It would take you almost two days working non-stop to submit to this many directories manually. The best article submission software cuts this down to just a few hours. You can pick every directory in the list, just a few, or add your own depending on what kind of time you have. Google Pagerank for each directory is listed, so if you want to submit to only PR6 directories, you have that option.
USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS SAVED
If you don't always use the same username and password, remembering these for different article directories can be a nightmare. Most article submission software stores this information for you so you don't have to remember.
CATEGORY SELECTION
Some of the cheaper article submitters ask for you to give you a preferred category up front. Then when you submit, you're not ever sure what category your article is submitted under. This is bad. The best article submission programs allow you to hand pick each category. No more articles in random categories.
PRECIOUS ONE WAY LINKS
What every affiliate marketer needs to be shined down upon by the search engine gods is credible one way links. There is no better way to get these links than article marketing. The more articles you can crank out and send to article directories means:
* the better your standings in the search engines
* the more traffic you receive
* and the more PROFITS you make.
So, what are you waiting for? Time is money.
Guest Post by Cherie Stirewalt , a successful affiliate marketer and freelance writer, operates a practical guide to affiliate marketing. Providing in-depth reviews of affiliate marketing tools and easy-to-use tips for maximizing success on the internet. Get her in-depth analysis of the best article submitter software.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Investing in SEO Tools
Search engine optimization has become an increasingly popular form of advertising, especially if you are just beginning to start your online business or want to launch your career in Internet marketing. However, if you’re not experienced with the basics of SEO, then you could face a few challenges to your success, such as identifying the correct keywords for high rankings or acquiring solid inbound links to your site.
However, you don’t have to be overly concerned about these challenges. They can be overcome simply by using some easily obtained SEO tools.
What are SEO Tools?
SEO tools can take many forms. Most are software programs that you can download from the Internet for a low price. The tools are designed to help you with varying aspects of your SEO efforts. For example, some SEO tools can help you identify sites that are eager to do link exchanges with similar sites. That way you can increase the number of your inbound and outbound links thus boosting your search engine rankings.
You’ll also find SEO tools that will help you do keyword research, identify keywords that are being used by your competition, and that will help you improve the keyword placement in your content.
Should I Use SEO Tools?
One of the most common questions asked by people who are new to search engine optimization efforts is whether or not they should even use SEO tools. That’s a good question but it’s difficult to answer and depends mostly on your level of experience with optimization and search engines, in general.
However, most people who do use SEO tools do find great success with them. They can provide you with easy access to information that might be available elsewhere but which would take more time and effort to compile. The information can also be more comprehensive and thorough which also enhances your rankings.
Another advantage is that most SEO tools do have trial periods in which you can use them for free and decide whether or not you benefit from them. If you don’t, then you haven’t lost anything. If you do, then you can complete the transaction and move on to continued success.
Are SEO Tools Better Than SEO Professionals
Some people do hire SEO professionals to handle all of their search engine optimization efforts. This professional is paid to identify your keywords, to direct their placement in the content, and to make sure that your site scores relatively high in the rankings.
While that may all sound phenomenal, it doesn’t come cheap. The majority of us who have started out on the Internet don’t begin with the money necessary to hire one of these professionals, regardless of how helpful they might be. As you’re beginning your efforts, you should probably focus on doing the SEO work yourself or investing in much less expensive SEO tools. You may not generate the same level of results as you would from a professional but you will definitely improve your rankings.
Now that you know more about SEO Tools, take a look at http://www.goodinternetmoney.com/SEOElite for a little more clarity on this subject.
However, you don’t have to be overly concerned about these challenges. They can be overcome simply by using some easily obtained SEO tools.
What are SEO Tools?
SEO tools can take many forms. Most are software programs that you can download from the Internet for a low price. The tools are designed to help you with varying aspects of your SEO efforts. For example, some SEO tools can help you identify sites that are eager to do link exchanges with similar sites. That way you can increase the number of your inbound and outbound links thus boosting your search engine rankings.
You’ll also find SEO tools that will help you do keyword research, identify keywords that are being used by your competition, and that will help you improve the keyword placement in your content.
Should I Use SEO Tools?
One of the most common questions asked by people who are new to search engine optimization efforts is whether or not they should even use SEO tools. That’s a good question but it’s difficult to answer and depends mostly on your level of experience with optimization and search engines, in general.
However, most people who do use SEO tools do find great success with them. They can provide you with easy access to information that might be available elsewhere but which would take more time and effort to compile. The information can also be more comprehensive and thorough which also enhances your rankings.
Another advantage is that most SEO tools do have trial periods in which you can use them for free and decide whether or not you benefit from them. If you don’t, then you haven’t lost anything. If you do, then you can complete the transaction and move on to continued success.
Are SEO Tools Better Than SEO Professionals
Some people do hire SEO professionals to handle all of their search engine optimization efforts. This professional is paid to identify your keywords, to direct their placement in the content, and to make sure that your site scores relatively high in the rankings.
While that may all sound phenomenal, it doesn’t come cheap. The majority of us who have started out on the Internet don’t begin with the money necessary to hire one of these professionals, regardless of how helpful they might be. As you’re beginning your efforts, you should probably focus on doing the SEO work yourself or investing in much less expensive SEO tools. You may not generate the same level of results as you would from a professional but you will definitely improve your rankings.
Now that you know more about SEO Tools, take a look at http://www.goodinternetmoney.com/SEOElite for a little more clarity on this subject.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
7 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Online Content
With the downturn in the economy encompassing nearly every aspect of our lives, businesses large and small are feeling the pinch. MarketingSherpa recently published a survey stating that over 60% of large companies are planning on slashing their marketing budgets significantly this year.
With smaller marketing budgets, companies are hunting for cost-effective, measurable solutions to sagging sales figures. This naturally leads to online marketing in order to generate new prospects and customers. The goal is to recession-proof your online content and marketing.
"It all starts with a powerful, search engine-friendly website that converts," says Jon Wuebben, author of "Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web" (Encore Publishing). "Companies today need to focus on the words they use to communicate with their prospects and how they leverage this content to maximize their online exposure. When more companies are chasing fewer prospects, you need to ensure your online copy is strong and that you’re using the viral nature of the web to promote it.”
Wuebben says if you want to harness the power of cost-effective online marketing, there are 7 steps to follow:
1. Embrace the Basics: Web Content 101. Start with the easy stuff. Take a look at your existing copy. How is your site performing? If you haven’t done it yet, perform some keyword research and use Google Analytics – how are visitors making their way through the site?
2. Expand the Breadth of Your Content. A few years ago, a website was all you needed. But the web has continued to evolve. Are you writing optimized press releases? How about a newsletter? Do you have a blog? Consider these other ways of recession-proofing your online content and marketing.
3. Create New Content Directed at Your Existing Customer Base. Building your relationship with current customers is huge. Consider newsletters or email marketing. This is money in the bank during a recession. Develop new content and then get it to those who are most likely to respond.
4. Put Together a Content Distribution Strategy. What channels are you using for your online copy? All linking happens because of great content that everyone wants to be a part of. Get your optimized content out there. Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Start blogging. If you have a great product, consider an affiliate network.
5. Leverage Your Content. Once you write a blog post, a press release, a web page, an article or a white paper, you can use it in other ways. Of course, you don’t want to use it verbatim – change it up so you don’t have duplicate content. Ideas need to be communicated in different ways. Don’t re-write it every time – leverage it. It’s a great way to recession-proof your online content and marketing.
6. Optimize Your Online Content for Social Media. What types of content are hot on sites like Digg, Stumble Upon and Facebook? Submit this exact content so you can get in the game and maximize response.
7. Make Your Content “Conversion-Friendly” - Ask for the Sale. Make sure that the copy includes specific "calls-to-action" which compel your visitors to the next step in the sale. Are the words "Order Now" next to your product? How about “get your free newsletter" now? Add these calls-to-action so visitors will take a more active and involved approach.
If you have a site that converts visitors into buyers and continually improve the conversion rate, you decrease your cost per acquisition and spend less on advertising. In Wuebben's book "Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web" he also emphasizes a good balance between design and copy and improving usability to impact website conversion. "The combination of winning copy, strategic SEO and off-page factors will put your website on the right track to make your business a success – no matter what the economy is doing."
Guest Post by: Jon Wuebben is a veteran copywriter, speaker, entrepreneur and online marketing leader. He has an MBA in International Marketing from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management and a BS in Management from California State University, Chico. The company he founded, Custom Copywriting, is one of the fastest growing content providers in the industry (www.customcopywriting.com). Custom Copywriting has written website copy for hundreds of companies in many different industries since 2003. His articles on online marketing, SEO copywriting and other topics can be found on thousands of sites across the web. “Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web” is his first book and is aimed at helping businesses write their own content and learning the tricks of SEO copywriting and online marketing. www.contentrichbook.com
With smaller marketing budgets, companies are hunting for cost-effective, measurable solutions to sagging sales figures. This naturally leads to online marketing in order to generate new prospects and customers. The goal is to recession-proof your online content and marketing.
"It all starts with a powerful, search engine-friendly website that converts," says Jon Wuebben, author of "Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web" (Encore Publishing). "Companies today need to focus on the words they use to communicate with their prospects and how they leverage this content to maximize their online exposure. When more companies are chasing fewer prospects, you need to ensure your online copy is strong and that you’re using the viral nature of the web to promote it.”
Wuebben says if you want to harness the power of cost-effective online marketing, there are 7 steps to follow:
1. Embrace the Basics: Web Content 101. Start with the easy stuff. Take a look at your existing copy. How is your site performing? If you haven’t done it yet, perform some keyword research and use Google Analytics – how are visitors making their way through the site?
2. Expand the Breadth of Your Content. A few years ago, a website was all you needed. But the web has continued to evolve. Are you writing optimized press releases? How about a newsletter? Do you have a blog? Consider these other ways of recession-proofing your online content and marketing.
3. Create New Content Directed at Your Existing Customer Base. Building your relationship with current customers is huge. Consider newsletters or email marketing. This is money in the bank during a recession. Develop new content and then get it to those who are most likely to respond.
4. Put Together a Content Distribution Strategy. What channels are you using for your online copy? All linking happens because of great content that everyone wants to be a part of. Get your optimized content out there. Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Start blogging. If you have a great product, consider an affiliate network.
5. Leverage Your Content. Once you write a blog post, a press release, a web page, an article or a white paper, you can use it in other ways. Of course, you don’t want to use it verbatim – change it up so you don’t have duplicate content. Ideas need to be communicated in different ways. Don’t re-write it every time – leverage it. It’s a great way to recession-proof your online content and marketing.
6. Optimize Your Online Content for Social Media. What types of content are hot on sites like Digg, Stumble Upon and Facebook? Submit this exact content so you can get in the game and maximize response.
7. Make Your Content “Conversion-Friendly” - Ask for the Sale. Make sure that the copy includes specific "calls-to-action" which compel your visitors to the next step in the sale. Are the words "Order Now" next to your product? How about “get your free newsletter" now? Add these calls-to-action so visitors will take a more active and involved approach.
If you have a site that converts visitors into buyers and continually improve the conversion rate, you decrease your cost per acquisition and spend less on advertising. In Wuebben's book "Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web" he also emphasizes a good balance between design and copy and improving usability to impact website conversion. "The combination of winning copy, strategic SEO and off-page factors will put your website on the right track to make your business a success – no matter what the economy is doing."
Guest Post by: Jon Wuebben is a veteran copywriter, speaker, entrepreneur and online marketing leader. He has an MBA in International Marketing from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management and a BS in Management from California State University, Chico. The company he founded, Custom Copywriting, is one of the fastest growing content providers in the industry (www.customcopywriting.com). Custom Copywriting has written website copy for hundreds of companies in many different industries since 2003. His articles on online marketing, SEO copywriting and other topics can be found on thousands of sites across the web. “Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web” is his first book and is aimed at helping businesses write their own content and learning the tricks of SEO copywriting and online marketing. www.contentrichbook.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Best ways to publish RSS
As RSS news syndication gains popularity among users, new ways for publishing RSS are emerging. In this article, I examine the three most popular methods, and help you decide which one works best for you.
1. Blogs
Weblogs, or blogs, as they are commonly called, are the primary reason RSS gained popularity. In fact, one of the earliest uses for RSS was for bloggers to monitor other blogs for updates.
Most blogging systems will produce RSS newsfeeds automatically. All you need to do is enter content, and the blogging software will build a newsfeed based on the information you enter. No extra work is needed. Just add content to your blog, and you have a newsfeed.
But there is one major disadvantage to using a blog for publishing RSS: you do not have complete control of the RSS output. Most blogging software will simply take an excerpt of your blog entry (e.g. the first 15 words), and use that to create your RSS item. As you can imagine, this can lead to problems. The first 15 words of a blog entry do not always capture the essence of that article.
2. RSS Publishing Software
Because of the inadequacy of blogs as a reliable and accurate RSS tool, new stand-alone software was developed. This software has one purpose: to provide the user with an easy way to create and publish RSS newsfeeds from their desktops. No longer do you have to write a long article in your blog to produce RSS feeds. All you have to do is enter a title for your news item, and (optionally) a couple sentences to describe that headline – and your feed is better than the blog-produced feed.
Examples of RSS publishing software for Windows include FeedforAll (http://www.feedforall.com) and Newzalert Composer (http://www.castlesoftware.biz/NewzAlertComposer.htm). Mac users have their own tool in Orangebox for Macintosh (http://www.globalsyndication.com/orangebox-for-macintosh).
3. Online RSS Publishing Systems
While subscribers to feeds generated by RSS software enjoyed the simplicity and clarity of the new feeds, some publishers began to run into problems that came with the publishing software. They missed the convenience of blogging’s online publishing that allowed them to add news -- regardless of whether they were at their home computer.
News publishers wanted the accessibility of online blogging with the accuracy of RSS publishing software. The new demand lead to the emergence of online RSS publishing systems such as FeedServer RSS Hosting (http://www.globalsyndication.com/rss-hosting). This new format of RSS publishing allows webmasters to login to an online control panel and publish their news – without having to worry about restrictive software licenses. Since most online RSS publishing systems run on a subscription basis, you can make use of the free trial or subscribe for one month and evaluate if the service meets your needs.
So which system should you use to publish RSS? It depends on your needs. If most of your readers manually visit your site to get new information, a blogging system may be sufficient. However, if you plan to take advantage of the full capabilities of RSS news syndication, you would do well to use a stand-alone RSS publishing system. RSS publishing software will satisfy your needs if you plan to use one computer only. But if you’re looking for flexibility and a lower startup costs, look into the new online RSS publishing systems.
For more useful tips to guides on software, advice and problems do please browse for more information at our websites.
http://www.infozabout.com
http://www.software.infozabout.com
1. Blogs
Weblogs, or blogs, as they are commonly called, are the primary reason RSS gained popularity. In fact, one of the earliest uses for RSS was for bloggers to monitor other blogs for updates.
Most blogging systems will produce RSS newsfeeds automatically. All you need to do is enter content, and the blogging software will build a newsfeed based on the information you enter. No extra work is needed. Just add content to your blog, and you have a newsfeed.
But there is one major disadvantage to using a blog for publishing RSS: you do not have complete control of the RSS output. Most blogging software will simply take an excerpt of your blog entry (e.g. the first 15 words), and use that to create your RSS item. As you can imagine, this can lead to problems. The first 15 words of a blog entry do not always capture the essence of that article.
2. RSS Publishing Software
Because of the inadequacy of blogs as a reliable and accurate RSS tool, new stand-alone software was developed. This software has one purpose: to provide the user with an easy way to create and publish RSS newsfeeds from their desktops. No longer do you have to write a long article in your blog to produce RSS feeds. All you have to do is enter a title for your news item, and (optionally) a couple sentences to describe that headline – and your feed is better than the blog-produced feed.
Examples of RSS publishing software for Windows include FeedforAll (http://www.feedforall.com) and Newzalert Composer (http://www.castlesoftware.biz/NewzAlertComposer.htm). Mac users have their own tool in Orangebox for Macintosh (http://www.globalsyndication.com/orangebox-for-macintosh).
3. Online RSS Publishing Systems
While subscribers to feeds generated by RSS software enjoyed the simplicity and clarity of the new feeds, some publishers began to run into problems that came with the publishing software. They missed the convenience of blogging’s online publishing that allowed them to add news -- regardless of whether they were at their home computer.
News publishers wanted the accessibility of online blogging with the accuracy of RSS publishing software. The new demand lead to the emergence of online RSS publishing systems such as FeedServer RSS Hosting (http://www.globalsyndication.com/rss-hosting). This new format of RSS publishing allows webmasters to login to an online control panel and publish their news – without having to worry about restrictive software licenses. Since most online RSS publishing systems run on a subscription basis, you can make use of the free trial or subscribe for one month and evaluate if the service meets your needs.
So which system should you use to publish RSS? It depends on your needs. If most of your readers manually visit your site to get new information, a blogging system may be sufficient. However, if you plan to take advantage of the full capabilities of RSS news syndication, you would do well to use a stand-alone RSS publishing system. RSS publishing software will satisfy your needs if you plan to use one computer only. But if you’re looking for flexibility and a lower startup costs, look into the new online RSS publishing systems.
For more useful tips to guides on software, advice and problems do please browse for more information at our websites.
http://www.infozabout.com
http://www.software.infozabout.com
Friday, August 15, 2008
Is Domain Parking Worth the Trouble?
If you’re thinking about getting into the domain parking industry then I’ll let you in on a little secret: The odds are stacked against you. This business has been dominated by a few big players for a while. If you’re starting from scratch, then you have as much chance to succeed in this game as a Tibetan monk with violent garlic allergies has at establishing himself as a dominant player in the Italian Mafia.
The domain parking industry is fundamentally flawed because it is passive. Any business plan that involves a lot of sitting around must eventually fail. It’s similar to any get-rich-quick scam that uses the phrase, “Just sit back and watch the money roll in!” I’ve heard countless eCommerce, Adsense and affiliate schemes that make this claim. They will tell you to have faith in their system, they will warn against doubters who want to steal your get-rich-quick dreams away from you. But I tell you: Don’t buy into anything that says, “Pay me $99.95 and I’ll tell you the secret to making money without having to work.”
Obviously some people make a living in the domain parking industry. I will tell you how they do it. First of all they have tons of awesome domains such as gardens.com or love.com. They do not depend on domains such as “ilikegardensalot.com” or “ireallylikelovealot.com.” Any domain with two or more words will probably never make back the money you spent to register it.
Be wary of buying domains that seem clever right now because they probably suck. You will discover this after it’s too late to cancel your domain choices and get a refund. It doesn’t even matter if you and all your friends think your domain names are clever. What matters is what the general masses think is clever.
Keep in mind that you need people to type your domain names manually. Search engines won’t help you because they hesitate to even acknowledge your parked pages. So you have to ask yourself honestly, “What are the chances of someone typing in ireallyreallylikegardensalot.com?” In order for your domain, ireallyreallylikegardensalot.com to pay for itself an average of one hundred separate people will have to type that entire domain every day.
You might try buying thousands of dollars worth of domains in hopes that they make more than what it cost to register them in the first place. If you purchased a domain from scratch that made $5 dollars more than what it cost you to register it per year, that would be a miracle. So what if you could find 10,000 similarly miraculous domains? Then you would have an administrative nightmare on your hands.
Another option is to purchase domains that are already popular. Suppose you bought a kick-ass domain for $20000. Suppose this domain was so awesome that it made you $1000 dollars per year on cash parking. How long will it take for this domain to pay for itself at that rate? 20 years.
Try to maintain a shrewd, business mindset. What’s the payoff here? What’s the timeframe before this investment starts to make a return above its original cost? Will the internet still exist by then?
There are a few domain parking companies that will do you right, such as NameDrive.com, Sedo.com or Godaddy.com. I am currently with Godaddy.com, making an average of 15 cents per click, which is unbeatable as far as I’ve seen. At this rate, I only need 10,000 clicks to break even. I’ve spent weeks’ worth of income and months’ worth of brainstorming energy to come this conclusion about domain parking: It’s not worth it.
Guest Post by Patrick Roberts http://www.booksbypatrick.com/
The domain parking industry is fundamentally flawed because it is passive. Any business plan that involves a lot of sitting around must eventually fail. It’s similar to any get-rich-quick scam that uses the phrase, “Just sit back and watch the money roll in!” I’ve heard countless eCommerce, Adsense and affiliate schemes that make this claim. They will tell you to have faith in their system, they will warn against doubters who want to steal your get-rich-quick dreams away from you. But I tell you: Don’t buy into anything that says, “Pay me $99.95 and I’ll tell you the secret to making money without having to work.”
Obviously some people make a living in the domain parking industry. I will tell you how they do it. First of all they have tons of awesome domains such as gardens.com or love.com. They do not depend on domains such as “ilikegardensalot.com” or “ireallylikelovealot.com.” Any domain with two or more words will probably never make back the money you spent to register it.
Be wary of buying domains that seem clever right now because they probably suck. You will discover this after it’s too late to cancel your domain choices and get a refund. It doesn’t even matter if you and all your friends think your domain names are clever. What matters is what the general masses think is clever.
Keep in mind that you need people to type your domain names manually. Search engines won’t help you because they hesitate to even acknowledge your parked pages. So you have to ask yourself honestly, “What are the chances of someone typing in ireallyreallylikegardensalot.com?” In order for your domain, ireallyreallylikegardensalot.com to pay for itself an average of one hundred separate people will have to type that entire domain every day.
You might try buying thousands of dollars worth of domains in hopes that they make more than what it cost to register them in the first place. If you purchased a domain from scratch that made $5 dollars more than what it cost you to register it per year, that would be a miracle. So what if you could find 10,000 similarly miraculous domains? Then you would have an administrative nightmare on your hands.
Another option is to purchase domains that are already popular. Suppose you bought a kick-ass domain for $20000. Suppose this domain was so awesome that it made you $1000 dollars per year on cash parking. How long will it take for this domain to pay for itself at that rate? 20 years.
Try to maintain a shrewd, business mindset. What’s the payoff here? What’s the timeframe before this investment starts to make a return above its original cost? Will the internet still exist by then?
There are a few domain parking companies that will do you right, such as NameDrive.com, Sedo.com or Godaddy.com. I am currently with Godaddy.com, making an average of 15 cents per click, which is unbeatable as far as I’ve seen. At this rate, I only need 10,000 clicks to break even. I’ve spent weeks’ worth of income and months’ worth of brainstorming energy to come this conclusion about domain parking: It’s not worth it.
Guest Post by Patrick Roberts http://www.booksbypatrick.com/
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
3 Reasons To Buy An Existing Domain Name
When the time comes to set up your own internet business one of your first thoughts is to buy a domain name to establish a web site for your new business. You may spend a lot of time dreaming up possible names and testing their availability but there is another option you should consider -- buying an existing domain name.
Obviously you do not want to buy an existing web site for your new business as you wish to create a web site that accurately reflects your business vision, but there are a number of advantages to buying an existing domain name and if you do not yet have your heart set on a new domain name you will likely find an existing domain name available at a price not much greater than you will pay for a fresh name and an existing domain name brings a number of advantages.
One of the primary advantages of an existing domain name is that it already has traffic flowing toward it. Obviously the amount of traffic will vary greatly depending on what the current owner has done for promotion but any traffic is more than the zero visitors a fresh name will deliver.
Another advantage is from search engine optimization. Many domainers will have at least put in a small amount of time optimizing their domain name portfolio for search engines. Others put in a great deal of time and effort targeting key words and making sure the domain name is listed. It takes time for various domain names to work their way into search engine listings and if someone has already done that work for you then you are ready to capitalize on their groundwork as soon as you take over the name.
A third advantage is that the wild frontier of short, targeted, key word domain names is over. It is not impossible but very difficult to find an unregistered domain name in a short, catchy phrase and even more so if you have a specific key word in mind. However, many of the domainers who registered these domain names did so as an investment rather than a long-term project of their own and so are willing to sell. The only way to acquire many of these great domain names is by purchasing an existing domain name. You will not be able to find one to register fresh.
Choosing the right domain name for your internet business enterprise can be an exciting and challenging time but if you take the time to learn more about the available domain names you can buy then you just might find the bargain of a lifetime and start off your business with a bang.
Learn more about available domain names at http://renaissancewomanonline.com/domainsforsale.php
Obviously you do not want to buy an existing web site for your new business as you wish to create a web site that accurately reflects your business vision, but there are a number of advantages to buying an existing domain name and if you do not yet have your heart set on a new domain name you will likely find an existing domain name available at a price not much greater than you will pay for a fresh name and an existing domain name brings a number of advantages.
One of the primary advantages of an existing domain name is that it already has traffic flowing toward it. Obviously the amount of traffic will vary greatly depending on what the current owner has done for promotion but any traffic is more than the zero visitors a fresh name will deliver.
Another advantage is from search engine optimization. Many domainers will have at least put in a small amount of time optimizing their domain name portfolio for search engines. Others put in a great deal of time and effort targeting key words and making sure the domain name is listed. It takes time for various domain names to work their way into search engine listings and if someone has already done that work for you then you are ready to capitalize on their groundwork as soon as you take over the name.
A third advantage is that the wild frontier of short, targeted, key word domain names is over. It is not impossible but very difficult to find an unregistered domain name in a short, catchy phrase and even more so if you have a specific key word in mind. However, many of the domainers who registered these domain names did so as an investment rather than a long-term project of their own and so are willing to sell. The only way to acquire many of these great domain names is by purchasing an existing domain name. You will not be able to find one to register fresh.
Choosing the right domain name for your internet business enterprise can be an exciting and challenging time but if you take the time to learn more about the available domain names you can buy then you just might find the bargain of a lifetime and start off your business with a bang.
Learn more about available domain names at http://renaissancewomanonline.com/domainsforsale.php
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Value of Branding Your Blog
Harnessing the marketing power of your blog is an excellent strategy for growing your business. With the many benefits of blogs, including SEO and developing customer loyalty, even Fortune 500 companies are jumping on the bandwagon. However, utilizing blogs is not as simple as writing articles that optimize your company’s keywords.
Seeing your blog as an extension of your marketing and branding efforts is the key to maximizing the benefits of blogging. Remember, the purpose of your blog is to attract your target customer base – and keep them coming back for more. With that said, there are several strategies you can utilize to maximize the marketing power of your blog.
What does your blog say about your company?
A major element of your marketing efforts is brand congruency. McDonald’s, Apple, Nike, and the other highly successful global organizations have achieved their status through intelligent, congruent branding. Keeping this in mind, it is critical that your blog stays in line with your branding efforts. Readers see the blog as a personal extension of the company, and thus, it is important that it reflects the same character of your branding strategy.
For example, if you run an online party supplies store that is known for creativity, then make sure your blog reflects that branding. Include innovative party ideas, such as themes, unique DIY decorating tips, and recipes. This creates significant value with your target customer base, while keeping in line with the creative branding your company employs.
How is your blog valuable to your target customer?
Although blogs are indeed beneficial for SEO purposes, the most power you can generate from your blog stems from attracting your target customer. With this in mind, carefully evaluate how valuable your blog postings are to your client base. Put yourself in their shoes; would you bookmark your blog and come back regularly?
One strategic – and easy – way to increase the value of your blog is to create specialized content. Positioning yourself as a specialist and expert in the field not only provides value to the customer, but inherently reinforces the legitimacy of your company.
For example, if you are a recruiting firm, then your blog should discuss pressing HR issues that your clients would find valuable. You could expound upon changing laws, new legal rulings, powerful interview questions, and background check tools. Not only do you reaffirm your expertise in recruiting employees, but you present very valuable information that would prompt your client base to become regular readers.
How does your blog stand out from the crowd?
With many of your competitors utilizing blogs, how can you compel your target audience to visit your blog? The key is to create innovative content that stands far above mediocre articles. While many blogs simply write average, keyword-rich articles for SEO purposes, make sure your blog shines with innovative content. Whether you infuse humor, compelling research, breaking news, or expert knowledge, writing interesting blog articles is the most powerful way to generate attention. Keep in mind that your goal is to create articles worthy of links – ones that other blogs and social networks will want to re-publish – and your content will easily stand out from the blogging crowd.
When you create innovative, valuable content that is in line with your branding strategy, your business can fully reap the benefits of blogging. Leave your competition in the dust as you jumpstart your marketing campaign with the power of today’s blog!
Discover how blog content can increase your company’s potential by visiting our Learning Guides. CommunicateBetter.org offers powerful freelance writing services, whether you need valuable, ghost-written blog articles or engaging, converting landing pages.
Seeing your blog as an extension of your marketing and branding efforts is the key to maximizing the benefits of blogging. Remember, the purpose of your blog is to attract your target customer base – and keep them coming back for more. With that said, there are several strategies you can utilize to maximize the marketing power of your blog.
What does your blog say about your company?
A major element of your marketing efforts is brand congruency. McDonald’s, Apple, Nike, and the other highly successful global organizations have achieved their status through intelligent, congruent branding. Keeping this in mind, it is critical that your blog stays in line with your branding efforts. Readers see the blog as a personal extension of the company, and thus, it is important that it reflects the same character of your branding strategy.
For example, if you run an online party supplies store that is known for creativity, then make sure your blog reflects that branding. Include innovative party ideas, such as themes, unique DIY decorating tips, and recipes. This creates significant value with your target customer base, while keeping in line with the creative branding your company employs.
How is your blog valuable to your target customer?
Although blogs are indeed beneficial for SEO purposes, the most power you can generate from your blog stems from attracting your target customer. With this in mind, carefully evaluate how valuable your blog postings are to your client base. Put yourself in their shoes; would you bookmark your blog and come back regularly?
One strategic – and easy – way to increase the value of your blog is to create specialized content. Positioning yourself as a specialist and expert in the field not only provides value to the customer, but inherently reinforces the legitimacy of your company.
For example, if you are a recruiting firm, then your blog should discuss pressing HR issues that your clients would find valuable. You could expound upon changing laws, new legal rulings, powerful interview questions, and background check tools. Not only do you reaffirm your expertise in recruiting employees, but you present very valuable information that would prompt your client base to become regular readers.
How does your blog stand out from the crowd?
With many of your competitors utilizing blogs, how can you compel your target audience to visit your blog? The key is to create innovative content that stands far above mediocre articles. While many blogs simply write average, keyword-rich articles for SEO purposes, make sure your blog shines with innovative content. Whether you infuse humor, compelling research, breaking news, or expert knowledge, writing interesting blog articles is the most powerful way to generate attention. Keep in mind that your goal is to create articles worthy of links – ones that other blogs and social networks will want to re-publish – and your content will easily stand out from the blogging crowd.
When you create innovative, valuable content that is in line with your branding strategy, your business can fully reap the benefits of blogging. Leave your competition in the dust as you jumpstart your marketing campaign with the power of today’s blog!
Discover how blog content can increase your company’s potential by visiting our Learning Guides. CommunicateBetter.org offers powerful freelance writing services, whether you need valuable, ghost-written blog articles or engaging, converting landing pages.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Tricks To A Successful Postcard Marketing Campaign
While online marketing is THE thing to be doing to increase your web traffic results you can't forget that there is a real world out there and traditional marketing advertising methods can still have an effect on your website traffic.
We asked some marketeters for their ideas in offline promotion and this submission caught our eye. For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Postcard Printing, Postcard Marketing and Direct Mailing
So the Article:
Tired of swimming with the current when it comes to your online marketing techniques? With everyone too distracted on online ad schemes, it’s probably time for you to get back to print marketing and gain that edge in the market. One of the most effective marketing strategy widely used by marketers for years is postcard printing and mailing or most commonly referred to as direct mail.
But the main question now is, how can you be successful with postcard marketing? Here are some tips to a successful direct mail and postcard printing campaign. Following these steps can raise you a bar higher at getting fast and impressive results. Of course, results may vary depending on what business you’re in but the bottom line is, how can you maximize the potential of your campaign with these same concepts in mind?
When it comes to direct mail marketing, you should know two important elements: your message and your target market.
All About Words
Take some time to do this little exercise: Step into the shoes of your customers and try to think of questions and reasons for doubt that might come up in your head if someone was offered the same products and services that you offer. Then think about what that business could say to appease your doubts and gain your confidence. Think about what tone of voice in the message would appeal to you most? Do you think a casual tone would appeal to your readers or would they prefer a more professional one? Does this voice suit your business and what you offer? Next thing would be to “cosmetize” your message. Add some quirks to make your message interesting, add a dash of humor here and there but make sure not to go beyond the line of professionalism and simply clowning around. Be interesting, make your message sound sincere, straightforward, persuasive and professional.
The World Revolves Around The Consumer
A very important question to ask that can set the direction of your postcard mailing campaign is who are your prospect buyers? Once you’ve identified your market, then you ask, how can our products attend to their needs and will it live up to your expectations, how hard is the competition going to be for this product, is it highly in-demand? Make sure that you get the answer to the first question right otherwise, you’ll be wasting precious time, effort and resources on something that won’t really give you anything back.
Postcard marketing is not that complicated at all. Most of the time, campaigns go wrong simply because there was a lack of research or planning in some phase of the methodology. Getting a mailing list is no longer a challenge and so is getting a postcard printer. Fierce competition has raised the number of options available in the market and decision-making can sometimes be tough for the consumer. The best way to go is to ask for postcard printing samples and read testimonials or customer reviews when available.
Something simple and effective like direct mailing doesn’t have to be as complicated as most people cut it out to be. Start with something simple, a simple design, a small niche. Then work your way from the results that you derive from this sample testing.
We asked some marketeters for their ideas in offline promotion and this submission caught our eye. For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Postcard Printing, Postcard Marketing and Direct Mailing
So the Article:
Tired of swimming with the current when it comes to your online marketing techniques? With everyone too distracted on online ad schemes, it’s probably time for you to get back to print marketing and gain that edge in the market. One of the most effective marketing strategy widely used by marketers for years is postcard printing and mailing or most commonly referred to as direct mail.
But the main question now is, how can you be successful with postcard marketing? Here are some tips to a successful direct mail and postcard printing campaign. Following these steps can raise you a bar higher at getting fast and impressive results. Of course, results may vary depending on what business you’re in but the bottom line is, how can you maximize the potential of your campaign with these same concepts in mind?
When it comes to direct mail marketing, you should know two important elements: your message and your target market.
All About Words
Take some time to do this little exercise: Step into the shoes of your customers and try to think of questions and reasons for doubt that might come up in your head if someone was offered the same products and services that you offer. Then think about what that business could say to appease your doubts and gain your confidence. Think about what tone of voice in the message would appeal to you most? Do you think a casual tone would appeal to your readers or would they prefer a more professional one? Does this voice suit your business and what you offer? Next thing would be to “cosmetize” your message. Add some quirks to make your message interesting, add a dash of humor here and there but make sure not to go beyond the line of professionalism and simply clowning around. Be interesting, make your message sound sincere, straightforward, persuasive and professional.
The World Revolves Around The Consumer
A very important question to ask that can set the direction of your postcard mailing campaign is who are your prospect buyers? Once you’ve identified your market, then you ask, how can our products attend to their needs and will it live up to your expectations, how hard is the competition going to be for this product, is it highly in-demand? Make sure that you get the answer to the first question right otherwise, you’ll be wasting precious time, effort and resources on something that won’t really give you anything back.
Postcard marketing is not that complicated at all. Most of the time, campaigns go wrong simply because there was a lack of research or planning in some phase of the methodology. Getting a mailing list is no longer a challenge and so is getting a postcard printer. Fierce competition has raised the number of options available in the market and decision-making can sometimes be tough for the consumer. The best way to go is to ask for postcard printing samples and read testimonials or customer reviews when available.
Something simple and effective like direct mailing doesn’t have to be as complicated as most people cut it out to be. Start with something simple, a simple design, a small niche. Then work your way from the results that you derive from this sample testing.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Web Traffic 101: Get Back To Basics For More Website Traffic
It's a common problem: your website has cost you time and money, and now its just sitting there in cyberspace looking pretty and doing nothing much else. You need more website traffic! So what can you do to turn things around and not only make your site pay for itself, but get it to give your business a decent boost?
There are a lot of ways to get more website traffic, but the very first thing you need to do with an under-performing site is to check that the basics are in place. If you're building a brand new site you can do it right from the start.
First, are you using the best keywords? Keyword research is the very foundation of getting more website traffic. It will give you a whole list of phrases people are using to find sites just like yours. You'll see how many searches there are for each keyword or key phrase, and how many other sites you're competing against for that phrase. Ideally you're looking for phrases with a high number of searches and low competition.
Do a related terms search as well, to find search terms that are related to your seed word, but that don't contain it. For example, a related terms search on “concrete” may turn up “cement” and “render”. You'll probably find some jewels that you can do a vertical search on and find a whole lot more relevant key phrases.
The more keywords you uncover, the more chance you have of finding those elusive ones with low competition but high demand that you can rank highly for.
I recommend using a subscription keyword tool for the best results (you do seriously want more website traffic don't you?) but if you've never used a keyword tool before try out a free one first.
Fundamental number two is to write useful content. When you search the web you're looking for information, right? So are your potential customers. Give them that information and give them plenty of it. You'll find it much easier to get a high search engine ranking and more website traffic, and the visitors you get will be more likely to deal with you.
You'll know what to write about from your keyword research, and from your own industry knowledge. What are the questions your customers always ask you?
Fundamental number three is to optimize your page for the search engines. Each page should be focused on one keyword, and you need to put “hooks” throughout your page so that the search engines know what it is about.
The keyword should be used in the page title, the meta description, the page heading, and sprinkled through the text. Most experts say the keyword should be around 1-3% of the content. Try to use it in a text link as well.
Don't go overboard with the use of the keyword or the search engines may see it as spam and actually lower your page rank.
Incoming links, usually called back links, are another essential part of getting a high ranking and more website traffic. Search engines see quality back links as a vote for your site. The more votes you have, the higher your ranking. Not all back links are created equal though. The best link is a one way link from a related authority site, and from a page with not many other links on it. The worst is a reciprocal link from an unrelated low quality site, with the link to your site buried on a page with hundreds of others.
When your site has about twenty pages of good content, start submitting it to relevant directories for a good one way link, and join a quality link exchange program for good reciprocal links. Don't join link farms or exchange links with trashy sites.
Having a high search engine ranking is not much good if no-one clicks through to your site. By writing an appealing title and meta description you can double or triple your click through rate. They should both contain your keyword, and they should also be written as an ad for your page.
Look at other titles and descriptions on the search engine results page and see what would get you to click through. Don't copy, but use them for inspiration. Try a few variations of your own, and you should be able to come up with something that will boost your click through rate and get you more website traffic.
So if your website traffic isn't where you want it, go back to your site and check the basics. If they're not right you now know what to do.
There are a lot of ways to get more website traffic, but the very first thing you need to do with an under-performing site is to check that the basics are in place. If you're building a brand new site you can do it right from the start.
First, are you using the best keywords? Keyword research is the very foundation of getting more website traffic. It will give you a whole list of phrases people are using to find sites just like yours. You'll see how many searches there are for each keyword or key phrase, and how many other sites you're competing against for that phrase. Ideally you're looking for phrases with a high number of searches and low competition.
Do a related terms search as well, to find search terms that are related to your seed word, but that don't contain it. For example, a related terms search on “concrete” may turn up “cement” and “render”. You'll probably find some jewels that you can do a vertical search on and find a whole lot more relevant key phrases.
The more keywords you uncover, the more chance you have of finding those elusive ones with low competition but high demand that you can rank highly for.
I recommend using a subscription keyword tool for the best results (you do seriously want more website traffic don't you?) but if you've never used a keyword tool before try out a free one first.
Fundamental number two is to write useful content. When you search the web you're looking for information, right? So are your potential customers. Give them that information and give them plenty of it. You'll find it much easier to get a high search engine ranking and more website traffic, and the visitors you get will be more likely to deal with you.
You'll know what to write about from your keyword research, and from your own industry knowledge. What are the questions your customers always ask you?
Fundamental number three is to optimize your page for the search engines. Each page should be focused on one keyword, and you need to put “hooks” throughout your page so that the search engines know what it is about.
The keyword should be used in the page title, the meta description, the page heading, and sprinkled through the text. Most experts say the keyword should be around 1-3% of the content. Try to use it in a text link as well.
Don't go overboard with the use of the keyword or the search engines may see it as spam and actually lower your page rank.
Incoming links, usually called back links, are another essential part of getting a high ranking and more website traffic. Search engines see quality back links as a vote for your site. The more votes you have, the higher your ranking. Not all back links are created equal though. The best link is a one way link from a related authority site, and from a page with not many other links on it. The worst is a reciprocal link from an unrelated low quality site, with the link to your site buried on a page with hundreds of others.
When your site has about twenty pages of good content, start submitting it to relevant directories for a good one way link, and join a quality link exchange program for good reciprocal links. Don't join link farms or exchange links with trashy sites.
Having a high search engine ranking is not much good if no-one clicks through to your site. By writing an appealing title and meta description you can double or triple your click through rate. They should both contain your keyword, and they should also be written as an ad for your page.
Look at other titles and descriptions on the search engine results page and see what would get you to click through. Don't copy, but use them for inspiration. Try a few variations of your own, and you should be able to come up with something that will boost your click through rate and get you more website traffic.
So if your website traffic isn't where you want it, go back to your site and check the basics. If they're not right you now know what to do.
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