by TJ Philpott
Conducting marketing research is very important for any business. The key to success of any online business is the profitability of the niche market you select. First and foremost though should be the determination of market demand. Without the demand the probability of generating any profit is zip. With that said our consideration will turn to a relatively new way to conduct market research that will enable you to uncover those niche markets with plenty demand and profit potential.
Twitter, the fast growing micro blogging social network site offers you the opportunity to tap into a real time search engine containing invaluable research information.
If you're looking for online business ideas around which to build an income Twitter could be your answer.
Let's look at a simple 3 step process you can use to help you generate potent niche marketing opportunities by using Twitter.
Determine Popular Topics First
Firstly you want to see what everybody is talking about by looking at 'trending topics' which is located on the right hand side of the page. Being Twitter is a highly populated social network site you can assume trends found here reflect most of what you may find across the internet.
Under trending topics you'll find separate 'discussions' being held on various topics. The topics or keywords of these individual discussions are precluded by a hash mark (#). Choose a topic of interest to you and join the conversation.
Focusing on conversations that interest you is very important!
Two other methods you can use to locate popular topics on Twitter are visiting hashtags dot org and stufftotweet dot com.
Find the Conversations
Track down these conversations on Twitter by entering the appropriate keywords into the search box.
Plug into conversations as this will be your market research.
Start to follow some of the participants since generally once you follow someone they'll follow you back. This allows you to stay up with and view these conversations as they occur from day to day.
Plug Into & Follow the Conversations
Now that you've located these conversations you of course will contribute where you can but you definitely want to listen and take notes. You are looking for trends, common problems, angles, or other ideas to explore. If possible uncover a common problem and develop a solution for it. This could be the basis of your niche.
Throughout the course of these discussions various ideas, opinions, or preferences will be offered so take note of this. Focus in on the more prevalent and consistent 'sub-topics' to help you 'narrow' your search'.
By following these conversations over an extended period of time you'll be validating the lasting popularity or interest of the topic you're 'researching'.
This process will be conducted over a period of time and the information you collect can then be used to further explore with other market research tools. You'll want to do this to insure your hunch/findings possess the market potential you are looking for.
Marketing research can be very time consuming and boring but it is a necessary evil for any online business. The key to your success will the profit potential of the niche market you select as the core of your business. Determining the market demand is your first step when considering the potential of any number of niche markets. The accuracy of your market research is crucial and if done correctly will lead to profitable online business ideas for you. Knowing how to efficiently use the real time search engine that Twitter has should enable you to speed up the research process. Just following the current trends and the conversations surrounding them should supply you with very insightful data. It is then up to you to put this information to work as you apply it to your niche marketing efforts. The end results should be rewarding.
TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For additional Money Making Tips and a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit http://blogbrawn.com/
Friday, July 31, 2009
Rich Affiliate Poor Affiliate
by Dan Lok
It seems like yesterday - but years have since gone by. Back in year 2003, people could just set up an ad on Google Adwords and start profiting promoting other people's products.
All people needed to do were to put in some money, send traffic straight to the sales page and get profits immediately in return! But the industry had long grown. If you were to do that now, you'd be throwing too much money away.
You see, there can be many competitors within a niche.
When they are using Google Adwords to drive traffic to their sites AND getting this traffic to subscribe into their list or newsletter, they can afford to bid higher than you for the same traffic. Well, because logic says they have higher chances to make more profits in the long term than you!
If you really want to make fortunes as an affiliate, if you really desire to create tons of wealth promoting other people's products, then it's time to exceed what everyone else is doing. You need to have your own profitable strategy to affiliate marketing.
"But how, Dan?"
See the key here lies in doing something you can either DOMINATE in or DUPLICATE over and over again.
On dominating... this means you either:
1.) Employ the most effective traffic strategy for you to send targeted prospects to your products' sales copy at the most affordable budget possible...
2.) Discover ways to make more money from the same prospect and by increasing life-time customer value better than your competitors
3.) Build a personality or create strong relationships with your target market and endorse products through your 'brand' and etc.
On the other hand, duplicating means you either:
1.) Uncover untapped niche markets you can still compete reasonably in, make a portion of the market share profits and head on to the next niche with the same strategy or system
2.) Hire freelancers to create affiliate recommendation websites for you in different niche markets, and make the most out of each industry
3.) Observe what your competing affiliates are doing and model the successful ones - if possible, do it better than them and grab your share of the market in as soon as possible and etc.
Now you accomplish either of these proven strategies people are using right now. You can use what countless affiliates on the Internet are implementing to make a comfortable living today.
But then question comes back to this:
"How can you do it better than them either ways?"
Perhaps a hint will help you. Mix them to your taste.
You see, for centuries industries were dominated by those who understand a secret to amass great wealth. This secret, once employed - have created histories of recorded events and incidents we have all remembered until today.
In some ways, people would refer to it as working together. People have called it teamwork, cooperation, collaboration... joint efforts. But if you would just look at it from the eyes of an entrepreneur, a business owner, you'd unearth the beauty behind all these creations.
If you were to look at this from the point of view as the leader, the originator, the one who planned everything - all you're doing is two things:
OUTSOURCING & DELEGATING.
When people come to work together, the approximate amount of productivity isn't only subjected to the number of people. What I mean is, sure with 2 people working in 1 team, you could assume that productivity is doubled.
But what happens when these 2 people really put in full effort is - you don't get just the average amount of outputs. Because of the compound effects of creative ideas, brainstorming and positive actions taken... they could achieve 2x2 of what the original one person team could accomplish.
When 3 people put together committed efforts, they could achieve 3x3 of what the original one person's effort could generate!
You get the idea.
The point I'm making is - you can do it all by yourself. Find profitable affiliate products to promote, create the entire website, write copy to endorse the products, design the graphics, craft all the autoresponder e-mails and so on all by yourself.
But of course, your efforts will hardly match up with another affiliate marketer who's smart enough to outsource all of the tasks he's not interested to accomplish... invest a little money upfront to get much more done in a short time... achieve results much faster since projects are completed faster & etc!
In the end, because of the compound principle action - nothing seems impossible for the affiliate marketers outsourcing to test or implement... to have fun duplicating & dominating their affiliate marketing efforts... make or increase profits at a much faster rate, and prevent competitors from standing a chance since they'd already be far head of most people in the industry.
The poor would stand a chance to stand up against the rich, and the rich would be able to prevent the poor from standing a chance. It depends which side would be able to use it better.
A former college dropout, Dan The Man Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to an internet multi-millionaire. Dan came to North America with little knowledge of the English language and few contacts. Dan just created a 4-part video explaining exactly how he makes millions online, watch them here >> http://www.websiteconversionexpert.com
Copyright (c) 2009 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd.
It seems like yesterday - but years have since gone by. Back in year 2003, people could just set up an ad on Google Adwords and start profiting promoting other people's products.
All people needed to do were to put in some money, send traffic straight to the sales page and get profits immediately in return! But the industry had long grown. If you were to do that now, you'd be throwing too much money away.
You see, there can be many competitors within a niche.
When they are using Google Adwords to drive traffic to their sites AND getting this traffic to subscribe into their list or newsletter, they can afford to bid higher than you for the same traffic. Well, because logic says they have higher chances to make more profits in the long term than you!
If you really want to make fortunes as an affiliate, if you really desire to create tons of wealth promoting other people's products, then it's time to exceed what everyone else is doing. You need to have your own profitable strategy to affiliate marketing.
"But how, Dan?"
See the key here lies in doing something you can either DOMINATE in or DUPLICATE over and over again.
On dominating... this means you either:
1.) Employ the most effective traffic strategy for you to send targeted prospects to your products' sales copy at the most affordable budget possible...
2.) Discover ways to make more money from the same prospect and by increasing life-time customer value better than your competitors
3.) Build a personality or create strong relationships with your target market and endorse products through your 'brand' and etc.
On the other hand, duplicating means you either:
1.) Uncover untapped niche markets you can still compete reasonably in, make a portion of the market share profits and head on to the next niche with the same strategy or system
2.) Hire freelancers to create affiliate recommendation websites for you in different niche markets, and make the most out of each industry
3.) Observe what your competing affiliates are doing and model the successful ones - if possible, do it better than them and grab your share of the market in as soon as possible and etc.
Now you accomplish either of these proven strategies people are using right now. You can use what countless affiliates on the Internet are implementing to make a comfortable living today.
But then question comes back to this:
"How can you do it better than them either ways?"
Perhaps a hint will help you. Mix them to your taste.
You see, for centuries industries were dominated by those who understand a secret to amass great wealth. This secret, once employed - have created histories of recorded events and incidents we have all remembered until today.
In some ways, people would refer to it as working together. People have called it teamwork, cooperation, collaboration... joint efforts. But if you would just look at it from the eyes of an entrepreneur, a business owner, you'd unearth the beauty behind all these creations.
If you were to look at this from the point of view as the leader, the originator, the one who planned everything - all you're doing is two things:
OUTSOURCING & DELEGATING.
When people come to work together, the approximate amount of productivity isn't only subjected to the number of people. What I mean is, sure with 2 people working in 1 team, you could assume that productivity is doubled.
But what happens when these 2 people really put in full effort is - you don't get just the average amount of outputs. Because of the compound effects of creative ideas, brainstorming and positive actions taken... they could achieve 2x2 of what the original one person team could accomplish.
When 3 people put together committed efforts, they could achieve 3x3 of what the original one person's effort could generate!
You get the idea.
The point I'm making is - you can do it all by yourself. Find profitable affiliate products to promote, create the entire website, write copy to endorse the products, design the graphics, craft all the autoresponder e-mails and so on all by yourself.
But of course, your efforts will hardly match up with another affiliate marketer who's smart enough to outsource all of the tasks he's not interested to accomplish... invest a little money upfront to get much more done in a short time... achieve results much faster since projects are completed faster & etc!
In the end, because of the compound principle action - nothing seems impossible for the affiliate marketers outsourcing to test or implement... to have fun duplicating & dominating their affiliate marketing efforts... make or increase profits at a much faster rate, and prevent competitors from standing a chance since they'd already be far head of most people in the industry.
The poor would stand a chance to stand up against the rich, and the rich would be able to prevent the poor from standing a chance. It depends which side would be able to use it better.
A former college dropout, Dan The Man Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to an internet multi-millionaire. Dan came to North America with little knowledge of the English language and few contacts. Dan just created a 4-part video explaining exactly how he makes millions online, watch them here >> http://www.websiteconversionexpert.com
Copyright (c) 2009 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd.
Is Ezine Marketing Dead Or Is It Still A Viable Option For My Business?
by Jeremy Gislason
Ezines help you establish yourself as an expert in your field. When current and prospective clients receive your ezine filled with helpful information that is relevant to their needs, desires, and interests, they will begin to regard you as a source of information. Not only that but when they have questions or needs, you may very well be the first person that they call on for help simply because you obviously know your stuff and because your regular contact puts you foremost in their minds.
Ezines are also still an amazing marketing tool. They put your company and your products or services in front of customers in a non-threatening, non-obtrusive way. You create a community with your clients and prospects by involving them in industry news and even more if you ask for feedback and offer a question and answer column.
Lastly, ezines offer you a regular method of putting new offers or a new product or service information in front of your customers and prospects. You don’t have to wait for a ezine issue to make them aware. You have their email, sending out a supplemental ezine with information or offers just for subscribers is a great way to sell. Podcasts, audio, and video marketing and blogs are all popular mediums, still nothing beats the opportunity to be invited into your customer’s email box on a regular basis.
According to the Kelsey Group, 70% of U.S. households use the internet as an information source when shopping for products and services. In fact, according to Jupiter Research, having a website is imperative in the dialogue between retailers and consumers. They estimate that online sales are only 5% of the total retail market but about 30% of retail sales are researched on line prior to purchase.
What does this mean to your company?
Well it certainly means that you need a website but even more than that, it shows just how important an e-Ezine is to your marketing campaign. Why do you need both? They both provide your customer with information about your company. If done correctly, they both entice your customers to purchase your products and services. In fact, if you provide your customers the ability to purchase on-line then your website goes one step further than a Ezine ever could.
How Can an Ezine Benefit Your Company?
Ezines build credibility by providing potential customers with valuable information on a timely and consistent basis but they’re also an integral part of your marketing campaign. While your website offers valuable information about your company, your products, and your services; your ezine can delve deeper into your buyer’s concerns, interests, desires, and needs.
Your customer might go to your website to find out what products you offer but your ezine can show how a specific product can benefit a certain area of your customer’s life. A manufacturer of roofing products for the construction industry might detail their products and benefits on their website but a ezine article could detail how a particular roofing product could speed up actual construction time and thus lower the overall job cost saving prospective clients time and money.
Ezines can build customer loyalty. Despite the vast number of ezines pouring into in-boxes on a daily basis, people enjoy being part of a community, being kept informed, and being valued as a customer. Sending your valued clients and prospects regular updates and offers on your products or services as well as information to better their lives, involves them and brings them into your corporate community. Moreover, if you provide a question and answer feature in your ezine, it shows them that you value their concerns.
How can my Website and Ezine work together?
On the internet, there are two crucial methods of acquiring sales, the first is to generate traffic to your website and the second is to convert your website visitors into customers. While your website may drive traffic to your store or business, your ezine can serve to drive traffic to your website in a variety of ways.
Ezine Archives and Search Engine Optimization. When potential customers begin their research process they often start with a search engine. An archive of ezine articles that match their key words brings them directly to your website where they may read the plethora of articles that you have on the relative subject matter. The longer that you keep this potential customer at your site, the more likely they are to make a purchase.
More important than waiting for potential prospects to find your website on a search engine, your ezine will bring them to it. Providing valuable information and including a forward to a friend option in your ezine and you have the ability to widen your prospect base and thus widen the potential number of visitors to your website.
Ezines are a valuable tool for evaluating your customer’s buying habits. Tracking what your customers and prospects read in each ezine can give you insight on how to optimize your product selection, placement, and help to focus future marketing initiatives.
While your website makes the front end sale or sends the customer to your store, ezines provide you the opportunity to build on your relationship with your customer and encourage future sales. It increases the lifetime value of your customer.
While, there’s no doubt about the importance of a website, an ezine can prove to be a valuable marketing tool to, not only drive traffic to your website but to also build relationships with current and prospective customers.
What is Involved in Creating An Ezine?
Before you get started, it is important to take some time and research your competition. Do they have ezines? If they do, subscribe to them. Search their archives. What do you like about the ezine? What do you not like? What can you do better or differently from them? What can you learn from them?
Look at the ezine not just as a business owner with an eye for marketing but also review it from the eye of a consumer. It is vitally important throughout this entire process that you are able to get inside the head of your consumer.
Expect that you will take approximately 8-10 hours to craft your first ezine. After than, you can expect it to take approximately 4-5 hours per issue depending on how you’re distributing the ezine and how much copy you plan on offering. Set aside an hour and a half per article if you’re writing them all yourself.
• Creating the original design format for ezine 6 hours
• Creating the copy-2 hours (for a 1 or 2 article ezine)
• Formatting the ezine-1 hour
• Sending the ezine-10 minutes
• Testing/tracking-1 hour per ezine
As you develop a method for creating your ezine this process can be significantly shortened. I’m a writer so it takes me much less time to craft the copy but my graphic design skills are shall we say…challenged so it takes me much more time to design and format a ezine.
Regardless, the initial time commitment will be greatly shortened as you become more accustomed to the process. So don’t be deterred by the initial time commitment.
Discover a breakthrough autoresponder to build multiple mailing lists, send follow up messages, and manage everything in house. Check it out at: http://www.memberspeed.com/Email_Marketing_AutoResponder_List_Manager/Software.html
Ezines help you establish yourself as an expert in your field. When current and prospective clients receive your ezine filled with helpful information that is relevant to their needs, desires, and interests, they will begin to regard you as a source of information. Not only that but when they have questions or needs, you may very well be the first person that they call on for help simply because you obviously know your stuff and because your regular contact puts you foremost in their minds.
Ezines are also still an amazing marketing tool. They put your company and your products or services in front of customers in a non-threatening, non-obtrusive way. You create a community with your clients and prospects by involving them in industry news and even more if you ask for feedback and offer a question and answer column.
Lastly, ezines offer you a regular method of putting new offers or a new product or service information in front of your customers and prospects. You don’t have to wait for a ezine issue to make them aware. You have their email, sending out a supplemental ezine with information or offers just for subscribers is a great way to sell. Podcasts, audio, and video marketing and blogs are all popular mediums, still nothing beats the opportunity to be invited into your customer’s email box on a regular basis.
According to the Kelsey Group, 70% of U.S. households use the internet as an information source when shopping for products and services. In fact, according to Jupiter Research, having a website is imperative in the dialogue between retailers and consumers. They estimate that online sales are only 5% of the total retail market but about 30% of retail sales are researched on line prior to purchase.
What does this mean to your company?
Well it certainly means that you need a website but even more than that, it shows just how important an e-Ezine is to your marketing campaign. Why do you need both? They both provide your customer with information about your company. If done correctly, they both entice your customers to purchase your products and services. In fact, if you provide your customers the ability to purchase on-line then your website goes one step further than a Ezine ever could.
How Can an Ezine Benefit Your Company?
Ezines build credibility by providing potential customers with valuable information on a timely and consistent basis but they’re also an integral part of your marketing campaign. While your website offers valuable information about your company, your products, and your services; your ezine can delve deeper into your buyer’s concerns, interests, desires, and needs.
Your customer might go to your website to find out what products you offer but your ezine can show how a specific product can benefit a certain area of your customer’s life. A manufacturer of roofing products for the construction industry might detail their products and benefits on their website but a ezine article could detail how a particular roofing product could speed up actual construction time and thus lower the overall job cost saving prospective clients time and money.
Ezines can build customer loyalty. Despite the vast number of ezines pouring into in-boxes on a daily basis, people enjoy being part of a community, being kept informed, and being valued as a customer. Sending your valued clients and prospects regular updates and offers on your products or services as well as information to better their lives, involves them and brings them into your corporate community. Moreover, if you provide a question and answer feature in your ezine, it shows them that you value their concerns.
How can my Website and Ezine work together?
On the internet, there are two crucial methods of acquiring sales, the first is to generate traffic to your website and the second is to convert your website visitors into customers. While your website may drive traffic to your store or business, your ezine can serve to drive traffic to your website in a variety of ways.
Ezine Archives and Search Engine Optimization. When potential customers begin their research process they often start with a search engine. An archive of ezine articles that match their key words brings them directly to your website where they may read the plethora of articles that you have on the relative subject matter. The longer that you keep this potential customer at your site, the more likely they are to make a purchase.
More important than waiting for potential prospects to find your website on a search engine, your ezine will bring them to it. Providing valuable information and including a forward to a friend option in your ezine and you have the ability to widen your prospect base and thus widen the potential number of visitors to your website.
Ezines are a valuable tool for evaluating your customer’s buying habits. Tracking what your customers and prospects read in each ezine can give you insight on how to optimize your product selection, placement, and help to focus future marketing initiatives.
While your website makes the front end sale or sends the customer to your store, ezines provide you the opportunity to build on your relationship with your customer and encourage future sales. It increases the lifetime value of your customer.
While, there’s no doubt about the importance of a website, an ezine can prove to be a valuable marketing tool to, not only drive traffic to your website but to also build relationships with current and prospective customers.
What is Involved in Creating An Ezine?
Before you get started, it is important to take some time and research your competition. Do they have ezines? If they do, subscribe to them. Search their archives. What do you like about the ezine? What do you not like? What can you do better or differently from them? What can you learn from them?
Look at the ezine not just as a business owner with an eye for marketing but also review it from the eye of a consumer. It is vitally important throughout this entire process that you are able to get inside the head of your consumer.
Expect that you will take approximately 8-10 hours to craft your first ezine. After than, you can expect it to take approximately 4-5 hours per issue depending on how you’re distributing the ezine and how much copy you plan on offering. Set aside an hour and a half per article if you’re writing them all yourself.
• Creating the original design format for ezine 6 hours
• Creating the copy-2 hours (for a 1 or 2 article ezine)
• Formatting the ezine-1 hour
• Sending the ezine-10 minutes
• Testing/tracking-1 hour per ezine
As you develop a method for creating your ezine this process can be significantly shortened. I’m a writer so it takes me much less time to craft the copy but my graphic design skills are shall we say…challenged so it takes me much more time to design and format a ezine.
Regardless, the initial time commitment will be greatly shortened as you become more accustomed to the process. So don’t be deterred by the initial time commitment.
Discover a breakthrough autoresponder to build multiple mailing lists, send follow up messages, and manage everything in house. Check it out at: http://www.memberspeed.com/Email_Marketing_AutoResponder_List_Manager/Software.html
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Profiting Through Online Videos: How To Use Online Videos To Boost Your Income!
by Jeremy Gislason
Knowing how to make money with online videos gives you a massive edge over the regular marketer. If you know how to create videos using some of the tools readily (and oftentimes cheaply) available at your disposal, you should be able to outdo many of your competitors using video marketing.
Videos are just an excellent way for you to create immediate traffic and build credibility. Thousands of visitors may go to your site if your video becomes viral. By just creating an interesting 3-minute clip, and uploading it to video-sharing sites, you could get instant exposure and make money with online videos.
How do you make money with online videos the right way?
First of all, know that marketing videos isn’t one of the loved practices by marketers because it involves more effort, video know-how, and perhaps a likeable personality.
All of these qualities can be learned and developed, but some marketers are too lazy. Video creation can be outsourced to freelancers, but it may cost a lot, and it won’t have the same personal touch as when you’re the one talking.
Nonetheless, the advantages of using video presentation are good from the side of building credibility and gaining trust from your viewers. With that as a fact, don’t be afraid to make videos from scratch in order to gain market territory, even if it’s your first time. You’ll find it exciting to do once you’ve got the momentum going.
One of the steps for effective video creation so you can make money with online videos is to make a script. A video script is nothing else than a piece of paper that has everything written from start to finish of your video.
You start the video and put your written script either below or on top of the camera, you read the script and you speak every word that you wrote on it.
The key when taking such action is reading the script very closely to the camera, so your eyes are glued in front of the camcorder lens. Usually the great majority of those who see you on video won’t even notice you are actually reading a script.
The ultimate key for the successful creation and finish of your video depends on having a clear voice and tone, and the way you communicate the message. Make sure you impart your message in an interesting, curiosity-arousing, or controversial way.
If the tone and the way you say things on your video are effective to your targeted audience, you should have a video that creates great credibility and opens trust from the recipient’s end.
So could you make money with online videos immediately? Most likely yes, if you already have an established website with a powerful marketing system in place!
Should you use video marketing as part of your promotional efforts to look for more clients? Definitely! If your purpose is to build your credibility, earn more trust, and connect with your audience, then video marketing is an excellent option.
Is there an easy way to upload your videos to a variety of video-sharing sites? Fortunately, there is. It’s called Tubemogul. Simply sign up for an account at tubemogul.com. At first, you have to register for each video sites if you haven’t done yet. But after you’ve signed up, you can save their login details in tubemogul, so you can easily upload them simultaneously from then on.
Another important tip to make money with online videos is to put them on your own site or blog. Video makes you more “real” to people. Use the embed code provided by youtube on your site, because every visitor that watches your video (using the embed code) would add to your view counts. You’re probably already aware of the law of social proof – The more views your video has, the more people will watch it because they tend to follow the crowd.
Is video necessary for your business? No, there are many other methods you can use to promote your sites. However, video marketing is one of the most effective tools to use. So if you want to get the upper hand on this competitive marketplace, you should consider video marketing. It’s time to make money with online videos!
Want a powerful and easy-to-use video management software to make the most money out of your videos? No programming, no need to FTP and completely configurable to suit your needs! See all the hot features at: http://www.memberspeed.com/Video_Content_Management/Software.html
Knowing how to make money with online videos gives you a massive edge over the regular marketer. If you know how to create videos using some of the tools readily (and oftentimes cheaply) available at your disposal, you should be able to outdo many of your competitors using video marketing.
Videos are just an excellent way for you to create immediate traffic and build credibility. Thousands of visitors may go to your site if your video becomes viral. By just creating an interesting 3-minute clip, and uploading it to video-sharing sites, you could get instant exposure and make money with online videos.
How do you make money with online videos the right way?
First of all, know that marketing videos isn’t one of the loved practices by marketers because it involves more effort, video know-how, and perhaps a likeable personality.
All of these qualities can be learned and developed, but some marketers are too lazy. Video creation can be outsourced to freelancers, but it may cost a lot, and it won’t have the same personal touch as when you’re the one talking.
Nonetheless, the advantages of using video presentation are good from the side of building credibility and gaining trust from your viewers. With that as a fact, don’t be afraid to make videos from scratch in order to gain market territory, even if it’s your first time. You’ll find it exciting to do once you’ve got the momentum going.
One of the steps for effective video creation so you can make money with online videos is to make a script. A video script is nothing else than a piece of paper that has everything written from start to finish of your video.
You start the video and put your written script either below or on top of the camera, you read the script and you speak every word that you wrote on it.
The key when taking such action is reading the script very closely to the camera, so your eyes are glued in front of the camcorder lens. Usually the great majority of those who see you on video won’t even notice you are actually reading a script.
The ultimate key for the successful creation and finish of your video depends on having a clear voice and tone, and the way you communicate the message. Make sure you impart your message in an interesting, curiosity-arousing, or controversial way.
If the tone and the way you say things on your video are effective to your targeted audience, you should have a video that creates great credibility and opens trust from the recipient’s end.
So could you make money with online videos immediately? Most likely yes, if you already have an established website with a powerful marketing system in place!
Should you use video marketing as part of your promotional efforts to look for more clients? Definitely! If your purpose is to build your credibility, earn more trust, and connect with your audience, then video marketing is an excellent option.
Is there an easy way to upload your videos to a variety of video-sharing sites? Fortunately, there is. It’s called Tubemogul. Simply sign up for an account at tubemogul.com. At first, you have to register for each video sites if you haven’t done yet. But after you’ve signed up, you can save their login details in tubemogul, so you can easily upload them simultaneously from then on.
Another important tip to make money with online videos is to put them on your own site or blog. Video makes you more “real” to people. Use the embed code provided by youtube on your site, because every visitor that watches your video (using the embed code) would add to your view counts. You’re probably already aware of the law of social proof – The more views your video has, the more people will watch it because they tend to follow the crowd.
Is video necessary for your business? No, there are many other methods you can use to promote your sites. However, video marketing is one of the most effective tools to use. So if you want to get the upper hand on this competitive marketplace, you should consider video marketing. It’s time to make money with online videos!
Want a powerful and easy-to-use video management software to make the most money out of your videos? No programming, no need to FTP and completely configurable to suit your needs! See all the hot features at: http://www.memberspeed.com/Video_Content_Management/Software.html
Essential Video SEO For Increasing Web Traffic
by James Evanns
Video SEO is about optimising the search potential for online videos. When performed effectively, it can increase traffic to your site and lead to higher conversions in sales or whatever the purpose it of your site is. There are a few simple tips which can be applied easily to any online video to yield better SEO for your video.
1. Target Keywords for Video SEO
Selecting appropriate target keywords for your video is the first important tip in relation to video SEO. Each video should not use more than two or three keywords. The keywords must be such that they give an exact idea of the video content.
After you have selected your target keywords these are to be used wherever possible - in the title, tags, description etc. When you create back links to your video use these target keywords. By selecting good target keywords and optimising your video to use them, your video will be ranked more highly for the same search terms.
2. Posting your video on YouTube
Google, probably the most popular search engine, owns YouTube. As such, posting your video on YouTube possibly affords some advantage for your video so far as video SEO is concerned.
You are not in any way restricted in posting your video to any number of sites in the internet, but you should give major consideration to a posting on YouTube.
3. Separate page for each video
If you want strong SEO for your video you should create separate page for each. As each page has a unique URL, each of your videos will also get unique URL which gives certain advantages like using your target keywords in the page title, metadata and in the description of your video on this page.
4. Adding a Video Transcript
In order to improve SEO for your videos, you should seriously consider adding a video transcript. Transcripts generate data which are read by search engines. Search engines cannot watch your video directly. The transcript generated for your video is an excellent way for additional use your target keywords.
5. Creating inbound links to Your Video
One of the key facets of SEO is to get other sites in the internet linking to your video. These are called back links. Back Links from relevant and popular sites, targeting keywords while referring to your video are most beneficial for video SEO.
Blog comments and forum postings by adding the URL to your video are also popular and easy ways to create back links.
However, you should keep in mind that the link to your video must not be out of place for the readers of the blog or forum as in that case your comment or post can be treated as spam and will eventually be removed or will be ignored for being not interesting.
6. Bookmarking your Video
In order to improve video SEO you should bookmark your video in social bookmarking sites like Digg, Stumble Upon, Delicious etc. When you bookmark your video on all these sites and use your target keywords while doing it inbound links to your video is created which increases the chance of more people viewing it. Put buttons next to your video so that viewers who like it can easily add a link to your video to one or more social bookmarking sites of their choice.
James Evanns
http://www.seotranscript.com
Articles,Transcripts and Captioning Services for seo online media
james.evanns@seotranscript.com
Video SEO is about optimising the search potential for online videos. When performed effectively, it can increase traffic to your site and lead to higher conversions in sales or whatever the purpose it of your site is. There are a few simple tips which can be applied easily to any online video to yield better SEO for your video.
1. Target Keywords for Video SEO
Selecting appropriate target keywords for your video is the first important tip in relation to video SEO. Each video should not use more than two or three keywords. The keywords must be such that they give an exact idea of the video content.
After you have selected your target keywords these are to be used wherever possible - in the title, tags, description etc. When you create back links to your video use these target keywords. By selecting good target keywords and optimising your video to use them, your video will be ranked more highly for the same search terms.
2. Posting your video on YouTube
Google, probably the most popular search engine, owns YouTube. As such, posting your video on YouTube possibly affords some advantage for your video so far as video SEO is concerned.
You are not in any way restricted in posting your video to any number of sites in the internet, but you should give major consideration to a posting on YouTube.
3. Separate page for each video
If you want strong SEO for your video you should create separate page for each. As each page has a unique URL, each of your videos will also get unique URL which gives certain advantages like using your target keywords in the page title, metadata and in the description of your video on this page.
4. Adding a Video Transcript
In order to improve SEO for your videos, you should seriously consider adding a video transcript. Transcripts generate data which are read by search engines. Search engines cannot watch your video directly. The transcript generated for your video is an excellent way for additional use your target keywords.
5. Creating inbound links to Your Video
One of the key facets of SEO is to get other sites in the internet linking to your video. These are called back links. Back Links from relevant and popular sites, targeting keywords while referring to your video are most beneficial for video SEO.
Blog comments and forum postings by adding the URL to your video are also popular and easy ways to create back links.
However, you should keep in mind that the link to your video must not be out of place for the readers of the blog or forum as in that case your comment or post can be treated as spam and will eventually be removed or will be ignored for being not interesting.
6. Bookmarking your Video
In order to improve video SEO you should bookmark your video in social bookmarking sites like Digg, Stumble Upon, Delicious etc. When you bookmark your video on all these sites and use your target keywords while doing it inbound links to your video is created which increases the chance of more people viewing it. Put buttons next to your video so that viewers who like it can easily add a link to your video to one or more social bookmarking sites of their choice.
James Evanns
http://www.seotranscript.com
Articles,Transcripts and Captioning Services for seo online media
james.evanns@seotranscript.com
Use Long-Tail Keywords in Your Video Title
by Richard Day
Let's revisit an article I wrote in May 2009. It was titled "Seven Reasons Why Google Did Not Find Your Video".
Several excellent questions have come up concerning this article. Make sure that you tag your video with keyword tags was the title of the first of the seven reasons in that posting.
Question: How do you properly tag your video for the best positioning by the search engines? Long-tail Tagging your video means attaching keywords that will describe your video. In addition, you want these keyword tags to be "long-tail". An example of long-tail title would be "Baton Rouge Subdivision Video Tour Monticello 70814". Then, take some of these words in the title and put them in your keyword list.
Please, reader, take the time to do a search on Google for the words "Baton Rouge Subdivision Video Tour". If you check the placement on Google, you will see that the author of this video owns the entire top ten positions on the search page.
Go to the second page, and you will see that the author owns the entire second search page. He also owns some of the third search page. This is what long-tail keywords will do for you.
More importantly, if he had titled his video "Real Estate in Baton Rouge", he would have to compete with 6,180,000 positions, instead of 60,000 with the long-tail title.
He has very intelligently used a video submission service to distribute his video to many of the video sharing sites. That was very helpful in obtaining a great position in Google search.
Duplicate Content? Duplicate content is not something you have to worry about if you are transmitting your videos to many video sharing sites...you won't be penalized. Duplicate content is not a problem if you do this.
Duplicate content refers to duplicate content ON YOUR SITE. If you use the same content on more than one page on YOUR site, Google will see that it is duplicated and Google will will not count the second copy.
Interestingly, with video, since Google cannot read the interior of your video, you can render it out of your editing software with a slightly different different title. Perhaps change one or more of the title slides, change the keywords along with the new title. You can get more mileage out of your videos by changing the title, keywords and size and retransmit them to the video sharing sites. They will be seen as new productions. Until such time as the search engines can read the inside of your video, this technique will work.
Write an article If you write an article and place the "new" video on your website by embedding it, make sure that you write a new article to go with the video. It needs to be different assuming your embedded your original video on your website and created accompanying text stating information about your video.
Here is an example of an embedded video with text describing what is in the video. http://www.trafficbumper.com/?p=126
"How To Make A Transparent Video Using Adobe After Effects" As you will see, I wrote an article that describes the same concept that the video covers. However, as you know, a picture is worth 1000 words, so the article isn't as effective as the video.
I wrote the article to accompany the video because I know two things for sure: One: Not everyone will take the time to watch a video. Two: At the present time, search engines cannot read the bits inside a video. Therefore, I had to give the search engines text to examine.
In summary, you need to use long-tail keywords in your video's title. Take the same long-tail keywords and use them in your keyword list. If you embed a video on your site that is hosted on one of the video sharing sites, make sure that you write about what is in the video so that the search engines know more about what is in the video.
You need to use long-tail keywords in your video's title. Take the same long-tail keywords and use them in your keyword list. If you embed a video on your site that is hosted on one of the video sharing sites, make sure that you write about what is in the video so that the search engines know more about what is in the video. http://www.TrafficBumper.com/squeeze_page_video.html
Let's revisit an article I wrote in May 2009. It was titled "Seven Reasons Why Google Did Not Find Your Video".
Several excellent questions have come up concerning this article. Make sure that you tag your video with keyword tags was the title of the first of the seven reasons in that posting.
Question: How do you properly tag your video for the best positioning by the search engines? Long-tail Tagging your video means attaching keywords that will describe your video. In addition, you want these keyword tags to be "long-tail". An example of long-tail title would be "Baton Rouge Subdivision Video Tour Monticello 70814". Then, take some of these words in the title and put them in your keyword list.
Please, reader, take the time to do a search on Google for the words "Baton Rouge Subdivision Video Tour". If you check the placement on Google, you will see that the author of this video owns the entire top ten positions on the search page.
Go to the second page, and you will see that the author owns the entire second search page. He also owns some of the third search page. This is what long-tail keywords will do for you.
More importantly, if he had titled his video "Real Estate in Baton Rouge", he would have to compete with 6,180,000 positions, instead of 60,000 with the long-tail title.
He has very intelligently used a video submission service to distribute his video to many of the video sharing sites. That was very helpful in obtaining a great position in Google search.
Duplicate Content? Duplicate content is not something you have to worry about if you are transmitting your videos to many video sharing sites...you won't be penalized. Duplicate content is not a problem if you do this.
Duplicate content refers to duplicate content ON YOUR SITE. If you use the same content on more than one page on YOUR site, Google will see that it is duplicated and Google will will not count the second copy.
Interestingly, with video, since Google cannot read the interior of your video, you can render it out of your editing software with a slightly different different title. Perhaps change one or more of the title slides, change the keywords along with the new title. You can get more mileage out of your videos by changing the title, keywords and size and retransmit them to the video sharing sites. They will be seen as new productions. Until such time as the search engines can read the inside of your video, this technique will work.
Write an article If you write an article and place the "new" video on your website by embedding it, make sure that you write a new article to go with the video. It needs to be different assuming your embedded your original video on your website and created accompanying text stating information about your video.
Here is an example of an embedded video with text describing what is in the video. http://www.trafficbumper.com/?p=126
"How To Make A Transparent Video Using Adobe After Effects" As you will see, I wrote an article that describes the same concept that the video covers. However, as you know, a picture is worth 1000 words, so the article isn't as effective as the video.
I wrote the article to accompany the video because I know two things for sure: One: Not everyone will take the time to watch a video. Two: At the present time, search engines cannot read the bits inside a video. Therefore, I had to give the search engines text to examine.
In summary, you need to use long-tail keywords in your video's title. Take the same long-tail keywords and use them in your keyword list. If you embed a video on your site that is hosted on one of the video sharing sites, make sure that you write about what is in the video so that the search engines know more about what is in the video.
You need to use long-tail keywords in your video's title. Take the same long-tail keywords and use them in your keyword list. If you embed a video on your site that is hosted on one of the video sharing sites, make sure that you write about what is in the video so that the search engines know more about what is in the video. http://www.TrafficBumper.com/squeeze_page_video.html
Saturday, July 25, 2009
6 Tips to More Sales in Times of Economic Distress
by Patrick Valtin
1. DISAGREE
“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” – Mahatma Gandhi
You will find that people who continue to do well during challenging times are not luckier or stronger or even smarter. They are mostly more persistent and they refuse to lose. In other words, they disagree. The best examples are patients who were affected by some “incurable” cancer and yet recovered – against all medical expectations. The only common denominator that could be found in these people was exactly that: they disagreed with giving up!
You can make your own future and you can win the battles of life to the degree that you have the guts to disagree. So remember this principle: When trouble arises, it is just a test of your ability and willingness to make things go right. Just disagree!
2. IGNORE THE BAD NEWS
“The news media are, for the most part, the bringers of bad news... and it's not entirely the media's fault. Bad news gets higher ratings and sells more papers than good news.” – Peter McWilliams, author of “Life 101”
We are being overwhelmed by bad news everyday. The merchants of chaos are making money by scaring the hell out of us. Don’t fall into the trap! Bad news brings bad news. One smart way to end the crisis for yourself is to focus on GOOD news. When was the last time you got some?
Try this: Once a day, Google those exact words, “good news”, and find some. Good news will pump up your morale and thus your willingness to fight. Commit yourself to the following principle (or therapy): “Good news once a day will keep the trouble away!”
3. SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
“To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln
You know what your customers are mainly lacking? It is not money . . . it is confidence in the future. If you want your customers to buy from you now, you must first help them improve their confidence in their ability to make things go right.
So, make this a golden rule: every time you talk to a prospect or a customer, start by giving them some good news on any subject. Get them to recognize you as a source of good news and you will be surprised at the results! And also share good news with everybody who might affect your life. Sharing good news is the next best therapy for staying upbeat and willing to fight!
4. BE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ BEST ADVISER
“One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising." – Jim Rohn, author of “7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness”
You have knowledge about your customers’ business that is very valuable. Giving good advice which can help them solve some of their problems will make you stronger and will make your customer even more confident that you are not just interested in them for their money but you truly and genuinely care for them!
The caring factor is the most important one in selling. Ask yourself what you can do to increase your customers’ confidence and do something about it every day. When you care, you earn the most precious gift you can from a worthy customer: Trust! In times of difficulties, one must abide more than ever by the following principle: In order to receive one must be willing to give!
5. EXPAND YOUR HORIZON
“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” – John F. Kennedy
You have an unlimited source of power. Some call it “brain power”. Others call it “inner power”. I call it “creative power.” In times of crisis and economic unrest, most people introvert into their own problems. They tend to forget that challenging times always bring forth the best ideas and technologies. So start putting more attention on opportunities until you create some. Use your “creative power” to discover new solutions to your customers’ problems; to propose new services; to sell new products and/or to sell new ideas to people around you.
Creativity is the ultimate solution to challenges. Think of solutions, whatever you are facing. No one can resolve a problem by being stuck in the problem. Follow this great principle: Get out of the mental box and expand your horizon.
6. INVEST IN THE MOST PROFITABLE ASSET: YOU
“When a person is competent, nothing can shake his pride. The world can yell. But it doesn’t shake him.” – L. Ron Hubbard
Do you want 1,000% return on your investment? Well, invest in yourself. Build yourself up; find a way to be more competent and more knowledgeable – about your job, your business and even about life! There is no stronger feeling than the feeling of competence. You can’t count on anyone else to help you beat challenging times, but developing more skills will develop your certainty and your confidence.
So many people have wasted their money in “promising” financial investments. They forgot that the only guaranteed investment they can ever make is in themselves. You can’t lose by increasing your ability to do what you are doing for a living. Rough times offer the best opportunity to augment your qualifications and become stronger. Your customers will always appreciate your expertise in some field that can help them. This principle will be your best ally!
Patrick Valtin is the founder of M2-TEC USA, Inc. He has been in the training/coaching business for over 22 years and has personally trained over 75,000 people in 27 countries on the subjects of sales, sales management, recruitment, marketing strategies and leadership. Patrick wrote the e-book “CRISIS BUSTER” as a response to his observation of many business owners’ reaction to economic crises. Patrick’s motto is: Success should NOT depend on economic conditions! He has been named “Mr. Crisis Buster” by many of his customers all over the world. Visit www.crisisbuster.com
1. DISAGREE
“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” – Mahatma Gandhi
You will find that people who continue to do well during challenging times are not luckier or stronger or even smarter. They are mostly more persistent and they refuse to lose. In other words, they disagree. The best examples are patients who were affected by some “incurable” cancer and yet recovered – against all medical expectations. The only common denominator that could be found in these people was exactly that: they disagreed with giving up!
You can make your own future and you can win the battles of life to the degree that you have the guts to disagree. So remember this principle: When trouble arises, it is just a test of your ability and willingness to make things go right. Just disagree!
2. IGNORE THE BAD NEWS
“The news media are, for the most part, the bringers of bad news... and it's not entirely the media's fault. Bad news gets higher ratings and sells more papers than good news.” – Peter McWilliams, author of “Life 101”
We are being overwhelmed by bad news everyday. The merchants of chaos are making money by scaring the hell out of us. Don’t fall into the trap! Bad news brings bad news. One smart way to end the crisis for yourself is to focus on GOOD news. When was the last time you got some?
Try this: Once a day, Google those exact words, “good news”, and find some. Good news will pump up your morale and thus your willingness to fight. Commit yourself to the following principle (or therapy): “Good news once a day will keep the trouble away!”
3. SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
“To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln
You know what your customers are mainly lacking? It is not money . . . it is confidence in the future. If you want your customers to buy from you now, you must first help them improve their confidence in their ability to make things go right.
So, make this a golden rule: every time you talk to a prospect or a customer, start by giving them some good news on any subject. Get them to recognize you as a source of good news and you will be surprised at the results! And also share good news with everybody who might affect your life. Sharing good news is the next best therapy for staying upbeat and willing to fight!
4. BE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ BEST ADVISER
“One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising." – Jim Rohn, author of “7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness”
You have knowledge about your customers’ business that is very valuable. Giving good advice which can help them solve some of their problems will make you stronger and will make your customer even more confident that you are not just interested in them for their money but you truly and genuinely care for them!
The caring factor is the most important one in selling. Ask yourself what you can do to increase your customers’ confidence and do something about it every day. When you care, you earn the most precious gift you can from a worthy customer: Trust! In times of difficulties, one must abide more than ever by the following principle: In order to receive one must be willing to give!
5. EXPAND YOUR HORIZON
“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” – John F. Kennedy
You have an unlimited source of power. Some call it “brain power”. Others call it “inner power”. I call it “creative power.” In times of crisis and economic unrest, most people introvert into their own problems. They tend to forget that challenging times always bring forth the best ideas and technologies. So start putting more attention on opportunities until you create some. Use your “creative power” to discover new solutions to your customers’ problems; to propose new services; to sell new products and/or to sell new ideas to people around you.
Creativity is the ultimate solution to challenges. Think of solutions, whatever you are facing. No one can resolve a problem by being stuck in the problem. Follow this great principle: Get out of the mental box and expand your horizon.
6. INVEST IN THE MOST PROFITABLE ASSET: YOU
“When a person is competent, nothing can shake his pride. The world can yell. But it doesn’t shake him.” – L. Ron Hubbard
Do you want 1,000% return on your investment? Well, invest in yourself. Build yourself up; find a way to be more competent and more knowledgeable – about your job, your business and even about life! There is no stronger feeling than the feeling of competence. You can’t count on anyone else to help you beat challenging times, but developing more skills will develop your certainty and your confidence.
So many people have wasted their money in “promising” financial investments. They forgot that the only guaranteed investment they can ever make is in themselves. You can’t lose by increasing your ability to do what you are doing for a living. Rough times offer the best opportunity to augment your qualifications and become stronger. Your customers will always appreciate your expertise in some field that can help them. This principle will be your best ally!
Patrick Valtin is the founder of M2-TEC USA, Inc. He has been in the training/coaching business for over 22 years and has personally trained over 75,000 people in 27 countries on the subjects of sales, sales management, recruitment, marketing strategies and leadership. Patrick wrote the e-book “CRISIS BUSTER” as a response to his observation of many business owners’ reaction to economic crises. Patrick’s motto is: Success should NOT depend on economic conditions! He has been named “Mr. Crisis Buster” by many of his customers all over the world. Visit www.crisisbuster.com
Beware: SEO scammers ahead!
by Andrew Plimmer
All too many website owners, unaware of the many wolves in sheep's clothing lurking out there, have fallen victim to scams run by alleged SEO (search engine optimisation) businesses which offer unbelievable claims as to the levels of traffic and page rankings their services could provide them.
You know what they say about things which sound too good to be true, of course. Suncoast Internet had a little talk with one of these (again, alleged) SEO companies this week after finding that the company had been pursuing one of their clients.
An anatomy of a SEO scam:
The SEO company contacted Suncoast Internet's client, telling them that they could get the client's company listed at the top of search engine results for a primary keyword phrase (a search term that someone might enter into a search engine) that their potential customers were likely to use when searching for their business - for $1,000. As it happens, the client reported this offer to Suncoast Internet as the website designers; otherwise, you probably wouldn't be reading this right now. Suncoast looked into the details of the keyword the company was offering to help them promote and found that this keyword wasn't being used by the client's potential customers; or anyone else, as it happens.
If the client hadn't had a healthy level of skepticism, they easily could have been duped out of $1,000 for a completely worthless promotional campaign.
If you were to search on Google, you'll see that there have been a lot of other companies and individuals who weren't quite so cautious and have fallen for these SEO scams.
How can you tell if an offer like this is coming from a SEO scam artist?
1) Do your due diligence. Have a look at the page rank for the website of supposed SEO experts who've contacted you. If their site isn't highly ranked, then run in the opposite direction. After all, what kind of results can you expect from a SEO company which can't secure a high page rank for its own site?
2) They guarantee that your site will show up in the first page of results or even as the number one result! Time for a reality check: the algorithms that the search engines use are closely guarded trade secrets meaning that no one outside of a few people at the search engine companies know exactly how it all works. Guaranteeing a certain page ranking is a sign of inexperience at best - and much more likely, indicates a scam.
3) They phone you from what is obviously a very busy call centre. If their sales department is a room crowded with telemarketers trolling for business around the clock, you can hardly expect much personal attention being paid to your site.
4) They promise to secure your site top rankings for long tail keywords which strike you as unlikely to be used by anyone. For starters, they're trying to sell you a guaranteed page ranking (but we know better, don't we?). If the keyword they're offering you a top ranking for sounds a little fishy to you, look up its popularity with the (free) tool Google AdWords.
5) Their services are offered at unrealistically low prices. There are some SEO scammers who lure victims by offering to optimize your site and run promotional campaigns for prices that sound entirely too good to be true. An effective SEO campaign takes a significant amount of time and effort for keyword research, reworking page content, building high quality back links and designing and implementing traffic driving strategies. It's not something that can be done on the cheap, at least not well.
6) They promise results in 48 hours (or less). If this could be done it would save everyone a lot of money and time. The results of optimizing a site aren't visible at all for at least a few weeks - and for the results to really begin trending in the right direction, you often need to wait a few months.
Now, if you're looking for a legitimate SEO firm:
Again, do your due diligence. Look at their credentials, find out who's used their services in the past and what they have to say about the company. You should expect regular reports on how your keywords are performing and you should be able to easily get in touch by phone and speak to one of the SEO consultants to get their advice and input as needed.
The best SEO companies have years of expertise in the field and know the most effective SEO methodologies inside and out - and how to use them to get results for their clients. They won't make you the outlandish promises that the SEO scammers will and they may not offer bargain basement pricing, but keep in mind that this is one service where you do get what you pay for.
Andrew Plimmer is CEO of Suncoast Internet, Sunshine Coast SEO company and web design and development specialists. For a free SEO analysis of your website go to =>
http://www.suncoastinternet.com.au/
All too many website owners, unaware of the many wolves in sheep's clothing lurking out there, have fallen victim to scams run by alleged SEO (search engine optimisation) businesses which offer unbelievable claims as to the levels of traffic and page rankings their services could provide them.
You know what they say about things which sound too good to be true, of course. Suncoast Internet had a little talk with one of these (again, alleged) SEO companies this week after finding that the company had been pursuing one of their clients.
An anatomy of a SEO scam:
The SEO company contacted Suncoast Internet's client, telling them that they could get the client's company listed at the top of search engine results for a primary keyword phrase (a search term that someone might enter into a search engine) that their potential customers were likely to use when searching for their business - for $1,000. As it happens, the client reported this offer to Suncoast Internet as the website designers; otherwise, you probably wouldn't be reading this right now. Suncoast looked into the details of the keyword the company was offering to help them promote and found that this keyword wasn't being used by the client's potential customers; or anyone else, as it happens.
If the client hadn't had a healthy level of skepticism, they easily could have been duped out of $1,000 for a completely worthless promotional campaign.
If you were to search on Google, you'll see that there have been a lot of other companies and individuals who weren't quite so cautious and have fallen for these SEO scams.
How can you tell if an offer like this is coming from a SEO scam artist?
1) Do your due diligence. Have a look at the page rank for the website of supposed SEO experts who've contacted you. If their site isn't highly ranked, then run in the opposite direction. After all, what kind of results can you expect from a SEO company which can't secure a high page rank for its own site?
2) They guarantee that your site will show up in the first page of results or even as the number one result! Time for a reality check: the algorithms that the search engines use are closely guarded trade secrets meaning that no one outside of a few people at the search engine companies know exactly how it all works. Guaranteeing a certain page ranking is a sign of inexperience at best - and much more likely, indicates a scam.
3) They phone you from what is obviously a very busy call centre. If their sales department is a room crowded with telemarketers trolling for business around the clock, you can hardly expect much personal attention being paid to your site.
4) They promise to secure your site top rankings for long tail keywords which strike you as unlikely to be used by anyone. For starters, they're trying to sell you a guaranteed page ranking (but we know better, don't we?). If the keyword they're offering you a top ranking for sounds a little fishy to you, look up its popularity with the (free) tool Google AdWords.
5) Their services are offered at unrealistically low prices. There are some SEO scammers who lure victims by offering to optimize your site and run promotional campaigns for prices that sound entirely too good to be true. An effective SEO campaign takes a significant amount of time and effort for keyword research, reworking page content, building high quality back links and designing and implementing traffic driving strategies. It's not something that can be done on the cheap, at least not well.
6) They promise results in 48 hours (or less). If this could be done it would save everyone a lot of money and time. The results of optimizing a site aren't visible at all for at least a few weeks - and for the results to really begin trending in the right direction, you often need to wait a few months.
Now, if you're looking for a legitimate SEO firm:
Again, do your due diligence. Look at their credentials, find out who's used their services in the past and what they have to say about the company. You should expect regular reports on how your keywords are performing and you should be able to easily get in touch by phone and speak to one of the SEO consultants to get their advice and input as needed.
The best SEO companies have years of expertise in the field and know the most effective SEO methodologies inside and out - and how to use them to get results for their clients. They won't make you the outlandish promises that the SEO scammers will and they may not offer bargain basement pricing, but keep in mind that this is one service where you do get what you pay for.
Andrew Plimmer is CEO of Suncoast Internet, Sunshine Coast SEO company and web design and development specialists. For a free SEO analysis of your website go to =>
http://www.suncoastinternet.com.au/
How to Make Money and Promote your Site by Tweeting on Twitter
by Peter Nisbet
If you have to learn how to make money then you should try tweeting on Tweeter. It is a simple way to promote your site, but one of which most have little knowledge. Twitter is not a new phenomenon on the internet, because it was created by Jack Dorsey as long ago as 2006. Don't laugh - 2006 is a long time ago in internet terms, and Twitter has grown a great deal since it was conceived by Jack as a means of small groups communicating by using short SMS messages.
Messaging services are now commonplace, but Twitter has developed into a world-wide phenomenon. I am not here to discuss Twitter's past, but how you can use it in the future: not only to communicate with people, but to make money and turn it into a marketing tool more effective than any that have gone before.
I fully understand how Google works (as well as anybody who is not employed by Google can), and Twitter is Google bait! This will only last for a short time, and even if you only have a blog that you want to promote you must learn how to use Twitter to promote it. If you have a Squidoo lens, just the same: Twitter can be use to give you visitors.
So how is that? The question you have to answer yourself when you tweet on Twitter is who will see it? A tweet is not a web page, and is not listed on a search engine. It isn't an email, or any other direct means of communication. The only people that will come across those short messages you send are those that are 'following' you. To do that, they must deliberately click a link so that they do so. Why should they?
Many newbies to Twitter make their tweets and they go nowhere because they don't have any followers. Imagine if you could choose your own followers. I am not saying that Britney would follow you because if you check out Britney's link you will see no tweets except hers and her manager's and agent's. She uses Twitter as an advertising medium, and follows nobody.
You can use Twitter that way too, and can advertise products and web pages but refuse followers - you will then make nothing. It is very important that learn how to get followers, but the followers that suit you. There are ways to achieve that, and also ways to choose the Tweeters that you want to follow. If you get it right, one or both of two things can happen:
1. You can make a lot of friends, even if you have no desire to use Tweeter to make money. 2. You can use Tweeter make a lot of money, even if you have no desire to make friends.
What you should be aiming for is a combination of each, and if you know how to do it, then you can, to the advantage of you and your friends on Tweeter. They need a service or have a problem to be solved, and you can provide either or both. But how do you get together?
By Tweets of course! But you have to get them following you, and while you know how to register with Tweeter and make your tweets, who is reading them? Nobody! However, let's take just one social networking site - Facebook. As with most, you can have your tweets posted on your wall in Facebook, so that all of your friends can see them. That is just one simple way of advertising yourself totally free of charge.
Solve that problem and you will be made. You will be able to put everything you learn into practice and will be able to make money and promote your site by Tweeting on Twitter! Think of all the social networking sites out there on which you can make your tweets visible, even to non tweeters? At one time it was tag and ping - that is old hat now.
There are far better ways of getting your message publicized than that: Twitter offers it if only you can see how to do it. Enough said!
If you want to find out how to use Twitter as it can be used, then check out http://www.twitter.seoscopy.com - you will also find out how Twitter can be used to make money, particularly if you have a product to sell. If not, simply enjoy knowing how to use it to its maximum advantage to you. . .
If you have to learn how to make money then you should try tweeting on Tweeter. It is a simple way to promote your site, but one of which most have little knowledge. Twitter is not a new phenomenon on the internet, because it was created by Jack Dorsey as long ago as 2006. Don't laugh - 2006 is a long time ago in internet terms, and Twitter has grown a great deal since it was conceived by Jack as a means of small groups communicating by using short SMS messages.
Messaging services are now commonplace, but Twitter has developed into a world-wide phenomenon. I am not here to discuss Twitter's past, but how you can use it in the future: not only to communicate with people, but to make money and turn it into a marketing tool more effective than any that have gone before.
I fully understand how Google works (as well as anybody who is not employed by Google can), and Twitter is Google bait! This will only last for a short time, and even if you only have a blog that you want to promote you must learn how to use Twitter to promote it. If you have a Squidoo lens, just the same: Twitter can be use to give you visitors.
So how is that? The question you have to answer yourself when you tweet on Twitter is who will see it? A tweet is not a web page, and is not listed on a search engine. It isn't an email, or any other direct means of communication. The only people that will come across those short messages you send are those that are 'following' you. To do that, they must deliberately click a link so that they do so. Why should they?
Many newbies to Twitter make their tweets and they go nowhere because they don't have any followers. Imagine if you could choose your own followers. I am not saying that Britney would follow you because if you check out Britney's link you will see no tweets except hers and her manager's and agent's. She uses Twitter as an advertising medium, and follows nobody.
You can use Twitter that way too, and can advertise products and web pages but refuse followers - you will then make nothing. It is very important that learn how to get followers, but the followers that suit you. There are ways to achieve that, and also ways to choose the Tweeters that you want to follow. If you get it right, one or both of two things can happen:
1. You can make a lot of friends, even if you have no desire to use Tweeter to make money. 2. You can use Tweeter make a lot of money, even if you have no desire to make friends.
What you should be aiming for is a combination of each, and if you know how to do it, then you can, to the advantage of you and your friends on Tweeter. They need a service or have a problem to be solved, and you can provide either or both. But how do you get together?
By Tweets of course! But you have to get them following you, and while you know how to register with Tweeter and make your tweets, who is reading them? Nobody! However, let's take just one social networking site - Facebook. As with most, you can have your tweets posted on your wall in Facebook, so that all of your friends can see them. That is just one simple way of advertising yourself totally free of charge.
Solve that problem and you will be made. You will be able to put everything you learn into practice and will be able to make money and promote your site by Tweeting on Twitter! Think of all the social networking sites out there on which you can make your tweets visible, even to non tweeters? At one time it was tag and ping - that is old hat now.
There are far better ways of getting your message publicized than that: Twitter offers it if only you can see how to do it. Enough said!
If you want to find out how to use Twitter as it can be used, then check out http://www.twitter.seoscopy.com - you will also find out how Twitter can be used to make money, particularly if you have a product to sell. If not, simply enjoy knowing how to use it to its maximum advantage to you. . .
Exercising Caution on Social Networking Sites
by TJ Philpott
Social networking sites are intended to be online communities where you can 'let your hair down' while socializing with others. The lack of formality and anything goes mentality is meant to create a casual atmosphere at these social sites for participants. Online social networking has in fact become so popular that it has become a breeding ground for certain predators. The fact that these sites are open to the public for anyone to join also makes it easy to access and view the conversations at any of the social network sites.
In essence what we have are private conversations that can be viewed by just about anybody. It is therefore wise for members of any of these social sites to practice a little discretion when leaving comments or information since you can't be sure who may view it.
Let's look at 3 types of risks you may expose yourself to if you're not careful when posting any comments or information on any of the social network sites.
Professional Risks
Although socially intermingling does encourage you to relax and 'let your hair down' be aware that many companies or organizations have access to these same sites. It has become a common practice for any information or comments left on a site to be used to 'profile' that person. So opinions, preferences, or interests could potentially damage you or your career if they fall into the hands of the wrong 'professional' sources.
Online Criminal Risks
Phishers, bots, or other elements with less then pure intentions literally troll the social networks in search of any personal information they can find. Their intentions could range from stealing a password to your email to much more sensitive financial information with far greater potential to do damage to you. Extortion, identity theft, or even black mail could be the result so exercise caution and realize that you NEVER know who may be 'listening' to your conversations.
Offline Asset or Property Risk
Risks on a more 'physical' level are quite possible when releasing the 'wrong' information on any online community. Comments that indicate your home address, marital status, or even vacation or work schedule could be used by predators to locate and pilfer your habitat or worse. It is always wise to routinely exercise caution at any of these sites. If people you're already conversing with are your friends they already know these intricate details about you or your life. There's otherwise no need to restate any sensitive details online since this poses a potentially harmful risk to you.
The idea behind social networking sites is terrific and obviously a huge hit with the masses. Making available online communities in which you can discuss interest or events with like minded people was something needed online. It is however wise for anyone using these social sites to exercise a little caution when posting comments or information. Online social networking sites are easy access to the general public therefore assume that all your posted information will be on display. By not posting anything you wouldn't want the general public to see you've taken great strides towards protecting yourself online.
TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For additional Money Making Tips and a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit http://blogbrawn
Social networking sites are intended to be online communities where you can 'let your hair down' while socializing with others. The lack of formality and anything goes mentality is meant to create a casual atmosphere at these social sites for participants. Online social networking has in fact become so popular that it has become a breeding ground for certain predators. The fact that these sites are open to the public for anyone to join also makes it easy to access and view the conversations at any of the social network sites.
In essence what we have are private conversations that can be viewed by just about anybody. It is therefore wise for members of any of these social sites to practice a little discretion when leaving comments or information since you can't be sure who may view it.
Let's look at 3 types of risks you may expose yourself to if you're not careful when posting any comments or information on any of the social network sites.
Professional Risks
Although socially intermingling does encourage you to relax and 'let your hair down' be aware that many companies or organizations have access to these same sites. It has become a common practice for any information or comments left on a site to be used to 'profile' that person. So opinions, preferences, or interests could potentially damage you or your career if they fall into the hands of the wrong 'professional' sources.
Online Criminal Risks
Phishers, bots, or other elements with less then pure intentions literally troll the social networks in search of any personal information they can find. Their intentions could range from stealing a password to your email to much more sensitive financial information with far greater potential to do damage to you. Extortion, identity theft, or even black mail could be the result so exercise caution and realize that you NEVER know who may be 'listening' to your conversations.
Offline Asset or Property Risk
Risks on a more 'physical' level are quite possible when releasing the 'wrong' information on any online community. Comments that indicate your home address, marital status, or even vacation or work schedule could be used by predators to locate and pilfer your habitat or worse. It is always wise to routinely exercise caution at any of these sites. If people you're already conversing with are your friends they already know these intricate details about you or your life. There's otherwise no need to restate any sensitive details online since this poses a potentially harmful risk to you.
The idea behind social networking sites is terrific and obviously a huge hit with the masses. Making available online communities in which you can discuss interest or events with like minded people was something needed online. It is however wise for anyone using these social sites to exercise a little caution when posting comments or information. Online social networking sites are easy access to the general public therefore assume that all your posted information will be on display. By not posting anything you wouldn't want the general public to see you've taken great strides towards protecting yourself online.
TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For additional Money Making Tips and a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit http://blogbrawn
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Categorizing Your Twitter Followers
by TJ Philpott
Twitter is one of the fastest growing social network sites on the internet today. This particular social platform requires users to keep their post to fewer than 140 characters. Messages are intended to be nothing more than brief social exchanges however the online marketing community has still found a way to thrive on this site.
Members are generally 'drawn' to conversations that focus on topics in which they have an interest. In fact this is how you develop your list followers by attracting people to the comments you make or the information you may supply.
Social sites such as this are perfect for those who want to connect to others with similar interests but without a lot of effort. It is not all that unusual for a consistent user of this social networking site to develop quite a large list of followers. The issue now turns to the quality of the followers you actually attract.
Let's briefly examine the 5 types of followers that you may accumulate within your own social network on this site.
Shared Interest
These are the BEST types of followers to have. The point of any social networking site is to share comments, interests, and ideas with like minded people. By having followers who are genuinely attracted to your interests or ideas will only make any interactions more meaningful
Spam
These are marketers who literally troll social sites in search of people that can promote to. Their unsolicited advertising can be very annoying since once they found you they are usually relentless with their product pitches.
They are the junk mail of the online world.
It is recommended to report them to the help desk so that the site administrators can take the necessary corrective actions.
Phishers
Similar to spammers these people represent themselves as legitimate organizations. Their motives are to capture sensitive or personal information about you which obviously will be put to use in a detrimental way.
It is recommended to ignore their solicitations and by no means click on any link they may send you. Once again report them to the site administrators.
Bots
These followers are really malicious programs that by and large are up to no good. Their intent is to take control of your computer in a way that is usually undetectable to you. Their intent is to use your computer as a tool for them to commit certain undesirable acts that could affect others while implicating you as the source.
Retweets
These types of followers are people who have been referred to a single tweet of yours that they may have found as interesting. Whether they have a genuine interest in you for what you represent is undetermined since a single tweet can't reflect that.
It is nice to get followers this way but as to whether there is a mutual interest in your basics interests or ideas can only be determined over time.
Having a large following on Twitter may be somewhat misleading once you realize the intent of some of those who follow you. This social platform is not immune to the shenanigans common to the rest of the internet. Online marketing companies are known to target anyone at social sites and this can result in spam. Even more of a concern are those whose intentions are more sinister in nature as they prey upon the innocent members of various social network sites. It is therefore wise to take notice of the types of followers you may have within your own social network of followers. Once they've been identified you have virtually neutralized them. At this point you can either block them or report them to site administrators.
TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For additional Money Making Tips and a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit http://blogbrawn.com
Twitter is one of the fastest growing social network sites on the internet today. This particular social platform requires users to keep their post to fewer than 140 characters. Messages are intended to be nothing more than brief social exchanges however the online marketing community has still found a way to thrive on this site.
Members are generally 'drawn' to conversations that focus on topics in which they have an interest. In fact this is how you develop your list followers by attracting people to the comments you make or the information you may supply.
Social sites such as this are perfect for those who want to connect to others with similar interests but without a lot of effort. It is not all that unusual for a consistent user of this social networking site to develop quite a large list of followers. The issue now turns to the quality of the followers you actually attract.
Let's briefly examine the 5 types of followers that you may accumulate within your own social network on this site.
Shared Interest
These are the BEST types of followers to have. The point of any social networking site is to share comments, interests, and ideas with like minded people. By having followers who are genuinely attracted to your interests or ideas will only make any interactions more meaningful
Spam
These are marketers who literally troll social sites in search of people that can promote to. Their unsolicited advertising can be very annoying since once they found you they are usually relentless with their product pitches.
They are the junk mail of the online world.
It is recommended to report them to the help desk so that the site administrators can take the necessary corrective actions.
Phishers
Similar to spammers these people represent themselves as legitimate organizations. Their motives are to capture sensitive or personal information about you which obviously will be put to use in a detrimental way.
It is recommended to ignore their solicitations and by no means click on any link they may send you. Once again report them to the site administrators.
Bots
These followers are really malicious programs that by and large are up to no good. Their intent is to take control of your computer in a way that is usually undetectable to you. Their intent is to use your computer as a tool for them to commit certain undesirable acts that could affect others while implicating you as the source.
Retweets
These types of followers are people who have been referred to a single tweet of yours that they may have found as interesting. Whether they have a genuine interest in you for what you represent is undetermined since a single tweet can't reflect that.
It is nice to get followers this way but as to whether there is a mutual interest in your basics interests or ideas can only be determined over time.
Having a large following on Twitter may be somewhat misleading once you realize the intent of some of those who follow you. This social platform is not immune to the shenanigans common to the rest of the internet. Online marketing companies are known to target anyone at social sites and this can result in spam. Even more of a concern are those whose intentions are more sinister in nature as they prey upon the innocent members of various social network sites. It is therefore wise to take notice of the types of followers you may have within your own social network of followers. Once they've been identified you have virtually neutralized them. At this point you can either block them or report them to site administrators.
TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For additional Money Making Tips and a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit http://blogbrawn.com
16 Things Every Website Absolutely, Positively Needs To Know About Website Legal Compliance
by Chip Cooper
I talk to a lot of owners of small websites -- entrepreneurs getting started with new businesses or re-doing existing sites on the Web -- and most of them have a profound lack of understanding regarding the scope of legal regulation they face.
What's worse, most don't have any idea of their exposure to legal liability.
Why Aren't Website Owners Aware of Website Legal Compliance Requirements?
I believe the lack of awareness and understanding is due to several factors:
* most small website owners don't have an Internet attorney; most don't even feel the need for one, and the ones who do, don't know how to find one they can trust;
* most website developers don't inform their clients of the need for website legal compliance;
* website regulation developed without fanfare; to date, there is no federal privacy statute of general application that would have been highly publicized at the time of passage;
* privacy and data security regulation has developed in piecemeal fashion in the form of state statutes (with California leading the way); federal jurisdiction was not created by any Internet-specific statute - the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) assumed jurisdiction for enforcement of privacy and data security violations by claiming jurisdiction (successfully) resulting from its authority to regulate false and misleading claims under Section 5 of the FTC Act; and
* despite press releases by the FTC regarding claims filed against websites, the message is just not getting through to entrepreneurs; for example, in the last 3 years, the FTC has settled with fourteen businesses over inadequate data security for personal information with substantial fines levied in some cases, and the FTC's aggressive enforcement has continued into 2009 with two new actions filed in the first two months of 2009.
So, given the factors listed above, it's understandable why most entrepreneurial website owners aren't aware of the need for website legal compliance. However, website owners won't be able to plead ignorance. The cliche you've heard before is true - "ignorance is no excuse".
16 High Risk Activities That Indicate The Need For Website Legal Compliance
There are certain website activities that are now very high risk - and indicate the need for legal compliance measures. They include:
* collection of any single element of personal information; for example, if you collect merely an email address for a sign-up form for product information, a newsletter, or a downloadable report, you have entered an area that is highly regulated - and which presents a very significant exposure to legal liability;
* collection of credit card information;
* failure to operate a secure server that stores personal information;
* failure to identify and assess internal and external risks to the security of personal information;
* failure to monitor the effectiveness of security of personal information and update security measures as indicated by changes in website operations;
* offering monthly subscription or membership payment models, or any payment scheme where payment is made over time after the delivery of the product or service;
* sharing of personal information with others for purposes of direct marketing;
* permitting third party service providers such as website maintenance and SEO service providers or hosting service providers to have access to the internals of your server;
* transmission of personal information outside the website's secure system or across public networks; Nevada and Massachusetts both have statutes regulating these activities;
* operation of a blog or forum that permits users to upload text or files;
* operating a website that targets children or at least by virtue of graphics, text, and products or services would be attractive to children under 13;
* serving third party cookies (e.g. Google Analytics);
* serving behavioral ads (e.g. Google's AdSense);
* appointment of online resellers or affiliates;
* use of a competitor's trademark in keyword-triggered ads; and
* "borrowing" someone else's privacy policy without detailed analysis of how it fits your own specific business and marketing practices.
Make Website Legal Compliance a Top Priority
If your website engages in any of the risk factors listed above, website legal compliance measures are required -- and compliance should become a top priority ASAP.
The legal liability for failure to comply can be significant.
Leading Internet, IP and software lawyer Chip Cooper has automated the process of drafting website documents for small websites with his MyLegalFirewall website documents drafting service. Discover how quick, easy, and cost-effective it is to determine which legal compliance documents you need and to draft them online, and claim your FREE Special Report, Determine Which Legal Documents Your Website Really Needs, at ==> http://digicontracts.com/
I talk to a lot of owners of small websites -- entrepreneurs getting started with new businesses or re-doing existing sites on the Web -- and most of them have a profound lack of understanding regarding the scope of legal regulation they face.
What's worse, most don't have any idea of their exposure to legal liability.
Why Aren't Website Owners Aware of Website Legal Compliance Requirements?
I believe the lack of awareness and understanding is due to several factors:
* most small website owners don't have an Internet attorney; most don't even feel the need for one, and the ones who do, don't know how to find one they can trust;
* most website developers don't inform their clients of the need for website legal compliance;
* website regulation developed without fanfare; to date, there is no federal privacy statute of general application that would have been highly publicized at the time of passage;
* privacy and data security regulation has developed in piecemeal fashion in the form of state statutes (with California leading the way); federal jurisdiction was not created by any Internet-specific statute - the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) assumed jurisdiction for enforcement of privacy and data security violations by claiming jurisdiction (successfully) resulting from its authority to regulate false and misleading claims under Section 5 of the FTC Act; and
* despite press releases by the FTC regarding claims filed against websites, the message is just not getting through to entrepreneurs; for example, in the last 3 years, the FTC has settled with fourteen businesses over inadequate data security for personal information with substantial fines levied in some cases, and the FTC's aggressive enforcement has continued into 2009 with two new actions filed in the first two months of 2009.
So, given the factors listed above, it's understandable why most entrepreneurial website owners aren't aware of the need for website legal compliance. However, website owners won't be able to plead ignorance. The cliche you've heard before is true - "ignorance is no excuse".
16 High Risk Activities That Indicate The Need For Website Legal Compliance
There are certain website activities that are now very high risk - and indicate the need for legal compliance measures. They include:
* collection of any single element of personal information; for example, if you collect merely an email address for a sign-up form for product information, a newsletter, or a downloadable report, you have entered an area that is highly regulated - and which presents a very significant exposure to legal liability;
* collection of credit card information;
* failure to operate a secure server that stores personal information;
* failure to identify and assess internal and external risks to the security of personal information;
* failure to monitor the effectiveness of security of personal information and update security measures as indicated by changes in website operations;
* offering monthly subscription or membership payment models, or any payment scheme where payment is made over time after the delivery of the product or service;
* sharing of personal information with others for purposes of direct marketing;
* permitting third party service providers such as website maintenance and SEO service providers or hosting service providers to have access to the internals of your server;
* transmission of personal information outside the website's secure system or across public networks; Nevada and Massachusetts both have statutes regulating these activities;
* operation of a blog or forum that permits users to upload text or files;
* operating a website that targets children or at least by virtue of graphics, text, and products or services would be attractive to children under 13;
* serving third party cookies (e.g. Google Analytics);
* serving behavioral ads (e.g. Google's AdSense);
* appointment of online resellers or affiliates;
* use of a competitor's trademark in keyword-triggered ads; and
* "borrowing" someone else's privacy policy without detailed analysis of how it fits your own specific business and marketing practices.
Make Website Legal Compliance a Top Priority
If your website engages in any of the risk factors listed above, website legal compliance measures are required -- and compliance should become a top priority ASAP.
The legal liability for failure to comply can be significant.
Leading Internet, IP and software lawyer Chip Cooper has automated the process of drafting website documents for small websites with his MyLegalFirewall website documents drafting service. Discover how quick, easy, and cost-effective it is to determine which legal compliance documents you need and to draft them online, and claim your FREE Special Report, Determine Which Legal Documents Your Website Really Needs, at ==> http://digicontracts.com/
Discover The Answers To The Top 10 SEO Questions
by Jeremy Gislason
Owning any type of online business will strongly benefit from a few SEO techniques. However, everyone and their brother has advice on how to do it. All this ‘expert’ advice can make the simple task of optimizing your site incredibly confusing. Here are some straightforward answers to the most common SEO questions.
1. What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. A search engine is a tool many internet users use to find sites that are relevant to their needs. The three biggies when it comes to search engines are Google, Yahoo and MSN. There are however, hundreds of search engines available to internet users. Search engines work by sending out spiders to crawl through the World Wide Web and gather information. If you have the information they’re looking for, in the places they are looking, they’ll find you and place you in their results when a person is looking for your information.
The task of understanding what search engines are looking for and putting it in the right places on your website and in your content, is the essence of search engine optimization. So now you might be asking…what do search engines look for and where do they look for it? The answer is keywords and links. Keywords in your html coding, keywords on your webpage content, keywords in your content, and the number of incoming links you have to your website.
2. How important is SEO?
Let’s just put it this way. What’s better a few visitors who stumble upon your website or hundreds of visitors that go to your website with the direct intention of learning more or making a purchase?
With more and more people searching and shopping online, getting on the first page or two of the search engine results can mean the difference between keeping your day job and becoming an internet millionaire.
3. What are text links?
Links are just one of the tools you can use to increase your search engine optimization. The more quality links you have, the better your search engine ranking will be. Text links are links that contain only text. Wikipedia is a great place to examine internal text links. The links are contained within a sentence and when a reader clicks on them they are taken to a different page on the same website. The kind of text links you’re looking for will be text links that will take readers from your article, ebook, or web copy to your website.
An excellent tool to generate incoming links is to write copy for online audiences like article directories, blogs, and ezines and insert text links in the copy. Webmasters will link to the content and thus to your site. Additionally, when you allow free reprints of your copy provided the links are maintained, you’re encouraging links to your website.
4. What are link farms and link exchanges?
Search engines don’t accept just any old link. The link has to be from a relevant and quality company. This means you don’t want to participate in link farming. If a search engine suspects your links to be lacking, they’ll actually penalize you. Link farming or link exchanging is essentially the process of exchanging reciprocal links with Web sites in order to increase your search engine ranking. A link farm is a Web page that is nothing more than a page of links to other sites. Stay away from link farms. When you generate a link from another site, it had better be relevant and coming from a real web site.
5. What is duplicate content?
The definition of duplicate content is web pages that contain substantially the same content. Search engines will penalize you for this. How do you avoid duplicate content? Don’t publish the same article in several locations. There are many tools available online to help you re-write your content so that it is 30%, 40%, and even 50% different. However, the best way to avoid duplicate content is to simply write new content.
6. How do I find the right keywords?
There are several steps to finding the most profitable keywords. The first step is to generally do a bit of brainstorming and come up with a list of keywords you think people will use to find your products. The next step is to research supply and demand for those particular keywords. Supply means how many other websites are using those same keywords and demand is how many people are looking for those particular keywords.
The key is to find keywords with high demand and relatively low supply. There are many effective and useful keyword tools to help you find this information and to generate keyword ideas. Once you decide on a few keywords, it may be useful to do a bit of testing before you commit to them.
7. How do I optimize my web pages?
Placing your keywords in the right location is a good start to optimizing your web pages. Search engines look to the headings, subheadings, domain name, and title of your website. They also look in the content on your page and primarily focus on the first paragraph.
Try to get a domain name with your primary keyword included. When you include your keyword in your URL it tells the search engine spiders immediately what your site is about.
Title Tag. Your title tag is the line of text that appears on search engine results pages that acts as a link to your site. This is a crucial element of your webpage as it describes to your visitors what your page is about.
If you view your source code, your title tag will look something like this:Search Engine Optimization Tips
Keep your title tags brief, descriptive, up to date, and keyword rich will help to increase the relevance of your site in the eyes of the search engines, as well as giving your potential visitors a good idea of what they can expect from your site.
Meta Tags have lost their importance to the search engines however it is still helpful to place your keywords in your meta tags. In your source code they look something like this:
8. Do I need to submit my site to the search engines?
The simple answer is - no. Search engine spiders are always out there doing their job and collecting information. Every time you update your website, add content, or change your keywords, the search engines capture the information and record it. However, if you want to be listed on a directory, like the DMOZ Open directory project, then you will need to submit to those.
9. What are spiders?
Search engine spiders are also called web crawlers or bot. They’re basically automated programs which scan websites to provide information to search engines often for the purpose of indexing or ranking them.
10. How does content help my SEO?
Content is one of the best tools to improve your search engine ranking. It is a great place to emphasize keywords, encourage linking to your site, and increase traffic. The key to content is to make sure you’re offering quality content and you’re updating your website and your content frequently. Content can be provided in many forms including:
• Blogs
• Forums and chat rooms
• Articles
• Reviews
• Case studies
• Reports
• How to guides
• Tutorials
• e-books and much more.
Want to know proven ways to dramatically increase membership sales? Want to take membership marketing to a whole new level of overflowing profits? Build high-earning membership sites like a pro by going to www dot membershipmillionaire dot com
Owning any type of online business will strongly benefit from a few SEO techniques. However, everyone and their brother has advice on how to do it. All this ‘expert’ advice can make the simple task of optimizing your site incredibly confusing. Here are some straightforward answers to the most common SEO questions.
1. What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. A search engine is a tool many internet users use to find sites that are relevant to their needs. The three biggies when it comes to search engines are Google, Yahoo and MSN. There are however, hundreds of search engines available to internet users. Search engines work by sending out spiders to crawl through the World Wide Web and gather information. If you have the information they’re looking for, in the places they are looking, they’ll find you and place you in their results when a person is looking for your information.
The task of understanding what search engines are looking for and putting it in the right places on your website and in your content, is the essence of search engine optimization. So now you might be asking…what do search engines look for and where do they look for it? The answer is keywords and links. Keywords in your html coding, keywords on your webpage content, keywords in your content, and the number of incoming links you have to your website.
2. How important is SEO?
Let’s just put it this way. What’s better a few visitors who stumble upon your website or hundreds of visitors that go to your website with the direct intention of learning more or making a purchase?
With more and more people searching and shopping online, getting on the first page or two of the search engine results can mean the difference between keeping your day job and becoming an internet millionaire.
3. What are text links?
Links are just one of the tools you can use to increase your search engine optimization. The more quality links you have, the better your search engine ranking will be. Text links are links that contain only text. Wikipedia is a great place to examine internal text links. The links are contained within a sentence and when a reader clicks on them they are taken to a different page on the same website. The kind of text links you’re looking for will be text links that will take readers from your article, ebook, or web copy to your website.
An excellent tool to generate incoming links is to write copy for online audiences like article directories, blogs, and ezines and insert text links in the copy. Webmasters will link to the content and thus to your site. Additionally, when you allow free reprints of your copy provided the links are maintained, you’re encouraging links to your website.
4. What are link farms and link exchanges?
Search engines don’t accept just any old link. The link has to be from a relevant and quality company. This means you don’t want to participate in link farming. If a search engine suspects your links to be lacking, they’ll actually penalize you. Link farming or link exchanging is essentially the process of exchanging reciprocal links with Web sites in order to increase your search engine ranking. A link farm is a Web page that is nothing more than a page of links to other sites. Stay away from link farms. When you generate a link from another site, it had better be relevant and coming from a real web site.
5. What is duplicate content?
The definition of duplicate content is web pages that contain substantially the same content. Search engines will penalize you for this. How do you avoid duplicate content? Don’t publish the same article in several locations. There are many tools available online to help you re-write your content so that it is 30%, 40%, and even 50% different. However, the best way to avoid duplicate content is to simply write new content.
6. How do I find the right keywords?
There are several steps to finding the most profitable keywords. The first step is to generally do a bit of brainstorming and come up with a list of keywords you think people will use to find your products. The next step is to research supply and demand for those particular keywords. Supply means how many other websites are using those same keywords and demand is how many people are looking for those particular keywords.
The key is to find keywords with high demand and relatively low supply. There are many effective and useful keyword tools to help you find this information and to generate keyword ideas. Once you decide on a few keywords, it may be useful to do a bit of testing before you commit to them.
7. How do I optimize my web pages?
Placing your keywords in the right location is a good start to optimizing your web pages. Search engines look to the headings, subheadings, domain name, and title of your website. They also look in the content on your page and primarily focus on the first paragraph.
Try to get a domain name with your primary keyword included. When you include your keyword in your URL it tells the search engine spiders immediately what your site is about.
Title Tag. Your title tag is the line of text that appears on search engine results pages that acts as a link to your site. This is a crucial element of your webpage as it describes to your visitors what your page is about.
If you view your source code, your title tag will look something like this:
Keep your title tags brief, descriptive, up to date, and keyword rich will help to increase the relevance of your site in the eyes of the search engines, as well as giving your potential visitors a good idea of what they can expect from your site.
Meta Tags have lost their importance to the search engines however it is still helpful to place your keywords in your meta tags. In your source code they look something like this:
8. Do I need to submit my site to the search engines?
The simple answer is - no. Search engine spiders are always out there doing their job and collecting information. Every time you update your website, add content, or change your keywords, the search engines capture the information and record it. However, if you want to be listed on a directory, like the DMOZ Open directory project, then you will need to submit to those.
9. What are spiders?
Search engine spiders are also called web crawlers or bot. They’re basically automated programs which scan websites to provide information to search engines often for the purpose of indexing or ranking them.
10. How does content help my SEO?
Content is one of the best tools to improve your search engine ranking. It is a great place to emphasize keywords, encourage linking to your site, and increase traffic. The key to content is to make sure you’re offering quality content and you’re updating your website and your content frequently. Content can be provided in many forms including:
• Blogs
• Forums and chat rooms
• Articles
• Reviews
• Case studies
• Reports
• How to guides
• Tutorials
• e-books and much more.
Want to know proven ways to dramatically increase membership sales? Want to take membership marketing to a whole new level of overflowing profits? Build high-earning membership sites like a pro by going to www dot membershipmillionaire dot com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
What Makes Your Business So Special?
by Jerry Bader
The one question every business, branding, and marketing consultant asks is "what makes you special; what makes you different?" If you want to grow your business and get to the next level, defining what makes you special is a good place to start.
Most businesses are copycat companies, selling the same thing, in the same way as most of their competitors, making for a real challenge in providing an adequate answer to the "what makes you so special?" question. But fear not, it is easier than you think.
A Rose Is A Rose, Until It's Axl Rose
Coke or Pepsi? Which one do you prefer? Here are two products that are next to indistinguishable, that serve the same purpose, and are sold in substantially the same way. Now I can hear the Coke and Pepsi lovers screaming into their monitors that their favorite is better, but are they really all that different? Perhaps the taste of one is slightly sweeter, but in the grand scheme of things they are substantially the same. So why are people so loyal to their brand, so adamant that it's their brand or nothing?
It's branding, the end-product of a marketing communication effort that delivers an emotional value-add that distinguishes one product or service from another; and once that brand identity is established, it is hard to break. No matter how many times these soft drink behemoths are convinced by their ad agencies to change their slogans, to me, and my generation, Coke will always be "The Real Thing" while Pepsi represents "The Pepsi Generation." What makes these companies special is not what they sell or how they sell it, it's how they communicate the emotional value their products bring to the table.
What we are talking about is brand communication: the process of identifying, developing, and communicating the emotional value your company, product, or service provides. It is the one thing that can make any company different, no matter how many me-too competitors it has.
What About Conventional Wisdom?
If it's so simple why doesn't everybody do it? The answer is fear, fear of making a mistake, fear of going against conventional wisdom. What people forget is the phrase 'conventional wisdom,' coined by economist John Kenneth Galbraith, was a derogatory term used to describe the way politicians and pundits reduced complex issues down to digestible sound-bites based on what people wanted to hear, rather than explaining the complexities and implications related to an issue. Does the phrase "read my lips, no new taxes" ring a bell; no matter how discredited a concept, politicians still promote the idea that government can do its job without people paying their fair share - it's what people want to hear, what they want to believe, even though it makes for counterproductive public policy.
Today's mad dash to join the Twitter craze is another example of conventional wisdom gone wild. Just because everyone is doing it, doesn't make it an effective marketing communication tactic. Everything you ever wanted to know about everything in 140 characters; it's anti-marketing, and the height of non-communication. The "Cluetrain Manifesto" concept of a global Internet conversation has been corrupted beyond recognition. True communication implies meaningful dialogue, not instant messenger pseudo-speak and Twitter twaddle.
Just as a matter of interest, the Web-video on Twitter's home page used to explain the concept, and promote the service, is two minutes and twenty-four seconds long. Too bad they couldn't have done it in less than 140 characters of text. You think maybe they know something their users don't.
What About Slogans and Taglines?
Sure slogans and taglines are pithy little statements that like logos, convey a brand personality in an instant, but these short-form symbols and catchphrases are merely reminders of the emotional benefit of the product, service or communication they are attached to, and are the result of ongoing, consistent marketing campaigns that portray the brand in an emotional context. The meaning and value of phrases like "Tastes Great, Less Filling" and "Where's The Beef?" are the byproduct of long-term consistent campaigns that connect on a human level.
So What's The Problem?
The Web has created a whole new class of business executives that never ran a business that didn't have the Internet available. Technical know-how and engineering expertise has replaced human understanding, while market research, surveys, focus groups, metrics, and statistical modeling have replaced good old-fashioned business savvy and experience. It's a wonder anybody sells anything any more.
Conventional wisdom states that to sell someone your product or service you need to align your sales pitch to your prospect's thinking. In other words, tell people what they want to hear, but what if what they want to hear is wrong, counterproductive, and not what they need, or more importantly what they really want?
The average Web-based business entrepreneur tries to think and act like his mega corporation counterpart but without the financial resources to shape and mould public opinion. When a business website fails, it's because it does not deliver what its audience really wants, it delivers what the company thinks that audience wants.
Gerald Zaltman, professor emeritus at the Harvard Business School is a founding partner of Olson Zaltman Associates, and author of "How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market."
Zaltman states, "Most of what influences what we say and do occurs below the level of awareness. …The goal of advertising should be to engage people with a message that has an emotional impact. And that requires actually grappling with the means by which they have experiences and react with emotion, sentiment, and feeling…."
In order to take advantage of this insight, the Web-based business must change how it thinks about websites and how it presents meaningful, memorable experiences that tap into the emotional underbelly of audience desire. The value proposition you offer must be found in the audience's emotional connection to the Web experience you provide.
In order to create an effective online experience you must understand how your audience consumes what you present. Zaltman points out six fallacies that inhibit effective marketing communication.
Zaltman's Six Customer Fallacies
1. Customer decisions are rational?
2. Customer behavior can be easily explained?
3. A customer's mind, body, and societal influences can be understood independently of each other?
4. Customer memories are accurate?
5. Customers think in words?
6. Commercial messages are interpreted as intended?
Think about your own consumer behavior. Everything you purchase has an emotional subtext that influences the purchase: the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and the wine you drink are based on how you see yourself, or at least how you want to be seen. Even the analytical perfectionist who compares all the features, and studies all the reviews is making as much of a statement about his or her need to be right than they are about buying the most functional, cost-effective product.
What's your brand's 'Emotional Value Proposition?'
Branding remains one of the most poorly understood and ineffectively implemented marketing tactics business has at its disposal. Yet branding is the key to customer-loyalty, action, and word-of-mouth proselytizing.
What do Nike, Apple, and the US Army have in common? They deliver a brand proposition that offers their audience the opportunity to be the best they can be. It is simple, clear, and unequivocal, your customer wants to be the best they can be and these companies offer the opportunity to reach that goal through their offering. How does your company engage your audience with that kind of emotional value proposition?
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads , http://www.136words.com , and http://www.sonicpersonality.com . Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.
The one question every business, branding, and marketing consultant asks is "what makes you special; what makes you different?" If you want to grow your business and get to the next level, defining what makes you special is a good place to start.
Most businesses are copycat companies, selling the same thing, in the same way as most of their competitors, making for a real challenge in providing an adequate answer to the "what makes you so special?" question. But fear not, it is easier than you think.
A Rose Is A Rose, Until It's Axl Rose
Coke or Pepsi? Which one do you prefer? Here are two products that are next to indistinguishable, that serve the same purpose, and are sold in substantially the same way. Now I can hear the Coke and Pepsi lovers screaming into their monitors that their favorite is better, but are they really all that different? Perhaps the taste of one is slightly sweeter, but in the grand scheme of things they are substantially the same. So why are people so loyal to their brand, so adamant that it's their brand or nothing?
It's branding, the end-product of a marketing communication effort that delivers an emotional value-add that distinguishes one product or service from another; and once that brand identity is established, it is hard to break. No matter how many times these soft drink behemoths are convinced by their ad agencies to change their slogans, to me, and my generation, Coke will always be "The Real Thing" while Pepsi represents "The Pepsi Generation." What makes these companies special is not what they sell or how they sell it, it's how they communicate the emotional value their products bring to the table.
What we are talking about is brand communication: the process of identifying, developing, and communicating the emotional value your company, product, or service provides. It is the one thing that can make any company different, no matter how many me-too competitors it has.
What About Conventional Wisdom?
If it's so simple why doesn't everybody do it? The answer is fear, fear of making a mistake, fear of going against conventional wisdom. What people forget is the phrase 'conventional wisdom,' coined by economist John Kenneth Galbraith, was a derogatory term used to describe the way politicians and pundits reduced complex issues down to digestible sound-bites based on what people wanted to hear, rather than explaining the complexities and implications related to an issue. Does the phrase "read my lips, no new taxes" ring a bell; no matter how discredited a concept, politicians still promote the idea that government can do its job without people paying their fair share - it's what people want to hear, what they want to believe, even though it makes for counterproductive public policy.
Today's mad dash to join the Twitter craze is another example of conventional wisdom gone wild. Just because everyone is doing it, doesn't make it an effective marketing communication tactic. Everything you ever wanted to know about everything in 140 characters; it's anti-marketing, and the height of non-communication. The "Cluetrain Manifesto" concept of a global Internet conversation has been corrupted beyond recognition. True communication implies meaningful dialogue, not instant messenger pseudo-speak and Twitter twaddle.
Just as a matter of interest, the Web-video on Twitter's home page used to explain the concept, and promote the service, is two minutes and twenty-four seconds long. Too bad they couldn't have done it in less than 140 characters of text. You think maybe they know something their users don't.
What About Slogans and Taglines?
Sure slogans and taglines are pithy little statements that like logos, convey a brand personality in an instant, but these short-form symbols and catchphrases are merely reminders of the emotional benefit of the product, service or communication they are attached to, and are the result of ongoing, consistent marketing campaigns that portray the brand in an emotional context. The meaning and value of phrases like "Tastes Great, Less Filling" and "Where's The Beef?" are the byproduct of long-term consistent campaigns that connect on a human level.
So What's The Problem?
The Web has created a whole new class of business executives that never ran a business that didn't have the Internet available. Technical know-how and engineering expertise has replaced human understanding, while market research, surveys, focus groups, metrics, and statistical modeling have replaced good old-fashioned business savvy and experience. It's a wonder anybody sells anything any more.
Conventional wisdom states that to sell someone your product or service you need to align your sales pitch to your prospect's thinking. In other words, tell people what they want to hear, but what if what they want to hear is wrong, counterproductive, and not what they need, or more importantly what they really want?
The average Web-based business entrepreneur tries to think and act like his mega corporation counterpart but without the financial resources to shape and mould public opinion. When a business website fails, it's because it does not deliver what its audience really wants, it delivers what the company thinks that audience wants.
Gerald Zaltman, professor emeritus at the Harvard Business School is a founding partner of Olson Zaltman Associates, and author of "How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market."
Zaltman states, "Most of what influences what we say and do occurs below the level of awareness. …The goal of advertising should be to engage people with a message that has an emotional impact. And that requires actually grappling with the means by which they have experiences and react with emotion, sentiment, and feeling…."
In order to take advantage of this insight, the Web-based business must change how it thinks about websites and how it presents meaningful, memorable experiences that tap into the emotional underbelly of audience desire. The value proposition you offer must be found in the audience's emotional connection to the Web experience you provide.
In order to create an effective online experience you must understand how your audience consumes what you present. Zaltman points out six fallacies that inhibit effective marketing communication.
Zaltman's Six Customer Fallacies
1. Customer decisions are rational?
2. Customer behavior can be easily explained?
3. A customer's mind, body, and societal influences can be understood independently of each other?
4. Customer memories are accurate?
5. Customers think in words?
6. Commercial messages are interpreted as intended?
Think about your own consumer behavior. Everything you purchase has an emotional subtext that influences the purchase: the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and the wine you drink are based on how you see yourself, or at least how you want to be seen. Even the analytical perfectionist who compares all the features, and studies all the reviews is making as much of a statement about his or her need to be right than they are about buying the most functional, cost-effective product.
What's your brand's 'Emotional Value Proposition?'
Branding remains one of the most poorly understood and ineffectively implemented marketing tactics business has at its disposal. Yet branding is the key to customer-loyalty, action, and word-of-mouth proselytizing.
What do Nike, Apple, and the US Army have in common? They deliver a brand proposition that offers their audience the opportunity to be the best they can be. It is simple, clear, and unequivocal, your customer wants to be the best they can be and these companies offer the opportunity to reach that goal through their offering. How does your company engage your audience with that kind of emotional value proposition?
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads , http://www.136words.com , and http://www.sonicpersonality.com . Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.
Bonuses Boost Conversion
by Jeremy Gislason
Your website can have a million “eyeballs” checking it out, but if the visitors don’t become customers, then those eyeballs are worth very little.
The fact is you must pay attention to conversions for your businesses to survive.
In general, the basic ecommerce formula works like this:
• Step One: Drive traffic to the website.
• Step Two: Convert those eyeballs to leads.
• Step Three: Convert leads to customers.
• Step Four: Generate repeat purchases.
Bonus products can be an essential variable in this formula. However, offering bonuses isn’t just putting the words “But wait – there’s more,” in your offer. The key is to know what types of bonuses will have the strongest effect on your prospects.
1. The Eyeballs to Conversions Process.
As a business owner, you have several tasks to make your business successful. First, you must drive traffic to your website. In addition, once you have website visitors, you must convert those visitors into clients or customers. While a lead does not necessarily equal a sale, it does equal a future potential sale. Once you have a prospect’s name and email address, you’re able to move into step two – converting them to customers and making sales.
Bonus products work very well as a tool to build your opt-in list and offering a free giveaway in exchange for an email address is a common lead generating mechanism. What you offer and how you offer it largely depends on your target audience.
In cases where you’re selling an expensive product, a substantial bonus product or a series of bonus products can help convince your prospects them they’re making the right decision.
You can use bonuses to build your sales in a number of alternative methods. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
• One way to do this is to tier rewards so that the more the customer buys, the more bonuses the customer receives – for example, increasing membership status from silver to gold and gold to platinum.
• Consider giving away bonuses to customers who help you build your opt-in list. For example, you could reward every email a friend gives leads toward a bonus.
• Consider giving away bonuses to prospects and customers who are active and participate in your online community.
2. Why Do Bonuses Work?
In general, bonuses are defined as products or services you give away to incite a purchase, a subscription, a referral, or even an opt-in. You’re probably very familiar with bonus items, so let’s take a look at why they’re so effective.
Bonuses tap into several psychological triggers, including:
Reciprocity. Reciprocity is the tendency we have as people to respond to something in kind. Bonuses are the epitome of positive reciprocity. Customers receive a free guide, a free video, a free e-book as an opt-in bonus – now they’re feeling grateful.
Commitment and Consistency. Psychologists tell us that we’re more likely to say yes to something big if we’ve already said yes to something smaller. In short, it gets your prospects in the habit of saying ‘yes’.
Liking. Who doesn’t like someone who gives them something for free? People buy from companies they like, and from personalities they relate to.
Scarcity and Urgency. Use a limited bonus or give an extra bonus to customers who act quickly. It motivates people to purchase now rather than wait and possibly change their mind.
3. How to Create Bonuses for Your Target Market.
Even though your business may involve a niche topic, your customers are probably diverse and have diverse personalities, interests, and technological capabilities. We all have our own motivations and behaviors influenced by our personality. Learning to meet the needs and wants of the characteristics can help you create bonuses that cover a range of personalities.
Keep in mind that your customers will likely include many or all of the following ‘types’:
• Emotional Personalities - Many of these people make decisions based upon their feelings.
• Thinking Personalities - These are the people who like to plan, schedule and solve situations.
• Extroverted Personalities - These are the folks who tend to be open and comfortable in new environments.
• Introverted Personalities - These want to take it slower and make personal connections.
• Intuitive personalities - They have a natural ability to think outside the box.
Remember that each prospect has their own personality. Give them options and consider creating one great bonus to be packaged in a number of different formats to appeal to more people.
4. Creating Your Bonuses.
This is where many people drop the ball - they throw together sloppy bonuses or simply by resell rights to something that’s been distributed by a million other websites – in short, they stop taking their prospects into consideration.
Let’s take a look at three primary ways you can create eye catching and valuable bonuses.
Resell Rights/PLR. The internet is full of companies and websites that mass-produce bonuses for you to give away on your own website.
Although these can be beneficial, they can also be a slippery slope. You want to have bonuses unique to your niche and specific to your products or services.
Creating Your Own Product. While creating your own eBook, video tutorial or software program can be a bit of work, it can also be tremendously rewarding and you’ll be sure you’re creating the quality products your prospects and customers deserve. If you already have a stockpile of great content, you can repurpose it to create new and valuable bonus products. Creating multiple bonuses from one packet of information is a great way to accomplish that task.
Outsource The Job -Hire A Company Or Individual To Develop Your Bonuses. When outsourcing there are a few success tips: Determine in advance exactly what you want the freelancer to accomplish. Outline your project in advance - it will ensure communication is clear and the project is done the way you want.
Armed with this information, you can start planning and preparing the bonuses that will give you more paying customers.
Grab a free report that reveals the inner secrets of using bonuses to increase your sign-ups, boost your sales and gain massive advantage in the affiliate marketplace at: http://www.marketingmainevent4.com/blog/mme4-prelaunch. This free report is brought to you by Marketing Main Event 4.
Your website can have a million “eyeballs” checking it out, but if the visitors don’t become customers, then those eyeballs are worth very little.
The fact is you must pay attention to conversions for your businesses to survive.
In general, the basic ecommerce formula works like this:
• Step One: Drive traffic to the website.
• Step Two: Convert those eyeballs to leads.
• Step Three: Convert leads to customers.
• Step Four: Generate repeat purchases.
Bonus products can be an essential variable in this formula. However, offering bonuses isn’t just putting the words “But wait – there’s more,” in your offer. The key is to know what types of bonuses will have the strongest effect on your prospects.
1. The Eyeballs to Conversions Process.
As a business owner, you have several tasks to make your business successful. First, you must drive traffic to your website. In addition, once you have website visitors, you must convert those visitors into clients or customers. While a lead does not necessarily equal a sale, it does equal a future potential sale. Once you have a prospect’s name and email address, you’re able to move into step two – converting them to customers and making sales.
Bonus products work very well as a tool to build your opt-in list and offering a free giveaway in exchange for an email address is a common lead generating mechanism. What you offer and how you offer it largely depends on your target audience.
In cases where you’re selling an expensive product, a substantial bonus product or a series of bonus products can help convince your prospects them they’re making the right decision.
You can use bonuses to build your sales in a number of alternative methods. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
• One way to do this is to tier rewards so that the more the customer buys, the more bonuses the customer receives – for example, increasing membership status from silver to gold and gold to platinum.
• Consider giving away bonuses to customers who help you build your opt-in list. For example, you could reward every email a friend gives leads toward a bonus.
• Consider giving away bonuses to prospects and customers who are active and participate in your online community.
2. Why Do Bonuses Work?
In general, bonuses are defined as products or services you give away to incite a purchase, a subscription, a referral, or even an opt-in. You’re probably very familiar with bonus items, so let’s take a look at why they’re so effective.
Bonuses tap into several psychological triggers, including:
Reciprocity. Reciprocity is the tendency we have as people to respond to something in kind. Bonuses are the epitome of positive reciprocity. Customers receive a free guide, a free video, a free e-book as an opt-in bonus – now they’re feeling grateful.
Commitment and Consistency. Psychologists tell us that we’re more likely to say yes to something big if we’ve already said yes to something smaller. In short, it gets your prospects in the habit of saying ‘yes’.
Liking. Who doesn’t like someone who gives them something for free? People buy from companies they like, and from personalities they relate to.
Scarcity and Urgency. Use a limited bonus or give an extra bonus to customers who act quickly. It motivates people to purchase now rather than wait and possibly change their mind.
3. How to Create Bonuses for Your Target Market.
Even though your business may involve a niche topic, your customers are probably diverse and have diverse personalities, interests, and technological capabilities. We all have our own motivations and behaviors influenced by our personality. Learning to meet the needs and wants of the characteristics can help you create bonuses that cover a range of personalities.
Keep in mind that your customers will likely include many or all of the following ‘types’:
• Emotional Personalities - Many of these people make decisions based upon their feelings.
• Thinking Personalities - These are the people who like to plan, schedule and solve situations.
• Extroverted Personalities - These are the folks who tend to be open and comfortable in new environments.
• Introverted Personalities - These want to take it slower and make personal connections.
• Intuitive personalities - They have a natural ability to think outside the box.
Remember that each prospect has their own personality. Give them options and consider creating one great bonus to be packaged in a number of different formats to appeal to more people.
4. Creating Your Bonuses.
This is where many people drop the ball - they throw together sloppy bonuses or simply by resell rights to something that’s been distributed by a million other websites – in short, they stop taking their prospects into consideration.
Let’s take a look at three primary ways you can create eye catching and valuable bonuses.
Resell Rights/PLR. The internet is full of companies and websites that mass-produce bonuses for you to give away on your own website.
Although these can be beneficial, they can also be a slippery slope. You want to have bonuses unique to your niche and specific to your products or services.
Creating Your Own Product. While creating your own eBook, video tutorial or software program can be a bit of work, it can also be tremendously rewarding and you’ll be sure you’re creating the quality products your prospects and customers deserve. If you already have a stockpile of great content, you can repurpose it to create new and valuable bonus products. Creating multiple bonuses from one packet of information is a great way to accomplish that task.
Outsource The Job -Hire A Company Or Individual To Develop Your Bonuses. When outsourcing there are a few success tips: Determine in advance exactly what you want the freelancer to accomplish. Outline your project in advance - it will ensure communication is clear and the project is done the way you want.
Armed with this information, you can start planning and preparing the bonuses that will give you more paying customers.
Grab a free report that reveals the inner secrets of using bonuses to increase your sign-ups, boost your sales and gain massive advantage in the affiliate marketplace at: http://www.marketingmainevent4.com/blog/mme4-prelaunch. This free report is brought to you by Marketing Main Event 4.
Internet Marketing: The #1 Marketing Mistake Made By 75% of Online Business Owners
by Donna Gunter
Every day, my inbox is filled with emails promoting yet another new marketing strategy or promising results that will cure all of my marketing ills. Most of the strategies are flash-in-the-pan -- here today and gone tomorrow because the next new strategy has been discovered. A few newer strategies have proven to have staying power over time, like social networking, which took a long time to grow on me. I've learned the hard way not to be an early adopter of new marketing strategies -- I tend to sit back and watch the fallout to see if something is worth my time and energy.
As I reflect back on my early years in business, I often felt like a dog chasing my tail. I used to run and run quickly in one direction chasing one marketing idea, and then reverse course, chasing my tail in another direction when hearing about the next "greatest thing." What resulted from my helter-skelter marketing? Not much. I was going in too many directions at once and trying to keep too many balls in the air to create a truly successful marketing plan that really helped promote my business.
Here's the marketing secret I wished I'd learned early on: Adopt the marketing strategy that best fits with your gifts, talents, and interests, or in other words: Do what you're good at. Yep, it's that simple. I knew that this was good advice for pursuing a career or starting a business, but I never realized how well it applied to marketing my company.
Roughly 4 years into my business it suddenly dawned on me that I had always been a good writer. Supervisors, teachers, friends, and colleagues had often complimented me on my writing, but I dismissed the praise because I found writing to be a taxing chore that gave me a massive headache. It wasn't until I learned how to write for myself in my own voice, rather than structuring my writing to meet the criteria of others, that I truly began to enjoy putting pen to paper (or, words on a screen, if you will).
This love for writing made me a natural for my now-favorite marketing strategy, article marketing. Why do I love it? Because it's easy for me -- sometimes scarily easy. However, I discovered that having a skill for a strategy isn't enough to be successful. Even at this point my marketing continued to be hit-or-miss. There was still something missing from the mix.
After hearing a great talk by a coaching colleague about how he structured his time, I finally realized what was the key compoent missing from my marketing strategy -- and the missing component was the same for the bulk of the other entrepreneurs sitting in the room with me. The #1 marketing mistake made by the majority of online business owners is: Lack of consistency. Once you determine where your talent lies and how you can integrate that into a workable marketing plan, then you need to commit to implementing that plan consistently over time.
Could it possibly be that simple? In a nutshell, yes. I committed to publishing my ezine every Thursday morning. I committed to writing one new article each week for the ezine. I committed to syndicating one new article each week through my article submission service. I committed to repurposing my ezine content to my blog. I committed to making 1-2 new posts on my blog each week. This is only the tip of the iceburg describing what I do for marketing, but consistency was the catalyst that propelled me to a successful online marketing strategy that I've been implementing now for 5 years.
My results? I no longer chase after clients -- they find me online. 100% of my business comes from my web site, internet marketing, or word-of-mouth referrals -- I do no in-person networking at all any longer. My web site screens out those clients who aren't a good fit and invites those who are. I enjoy running a thriving business from my home office with only a 5-second commute. I create a work schedule that works best for me and my husband, which gives me the flexibility to leave my office early if I want and catch a matinee with him without having to submit a vacation request form to my supervisor. I am happy and healthy and no longer have recurring bouts of colitis and depression from working in a miserable situation. I make more money now than I ever made by working for someone else.
Take inventory of your skills and abilities, and see how you can easily integrate those into a marketing strategy that will be easy for you to implement. Once you decide on your strategy, commit to implementing it consistently over time, and enjoy your results!
Online Business Coach and Internet Marketing Strategist Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online businesses that they love. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.TurbochargeYourOnlineMarketing.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
Every day, my inbox is filled with emails promoting yet another new marketing strategy or promising results that will cure all of my marketing ills. Most of the strategies are flash-in-the-pan -- here today and gone tomorrow because the next new strategy has been discovered. A few newer strategies have proven to have staying power over time, like social networking, which took a long time to grow on me. I've learned the hard way not to be an early adopter of new marketing strategies -- I tend to sit back and watch the fallout to see if something is worth my time and energy.
As I reflect back on my early years in business, I often felt like a dog chasing my tail. I used to run and run quickly in one direction chasing one marketing idea, and then reverse course, chasing my tail in another direction when hearing about the next "greatest thing." What resulted from my helter-skelter marketing? Not much. I was going in too many directions at once and trying to keep too many balls in the air to create a truly successful marketing plan that really helped promote my business.
Here's the marketing secret I wished I'd learned early on: Adopt the marketing strategy that best fits with your gifts, talents, and interests, or in other words: Do what you're good at. Yep, it's that simple. I knew that this was good advice for pursuing a career or starting a business, but I never realized how well it applied to marketing my company.
Roughly 4 years into my business it suddenly dawned on me that I had always been a good writer. Supervisors, teachers, friends, and colleagues had often complimented me on my writing, but I dismissed the praise because I found writing to be a taxing chore that gave me a massive headache. It wasn't until I learned how to write for myself in my own voice, rather than structuring my writing to meet the criteria of others, that I truly began to enjoy putting pen to paper (or, words on a screen, if you will).
This love for writing made me a natural for my now-favorite marketing strategy, article marketing. Why do I love it? Because it's easy for me -- sometimes scarily easy. However, I discovered that having a skill for a strategy isn't enough to be successful. Even at this point my marketing continued to be hit-or-miss. There was still something missing from the mix.
After hearing a great talk by a coaching colleague about how he structured his time, I finally realized what was the key compoent missing from my marketing strategy -- and the missing component was the same for the bulk of the other entrepreneurs sitting in the room with me. The #1 marketing mistake made by the majority of online business owners is: Lack of consistency. Once you determine where your talent lies and how you can integrate that into a workable marketing plan, then you need to commit to implementing that plan consistently over time.
Could it possibly be that simple? In a nutshell, yes. I committed to publishing my ezine every Thursday morning. I committed to writing one new article each week for the ezine. I committed to syndicating one new article each week through my article submission service. I committed to repurposing my ezine content to my blog. I committed to making 1-2 new posts on my blog each week. This is only the tip of the iceburg describing what I do for marketing, but consistency was the catalyst that propelled me to a successful online marketing strategy that I've been implementing now for 5 years.
My results? I no longer chase after clients -- they find me online. 100% of my business comes from my web site, internet marketing, or word-of-mouth referrals -- I do no in-person networking at all any longer. My web site screens out those clients who aren't a good fit and invites those who are. I enjoy running a thriving business from my home office with only a 5-second commute. I create a work schedule that works best for me and my husband, which gives me the flexibility to leave my office early if I want and catch a matinee with him without having to submit a vacation request form to my supervisor. I am happy and healthy and no longer have recurring bouts of colitis and depression from working in a miserable situation. I make more money now than I ever made by working for someone else.
Take inventory of your skills and abilities, and see how you can easily integrate those into a marketing strategy that will be easy for you to implement. Once you decide on your strategy, commit to implementing it consistently over time, and enjoy your results!
Online Business Coach and Internet Marketing Strategist Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online businesses that they love. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.TurbochargeYourOnlineMarketing.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Social Networking: 10 Steps to Finding Your Target Market in Facebook
by Donna Gunter
Everyone is talking about social networking, and many claim social networking to be the panacea for all of your marketing ills. Marketing on social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter can help you increase the size of your email list and help you grow your business. The key to success with this strategy is making sure that members of your target market are in your network.
Facebook is very strict and very particular about how its participants contact each other. Facebook limits the number of new invitations that can be sent in a given day or week. The exact number is a Facebook secret and unknown to the public, but if you exceed this secret amount you can get booted from Facebook. However, I think if you stick with no more than 10 per day, you will probably stay within their limits. Secondly, you are permitted only 5000 friends in Facebook, so if you're successful in this strategy, you may ultimately need to create a waiting list of friends.
How do you find your target market in Facebook? Whether you're an experienced social networker or just a newbie, here are 10 secrets to growing your target market network in Facebook:
1. Update-to-date profile and/or Fan page: Before you begin a "friending" (i.e. request to become another's friend), be sure that your profile is up-to-date with an accurate description of what you do, your interests, and your contact info, including your web site URLs. If you have multiple businesses, invite people in your appropriate target market to become fans of your niche-specific fan page.
2. Follow the gurus. Follow leaders in your field/industry and "friend" them. Anytime you make a friend request, include a personal note, as that will increase the likelihood that they will accept your request. Say something like, "I'm a big fan and have been on your ezine/blog list for several years. I'd love to have you in my network in Facebook." Once they have accepted your invitation, make comments about their status updates to help you get on their radar and in front of their networks.
3. Friends of friends. Take a look at the people in the network of your industry leaders, as they are probably part of your target market as well, and send friend requests to those of interest to you. When you friend someone that you only know by association, send a personal note as well, like "I discovered your profile in's network and would like to get to know you batter by adding you to my network."
4. Use groups. Look for groups that may contain your target market. In your search for groups, use keywords that describe your niche, your industry, your geographic area, the interests of your target market, or whatever other terms you might use to find members of your target market. Join and begin to participate in the group so that they begin to get to know you. Then peruse the member lists for good prospects, sic as the members you've connected with or have gotten to know. Since you won't be able to view the profiles of the group members because they aren't in your network, much of your decision-making about whom to friend may be based upon appearance or how you might be connected to them via other friends in your network.
5. Check your own lists. Friend people that you already know from your high school, college, alumni associations, and places of employment if they fall within your target market definition.
6. Facebook-recommended friends. Facebook typically recommends friends based on your current friends list when you log into your profile. I've found these recommendations to be pretty solid. Take them up on their recommendation and add those folks to your network.
7. Add by interest or industry. Do a people search by job title, industry, geographic location, or interest. Those people with those terms in their profile will show up in your search, and you can request to add them based on common interests.
8. Build the relationship. Once you friend someone, you need to begin to get to know them and start them on the like, know and trust journey so that you become their top-of-mind expert in a particular area. Begin building the relationship by posting a quick "thank you" note on their wall, as well as a comment about something on their profile that interests you or in which you have in common. Watch for their status updates, as well, and comment on these when appropriate.
9. Create a group. Once you've got about 500 followers, create a group for your target market. Provide the group with useful content and and ask questions to stimulate discussion and get the members to return to participate in the group. You can post articles, links to blog posts, or videos you have created. Invite group members to any free virtual or face-to-face events you're hosting.
10. Integrate into your plan. No marketing strategy works unless you consistently implement it over time. As a newbie to Facebook, you might want to spend as much as 60 minutes per day researching friends and participating in groups. As your network grows, you many spend only 15 minutes 3 times per week on Facebook. The key to success is to put this strategy on your calendar and make it a routine part of your ongoing Internet marketing tasks.
While social networking is an inexpensive marketing tool and can be effective in helping you grow your business, maintain your other marketing strategies, as well, and simply add this strategy to your marketing mix. A well-rounded Internet marketing plan that includes social networking and is implemented consistently will mean that your prospect well will never run dry.
Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online retirement businesses by demystifying the steps needed to successfully market a baby boomer business online. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.OnlineBizU.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
Everyone is talking about social networking, and many claim social networking to be the panacea for all of your marketing ills. Marketing on social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter can help you increase the size of your email list and help you grow your business. The key to success with this strategy is making sure that members of your target market are in your network.
Facebook is very strict and very particular about how its participants contact each other. Facebook limits the number of new invitations that can be sent in a given day or week. The exact number is a Facebook secret and unknown to the public, but if you exceed this secret amount you can get booted from Facebook. However, I think if you stick with no more than 10 per day, you will probably stay within their limits. Secondly, you are permitted only 5000 friends in Facebook, so if you're successful in this strategy, you may ultimately need to create a waiting list of friends.
How do you find your target market in Facebook? Whether you're an experienced social networker or just a newbie, here are 10 secrets to growing your target market network in Facebook:
1. Update-to-date profile and/or Fan page: Before you begin a "friending" (i.e. request to become another's friend), be sure that your profile is up-to-date with an accurate description of what you do, your interests, and your contact info, including your web site URLs. If you have multiple businesses, invite people in your appropriate target market to become fans of your niche-specific fan page.
2. Follow the gurus. Follow leaders in your field/industry and "friend" them. Anytime you make a friend request, include a personal note, as that will increase the likelihood that they will accept your request. Say something like, "I'm a big fan and have been on your ezine/blog list for several years. I'd love to have you in my network in Facebook." Once they have accepted your invitation, make comments about their status updates to help you get on their radar and in front of their networks.
3. Friends of friends. Take a look at the people in the network of your industry leaders, as they are probably part of your target market as well, and send friend requests to those of interest to you. When you friend someone that you only know by association, send a personal note as well, like "I discovered your profile in
4. Use groups. Look for groups that may contain your target market. In your search for groups, use keywords that describe your niche, your industry, your geographic area, the interests of your target market, or whatever other terms you might use to find members of your target market. Join and begin to participate in the group so that they begin to get to know you. Then peruse the member lists for good prospects, sic as the members you've connected with or have gotten to know. Since you won't be able to view the profiles of the group members because they aren't in your network, much of your decision-making about whom to friend may be based upon appearance or how you might be connected to them via other friends in your network.
5. Check your own lists. Friend people that you already know from your high school, college, alumni associations, and places of employment if they fall within your target market definition.
6. Facebook-recommended friends. Facebook typically recommends friends based on your current friends list when you log into your profile. I've found these recommendations to be pretty solid. Take them up on their recommendation and add those folks to your network.
7. Add by interest or industry. Do a people search by job title, industry, geographic location, or interest. Those people with those terms in their profile will show up in your search, and you can request to add them based on common interests.
8. Build the relationship. Once you friend someone, you need to begin to get to know them and start them on the like, know and trust journey so that you become their top-of-mind expert in a particular area. Begin building the relationship by posting a quick "thank you" note on their wall, as well as a comment about something on their profile that interests you or in which you have in common. Watch for their status updates, as well, and comment on these when appropriate.
9. Create a group. Once you've got about 500 followers, create a group for your target market. Provide the group with useful content and and ask questions to stimulate discussion and get the members to return to participate in the group. You can post articles, links to blog posts, or videos you have created. Invite group members to any free virtual or face-to-face events you're hosting.
10. Integrate into your plan. No marketing strategy works unless you consistently implement it over time. As a newbie to Facebook, you might want to spend as much as 60 minutes per day researching friends and participating in groups. As your network grows, you many spend only 15 minutes 3 times per week on Facebook. The key to success is to put this strategy on your calendar and make it a routine part of your ongoing Internet marketing tasks.
While social networking is an inexpensive marketing tool and can be effective in helping you grow your business, maintain your other marketing strategies, as well, and simply add this strategy to your marketing mix. A well-rounded Internet marketing plan that includes social networking and is implemented consistently will mean that your prospect well will never run dry.
Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online retirement businesses by demystifying the steps needed to successfully market a baby boomer business online. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.OnlineBizU.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
7 Strategies to Finding Your Target Market on Twitter
by Donna Gunter
Social networking using Twitter seems to be the most popular way to connect today, from celebrity Ashton Kutcher's challenge to Oprah to reach one million friends first (Ashton won) to a U.S. State Department official contacting the co-founder of Twitter to delay upgrading the Twitter system so as not to interrupt election dialogue in Iran. More and more news agencies are using Twitter to keep their audience up-to-date, and local businesses are also jumping on the Twitter bandwagon as an immediate way to connect with their customers, as well.
How can you make the best use of Twitter in your business? It all starts with having followers in your target market. No doubt you've been inundated with email offers of things like "10,000 Twitter followers in 60 seconds for only $19.95!" Trust me -- 1000 followers that are members of your target market are much more useful to the growth of your business via social networking than 10,000 followers that come from anywhere.
How do you find members of your target market on Twitter? Here are my top 7 strategies:
1. Add people you know in your industry. Twitter permits people to use fictitious names or business names as their Twitter identity, rather than their given name. So, it may be difficult at times to find the person you're seeking, especially if she goes by "ShoeDiva" on Twitter and you know her as Miranda Smith. Try Twitter Search, http://search.twitter.com or Advanced Search, http://search.twitter.com/advanced to help you in your quest.
2. Find others with the same interests or serving the same target market. The online yellow pages of Twitter users, Twellow.com, permits users to list themselves by industry and interests. If your business isn't currently listed on Twellow, take a few minutes to do that right away.
3. Follow those in the same geographic region. If marketing to your local area is an important part of your business, find local members of your target market by using Twellowhood.com or TwitterLocal.com and find the top movers and shakers in your region, as well as some members of your target market. If you want to meet fellow Tweeps face-to-face, search local Tweetups at TwtVite,com, or create your own gathering.
4. Get relevant recommendations. The free service, MrTweet.com, will provide you with info on recommended people to follow based on your current Twitter profile. You do have to follow MrTweet in order to participate. Once you're logged in, you can see your recommendations, along with how these recommendations are connected to your list of followers. You can evaluate your recommendations, and MrTweet will make changes in your recommended list accordingly.
5. Follow those who follow you. It's considered good Twitter etiquette to follow those people who've chosen to follow you. And, to prevent being labeled a Twitter snob, ideally you should be following more people than are following you. I have automated my ability to follow my followers by using a free version of TweetLater.com.
6. Look for keywords. Another way to find relevant followers is to keep track of people mentioning certain keywords in their Tweets. I do that through the free version of TweetLater.com. I use this same service to keep track of any mentions of me or my company on Twitter in the very same way I use Google Alerts.
7. Find groups. Twibes.com permits you to find groups by industry and interest and join them and/or see the members of each group. And, if you so inclined, you can create your own Twitter group, as well.
Remember, finding your target market is just the beginning. Once you've found them, you need to begin to build relationships with them. This means paying attention to what they say so that you can respond when appropriate either with a direct message (DM) or an @ reply that is public or retweeting (RT) their message to your followers when you feel someone has great info that would be useful to those who follow you. Take 10-15 minutes per day to keep yourself informed about what's happening with your Tweeps and watch your business grow!
Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online retirement businesses by demystifying the steps needed to successfully market a baby boomer business online. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.OnlineBizU.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
Social networking using Twitter seems to be the most popular way to connect today, from celebrity Ashton Kutcher's challenge to Oprah to reach one million friends first (Ashton won) to a U.S. State Department official contacting the co-founder of Twitter to delay upgrading the Twitter system so as not to interrupt election dialogue in Iran. More and more news agencies are using Twitter to keep their audience up-to-date, and local businesses are also jumping on the Twitter bandwagon as an immediate way to connect with their customers, as well.
How can you make the best use of Twitter in your business? It all starts with having followers in your target market. No doubt you've been inundated with email offers of things like "10,000 Twitter followers in 60 seconds for only $19.95!" Trust me -- 1000 followers that are members of your target market are much more useful to the growth of your business via social networking than 10,000 followers that come from anywhere.
How do you find members of your target market on Twitter? Here are my top 7 strategies:
1. Add people you know in your industry. Twitter permits people to use fictitious names or business names as their Twitter identity, rather than their given name. So, it may be difficult at times to find the person you're seeking, especially if she goes by "ShoeDiva" on Twitter and you know her as Miranda Smith. Try Twitter Search, http://search.twitter.com or Advanced Search, http://search.twitter.com/advanced to help you in your quest.
2. Find others with the same interests or serving the same target market. The online yellow pages of Twitter users, Twellow.com, permits users to list themselves by industry and interests. If your business isn't currently listed on Twellow, take a few minutes to do that right away.
3. Follow those in the same geographic region. If marketing to your local area is an important part of your business, find local members of your target market by using Twellowhood.com or TwitterLocal.com and find the top movers and shakers in your region, as well as some members of your target market. If you want to meet fellow Tweeps face-to-face, search local Tweetups at TwtVite,com, or create your own gathering.
4. Get relevant recommendations. The free service, MrTweet.com, will provide you with info on recommended people to follow based on your current Twitter profile. You do have to follow MrTweet in order to participate. Once you're logged in, you can see your recommendations, along with how these recommendations are connected to your list of followers. You can evaluate your recommendations, and MrTweet will make changes in your recommended list accordingly.
5. Follow those who follow you. It's considered good Twitter etiquette to follow those people who've chosen to follow you. And, to prevent being labeled a Twitter snob, ideally you should be following more people than are following you. I have automated my ability to follow my followers by using a free version of TweetLater.com.
6. Look for keywords. Another way to find relevant followers is to keep track of people mentioning certain keywords in their Tweets. I do that through the free version of TweetLater.com. I use this same service to keep track of any mentions of me or my company on Twitter in the very same way I use Google Alerts.
7. Find groups. Twibes.com permits you to find groups by industry and interest and join them and/or see the members of each group. And, if you so inclined, you can create your own Twitter group, as well.
Remember, finding your target market is just the beginning. Once you've found them, you need to begin to build relationships with them. This means paying attention to what they say so that you can respond when appropriate either with a direct message (DM) or an @ reply that is public or retweeting (RT) their message to your followers when you feel someone has great info that would be useful to those who follow you. Take 10-15 minutes per day to keep yourself informed about what's happening with your Tweeps and watch your business grow!
Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps baby boomers create profitable online retirement businesses by demystifying the steps needed to successfully market a baby boomer business online. Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.OnlineBizU.com
Copyright (c) 2009 OnlineBizU.com
The Freemium Model
by Jeremy Gislason
Today we’re going to discuss “membership marketing”, and how it’s almost a requirement for a successful website. If you’re selling anything online, whether it’s ebooks, digital products or anything of that sort, then the membership system we discuss below can deliver those products in the most effective and profitable way.
Business Success Means Avoiding Churn and Increasing Revenue Per Customer.
To be a business success, you’ll need to avoid customer churn (or “turnover”). If you get 100 new members, but 99 of them quit after 30 days, it’ll be hard for your business to survive. In a membership context, it’s the period of time someone will keep paying their membership fees. So while it’s vitally important to constantly acquire new customers, it’s just as important to maximize the revenue of each customer you already have. So what we’re talking about is the backend, and the marketing funnel you have in place.
With a subscription membership model – where you have a recurring billing system in place - the backend is the recurring fee itself. The issue becomes keeping people as members at your site.
Let’s see examine how this plays out in the context of three popular business models:
- Traditional Product Sales.
Let’s first consider the traditional Internet marketing (publishing and sales) model, which is used by most online business owners. In this model, you create a product and a sales page, drive traffic to that page, and hope the traffic converts into sales. The average for that conversion rate is somewhere around 1% to 2%.
Assuming you have a $37 product at a 2% conversion rate, it means that for every hundred people you send to that page you’re going to sell two of those products at $37 ($74 total), and you’ll have a visitor value for each of those 100 people of $0.74.
- Recurring Membership.
The average conversion rate for a recurring membership site is often less than the traditional one product sale model; it’s generally 1% or less. So let’s now assume now that you’re going to charge $17 per month, rather than the original $37 product price point. But we start to encounter churn with monthly billing. In our experience, the average membership stick rate is between three and five months.
So for every 100 visitors, we’ll get one membership sale, and that customer can be expected to stick around for approximately four months. That means you’re going to generate $68 in revenue from that one signup (four x $17 = $68). That gives you an average visitor value of $0.68. When you use the membership model, you can also put backend offers in place. So once you already have a paid member, you can assume additional backend sales and commissions from that member – around $5 per month.
Now you have that one member, and they’re paid the $17 for the first month - will likely do so for about four months - and they’re also worth an additional $5 per month over that same period of time. So now you have $88 from that signup, and the average visitor value for the 100 visitors is $0.88.
- Single-Payment Membership.
The next structure is a paid membership with a single payment. Your conversion rate will increase because you’re asking people to make less of a commitment, and a membership generally has a higher perceived value than a simple product sale. You can expect a conversion rate of 2.5% to 3%.
Because there is less commitment, you can charge more still keep the conversion rate up. So let’s assume a one-time fee of $37 instead of that $17 recurring. Now your churn goes way down. The customers have already paid, so very few of them will actually terminate their membership. You’d be safe in calculating an average stay of 12 months.
So the calculation is as follows: You’re going to see a 3% conversion rate, and the total one-time fees are going to be 3 x $37 = $111. Factoring in the backend offers ($5 a month per paid member), and over 12 months you’re looking at $180 in backend sales and commissions, for total revenue of $291. This brings your visitor value up to $2.91.
But there’s an alternative model that blows all three of these out of the water when it comes to down to making money for you – the Freemium model.
The Freemium Model.
The Freemium model is basically a free membership with an upgrade offer. It works like this: you put a “free” offer in place on the front end of the site (in a later article we’ll discuss how to make this free offer not appear to be “free” – and why you’ll want to do so), and you’re likely to see a front end conversion rate around 35%.
If you then place a compelling offer on the backend, you could see a conversion rate between 5% to 10% on that offer. It can be higher but let’s use 10% for our analysis.
This means that for every 100 visitors - you’re going to get 35 free members, and then a 10% conversion rate on these 35 members on the backend. So what you end up with on average is 31.5 free members and 3.5 paid members.
On your front end that’s 3.5 x $37 = $129.50. The paid member back-end value is $5 x 12 Months x 3.5 People = $210. The free member back-end value is $1.50 x 12 Months x 31.5 People = $567. Adding these amounts and you have $129.50 + $210 + $567 = $906.50, so your average visitor value is $9.06.
That’s a huge difference from the more “traditional” models we discussed above (and more than 10 times higher the most common product sale model)!
Discover how the Freemium model can triple your income, draw tons of JV partners and affiliates, and maximize your profits without the 'hard sell' at: http://www.marketingmainevent4.com/blog/mme4-prelaunch. This free report is brought to you by Marketing Main Event 4.
Today we’re going to discuss “membership marketing”, and how it’s almost a requirement for a successful website. If you’re selling anything online, whether it’s ebooks, digital products or anything of that sort, then the membership system we discuss below can deliver those products in the most effective and profitable way.
Business Success Means Avoiding Churn and Increasing Revenue Per Customer.
To be a business success, you’ll need to avoid customer churn (or “turnover”). If you get 100 new members, but 99 of them quit after 30 days, it’ll be hard for your business to survive. In a membership context, it’s the period of time someone will keep paying their membership fees. So while it’s vitally important to constantly acquire new customers, it’s just as important to maximize the revenue of each customer you already have. So what we’re talking about is the backend, and the marketing funnel you have in place.
With a subscription membership model – where you have a recurring billing system in place - the backend is the recurring fee itself. The issue becomes keeping people as members at your site.
Let’s see examine how this plays out in the context of three popular business models:
- Traditional Product Sales.
Let’s first consider the traditional Internet marketing (publishing and sales) model, which is used by most online business owners. In this model, you create a product and a sales page, drive traffic to that page, and hope the traffic converts into sales. The average for that conversion rate is somewhere around 1% to 2%.
Assuming you have a $37 product at a 2% conversion rate, it means that for every hundred people you send to that page you’re going to sell two of those products at $37 ($74 total), and you’ll have a visitor value for each of those 100 people of $0.74.
- Recurring Membership.
The average conversion rate for a recurring membership site is often less than the traditional one product sale model; it’s generally 1% or less. So let’s now assume now that you’re going to charge $17 per month, rather than the original $37 product price point. But we start to encounter churn with monthly billing. In our experience, the average membership stick rate is between three and five months.
So for every 100 visitors, we’ll get one membership sale, and that customer can be expected to stick around for approximately four months. That means you’re going to generate $68 in revenue from that one signup (four x $17 = $68). That gives you an average visitor value of $0.68. When you use the membership model, you can also put backend offers in place. So once you already have a paid member, you can assume additional backend sales and commissions from that member – around $5 per month.
Now you have that one member, and they’re paid the $17 for the first month - will likely do so for about four months - and they’re also worth an additional $5 per month over that same period of time. So now you have $88 from that signup, and the average visitor value for the 100 visitors is $0.88.
- Single-Payment Membership.
The next structure is a paid membership with a single payment. Your conversion rate will increase because you’re asking people to make less of a commitment, and a membership generally has a higher perceived value than a simple product sale. You can expect a conversion rate of 2.5% to 3%.
Because there is less commitment, you can charge more still keep the conversion rate up. So let’s assume a one-time fee of $37 instead of that $17 recurring. Now your churn goes way down. The customers have already paid, so very few of them will actually terminate their membership. You’d be safe in calculating an average stay of 12 months.
So the calculation is as follows: You’re going to see a 3% conversion rate, and the total one-time fees are going to be 3 x $37 = $111. Factoring in the backend offers ($5 a month per paid member), and over 12 months you’re looking at $180 in backend sales and commissions, for total revenue of $291. This brings your visitor value up to $2.91.
But there’s an alternative model that blows all three of these out of the water when it comes to down to making money for you – the Freemium model.
The Freemium Model.
The Freemium model is basically a free membership with an upgrade offer. It works like this: you put a “free” offer in place on the front end of the site (in a later article we’ll discuss how to make this free offer not appear to be “free” – and why you’ll want to do so), and you’re likely to see a front end conversion rate around 35%.
If you then place a compelling offer on the backend, you could see a conversion rate between 5% to 10% on that offer. It can be higher but let’s use 10% for our analysis.
This means that for every 100 visitors - you’re going to get 35 free members, and then a 10% conversion rate on these 35 members on the backend. So what you end up with on average is 31.5 free members and 3.5 paid members.
On your front end that’s 3.5 x $37 = $129.50. The paid member back-end value is $5 x 12 Months x 3.5 People = $210. The free member back-end value is $1.50 x 12 Months x 31.5 People = $567. Adding these amounts and you have $129.50 + $210 + $567 = $906.50, so your average visitor value is $9.06.
That’s a huge difference from the more “traditional” models we discussed above (and more than 10 times higher the most common product sale model)!
Discover how the Freemium model can triple your income, draw tons of JV partners and affiliates, and maximize your profits without the 'hard sell' at: http://www.marketingmainevent4.com/blog/mme4-prelaunch. This free report is brought to you by Marketing Main Event 4.
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