Archive for July 22nd, 2006
It’s easy to overlook the basics of a strong AdWords campaign. Without them though, your AdWords campaign can be doomed from the very start. Follow these tips and you can be sure that your campaign will have a strong foundation for both short term and immediate success.
Use Proper Grammar and Spelling
It may sound basic, but ad text that uses slang, has misspelled words or doesn’t read clearly isn’t going to get clicked. If anything it makes your business seem unprofessional and could actually harm your business’ reputation.
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July 22nd, 2006
Search engines determine their rankings based on two things:
Is your site relevant? (Optimized for certain keywords)
Is your site important? (Many links back to your site from other sites)
Only when you address both of these considerations are you guaranteed of making an impact. Your degree of success depends on how hard you try and how many other people you’re competing against (and how hard they’re trying).
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July 22nd, 2006
Automated search engine robots, sometimes called “spiders” or “crawlers”, are the seekers of web pages. How do they work? What is it they really do? Why are they important?
(1058 words, estimated reading time: 4:14 ) read the full post...
July 22nd, 2006
Trillions of Billions of content pages make up the wide world of Internet. Keeping a house clean and arranged with proper placement for each household item is so big a task for each of us that it is a much despised daily chore. Ever wonder who or what keeps the Internet clean organized and keep them in arms length for you when you need it? This humongous task of making sure the right set of data is kept organized and delivered as information to the right folks when they need it are done by the Search Engines (SE). There are many popular search engines that deliver search results for countless number of searches every Nano-second. The Internet is the first place folks go for obtaining any type of information. The Internet has become the knowledge warehouse of what the world knows. Well almost true. If you have not discovered the full potential of the search engines it is not too late.
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July 22nd, 2006
Building An Explosive Mailing List
by: Joe Terceira
Building a mailing list is essential to any business regardless of how they operate. Both online and offline businesses strive to grow there customer lists as big as possible. You see, when you have a list you can easily sell new products all the time. It’s as easy as sending out an email blast and just like that, you have potentially earned hundreds even thousands of dollars overnight.
But building a customer list takes a lot of work and persistence. It is not something that can be done overnight and sometimes takes even years. I have been operating an online business for over 3 years and just had my online email list reach 100,000 people. My offline list is in excess of over 2 million but once again that took me over 10 years to grow.
You also need a proven system or marketing plan that you can use to grow your lists. I spent 1 year setting up a system that now brings in over 10,000 new emails addresses every month. There are many other ways as well. You can host a FFA, join a free viral program, start a newsletter or ezine, give out a free ebook/free report, or even spend money for lists. The key is having a auto-responder or group mailer that has a easy import and unsubscribe feature. You should set this up with all your marketing tools this way your efforts aren’t wasted.
Let me explain the ways above which are only a few methods out of thousands that you can use:
1) Hosting An FFA
FFA stands for Free For All. It is normally a links page where other business people post there websites in hopes of getting free advertising for there products or programs. I’m sure you have tried this as well. This has been proven time and time again to be a waste of time. The only guarantee you get is that your email box will be full of sales messages from the owners of these FFA’s. That is the key. You need to own an FFA in order to see results and grow your lists. Every time someone posts there link to your FFA, they automatically receive your pre-written sales messages to the email address they provide. This is what we call reverse marketing and it is responsible for millions and millions of dollars, of products and services sold on the internet today. There are a few companies out there that you can join that allows you to send your messages to around 50,000 people a month. Just do a search!
2) Viral Program
A viral program is a marketing tool that encourages people to pass along a marketing message to as many people as possible. The definition of viral marketing is promoting information or products that other people are compelled to give to other friends, colleagues and family. By definition viral marketing is a way to promote a service or product successfully. When done effectively one person will pass it on to several people who in turn will pass it on to several other people. This is what makes viral marketing so effective. For example, let me use an e-book that I wrote. If I forward that e-book to 10 people, who in turn forwarded that e-book to another 10 people. One hundred people have read that e-book. Now if it’s forwarded that same way just four more times ONE MILLION PEOPLE have now read that same e-book. There are millions of viral programs out there that can really help you in growing your lists.
3) Newsletter/Ezine
Starting a newsletter or ezine is a great idea as well. The only problem is you need good quality material to send to your clients. You need free tools, articles, reports, e-books, and anything else you can find that really promotes others to join your lists for free. If people feel like you can supply them with great quality material, they will join your lists guaranteed. You can also run feature articles on some of your members and there businesses this way they feel like they are getting free advertising. With an ezine, once you grow it big enough and establish a good relationship with your clients, you can even charge to run solo ads. This is another source of revenue. Some people make a living on the internet just operating there ezines. Takes a lot of work but well worth it!
4) Free E-book or Report
This is a fantastic way to grow your lists. By giving away something that’s free that everyone has use for, you almost instantly ensure your success in growing your lists. There are hundreds of thousands of e-books and reports you can give out for free to all your website visitors in order to get them into your lists. This has been proven to be an incredible marketing tool and will consistently bring you new clients in the thousands every week. I have created an amazing report that you can use for free if you decide to. You can get more information below! Make sure you have this method integrated into all your marketing and advertising efforts.!
5) Spending money to buy lists is the easiest method but it can prove to be very costly. And being the easiest doesn’t necessarily guarantee results either. I wouldn’t advise this method only because there are so many ways you can build a huge list even for free. If you become that desperate I guess you can try this method. I have gotten mixed reactions from people I have spoken to about this method. Some people it works for and others it doesn’t. So you assume all the risk if you decide to go this route!
Once again, the most important aspect to your business like any other business is growing a list. This is vital to your success both short and long term. Make sure your efforts revolve around this at all times. You don’t want to lose any potential future customers.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this article. Hopefully you use this information to your advantage.
Publishing Permission Statement:
This article may be freely published in your newsletter, ezine, magazine, website, or in your e-Book, so long as you keep my byline and resource box intact with a clickable link back to http://www.freewebs.com/ferrari669/index.htm
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About The Author
Joe Terceira is the creator of “Secrets To Creating Wealth On The Internet” http://www.freewebs.com/ferrari669/index.htm.
It is a free Report designed to help all internet business people with there marketing, promotion, and advertising efforts online. “Secrets To Creating Wealth On The Internet” provides valuable information and techniques on how to generate over 1,000,000 website visitors and earn over $20,000/month while doing it all for free. You can also give the Report away for free to generate massive website visitors. Visit the website to get your free copy!
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July 22nd, 2006
Selling Search Engine Optimisation to Potential Clients: The Do’s and Don’ts
by: Ilan Touri
Is it fair to say that a large percent of website / business owners have little or no knowledge of what search engine optimisation is all about and what it can do for them. We as SEO specialists know the benefits in terms of increased website traffic and sales, and it is for this reason we are out there to help website owners take advantage of this.
A new dawn has arisen, the dot com bubble has burst, competition on the internet has become very fierce and simply having a website “out there” is not going to cut it! Websites and their businesses need to be found and offline marketing is no longer the only option available. Knowing this all to well and what SEO can do for one’s business, it is up to all SEO specialists to spread the word and make businesses see the light. Having said that, what is an SEO specialist to say to a potential client? What words of wisdom can he use to sell SEO to the business leaders? Bear in mind these same business leaders only remember too well the dot com bust and the false hopes and promises that IT would present their company to the world. The point that had been overlooked is that they needed SEO to help bring that exposure. Be careful in your approach when preaching SEO, plan and think carefully about what you might say.
Below are a few pointers on what to say and what not to when selling search engine optimisation services.
The Don’ts
1. Don’t guarantee top ranks - A big no-no. Many SEO consultants guarantee their clients top rankings in search engines only to later realise that the task is not that simple and might not be achievable for competitive keywords. This often leaves the client frustrated, disappointed and in demand of a refund for their investment.
2. Don’t offer an exact timeframe for results - Achieving top search engine ranks, and search engine optimisation in general, requires a lot of time and in depth work. There is no exact time or way of predicting when a client’s website might hit the free listing top ranks. One thing is for sure, SEO consultants need to emphasise that time, together with quality SEO work, is needed to achieve high rankings.
3. Don’t show any doubt and do your research beforehand - Just like an interview with a prospect employer, be prepared in your first meeting with a client. Do your research, study the company and its website and note its good and bad points. You will be expected to express your views on the client’s website and make a brief analysis. Don’t be afraid to be critical and offer some constructive criticism. Landing a contract is based primarily on building the client’s confident in you and your services.
4. Don’t agree to unethical SEO practices - Certain clients may be in a bit of a hurry to get listed and may ask you to use SEO practices which are considered unethical. Such practices include using link farms, IP cloaking, hidden text, etc. Spam techniques can not only hinder your client’s performance in the search engines but can also result in a possible ban. It is in yours and your client’s best interest to keep away from these futile and harmful practices. Strongly emphasise this point to your client.
5. Don’t overdo on your SEO knowledge - Stick to what you know best, there is no point selling spin on SEO. Be honest with your clients and try building an honest and trustful business relationship. If you are not too sure about certain practices, do not exaggerate or use them as you will be caught out sooner or later if the final results do not eventuate.
The Do’s
1. Emphasise that SEO will increase website traffic and sales - The first and foremost thing a client wants to hear is that you are going to “show them the money”, in other words, show that the website exposure is going to lead to a better ROI (Return On Investment). Explain the basic nature of search engine optimisation and the benefits it can bring companies i.e. increased traffic, visitors and contacts / sales.
2. SEO is a very effective and extremely targeted form of marketing - Unlike expensive TV, radio and press advertising, SEO marketing is relatively cheap and cost effective. There is less money and effort spent on broadcasting and trying to appeal to an audience that may or may not be interested. In search engine marketing, the users are already present and know what they want and where to get it.
3. It won’t happen overnight - Patience can be a problem when optimising a website. You may be asked numerous times by your client “is it there yet?”. You should point out that search engines take time to evaluate and show results. It is recommended that you declare a period of at least 3 to 6 months to see any real gains.
4. Offer a free short website analysis for your clients - Freebies always go a long way. Create a free assessment on your clients current website status, show him / her what the site is lacking and how you would go about enhancing the site’s optimisation in order to achieve a higher ranking in the search engines.
Selling SEO to a company is never too easy. The clients may see it as a luxury they can’t really afford or just another internet gimmick they can do without. It is up to you to make them see the light and the vast benefits that SEO can bring them, as a cost effective and extremely powerful marketing solution.
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About The Author
Ilan Touri works for SEO Sydney, the SEO Consultants. He has worked on various projects and offers search engine optimisation in Australia.
seosydney.com.au
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Permanent link to this post (995 words, estimated 3:59 reading time)
July 22nd, 2006
According to Google.com there are over three billion web pages online today. So what are you doing to separate yourself from the crowd? How are you targeting your customers? How much capital are you investing in marketing? Is it working?
I hear many business owners complaining about the inability to successfully drive targeted customers to their website. I listen as they tell me about purchasing e-mail lists and buying advertising spaces on related websites. While these methods may work there are free and effective ways to drive targeted traffic to your site.
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July 22nd, 2006
Everyone wants to increase their rankings with the search engines and because of this there is a ton of information available on how to go about it. Unfortunately, while some of this information is real, there is just as much or more information that is outdated, wrong, and a complete waste of time, money and energy on your part. So, you can read the following and learn about a few of the myths and pitfalls people believe about search engines and in the future you can continue to educate yourself from reputable sites that provide accurate and truthful information.
(504 words, estimated reading time: 2:01 ) read the full post...
July 22nd, 2006
Would You Let A Dog Or A Butler Market Your Website?
by: Michael Cheney
The latest news to hit the Internet’s ‘water fountain’ is that Lycos and Ask Jeeves are to begin their own SEO services..
Search engine optimisation (or SEO) is any practice related to the end goal of improving your website’s positioning in the search engines.
The brief history of SEO is that it first started out solely as the remit of the developers themselves. This was back in the day when one person designed, built, maintained, hosted and marketed a website.
The Ever-Changing Internet Landscape
During the past few years, however, the entire Internet industry has divided up into a myriad divisions to such an extent that SEO is now a booming sector in its own right. Entering the term “seo” on Google returns nearly 20 million results!
Now businesses recognise that it is no longer possible to expect one individual or company to possess all the necessary skills ‘under one roof’ to be able to achieve great results on the graphic design, technical construction AND marketing of their website.
This has led to the trend of bringing in specialist search engine marketing consultants or companies to assist.
As Google and the like are spending millions every year on developing their tools to accurately sift through the billions of web pages that exist it really is a full time occupation just keeping track of what has an effect on search engine ranking and which strategies work best.
Everyone Wants ‘Organic’ Nowadays!
Ask Jeeves and Lycos are now offering their SEO service to help companies get found in the ‘organic’ results of search engines.
‘Organic’ results are those results in a search engine listing that are non-paid. Almost all search engines now offer businesses the shortcut of simply paying to get an ad listed whereas as a latest study indicates that only 28% of searchers will click on an advertisement as opposed to one of the ‘organic’ results (on Google).
This is the reason we’re all fighting for high rankings in the ‘organic’ results. This demand from businesses is also presumably the main driving factor behind Ask Jeeves and Lycos starting to offer their own Search Engine Optimisation services.
Money Well Spent?
In short - I’m not sure.
If you have a 50 page website, getting Lycos to provide you with SEO services will cost you a tidy $10,000. They also include the questionable tactic of re-submitting your website over and over to search engines which is both pointless and risky as some will act against those that submit more than once.
$10,000 sounds like a lot to me for a service that is only dealing with search engines and which talks of ‘recommendations’ that you then have to implement yourself.
Really though - it comes down to what you are trying to achieve with your website.
My two cents on this is that the Lycos service doesn’t devote enough attention to links - your money may be better spent on getting more high quality in-bound links or on a well-managed Pay Per Click Campaign.
Ask Jeeves
http://www.askjeeves.com
Lycos’ SEO Service
http://ranking.lycos.com/sitesidemore.html
Search Engine Users Survey
http://www.clickz.com/stats/sectors/software/article.php/3348071
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July 22nd, 2006
In October 2002, the Yahoo! portal changed the way it delivers search results. In the past, the most prominent results were exclusively culled from websites listed in the Yahoo directory itself. Since October, sites listed in the Yahoo directory no longer enjoy this privileged status.
The Google search engine now drives the primary search results on Yahoo. While this is certainly an improvement for users of Yahoo search, it’s a disaster for many businesses that counted on their Yahoo listing to deliver substantial traffic.
(921 words, estimated reading time: 3:41 ) read the full post...
July 22nd, 2006
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