Someone sent me the question "Why Social Bookmarking? "
And I thought to myself: "Um. Why not?"
Since I'm not really sure what they meant by that, I'm going to assume that this person mean "Why should I use social bookmarking in my business?" - with a full understanding of all the risks associated with "assuming".
I figure that if you're reading this, you have that question, or a similar one.
There are three reasons:
1 - More links
2 - More traffic
3 - More credibility
Think of links as the road traffic that moves through the web. If there are no roads to where your business "lives" online, namely your website, it's far less likely that the visitors you want will end up getting to you.
That's true whether you're talking about search engines or links from other sites. Search engines use a mysterious cross between the number and quality of links to your site in their determination of whether you should be number one or number 701 for your desired keyword.
In addition, the "nicer" the road, the more traffíc will flow through it - think of an authority site linking to your site as a highway that leads directly to your site, and one from a reciprocal link or link exchange scheme as a back street in a sketchy neighborhood full of potholes.
Improved traffic, also good.
From social bookmarking, this traffic is often targeted. Through tagging, the description someone writes, or the title they assigned to your link, the person who discovers the submitted link on a social bookmarking site knows exactly where they're going, and why they're interested in getting there.
It's like seeing the cover of a magazine on a rack. That's what pulls them in, they see a headline - and to get to the story they are compelled to take another action.
The more credibility thing is a bit harder to explain, so we'll go with another analogy.
Let's say I made a movie and I thought it was fantastic. If I hadn't met you before, and I tell you, "hey, I made a kick-ass movie, come see it!" - you may come see it, you may not.
It depends more on how much time you have and if you're interested in that kind of movie, or even how nice of a person you are, than my opinion.
Why?
Because I'm the one who made it, so you can't know whether to trust my opinion, at least in relation to how much YOU might like it. Of course I think it's great, but I have no way of knowing whether you will.
Now, if you knew me and my taste, and how alike our tastes are, you may be a bit more inclined. So if I'm, say, Michael Bay, and you liked my last movie, and my new movie is on the same type of thing, you might go see it based on the trailer alone. You know you're taking a gamble but it's a safe bet.
Now watch this.
Your best buddy, the one who likes all the same things you like, the one you hang out with and trust the most, calls you on the phone and says:
"I've just seen the best movie I've ever seen in my entire life. I have to see it again. When are you free, I'll come pick you up."
The only thing that could make that deal sweeter is if your friend has also said "My treat." At least as far as recommendations go, the person who knows what you like the most is likely to be the person whose advice you'll follow.
If you know that friend, and that person has similar tastes, or at least knows what you like, you're more likely to see the movie.
My sister and I have similar tastes in movies, but I'm a little more patient with beginnings and endings and like more indie-fare. Yet, no matter how many times I have suggested we watch a movie together that she ends up not liking as much, if I rave about a movie, she'll at least give it a chance.
Now, let's take that back to social bookmarking. Imagine you can find hundreds of people, all over the world, with tastes similar to yours, sharing information you wouldn't find yourself.
Or maybe you can just connect faster and more frequently for suggestions from people you already know. Wouldn't you be more likely to follow their suggestions than some stranger?
That's the power of social bookmarking. It's put a technology behind word of mouth sharing of web sites that anyone can use.
And they do.
Now all you have to do is learn how to be the person or company everybody is spreading the word about. Which is another conversation altogether.
About The Author
How do you promote your local business using online tools? I'm answering this and related questions every day - if you've got one come by and ask away! I know. That rhymed. You can come give me a hard time about it at AskTinu.com - yo habla sarcasm.
Showing posts with label Internet Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Internet Business. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Blog Flipping: 10 Important Factors When Selling Your Weblog Or Website
The market for blogs has exploded. Many companies do not want to invest the time in developing a blog in their respective niche, which has given rise to a whole new cottage industry, blog flipping.
Blog flipping is done in a few different ways. Some flippers buy an existing blog that has potential, but is not currently producing. They take that blog and build the traffic and sales up to a level productive enough to reap a profit from their investment, and then sell it.
Or, more common in today's blog flipping market, is to research a specific niche, develop a domain / blog, and then sell it.
But what does "developed" really mean? It depends on the flipper. So buyers really need to do their homework (read due diligence) before investing in an "established" blog or website. Because "established" is in the eyes of the beholder, and means many different things depending upon who you consult.
In my opinion, established means that the site, or blog, is profitable. Now profitable can be defined very differently for different companies. It doesn't mean that the site has to be makíng money, though it does help justify the investment when purchasing the blog. It can mean to a prospective company only that the site has traffic that company believes it can convert into sales. Not everyone can convert website traffic in the same way. So there are companies out there looking to buy blogs that have a certain, specific reader demographic that fits their market. However, these types of sales are few and far between. Companies that are buying blogs normally want to see one thing.
Profit.
Not just income, because a blog's gross monthly income and it's actual profit margin can be two very different things as well. We've all seen the advertisements screaming that you can make ten thousand dollars a month blogging, or with Adsense, or whatever. But the part usually left out is the investment it takes to get that income. Sometimes the cost is far greater than the income, making the blog or website a LOSER.
So what steps should you take to sell your blog if you are a would be website flipper? Here are a few factors your blog or website should have in order to get top dollar:
1. Real Web Property
Your blog needs to be a real web property. What I mean by this is that it needs to be a real domain, on hosting you are paying for. Free hosted blogs are not a viable investment for most companies and corporations. There are exceptions to every rule and I'm sure that there have been a few sales of extremely popular Blogspot blogs, but unless you have a million visitors a month, you're probably not going to sell a free hosted blog anytime soon. Buy a domain, pay for some hosting, build something that has value.
2. Professional Appearance
Your blog or website needs to have a professional appearance. Custom design is always better, but at the very least, it needs to have a template or layout that fits that blog's readership or market. If you have poor graphics, even if your blog has monster traffic, you'll sell it for much less than you could have if you had professional web design. It's sort of like house flipping or selling a used car. If you can afford it, a fresh coat of paint usually brings the resell value up substantially.
3. Developed Traffic Sources
Potential buyers want to see traffic. Not just any traffic will do for most serious investors. They want to see solid, search engine traffic and a solid bookmarked reader base. StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking websites are awesome traffic sources, no doubt. But when it comes to someone buying your blog, they want to see more than just a few traffic spikes from a front page listing on Digg. They want to see that the traffic is going to keep coming for months and years to come. Without a lot of work if they can get it.
4. Documented Traffic Statistics
It is going to take more than just the summary of "hits" screen capture from your webalizer stats to make the sale. You are going to need at least three months history of actual traffic statistics. Unique visitors, tracking cookie info if you have it, Google Analytics, etc. Numbers, numbers, numbers. Corporations want numbers in order to convince their board of directors that your blog would be a sound investment. Private investors are no different for the most part and they want to know exactly what they are buying when it comes down the actual traffic your blog has.
5. Profit and Loss
Lots of income statistics. If you are looking to sell your blog or website for real money (read more than a few bucks nabbed on EBAY) then you are going to need to show your buyer some stats about money. P&L statements (Profit and Loss) for as far back as you can go will help your buyer make his or her decision. It is one thing to tell a potential buyer what the gross income per month is, it's a completely different thing to show them exactly what the net income is and how it is obtained each month. Keep good records of your website expenditures and what the income received from those investments are. Include every cost. Website hosting, design, redesign, employee or outsourcing costs, whatever. Include everything and show them the real bottom line.
6. Set a Fair Price
I know you love your site, I love all of mine too. So it's easy to attach an emotional value to your blog and inflate the price. It's also really easy to confuse a blog's actual value with your vision of it's potential value. What you think the site will make someday and what it's making now are two very different things. Sorry, but what you think it will make someday has zero value to a would be investor. They only want to know what the net profit is, right now. Yes, you can take some long term income growth statistics and make profit projections, but unless you have these statistics going back a year or more, most buyers are going to dismiss them entirely.
Set a real price. In the bricks and mortar world most companies sell for 2 to 3 years of the total net income. Online, this number is usually cut down to one year. So if your website is netting $300 per month, the actual value of your blog is probably somewhere around $3600. Once again, it's easy to add an emotional price tag for all the hard work you've done to get that blog makíng $300 clams a month, but your sweat equity doesn't mean much to a buyer.
Neither do website values created with online calculators. These sites are traffic magnets and are built totally to obtain webmaster traffic. If you search long enough and hard enough, you'll find a website value calculator that comes up with a number you like. It still means nothing to a buyer. It's not what your site is really worth and should have no bearing whatsoever on your sale price.
About The Author
Chuck Crawford is an established expert in web design, traffic development and website financial analysis. He has been helping people design and develop their internet business since 1995. Visit http://www.business blogs.us/blog/ .
Blog flipping is done in a few different ways. Some flippers buy an existing blog that has potential, but is not currently producing. They take that blog and build the traffic and sales up to a level productive enough to reap a profit from their investment, and then sell it.
Or, more common in today's blog flipping market, is to research a specific niche, develop a domain / blog, and then sell it.
But what does "developed" really mean? It depends on the flipper. So buyers really need to do their homework (read due diligence) before investing in an "established" blog or website. Because "established" is in the eyes of the beholder, and means many different things depending upon who you consult.
In my opinion, established means that the site, or blog, is profitable. Now profitable can be defined very differently for different companies. It doesn't mean that the site has to be makíng money, though it does help justify the investment when purchasing the blog. It can mean to a prospective company only that the site has traffic that company believes it can convert into sales. Not everyone can convert website traffic in the same way. So there are companies out there looking to buy blogs that have a certain, specific reader demographic that fits their market. However, these types of sales are few and far between. Companies that are buying blogs normally want to see one thing.
Profit.
Not just income, because a blog's gross monthly income and it's actual profit margin can be two very different things as well. We've all seen the advertisements screaming that you can make ten thousand dollars a month blogging, or with Adsense, or whatever. But the part usually left out is the investment it takes to get that income. Sometimes the cost is far greater than the income, making the blog or website a LOSER.
So what steps should you take to sell your blog if you are a would be website flipper? Here are a few factors your blog or website should have in order to get top dollar:
1. Real Web Property
Your blog needs to be a real web property. What I mean by this is that it needs to be a real domain, on hosting you are paying for. Free hosted blogs are not a viable investment for most companies and corporations. There are exceptions to every rule and I'm sure that there have been a few sales of extremely popular Blogspot blogs, but unless you have a million visitors a month, you're probably not going to sell a free hosted blog anytime soon. Buy a domain, pay for some hosting, build something that has value.
2. Professional Appearance
Your blog or website needs to have a professional appearance. Custom design is always better, but at the very least, it needs to have a template or layout that fits that blog's readership or market. If you have poor graphics, even if your blog has monster traffic, you'll sell it for much less than you could have if you had professional web design. It's sort of like house flipping or selling a used car. If you can afford it, a fresh coat of paint usually brings the resell value up substantially.
3. Developed Traffic Sources
Potential buyers want to see traffic. Not just any traffic will do for most serious investors. They want to see solid, search engine traffic and a solid bookmarked reader base. StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking websites are awesome traffic sources, no doubt. But when it comes to someone buying your blog, they want to see more than just a few traffic spikes from a front page listing on Digg. They want to see that the traffic is going to keep coming for months and years to come. Without a lot of work if they can get it.
4. Documented Traffic Statistics
It is going to take more than just the summary of "hits" screen capture from your webalizer stats to make the sale. You are going to need at least three months history of actual traffic statistics. Unique visitors, tracking cookie info if you have it, Google Analytics, etc. Numbers, numbers, numbers. Corporations want numbers in order to convince their board of directors that your blog would be a sound investment. Private investors are no different for the most part and they want to know exactly what they are buying when it comes down the actual traffic your blog has.
5. Profit and Loss
Lots of income statistics. If you are looking to sell your blog or website for real money (read more than a few bucks nabbed on EBAY) then you are going to need to show your buyer some stats about money. P&L statements (Profit and Loss) for as far back as you can go will help your buyer make his or her decision. It is one thing to tell a potential buyer what the gross income per month is, it's a completely different thing to show them exactly what the net income is and how it is obtained each month. Keep good records of your website expenditures and what the income received from those investments are. Include every cost. Website hosting, design, redesign, employee or outsourcing costs, whatever. Include everything and show them the real bottom line.
6. Set a Fair Price
I know you love your site, I love all of mine too. So it's easy to attach an emotional value to your blog and inflate the price. It's also really easy to confuse a blog's actual value with your vision of it's potential value. What you think the site will make someday and what it's making now are two very different things. Sorry, but what you think it will make someday has zero value to a would be investor. They only want to know what the net profit is, right now. Yes, you can take some long term income growth statistics and make profit projections, but unless you have these statistics going back a year or more, most buyers are going to dismiss them entirely.
Set a real price. In the bricks and mortar world most companies sell for 2 to 3 years of the total net income. Online, this number is usually cut down to one year. So if your website is netting $300 per month, the actual value of your blog is probably somewhere around $3600. Once again, it's easy to add an emotional price tag for all the hard work you've done to get that blog makíng $300 clams a month, but your sweat equity doesn't mean much to a buyer.
Neither do website values created with online calculators. These sites are traffic magnets and are built totally to obtain webmaster traffic. If you search long enough and hard enough, you'll find a website value calculator that comes up with a number you like. It still means nothing to a buyer. It's not what your site is really worth and should have no bearing whatsoever on your sale price.
About The Author
Chuck Crawford is an established expert in web design, traffic development and website financial analysis. He has been helping people design and develop their internet business since 1995. Visit http://www.business blogs.us/blog/ .
Friday, April 24, 2009
Top 7 Reasons to Submit Articles
If you haven't already done so, you should be promoting your
website through Articles submissions.
1) You want to build credibility and by submitting articles,
you will eventually be known as an expert in your topic.
This will enable you to compete with your competition.
2) Many publishers often pick up works from other authors to
use on their homepage as content. It they do this and use
your resource box it will give you additional exposure.
3) You'll be able to brand your website and yourself by
submitting articles to ezines. You should always include
your name, business name, your credentials, Web site
address and email address in your resource box.
4) Many of the ezine sites are free to advertise in the
sites.
5) Sometime ezine publishers archive their files. If they
do then when visitors revisiti those articles, you will
continue to get exposure for years to come
6) You might be able make money writing articles or books
for others if people like your work.
7) You could allow ezine publishers to publish your
articles in theirfree e-books.
These are all good method but the problem is it takes too
long to submit articles to 20 ezine sites and hundreds of
other publishers.
Here is a fast and easy way to submit articles to hundreds
of ezine publishers.
Just go to http://www.getresponse.com
website through Articles submissions.
1) You want to build credibility and by submitting articles,
you will eventually be known as an expert in your topic.
This will enable you to compete with your competition.
2) Many publishers often pick up works from other authors to
use on their homepage as content. It they do this and use
your resource box it will give you additional exposure.
3) You'll be able to brand your website and yourself by
submitting articles to ezines. You should always include
your name, business name, your credentials, Web site
address and email address in your resource box.
4) Many of the ezine sites are free to advertise in the
sites.
5) Sometime ezine publishers archive their files. If they
do then when visitors revisiti those articles, you will
continue to get exposure for years to come
6) You might be able make money writing articles or books
for others if people like your work.
7) You could allow ezine publishers to publish your
articles in theirfree e-books.
These are all good method but the problem is it takes too
long to submit articles to 20 ezine sites and hundreds of
other publishers.
Here is a fast and easy way to submit articles to hundreds
of ezine publishers.
Just go to http://www.getresponse.com
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Ten Of The Internet's Best SEO Tips!
A good tip is a great gift to those who are in need of advice, I love the quote "give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day - teach a man to fish, you will feed him for a life time!"
If the tips are on SEO, they are bound to attract attention. So, we've compiled a list of TEN of the best SEO tips to be found on the Internet. Don't believe us? Find out for yourself now!
Let your content drive your website. Content is the king, the absolute truth and nothing but. Well-researched, authoritative and unique content that uses the keywords strategically to obtain top rankings, and attract inbound links is a MUST! Never compromise with the quality of your site's content.
Another royalty you can't do without are Links! Focus on building a network of the best quality backlinks for your website using your top keyword phrase(s) and your website name. Only link with sites that can offer you something substantial to chew up on. If it's not good, don't bite the bait!
Are you suffering from Pagerank obsession? Don't! Pageranking, despite what many SEO experts say, are just a small part of your SEO plan. The ranking algorithm is complicated; believe us when we tell you, a lower pageranked site can actually surpass a higher ranked site. So get a good night's sleep and rethink your SEO strategy. Pagerank is a great determination of a websites popularity, however, it won't be the major factor in gaining website traffic.
Stay fresh and update regularly. Yes, if you want to climb higher on search rankings ladder, make sure your site has fresh and useful content. Regularly updating your website's content is the best way to catch the eye of the search engine robot.
Dig for top search phrases instead of single keywords. The search phrases used by people and incorporated in your content will make it easier for your website to show up as a relevant search result.
Getting localized is also a very important SEO tip that few may share with you. When developing the content for your site, make sure you keep 'localization' in mind. This helps you win brownie points with the local users and the cherry on the top is that you get local customers. We recommend creating state and city specific pages to attract website traffic that would have previously never visited your website.
Always use text links on your website pages if using Java script for image maps, image links, or drop down menu. Since spiders don't follow Java script properly, text links are crucial from a SEO point of view. If your navigation links are images, place text links somewhere on your pages as well.
Always keep SEO in mind when designing your website. More importantly, your website designer must be an expert at Organic SEO. Try to design a simple website that doesn't have heavy Flash. Less graphics will give you better crawl-ability and trust from the search engines. This is because search engine robots crawl the text rather than images or Flash. Also ensure that your pages load quickly, we believe this will make a positive impact for the search engines.
Use search friendly URL's and meta tags, this will help to improve your rankings. If you change your URL's for sub pages, consider using 301 redirects to fix the file names and transfer page value.
Finally, proof read your all your content including taglines, copy etc. and make sure all the links are working before you go live with it. Always provide quality information on your website, getting the visitors is a hard and time consuming process, so make sure your website visitors like what they find when they visit your website!
My opinion is this, a great website is an always evolving and improving website. So work hard, and reap the benefits over time!
About the Author: Joel McLaughlin - Learn more about Dataflurry.
A good tip is a great gift to those who are in need of advice, I love the quote "give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day - teach a man to fish, you will feed him for a life time!"
If the tips are on SEO, they are bound to attract attention. So, we've compiled a list of TEN of the best SEO tips to be found on the Internet. Don't believe us? Find out for yourself now!
Let your content drive your website. Content is the king, the absolute truth and nothing but. Well-researched, authoritative and unique content that uses the keywords strategically to obtain top rankings, and attract inbound links is a MUST! Never compromise with the quality of your site's content.
Another royalty you can't do without are Links! Focus on building a network of the best quality backlinks for your website using your top keyword phrase(s) and your website name. Only link with sites that can offer you something substantial to chew up on. If it's not good, don't bite the bait!
Are you suffering from Pagerank obsession? Don't! Pageranking, despite what many SEO experts say, are just a small part of your SEO plan. The ranking algorithm is complicated; believe us when we tell you, a lower pageranked site can actually surpass a higher ranked site. So get a good night's sleep and rethink your SEO strategy. Pagerank is a great determination of a websites popularity, however, it won't be the major factor in gaining website traffic.
Stay fresh and update regularly. Yes, if you want to climb higher on search rankings ladder, make sure your site has fresh and useful content. Regularly updating your website's content is the best way to catch the eye of the search engine robot.
Dig for top search phrases instead of single keywords. The search phrases used by people and incorporated in your content will make it easier for your website to show up as a relevant search result.
Getting localized is also a very important SEO tip that few may share with you. When developing the content for your site, make sure you keep 'localization' in mind. This helps you win brownie points with the local users and the cherry on the top is that you get local customers. We recommend creating state and city specific pages to attract website traffic that would have previously never visited your website.
Always use text links on your website pages if using Java script for image maps, image links, or drop down menu. Since spiders don't follow Java script properly, text links are crucial from a SEO point of view. If your navigation links are images, place text links somewhere on your pages as well.
Always keep SEO in mind when designing your website. More importantly, your website designer must be an expert at Organic SEO. Try to design a simple website that doesn't have heavy Flash. Less graphics will give you better crawl-ability and trust from the search engines. This is because search engine robots crawl the text rather than images or Flash. Also ensure that your pages load quickly, we believe this will make a positive impact for the search engines.
Use search friendly URL's and meta tags, this will help to improve your rankings. If you change your URL's for sub pages, consider using 301 redirects to fix the file names and transfer page value.
Finally, proof read your all your content including taglines, copy etc. and make sure all the links are working before you go live with it. Always provide quality information on your website, getting the visitors is a hard and time consuming process, so make sure your website visitors like what they find when they visit your website!
My opinion is this, a great website is an always evolving and improving website. So work hard, and reap the benefits over time!
About the Author: Joel McLaughlin - Learn more about Dataflurry.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
11 email design best practices
1. Before you start
Prior to constructing your email, make sure that your message is clear and concise. Develop and refine what you want to say so that readers don't lose interest or get confused about what your call-to-action is. What is your offer? How will reading and clicking through this email help the reader? Make sure they know what's in it for them. Before and during the building process, continually ask yourself, "What would I think if I got this in my inbox? Would I immediately delete it? Or worse, report it as spam?" Rule No. 1 -- don't be spam.
Even the most compelling message can be rendered ineffective if it's presented in an undesirable way to your readers. During this process you may encounter many challenges and obstacles. Your design team may want to create something striking and beautiful, but your audience may not want it. At the same time, don't throw readers for a loop with a design that is off-brand. Your email design should be able to flow well with the look of your website as well as any pieces collateral offered. Consistency is good. Also, design the email around your readers by responding to their personality. Are they tech savvy? Parents? Students?
2. Email design 2.0
We all know the basic components of email, but let's face it -- your emails have to be pretty sexy to be read in this day in age.
With the amount of email the average person gets bombarded with, email marketers need to be more targeted and relevant than ever as they continually strive to stand out. In this hectic email marketing landscape, it's very important to send precise emails that resonate strongly with your readers. This means never overlooking any aspect of your campaign.
Try using a campaign checklist to ensure you always send a well-designed, optimized email that will be more likely to get great results.
3. Layout and theme
The hierarchy of messaging is your secret weapon to great email design.
First, keep your layout simple and free from complex tables by avoiding unnecessary embedded rows and columns.
Second, make sure that you achieve balance between the amount of text and images your email contains. Non-text content such as videos or background images should not be used as the main focus. Replace them with an attractive call-to-action button that will lead to a landing page with the promised content.
Since many users simply scan emails in lieu of reading them, it's important to make your copy easy to process. There are several ways to ensure your message is easy to scan. Try a light background with dark copy, placed in short, centered lines that read vertically above the fold.
Another effective approach is to make sure that your important content is placed in an F-shaped pattern. Studies show that readers will first view the headline, followed by the text down the side and finally the middle section of text.
4. F-shaped pattern in action
This design for the InFocus projector took advantage of the dominant reading pattern, which typically follows an F-shaped pattern. Since readers almost always skim content, it's important to have the crucially important information and primary calls-to-action strategically located in the content.
* Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F's top bar.
* Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This additional element forms the F's lower bar.
* Finally, users scan the content's left side in a vertical movement. Sometimes this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid stripe on an eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a spottier heatmap. This last element forms the F's stem. (Source: trustpass.info)
5. Who's it from?
A study conducted by eROI found that 50.98 percent of companies are listing their header as from "the company." Examine how your readers associate their experience with you. Is it on the whole or individually? If you understand how your readers view the company, you can determine how to best send the email.
For example, an organization can use a personalized "from name" (e.g., John Smith) for its sales emails and send them from an individual sales representative. For sales purposes, this can help establish the one-to-one relationship that is crucial to closing deals.
On the other hand, that same organization can use a branded company name as the "from name" (e.g., XYZ Corporation) for its newsletters, as such communications speak to a more general audience.
6. Site navigation in email
Nearly 30 percent of marketers duplicate their site navigation in email. Of those, 15 percent find it more effective than the main content in driving clicks, while 11 percent of marketers find their navigation converts better than the main content of their email.
Using site navigation as part of your email design can keep the user experience consistent from email to website to checkout, as evident in these emails from Expedia and The Gap, which focus on transactional messaging and driving traffic to their ecommerce sites. Also notice the two different ways each brand uses the pre-header, which we'll explore further later in this piece.
7. Subject lines -- this is only a test
Did you know only 25 percent of marketers are testing subject lines on a regular basis? If you're not constantly testing, you're missing opportunities to find out which ones maximize opens and conversions.
Before you test, make sure that your subject line is relevant to the call-to-action in your email. Subject line studies by Alchemy Worx and other groups have shown that using a subject line with 72 or more characters gives added relevance, increasing click through and conversion. Likewise, by going with a subject line that's 60 characters or less, the open rate will tend to increase.
The area between 60 and 72 has been shown to be a "dead zone."
8. Pre-header and footer: Do you have one? Is it working?
The pre-header and footer are two of the most important elements of your email. The pre-header is located at the very top of your email, and is what your reader is going to see before scrolling down into the body of the email.
Currently, one-quarter of companies do not use any type of pre-header, and 80 percent do not use white list instructions. Surprisingly, snippet text is only used by about 13 percent of marketers. Again, it's crucial for campaign optimization to test using the pre-header a few different ways in order to find out what works best for different campaigns and audiences.
With the footer, make sure that you include an option for readers to view the email by mobile device. Currently, 75 percent of marketers are providing a good user experience by having links for profile and subscription management, yet fewer than 10 percent create a mobile version of their email.
Don't be a statistic! Get ahead and grab those customers who want to view your emails on mobile devices.
9. Use HTML: Got images?
The biggest advantage of HTML emails is the ability to display images. Images help convey brand messaging better than words and can excite and entice the reader to be receptive and interact with your company. But, for those email providers who do not display HTML, make sure you are able to reach your entire audience by linking to a text version available in the pre-header.
Finally, make sure that you have alt tags on all images. By describing the image simply in an alt tag, you will be able to help with user accessibility and tell them what is going on in the image in case it's not displayed or it's blocked in their email.
10. Preview pane: Engage before the open
This is what we at eROI call "prime real estate." This is the window below your inbox that previews the email and is found in many popular email clients such as Outlook and MacMail.
To ensure that the reader is engaged and can clearly view the email, our recommendation is that emails be between 550 and 700 pixels wide. Also make sure that the purpose and call-to-action of the email is made apparent in the top 300 pixels so that readers can see the email even if they don't open it.
This top area is a great location to place your company logo. In addition, design several different background scenarios so that you can cater to each email client's specifications.
11. Test it and tune it
The last steps before you launch your brilliantly designed email are testing and tuning. Our years of email campaign trials, tribulations, and testing have helped us to develop these tips and tricks for you. Follow them closely and you'll have less to adjust and fix before you launch your campaign. Keep in mind that testing is the single most important part of your campaign; without it, you're just flushing away money. Testing lets you know how your email campaigns perform across different email clients and will alert you to any spam traps that you may fall into.
There are four easy tests that you'll want to conduct through the use of an A/B split. This will allow you to learn more about your subscribers and what they react and gravitate to in your messaging.
The first test is between short and vague subject lines versus long and detailed subject lines. When looking at the results for open rates, clicks, and conversions, you may find that you get a lower open rate with longer subject lines, but a higher conversion rate.
The second test is pretty straightforward. You will compare the results of a graphical button versus a textual link in order to find out which gets the most clicks.
Next, send out a test that compares the results of "$" versus "%" in your subject line and/or body copy. Your readers might react differently to dollars versus percentages.
The last test before you launch is to compare the results of emails sent at different times of the week. For a start, try Tuesdays versus Saturdays.
After completing the final tests, you're on the homestretch.
The last step is to adjust those elements of the email that did not perform well in the test. Make sure you analyze the results and make adjustments to create the most appealing and effective email before you launch.
With these tips and tricks in mind you should be able to create well-designed and performing emails in no time.
Ryan Buchanan is CEO of eROI.
Prior to constructing your email, make sure that your message is clear and concise. Develop and refine what you want to say so that readers don't lose interest or get confused about what your call-to-action is. What is your offer? How will reading and clicking through this email help the reader? Make sure they know what's in it for them. Before and during the building process, continually ask yourself, "What would I think if I got this in my inbox? Would I immediately delete it? Or worse, report it as spam?" Rule No. 1 -- don't be spam.
Even the most compelling message can be rendered ineffective if it's presented in an undesirable way to your readers. During this process you may encounter many challenges and obstacles. Your design team may want to create something striking and beautiful, but your audience may not want it. At the same time, don't throw readers for a loop with a design that is off-brand. Your email design should be able to flow well with the look of your website as well as any pieces collateral offered. Consistency is good. Also, design the email around your readers by responding to their personality. Are they tech savvy? Parents? Students?
2. Email design 2.0
We all know the basic components of email, but let's face it -- your emails have to be pretty sexy to be read in this day in age.
With the amount of email the average person gets bombarded with, email marketers need to be more targeted and relevant than ever as they continually strive to stand out. In this hectic email marketing landscape, it's very important to send precise emails that resonate strongly with your readers. This means never overlooking any aspect of your campaign.
Try using a campaign checklist to ensure you always send a well-designed, optimized email that will be more likely to get great results.
3. Layout and theme
The hierarchy of messaging is your secret weapon to great email design.
First, keep your layout simple and free from complex tables by avoiding unnecessary embedded rows and columns.
Second, make sure that you achieve balance between the amount of text and images your email contains. Non-text content such as videos or background images should not be used as the main focus. Replace them with an attractive call-to-action button that will lead to a landing page with the promised content.
Since many users simply scan emails in lieu of reading them, it's important to make your copy easy to process. There are several ways to ensure your message is easy to scan. Try a light background with dark copy, placed in short, centered lines that read vertically above the fold.
Another effective approach is to make sure that your important content is placed in an F-shaped pattern. Studies show that readers will first view the headline, followed by the text down the side and finally the middle section of text.
4. F-shaped pattern in action
This design for the InFocus projector took advantage of the dominant reading pattern, which typically follows an F-shaped pattern. Since readers almost always skim content, it's important to have the crucially important information and primary calls-to-action strategically located in the content.
* Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F's top bar.
* Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This additional element forms the F's lower bar.
* Finally, users scan the content's left side in a vertical movement. Sometimes this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid stripe on an eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a spottier heatmap. This last element forms the F's stem. (Source: trustpass.info)
5. Who's it from?
A study conducted by eROI found that 50.98 percent of companies are listing their header as from "the company." Examine how your readers associate their experience with you. Is it on the whole or individually? If you understand how your readers view the company, you can determine how to best send the email.
For example, an organization can use a personalized "from name" (e.g., John Smith) for its sales emails and send them from an individual sales representative. For sales purposes, this can help establish the one-to-one relationship that is crucial to closing deals.
On the other hand, that same organization can use a branded company name as the "from name" (e.g., XYZ Corporation) for its newsletters, as such communications speak to a more general audience.
6. Site navigation in email
Nearly 30 percent of marketers duplicate their site navigation in email. Of those, 15 percent find it more effective than the main content in driving clicks, while 11 percent of marketers find their navigation converts better than the main content of their email.
Using site navigation as part of your email design can keep the user experience consistent from email to website to checkout, as evident in these emails from Expedia and The Gap, which focus on transactional messaging and driving traffic to their ecommerce sites. Also notice the two different ways each brand uses the pre-header, which we'll explore further later in this piece.
7. Subject lines -- this is only a test
Did you know only 25 percent of marketers are testing subject lines on a regular basis? If you're not constantly testing, you're missing opportunities to find out which ones maximize opens and conversions.
Before you test, make sure that your subject line is relevant to the call-to-action in your email. Subject line studies by Alchemy Worx and other groups have shown that using a subject line with 72 or more characters gives added relevance, increasing click through and conversion. Likewise, by going with a subject line that's 60 characters or less, the open rate will tend to increase.
The area between 60 and 72 has been shown to be a "dead zone."
8. Pre-header and footer: Do you have one? Is it working?
The pre-header and footer are two of the most important elements of your email. The pre-header is located at the very top of your email, and is what your reader is going to see before scrolling down into the body of the email.
Currently, one-quarter of companies do not use any type of pre-header, and 80 percent do not use white list instructions. Surprisingly, snippet text is only used by about 13 percent of marketers. Again, it's crucial for campaign optimization to test using the pre-header a few different ways in order to find out what works best for different campaigns and audiences.
With the footer, make sure that you include an option for readers to view the email by mobile device. Currently, 75 percent of marketers are providing a good user experience by having links for profile and subscription management, yet fewer than 10 percent create a mobile version of their email.
Don't be a statistic! Get ahead and grab those customers who want to view your emails on mobile devices.
9. Use HTML: Got images?
The biggest advantage of HTML emails is the ability to display images. Images help convey brand messaging better than words and can excite and entice the reader to be receptive and interact with your company. But, for those email providers who do not display HTML, make sure you are able to reach your entire audience by linking to a text version available in the pre-header.
Finally, make sure that you have alt tags on all images. By describing the image simply in an alt tag, you will be able to help with user accessibility and tell them what is going on in the image in case it's not displayed or it's blocked in their email.
10. Preview pane: Engage before the open
This is what we at eROI call "prime real estate." This is the window below your inbox that previews the email and is found in many popular email clients such as Outlook and MacMail.
To ensure that the reader is engaged and can clearly view the email, our recommendation is that emails be between 550 and 700 pixels wide. Also make sure that the purpose and call-to-action of the email is made apparent in the top 300 pixels so that readers can see the email even if they don't open it.
This top area is a great location to place your company logo. In addition, design several different background scenarios so that you can cater to each email client's specifications.
11. Test it and tune it
The last steps before you launch your brilliantly designed email are testing and tuning. Our years of email campaign trials, tribulations, and testing have helped us to develop these tips and tricks for you. Follow them closely and you'll have less to adjust and fix before you launch your campaign. Keep in mind that testing is the single most important part of your campaign; without it, you're just flushing away money. Testing lets you know how your email campaigns perform across different email clients and will alert you to any spam traps that you may fall into.
There are four easy tests that you'll want to conduct through the use of an A/B split. This will allow you to learn more about your subscribers and what they react and gravitate to in your messaging.
The first test is between short and vague subject lines versus long and detailed subject lines. When looking at the results for open rates, clicks, and conversions, you may find that you get a lower open rate with longer subject lines, but a higher conversion rate.
The second test is pretty straightforward. You will compare the results of a graphical button versus a textual link in order to find out which gets the most clicks.
Next, send out a test that compares the results of "$" versus "%" in your subject line and/or body copy. Your readers might react differently to dollars versus percentages.
The last test before you launch is to compare the results of emails sent at different times of the week. For a start, try Tuesdays versus Saturdays.
After completing the final tests, you're on the homestretch.
The last step is to adjust those elements of the email that did not perform well in the test. Make sure you analyze the results and make adjustments to create the most appealing and effective email before you launch.
With these tips and tricks in mind you should be able to create well-designed and performing emails in no time.
Ryan Buchanan is CEO of eROI.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
10 Quick Tips to Boost Sales on Your Site
Small changes can often make a difference in whether a customer at your Web site purchases from you or hits the back button to look for a better alternative.
The 10 initiatives below can boost the sales on your site, helping you to weather economic storms and position you to sprint ahead of the pack once conditions change.
1. Clean up your shopping cart and conversion paths.
In tough economic times, you are likely to have fewer customers ready to buy. Customers will often visit your site multiple times or visit multiple sites before buying anything. Don't let a clumsy shopping cart or unclear conversion path drive them away.
Use your analytics to review your shopping cart. Look for cracks where you leak customers during the conversion process.
Next, learn why customers abandon your cart. Is the check-out process too long, or are the sale terms unclear? Is your return policy clear? Are shipping options and costs immediately available and clearly spelled out?
Finally, look for barriers to conversion. Can you simplify or clarify the steps? Strive for a purchase path as simple as Amazon's one click, which puts up almost no barriers.
2. Mine your internal search data.
Consumers have their hands in their pockets and are not spending as much. Are you sure you know exactly what they are looking for on your site? Are you offering them what they want?
Your internal search can provide a wealth of information about what site visitors want but might not find. Use this data to shift your market offerings to mesh with current consumer demands.
During previous recessions, consumers have focused on repairing their homes, autos and appliances, rather than getting new ones. If you offer repair parts, highlight their availability on your site.
3. Consider adding customer reviews.
Preliminary data has shown that consumers are using the Web to research products before they make a purchase. The Web and search have become their primary product and price research tools. If you add only one feature to your offering, it should be some form of user reviews.
If you cannot add a full review offering through a vendor such as Bazaarvoice, Aggregate Knowledge, Loomia or Buzzillions, then consider mining your own customer-service information for testimonials. Don't include only product reviews. Make sure that you include customer reviews of your service and customer support.
You want the consumer to stop researching and start buying at your site. Skittish consumers need to read reviews that boost their confidence in both the product and the vendor.
4. Study your competition.
Use tools such as Compete.com, NetPeriscope.com and Hitwise.com to monitor how the competition is doing. The more you know, the better you can position your business or site to take advantage of any opportunities that might arise in a changing competitive environment.
Visit your competitors' sites frequently. Look at their offers. Businesses in economic trouble frequently run multiple sales, one after another, to try to raise operating funds. They also do not add new merchandise. This is harder to see on the Web than in brick-and mortar-stores, but it can be done.
5. Tune your keywords to consumer attitudes.
With consumer confidence at record lows, be sure that the language you use on your site reassures and comforts the consumer. As an online merchant, your site's language must express good value.
Use value-laden words such as "inexpensive," "best value," "low-priced," "discount" or other terms that imply real savings. Also, you can point out best-selling and best-value items to assure hesitant consumers that they are making the right decisions on your site.
6. Tune your PPC search keywords to the consumer.
In the same way, be sure to tune your PPC search keywords to focus on value-driven keywords.
Also, as you work with your PPC budget, focus on the keywords that convert to sales. Now might not necessarily be the best time to bid on those broad category keywords that convert relatively poorly. Choose keywords that offer real returns for the business.
7. Tighten up your SEO efforts.
Make sure that you are at least doing all of the basics. Each page on your site, including every product page, should have a unique Title and a meta Description that includes a call to action.
The first line of the search results in Google is the Title. The meta Description is often the second line. By tuning your Titles and Descriptions, you can take advantage of this opportunity to sell. Don't miss out on getting that first click from a search page to your site's page.
8. Test your templates.
Instead of doing a major site overhaul, test your templates using heat-mapping tools like Crazy Egg to check how users are interacting with your pages.
Do visitors to the home page immediately turn to the search box? This might suggest problems with your navigation. Do visitors click on static images, expecting them to link directly to products shown in the images? Is the "buy" button clear and visible to every visitor?
With this type of information, you can improve your site's performance without having to remake it completely.
9. Tune your landing pages.
If you buy PPC traffic, you must provide landing pages that are clearly relevant to your PPC keywords.
All too often, marketers send their PPC traffic to the home page instead of a carefully selected or created page. To get even more value from your PPC efforts, try tuning your landing pages with Google's Website Optimizer, a no-cost tool that will help you improve your PPC performance. Develop and run a few tests, and watch the improvement.
10. Review your metrics regularly.
One of the most powerful features available in almost all the analytics packages is the ability to compare data year over year. Use this comparative information to assess your program's health and to drive your marketing efforts. Don't let the data mislead you.
For example, a late Thanksgiving creates a foreshortened sales cycle for the Christmas season. Retailers must interpret their analytics data in the context of the sales cycle, not just as it is displayed in calendar dates.
Amanda Watlington, Ph.D., A.P.R., is an Internet Marketing Consultant and owner of Searching for Profit, Charlestown, Mass.
The 10 initiatives below can boost the sales on your site, helping you to weather economic storms and position you to sprint ahead of the pack once conditions change.
1. Clean up your shopping cart and conversion paths.
In tough economic times, you are likely to have fewer customers ready to buy. Customers will often visit your site multiple times or visit multiple sites before buying anything. Don't let a clumsy shopping cart or unclear conversion path drive them away.
Use your analytics to review your shopping cart. Look for cracks where you leak customers during the conversion process.
Next, learn why customers abandon your cart. Is the check-out process too long, or are the sale terms unclear? Is your return policy clear? Are shipping options and costs immediately available and clearly spelled out?
Finally, look for barriers to conversion. Can you simplify or clarify the steps? Strive for a purchase path as simple as Amazon's one click, which puts up almost no barriers.
2. Mine your internal search data.
Consumers have their hands in their pockets and are not spending as much. Are you sure you know exactly what they are looking for on your site? Are you offering them what they want?
Your internal search can provide a wealth of information about what site visitors want but might not find. Use this data to shift your market offerings to mesh with current consumer demands.
During previous recessions, consumers have focused on repairing their homes, autos and appliances, rather than getting new ones. If you offer repair parts, highlight their availability on your site.
3. Consider adding customer reviews.
Preliminary data has shown that consumers are using the Web to research products before they make a purchase. The Web and search have become their primary product and price research tools. If you add only one feature to your offering, it should be some form of user reviews.
If you cannot add a full review offering through a vendor such as Bazaarvoice, Aggregate Knowledge, Loomia or Buzzillions, then consider mining your own customer-service information for testimonials. Don't include only product reviews. Make sure that you include customer reviews of your service and customer support.
You want the consumer to stop researching and start buying at your site. Skittish consumers need to read reviews that boost their confidence in both the product and the vendor.
4. Study your competition.
Use tools such as Compete.com, NetPeriscope.com and Hitwise.com to monitor how the competition is doing. The more you know, the better you can position your business or site to take advantage of any opportunities that might arise in a changing competitive environment.
Visit your competitors' sites frequently. Look at their offers. Businesses in economic trouble frequently run multiple sales, one after another, to try to raise operating funds. They also do not add new merchandise. This is harder to see on the Web than in brick-and mortar-stores, but it can be done.
5. Tune your keywords to consumer attitudes.
With consumer confidence at record lows, be sure that the language you use on your site reassures and comforts the consumer. As an online merchant, your site's language must express good value.
Use value-laden words such as "inexpensive," "best value," "low-priced," "discount" or other terms that imply real savings. Also, you can point out best-selling and best-value items to assure hesitant consumers that they are making the right decisions on your site.
6. Tune your PPC search keywords to the consumer.
In the same way, be sure to tune your PPC search keywords to focus on value-driven keywords.
Also, as you work with your PPC budget, focus on the keywords that convert to sales. Now might not necessarily be the best time to bid on those broad category keywords that convert relatively poorly. Choose keywords that offer real returns for the business.
7. Tighten up your SEO efforts.
Make sure that you are at least doing all of the basics. Each page on your site, including every product page, should have a unique Title and a meta Description that includes a call to action.
The first line of the search results in Google is the Title. The meta Description is often the second line. By tuning your Titles and Descriptions, you can take advantage of this opportunity to sell. Don't miss out on getting that first click from a search page to your site's page.
8. Test your templates.
Instead of doing a major site overhaul, test your templates using heat-mapping tools like Crazy Egg to check how users are interacting with your pages.
Do visitors to the home page immediately turn to the search box? This might suggest problems with your navigation. Do visitors click on static images, expecting them to link directly to products shown in the images? Is the "buy" button clear and visible to every visitor?
With this type of information, you can improve your site's performance without having to remake it completely.
9. Tune your landing pages.
If you buy PPC traffic, you must provide landing pages that are clearly relevant to your PPC keywords.
All too often, marketers send their PPC traffic to the home page instead of a carefully selected or created page. To get even more value from your PPC efforts, try tuning your landing pages with Google's Website Optimizer, a no-cost tool that will help you improve your PPC performance. Develop and run a few tests, and watch the improvement.
10. Review your metrics regularly.
One of the most powerful features available in almost all the analytics packages is the ability to compare data year over year. Use this comparative information to assess your program's health and to drive your marketing efforts. Don't let the data mislead you.
For example, a late Thanksgiving creates a foreshortened sales cycle for the Christmas season. Retailers must interpret their analytics data in the context of the sales cycle, not just as it is displayed in calendar dates.
Amanda Watlington, Ph.D., A.P.R., is an Internet Marketing Consultant and owner of Searching for Profit, Charlestown, Mass.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Unlimited PR4 Backlinks
Simply go to digg.com....go to pages that are older than 365 days guaranteed high page rank pages their...you can find some
in the newer sections of digg too...But go to pages older than 365 days....click on the comments of these stories and take
a look....Tell me what do you see...You will see high page rank pages....Most of them PR5 and up....Now all you do is
make a comment and post your url like this hxxp://www.yourdomainname.com and that's it...Your link is now on a
high page rank page for free.....Now just search around and keep looking you will find some pages that are really really
high page rank such as pr8, Pr7 and more....Usually you'll want to choose the ones with the most diggs because they will
usually have higher page rank...Now shhhh keep this quiet because too many people doing this will lose its effectiveness...
First go to digg.com
2nd go to pages 365 older
3rd post comment on high page rank pages with link in comment
4...repeat and repeat...
in the newer sections of digg too...But go to pages older than 365 days....click on the comments of these stories and take
a look....Tell me what do you see...You will see high page rank pages....Most of them PR5 and up....Now all you do is
make a comment and post your url like this hxxp://www.yourdomainname.com and that's it...Your link is now on a
high page rank page for free.....Now just search around and keep looking you will find some pages that are really really
high page rank such as pr8, Pr7 and more....Usually you'll want to choose the ones with the most diggs because they will
usually have higher page rank...Now shhhh keep this quiet because too many people doing this will lose its effectiveness...
First go to digg.com
2nd go to pages 365 older
3rd post comment on high page rank pages with link in comment
4...repeat and repeat...
Friday, November 14, 2008
50 Simple Ways to Gain RSS Subscribers
1. Have a big RSS icon. People are lazy. You need to keep that fact always in mind. If you use a little RSS icon, visitors might have a problem finding it. Most of those will just give up after a couple of seconds, so make sure the RSS icon is big and easily recognizable.
2. Display the RSS icon above the fold. Apart from using a big RSS icon, you must make sure that you display it above the fold. That is where most blogs have one, and that is where people are used to look for when they want to subscribe, so go with the flow.
3. Display the RSS icon on every page of your blog. When I started blogging I did this mistake. Only my homepage used to have an RSS icon…. As soon as I added it to every single page on the blog, the number of subscribers jumped.
4. Use words. Depending on your audience, just using an RSS icon might not be effective. If they aren’t tech-savvy, they might not know what that little orange thing is. In those cases, you can write a small message explaining that subscribing will allow them to keep updated with your posts and so on.
5. Write a post asking for people to subscribe. Ever heard the saying “Ask and thou shalt receive”? This principle works on most areas of our lives. Blogging is no exception. If you want people to subscribe to your feed, ask them to! Write a post about it, give them some reasons and you will see how they respond.
6. Use the FeedSmith plugin. Unless you hand code a lot of redirects on your blog, readers will still be able to subscribe to different RSS feeds provided by WordPress. This plugin will make sure that all your subscribers will be forwarded to the Feedburner feed, so that you can track them and control how your feed is formatted.
7. Offer email subscriptions. Like it or not, only a small percentage of the Internet users know about or use RSS feeds. Studies confirm that this number is below 10% around the world. Why would you want to miss the other 90% of the pie? If you use Feedburner, you just need to go on the “Publicize” tab to activate your email subscriptions.
8. Use an email subscription form. For most bloggers, an email subscription form will convert better than a simple “Subscribe via email” link. That is because Internet users are used to seeing those forms around, and typing their email address there is quite intuitive. The top of your sidebar is a good spot to place one.
9. Encourage readers to subscribe at the bottom of every post. Apart from having an RSS icon and email subscription form above the fold, it is also important to place them below each single post. Why? Because right after people finish reading your articles, they will look for something to do next, and subscribing to your blog is a good option. Additionally, if the article they just read was really good, they will be on the right mindset to subscribe and receive more of your articles in the future.
10. As few steps as possible. People are lazy (I know I mentioned it before, but it is worth re-emphasizing). The fewer the steps required for them to subscribe to your blog, the better. If you can reduce the number of clicks required, therefore, do it!
11. Use icons to offer subscription on the most popular RSS readers. One practical thing that you can do to reduce the number of steps required to subscribe to your feed is to use RSS reader specific icons (e.g., “Add to Google Reader” or “Subscribe on Bloglines”). Just analyze the most common RSS readers among your subscribers and add those icons to the sidebar.
12. Have clear focus on your blog. If you write about 10 different topics, it will be hard to convince people to subscribe to your blog. They might like your articles about technology, but they would hate to receive the house cleaning ones…. Having a clear focus is one of the most efficient ways to attract subscribers.
13. Publish new posts frequently and consistently. By frequently I mean publishing many posts per week or even per day, and by consistently I mean sticking with that frequency religiously. Those two factors will communicate to the visitors that your blog is active, and that subscribing to the RSS feed might be the best way to stay updated with it indeed.
14. Don’t exaggerate. While writing many posts per week or per day is usually a good thing, there is a limit to it. Many people mention that if a certain blog starts overwhelming them with dozens of new posts a day, they will just unsubscribe. The exceptions to this rule are the blogs on fast paced niches like gadget news.
15. Write valuable content. People will only subscribe to your RSS feed if there is some value that they can derive from it. This value might come from different different factors depending on your audience: it may come from the breaking news that you offer, from the deep analysis that you write, or from the funny things you say and so on, but it must be there.
16. Write unique content. You content might be valuable, but if people can find it elsewhere, they will have no reason to subscribe to your RSS feed. For example, suppose you copy all posts from a popular blog on your niche, say Lifehacker. You content would still be valuable, but it would not be unique, and most people would end up subscribing to the original source.
17. Don’t ramble or go off topic. If your blog has a clear focus as we suggested before, readers will subscribe to it for a very specific reason. If you then start writing about off topic stuff, it will annoy a great part of them. Just consider that a bad or unrelated post is worse than no post at all, since it might make some of your readers actually unsubscribe.
18. Use your RSS feed link when commenting on other blogs. Many bloggers have the habit of commenting on other people’s blogs. Some do it simply to join the conversation. Others because they want to promote their own blogs and generate some traffic. Either way, you can leave your RSS feed link instead of the website one to encourage people to subscribe to your feed (if you use Feedburner, they will be able to see your content anyway).
19. Run a contest. Contests are very popular on the blogosphere. If you have a somewhat popular blog, in fact, it is not difficult to raise some prizes and create one. By making subscribing to your RSS feed a requirement to participate, you could quickly boost the number of subscribers that you have. If you want to control who is going to take this action, use the email subscription method.
20. Offer random prizes to your subscribers. If you are not a fan of contests and competitions, you could always entice people to subscribe to your RSS feed by giving away random prizes. For example, if some company approaches you to donate some free copies of its product, you could in turn donate it to your subscribers
21. Write guest posts. Guest posts represent a very efficient technique for generating both brand awareness and traffic. If you guest blog on a popular blog on your same niche, there is also a good chance that a good percentage of that incoming traffic will end up subscribing to your feed.
22. Welcome the new readers. Whenever you manage to land a guest post on a really popular blog, or when you get mentioned on a larger website or mainstream site, it could be a good idea to write a specific post to welcome those readers. Use that post to describe your blog briefly, to talk a bit about yourself, and to encourage them to subscribe.
23. Go popular on social bookmarking sites. Some people say that the quality of the traffic coming from social bookmarking sites (e.g., Digg and StumbleUpon) is very low. This is true to some extent, because those visitors will rarely click on anything on your page (including on the subscribe link). Because of the sheer amount of traffic that you can get on those sites, however, even a really small conversion rate could easily mean 200 or 300 new subscribers in a matter of 24 hours.
24. Explain to your readers what is RSS. As we mentioned before, it is estimated that less than 10% of the popular know about or use RSS feeds. Can you do anything about this? Sure you can! Write a post teaching your readers what RSS is, why it is good, and how they can start using it. It works particularly well on blogs that have a non tech-savvy audience.
25. Have a special “Subscribe” page with all the info and links there. Apart from writing a specific post teaching your readers about RSS, you can also create a special “Subscribe” page on your blog where you explain briefly how to use RSS feeds, and place all the subscription links, badges, and email forms. You could then link to that page from the sidebar, with a link that would say “Subscription Options” or “How to subscribe.”
To be continued
2. Display the RSS icon above the fold. Apart from using a big RSS icon, you must make sure that you display it above the fold. That is where most blogs have one, and that is where people are used to look for when they want to subscribe, so go with the flow.
3. Display the RSS icon on every page of your blog. When I started blogging I did this mistake. Only my homepage used to have an RSS icon…. As soon as I added it to every single page on the blog, the number of subscribers jumped.
4. Use words. Depending on your audience, just using an RSS icon might not be effective. If they aren’t tech-savvy, they might not know what that little orange thing is. In those cases, you can write a small message explaining that subscribing will allow them to keep updated with your posts and so on.
5. Write a post asking for people to subscribe. Ever heard the saying “Ask and thou shalt receive”? This principle works on most areas of our lives. Blogging is no exception. If you want people to subscribe to your feed, ask them to! Write a post about it, give them some reasons and you will see how they respond.
6. Use the FeedSmith plugin. Unless you hand code a lot of redirects on your blog, readers will still be able to subscribe to different RSS feeds provided by WordPress. This plugin will make sure that all your subscribers will be forwarded to the Feedburner feed, so that you can track them and control how your feed is formatted.
7. Offer email subscriptions. Like it or not, only a small percentage of the Internet users know about or use RSS feeds. Studies confirm that this number is below 10% around the world. Why would you want to miss the other 90% of the pie? If you use Feedburner, you just need to go on the “Publicize” tab to activate your email subscriptions.
8. Use an email subscription form. For most bloggers, an email subscription form will convert better than a simple “Subscribe via email” link. That is because Internet users are used to seeing those forms around, and typing their email address there is quite intuitive. The top of your sidebar is a good spot to place one.
9. Encourage readers to subscribe at the bottom of every post. Apart from having an RSS icon and email subscription form above the fold, it is also important to place them below each single post. Why? Because right after people finish reading your articles, they will look for something to do next, and subscribing to your blog is a good option. Additionally, if the article they just read was really good, they will be on the right mindset to subscribe and receive more of your articles in the future.
10. As few steps as possible. People are lazy (I know I mentioned it before, but it is worth re-emphasizing). The fewer the steps required for them to subscribe to your blog, the better. If you can reduce the number of clicks required, therefore, do it!
11. Use icons to offer subscription on the most popular RSS readers. One practical thing that you can do to reduce the number of steps required to subscribe to your feed is to use RSS reader specific icons (e.g., “Add to Google Reader” or “Subscribe on Bloglines”). Just analyze the most common RSS readers among your subscribers and add those icons to the sidebar.
12. Have clear focus on your blog. If you write about 10 different topics, it will be hard to convince people to subscribe to your blog. They might like your articles about technology, but they would hate to receive the house cleaning ones…. Having a clear focus is one of the most efficient ways to attract subscribers.
13. Publish new posts frequently and consistently. By frequently I mean publishing many posts per week or even per day, and by consistently I mean sticking with that frequency religiously. Those two factors will communicate to the visitors that your blog is active, and that subscribing to the RSS feed might be the best way to stay updated with it indeed.
14. Don’t exaggerate. While writing many posts per week or per day is usually a good thing, there is a limit to it. Many people mention that if a certain blog starts overwhelming them with dozens of new posts a day, they will just unsubscribe. The exceptions to this rule are the blogs on fast paced niches like gadget news.
15. Write valuable content. People will only subscribe to your RSS feed if there is some value that they can derive from it. This value might come from different different factors depending on your audience: it may come from the breaking news that you offer, from the deep analysis that you write, or from the funny things you say and so on, but it must be there.
16. Write unique content. You content might be valuable, but if people can find it elsewhere, they will have no reason to subscribe to your RSS feed. For example, suppose you copy all posts from a popular blog on your niche, say Lifehacker. You content would still be valuable, but it would not be unique, and most people would end up subscribing to the original source.
17. Don’t ramble or go off topic. If your blog has a clear focus as we suggested before, readers will subscribe to it for a very specific reason. If you then start writing about off topic stuff, it will annoy a great part of them. Just consider that a bad or unrelated post is worse than no post at all, since it might make some of your readers actually unsubscribe.
18. Use your RSS feed link when commenting on other blogs. Many bloggers have the habit of commenting on other people’s blogs. Some do it simply to join the conversation. Others because they want to promote their own blogs and generate some traffic. Either way, you can leave your RSS feed link instead of the website one to encourage people to subscribe to your feed (if you use Feedburner, they will be able to see your content anyway).
19. Run a contest. Contests are very popular on the blogosphere. If you have a somewhat popular blog, in fact, it is not difficult to raise some prizes and create one. By making subscribing to your RSS feed a requirement to participate, you could quickly boost the number of subscribers that you have. If you want to control who is going to take this action, use the email subscription method.
20. Offer random prizes to your subscribers. If you are not a fan of contests and competitions, you could always entice people to subscribe to your RSS feed by giving away random prizes. For example, if some company approaches you to donate some free copies of its product, you could in turn donate it to your subscribers
21. Write guest posts. Guest posts represent a very efficient technique for generating both brand awareness and traffic. If you guest blog on a popular blog on your same niche, there is also a good chance that a good percentage of that incoming traffic will end up subscribing to your feed.
22. Welcome the new readers. Whenever you manage to land a guest post on a really popular blog, or when you get mentioned on a larger website or mainstream site, it could be a good idea to write a specific post to welcome those readers. Use that post to describe your blog briefly, to talk a bit about yourself, and to encourage them to subscribe.
23. Go popular on social bookmarking sites. Some people say that the quality of the traffic coming from social bookmarking sites (e.g., Digg and StumbleUpon) is very low. This is true to some extent, because those visitors will rarely click on anything on your page (including on the subscribe link). Because of the sheer amount of traffic that you can get on those sites, however, even a really small conversion rate could easily mean 200 or 300 new subscribers in a matter of 24 hours.
24. Explain to your readers what is RSS. As we mentioned before, it is estimated that less than 10% of the popular know about or use RSS feeds. Can you do anything about this? Sure you can! Write a post teaching your readers what RSS is, why it is good, and how they can start using it. It works particularly well on blogs that have a non tech-savvy audience.
25. Have a special “Subscribe” page with all the info and links there. Apart from writing a specific post teaching your readers about RSS, you can also create a special “Subscribe” page on your blog where you explain briefly how to use RSS feeds, and place all the subscription links, badges, and email forms. You could then link to that page from the sidebar, with a link that would say “Subscription Options” or “How to subscribe.”
To be continued
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Below are 12 proven tactics for growing your email house list.
These tips come from yours truly, who has built this list over 13 years, and from Managing Editor Eileen Shulock, who is also the e-commerce director at Intermix, a fashion-forward retailer with 24 stores across the US.
Here are my 6 tips...
1. The Power of Pass-Along:
The first resource to consider when growing your list is your existing subscribers. Nothing is as powerful as an existing subscriber forwarding your mailing to another person. It's a form of endorsement.
Of course, the content of that email newsletter or the value of your offers has to be top notch for someone to forward your message to another. Typically, Web Digest For Marketers gets the most new subscribers on the day it is published. If the issue is a home run, we get an unusually large number of new subscribers.
2. Offer a Premium:
Web Digest For Marketers is a free email newsletter, but new subscribers still get a premium for subscribing to it. The premium is my "Essential Search Engine Marketing Resource Guide." Tens of thousands of people have clicked on the link for that offer in the welcome message and downloaded that guide.
Hint: Consider how short or long to make your downloadable premium. If it is too short, it may not have enough content in it to make it attractive. If it is too long, people may not want to read it. Longer is not always better.
3. Put Your Subscription Form Prominently on Your Home Page:
Amazingly, I often see subscription forms buried deep inside websites or way down at the bottom of home pages where people are less likely to find them.
People may never come back to your site. But if they subscribe to your house list, you can reach out to them. If they leave your site without subscribing, never to return, you've lost them forever.
4. Experiment with Co-Registration Programs:
This gambit often requires that you cooperate with competitors, which is sometimes called "coopetition." After someone has subscribed to your list, you offer that new subscriber the opportunity to subscribe to someone else's list.
On this "co-reg" page you might use language like "Here are some other newsletters (if that's what they are) you might find useful." If you out-and-out endorse the other lists, the subscription rates to your co-reg partners' lists will typically be higher. You want that because such arrangements typically are reciprocal, whereby you send your competitors as many subscribers as they send you.
This co-registration tactic is one of the most overlooked opportunities online. It amazes me how many subscription processes end up on a page that merely says "Thank You for Subscribing" and that's it. No other offers, or even a link back to the home page. They just leave you hanging there.
5. Offer an Event Registration Subscription Option:
If you promote a Webinar for which online registration is required, consider adding a checkbox to that reg form asking if the registrant wants to subscribe to your newsletter, or update list or what have you.
Don't just simply ask if they want to be signed up. Tell them exactly what value they will get from doing so. Keep it short. Always have a short block of copy (30-40 words) ready to slug in for such occasions. I've found it is worthwhile to write such copy long in advance, rather than at the last minute. Remember, the shorter the copy block, the more likely they'll read it, but the harder it is to write because every single word must work hard.
6. Buy Subscribers:
You must know how much each subscriber is worth to you before you lay out money to grow your list. You may pay as little as 40 cents for a subscriber or as much as $10, depending on whether you are B2B or B2C and what industry you're in. Generally you get what you pay for, but you can easily overpay, too.
If you buy subscribers, you must find out where these subscribers are coming from. Subscriber or sales lead brokers don't typically like to tell you this because they're afraid (with good reason, btw) that people will go directly to the source and cut them out. They're apt to tell you your offer will run on a "blind network." Nevertheless, you need to have a realistic idea of where your offer is running.
Recently a list broker offered me an interesting opportunity. They were making phone calls trying to win back subscribers to a print publication in the ad business. Whether they got the old subscriber to subscribe again to this print publication or not, they would offer a free subscription to my newsletter at the end of the call. I would pay them for each subscription generated for me.
7. Collect Addresses at Points of Sale:
If you have physical stores, ask customers if they'd like to sign up for your email house list at the point of sale. It is important to be very clear about what the customer can expect to see from you in the future, as required by CAN-SPAM law.
Many stores have not yet perfected the process for gathering email sign-ups in store. Recently I made a purchase in a store where at the point of checkout I was asked to type in my email address and check a box consenting to receive emails from the company. It was multichannel marketing nirvana.
In a real-world Intermix store, the salesperson asks the customer for her email address and types it in during the checkout process. That works, but it doesn't always work out so well because there are often typos or bad formatting of email addresses.
Finally, no store that I have ever visited has asked me for an email address when I am browsing, as opposed to actively purchasing an item. But many times when I am browsing I have an active interest in the store and would like to get on a list, I just am not purchasing at that particular time. In the near future, look for us to feature places in store where browsers can sign up for our email list.
8. Work Proactively with Promotional Partners:
Some of my most successful email sign-up campaigns are partnerships wherein a gift certificate or other prize is offered on a partner site. The money for the gift certificate is the cost of doing business – these are not advertising campaigns. They are a way for complimentary sites (such as magazines or blogs) to offer a perk to their readers.
If the partner is closely aligned (which is rather obvious but worth mentioning), I have experienced up to a five-fold increase in subscriber rates during the run of the campaign.
9. Offer Major Incentives to Key Active Subscribers:
We often offer deals to our key subscribers – in our case, our top customers – that we hope are so juicy they cannot help themselves but to forward the offer along. One example of this in the retail business is called the "Friends and Family" offer, where a discount or other incentive is sent to special people and they are asked to forward the offer along to their friends and family.
Another way that we accomplish this is to send a survey invitation out to key subscribers that gives them a discount on their next purchase in exchange for a completed survey. At the end of the survey they get a special code, and the offer to immediately forward the same survey invitation to their friends. Not only do we get more subscribers, we also get more responses for our survey. You can track this type of campaign easily with the features found in an inexpensive survey tool such as SurveyMonkey.
10. Forward to a Friend:
If you have the technology to truly track a subscriber's "forward to a friend" actions, you can zero in on subscribers who do a lot of forwarding and incent them to do even more.
To really make this pay off, you need to be able to:
1) See how many invitations a particular subscriber sent, and to which email addresses;
2) Track those forwards to see who actually signed up for your list as a result of their invitation; and
3) Be able to then associate new subscribers back to the individual who invited them, so you can pinpoint who your successful forwarders are.
If you can do all of that (ask your IT team or ESP if you actually have this capability) you can then incent or reward the subscribers who forward to do even more for you.
11. Test Your Subscriber Sign-Up Incentive:
We frequently change our subscriber sign-up incentive to see which offer subscribers respond to better, and which offer results in more profitable subscribers.
For example, we tend to get better, more relevant new subscribers when we offer incentives that focus on giving them a discount on their first purchase. This means that the people who subscribe are actually interested in purchasing from us, which is of course important to us, so we are willing to offer a sizable, more "juicy" incentive that is really hard to resist.
In contrast, we find that offering something that's not as juicy doesn't draw as well, and draws less relevant subscribers. So we are willing to give away the big bucks to build our list aggressively.
12. Offer Your List in Different Formats:
These days we see a growing number of people subscribing to our list with BlackBerry extensions on their email address. Through surveys we have learned that many of our subscribers read their emails from us on PDAs or iPhones.
Therefore, we are now offering our email newsletter in different formats optimized specifically for these various devices. This allows the potential subscriber to choose a format that is relevant for him or her, rather than passing on a subscription because the only format offered assumes he or she will be sitting at a desktop when reading our emails.
Attention Bloggers and Twitterers: You can link to the contents of this newsletter at the following URL and know it will live there permanently:
http://www.wdfm.com/marketing-viewpoints/grow-your-list.php
These tips come from yours truly, who has built this list over 13 years, and from Managing Editor Eileen Shulock, who is also the e-commerce director at Intermix, a fashion-forward retailer with 24 stores across the US.
Here are my 6 tips...
1. The Power of Pass-Along:
The first resource to consider when growing your list is your existing subscribers. Nothing is as powerful as an existing subscriber forwarding your mailing to another person. It's a form of endorsement.
Of course, the content of that email newsletter or the value of your offers has to be top notch for someone to forward your message to another. Typically, Web Digest For Marketers gets the most new subscribers on the day it is published. If the issue is a home run, we get an unusually large number of new subscribers.
2. Offer a Premium:
Web Digest For Marketers is a free email newsletter, but new subscribers still get a premium for subscribing to it. The premium is my "Essential Search Engine Marketing Resource Guide." Tens of thousands of people have clicked on the link for that offer in the welcome message and downloaded that guide.
Hint: Consider how short or long to make your downloadable premium. If it is too short, it may not have enough content in it to make it attractive. If it is too long, people may not want to read it. Longer is not always better.
3. Put Your Subscription Form Prominently on Your Home Page:
Amazingly, I often see subscription forms buried deep inside websites or way down at the bottom of home pages where people are less likely to find them.
People may never come back to your site. But if they subscribe to your house list, you can reach out to them. If they leave your site without subscribing, never to return, you've lost them forever.
4. Experiment with Co-Registration Programs:
This gambit often requires that you cooperate with competitors, which is sometimes called "coopetition." After someone has subscribed to your list, you offer that new subscriber the opportunity to subscribe to someone else's list.
On this "co-reg" page you might use language like "Here are some other newsletters (if that's what they are) you might find useful." If you out-and-out endorse the other lists, the subscription rates to your co-reg partners' lists will typically be higher. You want that because such arrangements typically are reciprocal, whereby you send your competitors as many subscribers as they send you.
This co-registration tactic is one of the most overlooked opportunities online. It amazes me how many subscription processes end up on a page that merely says "Thank You for Subscribing" and that's it. No other offers, or even a link back to the home page. They just leave you hanging there.
5. Offer an Event Registration Subscription Option:
If you promote a Webinar for which online registration is required, consider adding a checkbox to that reg form asking if the registrant wants to subscribe to your newsletter, or update list or what have you.
Don't just simply ask if they want to be signed up. Tell them exactly what value they will get from doing so. Keep it short. Always have a short block of copy (30-40 words) ready to slug in for such occasions. I've found it is worthwhile to write such copy long in advance, rather than at the last minute. Remember, the shorter the copy block, the more likely they'll read it, but the harder it is to write because every single word must work hard.
6. Buy Subscribers:
You must know how much each subscriber is worth to you before you lay out money to grow your list. You may pay as little as 40 cents for a subscriber or as much as $10, depending on whether you are B2B or B2C and what industry you're in. Generally you get what you pay for, but you can easily overpay, too.
If you buy subscribers, you must find out where these subscribers are coming from. Subscriber or sales lead brokers don't typically like to tell you this because they're afraid (with good reason, btw) that people will go directly to the source and cut them out. They're apt to tell you your offer will run on a "blind network." Nevertheless, you need to have a realistic idea of where your offer is running.
Recently a list broker offered me an interesting opportunity. They were making phone calls trying to win back subscribers to a print publication in the ad business. Whether they got the old subscriber to subscribe again to this print publication or not, they would offer a free subscription to my newsletter at the end of the call. I would pay them for each subscription generated for me.
7. Collect Addresses at Points of Sale:
If you have physical stores, ask customers if they'd like to sign up for your email house list at the point of sale. It is important to be very clear about what the customer can expect to see from you in the future, as required by CAN-SPAM law.
Many stores have not yet perfected the process for gathering email sign-ups in store. Recently I made a purchase in a store where at the point of checkout I was asked to type in my email address and check a box consenting to receive emails from the company. It was multichannel marketing nirvana.
In a real-world Intermix store, the salesperson asks the customer for her email address and types it in during the checkout process. That works, but it doesn't always work out so well because there are often typos or bad formatting of email addresses.
Finally, no store that I have ever visited has asked me for an email address when I am browsing, as opposed to actively purchasing an item. But many times when I am browsing I have an active interest in the store and would like to get on a list, I just am not purchasing at that particular time. In the near future, look for us to feature places in store where browsers can sign up for our email list.
8. Work Proactively with Promotional Partners:
Some of my most successful email sign-up campaigns are partnerships wherein a gift certificate or other prize is offered on a partner site. The money for the gift certificate is the cost of doing business – these are not advertising campaigns. They are a way for complimentary sites (such as magazines or blogs) to offer a perk to their readers.
If the partner is closely aligned (which is rather obvious but worth mentioning), I have experienced up to a five-fold increase in subscriber rates during the run of the campaign.
9. Offer Major Incentives to Key Active Subscribers:
We often offer deals to our key subscribers – in our case, our top customers – that we hope are so juicy they cannot help themselves but to forward the offer along. One example of this in the retail business is called the "Friends and Family" offer, where a discount or other incentive is sent to special people and they are asked to forward the offer along to their friends and family.
Another way that we accomplish this is to send a survey invitation out to key subscribers that gives them a discount on their next purchase in exchange for a completed survey. At the end of the survey they get a special code, and the offer to immediately forward the same survey invitation to their friends. Not only do we get more subscribers, we also get more responses for our survey. You can track this type of campaign easily with the features found in an inexpensive survey tool such as SurveyMonkey.
10. Forward to a Friend:
If you have the technology to truly track a subscriber's "forward to a friend" actions, you can zero in on subscribers who do a lot of forwarding and incent them to do even more.
To really make this pay off, you need to be able to:
1) See how many invitations a particular subscriber sent, and to which email addresses;
2) Track those forwards to see who actually signed up for your list as a result of their invitation; and
3) Be able to then associate new subscribers back to the individual who invited them, so you can pinpoint who your successful forwarders are.
If you can do all of that (ask your IT team or ESP if you actually have this capability) you can then incent or reward the subscribers who forward to do even more for you.
11. Test Your Subscriber Sign-Up Incentive:
We frequently change our subscriber sign-up incentive to see which offer subscribers respond to better, and which offer results in more profitable subscribers.
For example, we tend to get better, more relevant new subscribers when we offer incentives that focus on giving them a discount on their first purchase. This means that the people who subscribe are actually interested in purchasing from us, which is of course important to us, so we are willing to offer a sizable, more "juicy" incentive that is really hard to resist.
In contrast, we find that offering something that's not as juicy doesn't draw as well, and draws less relevant subscribers. So we are willing to give away the big bucks to build our list aggressively.
12. Offer Your List in Different Formats:
These days we see a growing number of people subscribing to our list with BlackBerry extensions on their email address. Through surveys we have learned that many of our subscribers read their emails from us on PDAs or iPhones.
Therefore, we are now offering our email newsletter in different formats optimized specifically for these various devices. This allows the potential subscriber to choose a format that is relevant for him or her, rather than passing on a subscription because the only format offered assumes he or she will be sitting at a desktop when reading our emails.
Attention Bloggers and Twitterers: You can link to the contents of this newsletter at the following URL and know it will live there permanently:
http://www.wdfm.com/marketing-viewpoints/grow-your-list.php
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Five Key Marketing Strategies for Web Business Growth
If you expect to achieve sustained growth for your Web business and you don't have a plan in place to get you there, you might as well forget it. Growing a profitable Web Business is a strategic process that requires long range vision, careful planning, precise execution and patience. It's vital that you know exactly what you want to accomplish and that you have a detailed blueprint to follow.
Of course you need to have a website that is optimized and tested to convert traffic, and then you need to devote time to developing and executing short-term and long-term promotional strategies. These strategies must stand on their own as well as work together to get you the best results.
Here are five key strategies you can use to advance your business and improve your profit margin:
#1. Always Look For Opportunities to Increase Sales
Let's face it, sales drive business and sales come from customers; therefore, the hunt for new customers should be phase one of an ongoing three-phase marketing approach that every online business owner should embrace.
Phase two is to follow up with these new customers from time to time, and introduce them to additional offers. The objective of this second phase is to get them to buy from you more often.
The final phase of this three-pronged strategy is to offer expensive items, or bundle multiple items into higher-priced packages. This will give your customers more opportunities to make larger purchases.
#2. Find the Best Use for Your Marketing Budget
After you have identified your market demographic, fixed your goals and decided on a promotional strategy for reaching potential customers, the next step is to figure out how to maximize your budget and get the job done without over spending. Even though the exact process will vary from business to business, the principle remains the same.
You want to expose your product or service, as often as possible, to consumers who will derive the most benefit from it. Studies show that the average consumer will see a promotion about five to seven times before taking action on the offer.
So instead of blowing your budget on a single opportunity to reach your select group, it is much wiser to get everyone's attention with repeated promotions. Use as many different forms of advertising as you can afford and squeeze the most out of your marketing dollars.
#3. Invest in a Virtual Assistant
This is an opportunity to outsource various redundant tasks to someone who is capable, reliable and trustworthy. The big advantage to you is you'll have more time to devote to activities that generate income and help you grow your business.
A virtual assistant works from his or her office as an independent contractor and is responsible for whatever administrative or operational responsibilities you assign. Compensation can be agreed upon at an hourly rate, per assignment or by retainer.
If you are not yet at the stage where you can afford to pay a virtual assistant, you can consider a suitable barter arrangement with a subscriber or a customer. You can also ask a family member or a friend for help. You can't do it all yourself and you shouldn't even consider that option for the longterm.
#4. Use the Power of Email to Convert Visitors Into Customers
Email marketing is one of the most economical and reliable ways to build a relationship with visitors and eventually convert them into buyers. It is an effective tool for staying in touch and developing the level of comfort and trust that is necessary before they will agree to do business with you.
You can use email to convince your subscribers of your expertise in your niche. The more they come to accept you as an authority, the greater your credibility will become and the easier it will be for you to make sales.
Plus, email is a very handy tool for keeping customers abreast of new products, special promotions and the latest announcements about your business.
#5. Develop a System for Everything You Do
Make sure to design methods and procedures that simplify and expedite important aspects of your business operation. Very often these systems will evolve from trial and error, but when they have been perfected they should become standard procedure.
The most efficient systems are those that get you to your objective as quickly as possible, for as little money as possible and with the least possible effort.
The above strategies are vital to the success of any online business. Together they save you time, money, effort, and provide a pathway to sustained growth and expansion. Just be consistent in the marketing practices you implement and the results will come out in your favor.
About the Author: Hermas Haynes is the founder and webmaster of eBizInfoCenter - a popular resource where you can find many more marketing strategies, tools, articles and ideas for advancing your web business.
Of course you need to have a website that is optimized and tested to convert traffic, and then you need to devote time to developing and executing short-term and long-term promotional strategies. These strategies must stand on their own as well as work together to get you the best results.
Here are five key strategies you can use to advance your business and improve your profit margin:
#1. Always Look For Opportunities to Increase Sales
Let's face it, sales drive business and sales come from customers; therefore, the hunt for new customers should be phase one of an ongoing three-phase marketing approach that every online business owner should embrace.
Phase two is to follow up with these new customers from time to time, and introduce them to additional offers. The objective of this second phase is to get them to buy from you more often.
The final phase of this three-pronged strategy is to offer expensive items, or bundle multiple items into higher-priced packages. This will give your customers more opportunities to make larger purchases.
#2. Find the Best Use for Your Marketing Budget
After you have identified your market demographic, fixed your goals and decided on a promotional strategy for reaching potential customers, the next step is to figure out how to maximize your budget and get the job done without over spending. Even though the exact process will vary from business to business, the principle remains the same.
You want to expose your product or service, as often as possible, to consumers who will derive the most benefit from it. Studies show that the average consumer will see a promotion about five to seven times before taking action on the offer.
So instead of blowing your budget on a single opportunity to reach your select group, it is much wiser to get everyone's attention with repeated promotions. Use as many different forms of advertising as you can afford and squeeze the most out of your marketing dollars.
#3. Invest in a Virtual Assistant
This is an opportunity to outsource various redundant tasks to someone who is capable, reliable and trustworthy. The big advantage to you is you'll have more time to devote to activities that generate income and help you grow your business.
A virtual assistant works from his or her office as an independent contractor and is responsible for whatever administrative or operational responsibilities you assign. Compensation can be agreed upon at an hourly rate, per assignment or by retainer.
If you are not yet at the stage where you can afford to pay a virtual assistant, you can consider a suitable barter arrangement with a subscriber or a customer. You can also ask a family member or a friend for help. You can't do it all yourself and you shouldn't even consider that option for the longterm.
#4. Use the Power of Email to Convert Visitors Into Customers
Email marketing is one of the most economical and reliable ways to build a relationship with visitors and eventually convert them into buyers. It is an effective tool for staying in touch and developing the level of comfort and trust that is necessary before they will agree to do business with you.
You can use email to convince your subscribers of your expertise in your niche. The more they come to accept you as an authority, the greater your credibility will become and the easier it will be for you to make sales.
Plus, email is a very handy tool for keeping customers abreast of new products, special promotions and the latest announcements about your business.
#5. Develop a System for Everything You Do
Make sure to design methods and procedures that simplify and expedite important aspects of your business operation. Very often these systems will evolve from trial and error, but when they have been perfected they should become standard procedure.
The most efficient systems are those that get you to your objective as quickly as possible, for as little money as possible and with the least possible effort.
The above strategies are vital to the success of any online business. Together they save you time, money, effort, and provide a pathway to sustained growth and expansion. Just be consistent in the marketing practices you implement and the results will come out in your favor.
About the Author: Hermas Haynes is the founder and webmaster of eBizInfoCenter - a popular resource where you can find many more marketing strategies, tools, articles and ideas for advancing your web business.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
10 Most Valuable Free Google Marketing Tools
Google has become the dominant search engine on the Internet. It would be hard to imagine a web without Google. For that matter, it would now be hard to imagine a world without Google. As frightening as that may seem to many people, it is none the less true.
For better or worse, Google has permeated into almost every aspect of our everyday life. Being Googled is now a common expression and an act carried out by millions of users around the world each day. New Google products and services are coming on stream at a staggering pace, further increasing Google's impact on our lives.
Despite this dominating presence, many people still don't realize Google offers some excellent free marketing tools for marketers and webmasters. Marketing tools which can prove extremely valuable to any webmaster or marketer trying to promote their sites or products online. Useful tools that will make your promotions easier and much more profitable.
Don't be fooled by the 'free' label, these marketing tools might be free but they are also valuable. One even wonders why Google would be giving away these tools and services for free? It probably makes good business sense in the long run. By providing these free tools Google is fostering a lot of company good-will and building up the Google brand name in the process. Good PR is good business.
Every marketer and webmaster should be taking advantage of Google's good-will and snapping up these professionally run services and marketing tools. Here's a quick run-down of the 10 most valuable free Google Internet marketing tools:
1. Google Analytics
Perhaps the premier marketing tool offered by Google. It will prove helpful to both the marketer and the webmaster. Google Analytics gives you a daily snapshot of your web site. Google Analytics analyzes your traffic, where it comes from and what it does once it enters your site. You can monitor up to three sites for free.
Google Analytics is extremely valuable in analyzing your marketing funnel. It tracks all the steps leading up to your sales or checkout page. Vital information for raising your conversion rate and ROI.
You may be placed on a waiting líst for this highly in demand service from Google.
2. Google Sitemaps
Webmasters can use Google Sitemaps to almost instantly place newly created pages on their site into the Google Search Index. This is a XML file that is uploaded to Google as new pages are added on your site. Needless to say this can be a valuable service for any webmaster or marketer who wants to get their information on the web quickly.
3. Google Alerts
Be notified when someone or another site lists your site or mentions your name. Great way to keep track of all your online activities. Great way to monitor all your online business interests and products.
4. Google Froogle
Froogle is Google's price directory! It simply lists all the cheapest prices for different products on the web. For marketers and webmasters who are promoting products, it should be studied and analyzed. Optimizing your site's content for Froogle may prove to be very beneficial.
Follow Froogle or Google directions exactly on how to líst or display products on your site. Froogle will spider your site and display your prices and products to thousands of targeted customers. That, as they say, is priceless.
5. Google Checkout
Not exactly free but for those marketers who use AdWords - for every $1 spent on AdWords you can process $10 for free. You can also place the shopping cart logo on your AdWords ad and take advantage of the prestige and trust the Google brand name has built up.
Over time marketers may find this tool to be very effective and valuable.
6. Google eBlogger
Blogging has become vitally important to the health and functioning of your web site. No site should be without at least one blog and RSS feed. Creating a blog (online journal) on the topic of your web site or product will bring in extra traffic and targeted customers. eBlogger is a simple free blogging service that even lets you publish or post your blog files to your web site server. Keep in mind, each blog has that all important Google Blog Search bar.
7. Google Toolbar - Enterprise Version
Try the new enterprise version of the Google Toolbar for your company or business. Integrates countless features with all your employees or corporate network. These could include a common customer database, company calendar, financial news...
Keep in mind, Google also ranks every page it indexes on a scale of 0-10. While it is important to know the Page Rank of your pages, it is even more important to know the PR of your competitor's pages. You can use the toolbar to get the PR of each page you're visiting. Extremely helpful information for webmasters and marketers to know when forming online linking or business arrangements.
8. Google Groups
Every marketer knows the important of having a large contact líst of people with a similar interest. Social networking will play an ever increasing role in your success on the web. Just look at the growing popularity of sites like MySpace and LiveJournal.
Google groups is another form of social and business networking that every marketer should be aware of and pursuing.
9. Google Adsense
One simple way to monetize your web content is to use Google Adsense. Just place the Adsense code on your site and receive a check from Google each month. For webmasters who are not really into onlíne marketing (do such creatures exist?) Adsense can be a painless way to earn extra íncome from your site.
For professional marketers, using the Adsense system can supply a tremendous amount of marketing information on the keywords in their particular niche. It keeps the marketer informed on what keywords are being bid on and how much advertisers are willing to pay.
Adsense also has an excellent real-time tracking system you can use to keep track of all your important web pages.
10. Google Docs
A recent addition to Google's stable of free products. Google Docs (Writely.com) is a full featured online writing editor with spellcheck and great collaborating features. It also lets you publish your content directly to your blogs. One feature that may be of interest to marketers, is that it lets you save files in the popular download format of PDF.
Let's face it, until video takes over the web in four or five years time - the written word is still king on the net. It is the medium that markets, promotes and sells your content or products. Writely will help you write better.
Honorable Mention - Google Trends
This Google program will let you search popular trends, important for marketers searching for the latest hot product to promote. You can also break down these trends by different regions.
Final Note
Please take note that signing up for a Google account will usually help you in obtaining most of these free services or programs. Some of these programs may have to be applied for individually. But be assured, all these free Google marketing tools are well worth your time and effort. They will make your marketing easier and they will help any webmaster or marketer run their online business more efficiently.
About The Author
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous websites. For the latest web marketing tools try: BizwareMagic.com . If you liked the SEO tips above, why not try this Free 7 Day Traffic Course .
2008 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
For better or worse, Google has permeated into almost every aspect of our everyday life. Being Googled is now a common expression and an act carried out by millions of users around the world each day. New Google products and services are coming on stream at a staggering pace, further increasing Google's impact on our lives.
Despite this dominating presence, many people still don't realize Google offers some excellent free marketing tools for marketers and webmasters. Marketing tools which can prove extremely valuable to any webmaster or marketer trying to promote their sites or products online. Useful tools that will make your promotions easier and much more profitable.
Don't be fooled by the 'free' label, these marketing tools might be free but they are also valuable. One even wonders why Google would be giving away these tools and services for free? It probably makes good business sense in the long run. By providing these free tools Google is fostering a lot of company good-will and building up the Google brand name in the process. Good PR is good business.
Every marketer and webmaster should be taking advantage of Google's good-will and snapping up these professionally run services and marketing tools. Here's a quick run-down of the 10 most valuable free Google Internet marketing tools:
1. Google Analytics
Perhaps the premier marketing tool offered by Google. It will prove helpful to both the marketer and the webmaster. Google Analytics gives you a daily snapshot of your web site. Google Analytics analyzes your traffic, where it comes from and what it does once it enters your site. You can monitor up to three sites for free.
Google Analytics is extremely valuable in analyzing your marketing funnel. It tracks all the steps leading up to your sales or checkout page. Vital information for raising your conversion rate and ROI.
You may be placed on a waiting líst for this highly in demand service from Google.
2. Google Sitemaps
Webmasters can use Google Sitemaps to almost instantly place newly created pages on their site into the Google Search Index. This is a XML file that is uploaded to Google as new pages are added on your site. Needless to say this can be a valuable service for any webmaster or marketer who wants to get their information on the web quickly.
3. Google Alerts
Be notified when someone or another site lists your site or mentions your name. Great way to keep track of all your online activities. Great way to monitor all your online business interests and products.
4. Google Froogle
Froogle is Google's price directory! It simply lists all the cheapest prices for different products on the web. For marketers and webmasters who are promoting products, it should be studied and analyzed. Optimizing your site's content for Froogle may prove to be very beneficial.
Follow Froogle or Google directions exactly on how to líst or display products on your site. Froogle will spider your site and display your prices and products to thousands of targeted customers. That, as they say, is priceless.
5. Google Checkout
Not exactly free but for those marketers who use AdWords - for every $1 spent on AdWords you can process $10 for free. You can also place the shopping cart logo on your AdWords ad and take advantage of the prestige and trust the Google brand name has built up.
Over time marketers may find this tool to be very effective and valuable.
6. Google eBlogger
Blogging has become vitally important to the health and functioning of your web site. No site should be without at least one blog and RSS feed. Creating a blog (online journal) on the topic of your web site or product will bring in extra traffic and targeted customers. eBlogger is a simple free blogging service that even lets you publish or post your blog files to your web site server. Keep in mind, each blog has that all important Google Blog Search bar.
7. Google Toolbar - Enterprise Version
Try the new enterprise version of the Google Toolbar for your company or business. Integrates countless features with all your employees or corporate network. These could include a common customer database, company calendar, financial news...
Keep in mind, Google also ranks every page it indexes on a scale of 0-10. While it is important to know the Page Rank of your pages, it is even more important to know the PR of your competitor's pages. You can use the toolbar to get the PR of each page you're visiting. Extremely helpful information for webmasters and marketers to know when forming online linking or business arrangements.
8. Google Groups
Every marketer knows the important of having a large contact líst of people with a similar interest. Social networking will play an ever increasing role in your success on the web. Just look at the growing popularity of sites like MySpace and LiveJournal.
Google groups is another form of social and business networking that every marketer should be aware of and pursuing.
9. Google Adsense
One simple way to monetize your web content is to use Google Adsense. Just place the Adsense code on your site and receive a check from Google each month. For webmasters who are not really into onlíne marketing (do such creatures exist?) Adsense can be a painless way to earn extra íncome from your site.
For professional marketers, using the Adsense system can supply a tremendous amount of marketing information on the keywords in their particular niche. It keeps the marketer informed on what keywords are being bid on and how much advertisers are willing to pay.
Adsense also has an excellent real-time tracking system you can use to keep track of all your important web pages.
10. Google Docs
A recent addition to Google's stable of free products. Google Docs (Writely.com) is a full featured online writing editor with spellcheck and great collaborating features. It also lets you publish your content directly to your blogs. One feature that may be of interest to marketers, is that it lets you save files in the popular download format of PDF.
Let's face it, until video takes over the web in four or five years time - the written word is still king on the net. It is the medium that markets, promotes and sells your content or products. Writely will help you write better.
Honorable Mention - Google Trends
This Google program will let you search popular trends, important for marketers searching for the latest hot product to promote. You can also break down these trends by different regions.
Final Note
Please take note that signing up for a Google account will usually help you in obtaining most of these free services or programs. Some of these programs may have to be applied for individually. But be assured, all these free Google marketing tools are well worth your time and effort. They will make your marketing easier and they will help any webmaster or marketer run their online business more efficiently.
About The Author
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous websites. For the latest web marketing tools try: BizwareMagic.com . If you liked the SEO tips above, why not try this Free 7 Day Traffic Course .
2008 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Innovative Ways to Market
Marketing is a three-syllable word that seems so simple, yet encompasses so much. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach to promoting a product or service. Both traditional and unconventional marketing methods have a place in the small business world. Marketing helps small businesses focus on building their brand and identity.
There are few limitations to marketing options, and the opportunities listed here are just a few that will generally result in a decent ROI (Return On Investment) for most small businesses. That said, do not be afraid to be creative -- no one knows or understands a small business like its owner, so think outside of the box and don't be afraid to experiment.
Identity Continuity
Create continuity between an online website, logos, letterheads, business cards, and packaging. Create an identity that will make your business stand out from the competition, and leave a good initial impression on potential customers. A professional image associated with your company or product will remind customers of their past brand experiences, and will reinforce your product line.
Trade Publications
Niche publications are journals or magazines that focus on a specific market. If your product or service is appropriate for a specific market, then advertising in their trade publications will allow you to immediately drill down and target that very specific audience.
Promotional Items
Branded giveaways have long been used by marketers to attract potential customers. Products that have a long shelf life will help keep your business in the forefront of a customer's mind. Weeks, months, and even years after a product is purchased or service is performed, promotional items will remind the customer of your brand.
Reviews
Solicit product reviews from reputable industry sources, magazine reviewers, bloggers, or industry journalists. Product reviews lend credibility to a product or company.
Keyword Advertising
In order to help your website's search engine ranking, use keyword advertising. Focused and targeted keyword advertising will drive web traffic that has a genuine interest in your product or service.
Niche Directories
Use online niche directories to promote products or services. Visitors who frequent topical directories have a strong interest and are more likely to purchase.
Viral Marking
Once known as "word of mouth" marketing, viral marketing has taken on a life of its own. Encourage product buzz, as well as customers referring customers.
Opt-In Email Marketing
Use email as a marketing tool to notify your existing customers about specials, new products or services, or product releases and updates. While some say email marketing is dead, others say that measured results of email marketing tell a very different story. Opt-in, targeted email marketing works, and produces results when done correctly.
Partnerships / Strategic Relationships
We see large companies leveraging their assets every day, and small online businesses should too! Whether it be as a partner, an affiliate, or a strategic relationship, all of these relationships can benefit small businesses. Businesses can use strategic relationships to penetrate niche markets. Affiliates can expand their reach and tap into the customer bases of similar products. Partners can provide additional value to existing products or services. Determine what types of relationships could be beneficial to your small business.
Online Classifieds
Craigslist is likely the best known online classified system. Classified systems increase visibility and are often overlooked by small businesses. Consider posting classifieds that relate to product or services, and monitor the results.
Sponsorship / Contests
Contests not only encourage customers to have fun, but also generate publicity and draw attention to your company and brand. Sponsor industry events, run contests, or donate prizes to industry contests in order to increase visibility and generate goodwill.
Newsletters
Communication is critical to all businesses, and small businesses are no exception. Be sure to establish a communication channel with customers and potential customers. Newsletters are a very popular communication channel for software developers.
RSS
RSS is growing in popularity. It is an alternative communication channel that has the benefit of reaching a larger audience through syndication. Supplement and enhance email and newsletter campaigns by providing an RSS channel for their content.
Forums / Newsgroups
Participation in newsgroups and forums will result in building credibility. Business relationships will often result from online dialogue in industry forums and newsgroups. Actively participate and always behave in a professional manner.
Forum / Email Signatures
All forum posts and emails you send should contain a "signature" that advertises your business name, tag line, and URL.
Blogs
Blogging and posting comments on blogs can result in an increase in web links and traffic. Socialization and engaging others with well thought out comments can establish a business reputation and generate product interest.
Videos
YouTube is a boon to business. If you are creative, consider compiling an educational or humorous video. YouTube is a huge distribution channel and can generate product or industry interest.
Press Releases
The avenue to inexpensive press! Write a press release to promote new products or services and reap the benefits with media attention.
Article Syndication
Writing articles can help lend credibility to your product line and improve your business reputation.
Local Newspapers
Contact local newspapers and pitch a unique story to them. Publicity is free and can generate discussions and interest.
Consider exploring alternative channels for advertising and marketing. Keep in mind that advertising need not be costly; creative marketers can often find inexpensive avenues that will result in a great return.
About the Author: Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.
There are few limitations to marketing options, and the opportunities listed here are just a few that will generally result in a decent ROI (Return On Investment) for most small businesses. That said, do not be afraid to be creative -- no one knows or understands a small business like its owner, so think outside of the box and don't be afraid to experiment.
Identity Continuity
Create continuity between an online website, logos, letterheads, business cards, and packaging. Create an identity that will make your business stand out from the competition, and leave a good initial impression on potential customers. A professional image associated with your company or product will remind customers of their past brand experiences, and will reinforce your product line.
Trade Publications
Niche publications are journals or magazines that focus on a specific market. If your product or service is appropriate for a specific market, then advertising in their trade publications will allow you to immediately drill down and target that very specific audience.
Promotional Items
Branded giveaways have long been used by marketers to attract potential customers. Products that have a long shelf life will help keep your business in the forefront of a customer's mind. Weeks, months, and even years after a product is purchased or service is performed, promotional items will remind the customer of your brand.
Reviews
Solicit product reviews from reputable industry sources, magazine reviewers, bloggers, or industry journalists. Product reviews lend credibility to a product or company.
Keyword Advertising
In order to help your website's search engine ranking, use keyword advertising. Focused and targeted keyword advertising will drive web traffic that has a genuine interest in your product or service.
Niche Directories
Use online niche directories to promote products or services. Visitors who frequent topical directories have a strong interest and are more likely to purchase.
Viral Marking
Once known as "word of mouth" marketing, viral marketing has taken on a life of its own. Encourage product buzz, as well as customers referring customers.
Opt-In Email Marketing
Use email as a marketing tool to notify your existing customers about specials, new products or services, or product releases and updates. While some say email marketing is dead, others say that measured results of email marketing tell a very different story. Opt-in, targeted email marketing works, and produces results when done correctly.
Partnerships / Strategic Relationships
We see large companies leveraging their assets every day, and small online businesses should too! Whether it be as a partner, an affiliate, or a strategic relationship, all of these relationships can benefit small businesses. Businesses can use strategic relationships to penetrate niche markets. Affiliates can expand their reach and tap into the customer bases of similar products. Partners can provide additional value to existing products or services. Determine what types of relationships could be beneficial to your small business.
Online Classifieds
Craigslist is likely the best known online classified system. Classified systems increase visibility and are often overlooked by small businesses. Consider posting classifieds that relate to product or services, and monitor the results.
Sponsorship / Contests
Contests not only encourage customers to have fun, but also generate publicity and draw attention to your company and brand. Sponsor industry events, run contests, or donate prizes to industry contests in order to increase visibility and generate goodwill.
Newsletters
Communication is critical to all businesses, and small businesses are no exception. Be sure to establish a communication channel with customers and potential customers. Newsletters are a very popular communication channel for software developers.
RSS
RSS is growing in popularity. It is an alternative communication channel that has the benefit of reaching a larger audience through syndication. Supplement and enhance email and newsletter campaigns by providing an RSS channel for their content.
Forums / Newsgroups
Participation in newsgroups and forums will result in building credibility. Business relationships will often result from online dialogue in industry forums and newsgroups. Actively participate and always behave in a professional manner.
Forum / Email Signatures
All forum posts and emails you send should contain a "signature" that advertises your business name, tag line, and URL.
Blogs
Blogging and posting comments on blogs can result in an increase in web links and traffic. Socialization and engaging others with well thought out comments can establish a business reputation and generate product interest.
Videos
YouTube is a boon to business. If you are creative, consider compiling an educational or humorous video. YouTube is a huge distribution channel and can generate product or industry interest.
Press Releases
The avenue to inexpensive press! Write a press release to promote new products or services and reap the benefits with media attention.
Article Syndication
Writing articles can help lend credibility to your product line and improve your business reputation.
Local Newspapers
Contact local newspapers and pitch a unique story to them. Publicity is free and can generate discussions and interest.
Consider exploring alternative channels for advertising and marketing. Keep in mind that advertising need not be costly; creative marketers can often find inexpensive avenues that will result in a great return.
About the Author: Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.
Monday, July 14, 2008
8 Things That Motivate Web-Audience Response
By Jerry Bader (c) 2008
It's always a good idea to stick to the basics. When businesses stray too far from the fundamentals, problems arise, but sticking to the basics doesn't mean boring people into a state of unconsciousness. If Web-visitors' eyes glaze-over upon entering your site, you've lost them before you've begun.
Web success is based on creative implementation of the basics, and that's where your Web-marketing presentation should begin.
1. Web-Audience Response Demands Communication
The Web has a lot in common with television but there are fundamental differences; it is important for Web-entrepreneurs to understand these differences and similarities, and learn from them. Television and the Web are both communication environments, but television, like magazines and newspapers, are primarily advertising platforms. Of course there are plenty of websites around that follow the advertising financial model, but for the average business website, depending on third party advertising not only dilutes their marketing message and brand, but it also makes for a confusing and cluttered visual presentation.
Just because your website presents information, doesn't mean it's communicating it to your intended audience in any meaningful way. The manner in which you communicate your message is as important as the message itself. The medium is increasingly becoming the message, and even in situations where it isn't, it definitely shapes the message.
2. Web-Audience Response Demands Content
You have repeatedly heard the comment, 'content is king,' but we think, 'communication is king' because without communication your content is meaningless. But here's the dilemma, your information is basically advertising, after all you're in business, and business is about selling something - a product, a service, an idea, or your know-how. So the real underlying purpose of your website is to make that advertising message worth listening to, and to do that, you need to turn it into content.
To turn advertising into content you have to accept that sales take time. You have to be patient. You can't hurry a sale, you first have to build confidence; stop rushing the close and start thinking of selling as a courtship. You would never ask someone to get married on a first date, so why would you expect to get an order from a potential Web-client on their first visit.
3. Web-Audience Response Demands Courtship
No one is going to make a substantial financial commitment without reaching some level of comfort with who you are and what you do, and that requires some repeated contact: a courtship, or negotiation if you prefer.
Therein lies the similarity and difference between websites and television: the success of a television program is based on habituation. If you get people to tune-in every week on the same night, at the same time to see their favorite program, you will be able to keep delivering your marketing message through the commercials that pay for the content. In the same regard, if you can make your website interesting enough through the compelling presentation of content, you will get visitors to return again and again, each time gaining confidence and respect for what you do and what you sell.
The difference is people accept television commercials as the price they pay for free TV programming, but the same cannot be said for the Web. People want free information on the Web without the irritation and bother of ads; so the challenge for website owners is to turn their marketing message into compelling programming that creates habituation which is just another form of negotiation, or courtship of potential clients.
4. Web-Audience Response Demands Consistency
You hear the word strategy bandied about with little relevance to its precise meaning. In marketing terms, strategy is a big idea, a sustainable concept that you can build a business around.
Successful companies rarely change their strategies, a concept that should not be confused with tactics, which are the various methods used to implement strategy in order to secure the ultimate objectives.
Business has to be resilient and open-minded enough to adapt to an ever-changing business environment by constantly updating tactics, but strategy needs to be a constant, a touchstone or benchmark for implementing action. Staying on course requires confidence in the strategy with a vigilant eye on the big picture.
Websites that are nothing more than brochures or catalogs of product that anyone can purchase at the local mall or box store is a tactic that delivers little relevance to today's Web-savvy consumer. And the same can be said for the blatantly obvious direct marketíng sites based on old magazine subscription techniques. The new multimedia communication-based Web requires new presentation tactics in order to successfully implement marketing strategy.
5. Web-Audience Response Demands Expectation
Successful marketing is not just about persuading people that what you have is what they need, it's about creating a series of deliverable expectations.
If you expect a product to be easy to use because that's what the marketing communication states, then that product better be easy to use. Effective marketing presentations not only prompt action but just as importantly they create a set of realistic, deliverable expectations.
Ask yourself, why do people mistrust politicians, car salesmen, and telemarketers? We all know the answer: many will say, and promise, just about anything to get your vote or order, and the result is a disgruntled, cynical voter or customer. Read my lips, no false expectations!
6. Web-Audience Response Demands Trust
When customers' expectations are met, you begin to create trust, and trust is one of the hardest things to achieve on a website that lacks any kind of human connection to the audience.
I can't tell you how many websites I've visited that make no effort to humanize their presentations, and consequently their businesses. When you go to a contact page and all that's there is a form to fill-in, with no contact name or phone number, it says to people, 'I really can't be bothered talking to you.' Hiding behind email tells people not to trust you, and if they don't trust you, they are not going to do business with you.
Business is about connecting to people, whether they are consumers, purchasing agents, or suppliers. If your website doesn't have some kind of human element like a video Web-host, audio message, or even a contact name and phone number, how can you expect to connect and build confidence, and trust in your intent to satisfy their needs?
7. Web-Audience Response Demands Personality
By building trust with your Web-audience you are also building your brand and defining your corporate personality. Here again we have a bit of a dichotomy since personality is a human-based characteristic, so how then can we create a personality and instill human characteristics into an inanimate entity like a business?
Corporate personality does not derive from a logo, packaging, or your website's aesthetic qualities. Corporate personality is the sum total of the collective experiences your audience has with your company. In the brick and mortar world, corporate personality is a result of dealing with people, sales people, receptionists, and telemarketers; in short personality is derived from interaction with real human beings.
Clever, well written website copy can help create personality as long as it is written in a distinctive human voice, but we know that 70% of all website text is never read; people skip to bulleted points and captions. But the same material delivered by a real person either through Web-audio or video, not only delivers the marketing message in the most memorable and compelling fashion, but it also defines the business personality and humanizes the website.
Two caveats: avatars are not people, and unless you can afford to hire the creators of the Simpsons to develop your animation, you best forget it; as well, using yourself or a non-professional as a spokesperson or Web-host is a dangerous practice, and speaks more to ego than it does to effective business development.
8. Web-Audience Response Demands Motivation
Lastly your website must communicate content that excites and motivates people to do business with you. The ability to motivate people isn't about what you're selling; it's about how you present it.
Motivational speakers, whether in the business, entertainment, personal coaching, or sports arenas, all deliver a similar message; but the ones that truly stimulate people to act, are the ones that know how to present their ideas in the most exciting and compelling manner. If you want to motivate your Web-audience to respond, your presentation has to be delivered by a real human being: a professional with charm, charisma, and a distinctive character.
About The Author
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit MRPwebmedia.com, 136Words.com, SonicPersonality.com, and CacheClosed.com. Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.
It's always a good idea to stick to the basics. When businesses stray too far from the fundamentals, problems arise, but sticking to the basics doesn't mean boring people into a state of unconsciousness. If Web-visitors' eyes glaze-over upon entering your site, you've lost them before you've begun.
Web success is based on creative implementation of the basics, and that's where your Web-marketing presentation should begin.
1. Web-Audience Response Demands Communication
The Web has a lot in common with television but there are fundamental differences; it is important for Web-entrepreneurs to understand these differences and similarities, and learn from them. Television and the Web are both communication environments, but television, like magazines and newspapers, are primarily advertising platforms. Of course there are plenty of websites around that follow the advertising financial model, but for the average business website, depending on third party advertising not only dilutes their marketing message and brand, but it also makes for a confusing and cluttered visual presentation.
Just because your website presents information, doesn't mean it's communicating it to your intended audience in any meaningful way. The manner in which you communicate your message is as important as the message itself. The medium is increasingly becoming the message, and even in situations where it isn't, it definitely shapes the message.
2. Web-Audience Response Demands Content
You have repeatedly heard the comment, 'content is king,' but we think, 'communication is king' because without communication your content is meaningless. But here's the dilemma, your information is basically advertising, after all you're in business, and business is about selling something - a product, a service, an idea, or your know-how. So the real underlying purpose of your website is to make that advertising message worth listening to, and to do that, you need to turn it into content.
To turn advertising into content you have to accept that sales take time. You have to be patient. You can't hurry a sale, you first have to build confidence; stop rushing the close and start thinking of selling as a courtship. You would never ask someone to get married on a first date, so why would you expect to get an order from a potential Web-client on their first visit.
3. Web-Audience Response Demands Courtship
No one is going to make a substantial financial commitment without reaching some level of comfort with who you are and what you do, and that requires some repeated contact: a courtship, or negotiation if you prefer.
Therein lies the similarity and difference between websites and television: the success of a television program is based on habituation. If you get people to tune-in every week on the same night, at the same time to see their favorite program, you will be able to keep delivering your marketing message through the commercials that pay for the content. In the same regard, if you can make your website interesting enough through the compelling presentation of content, you will get visitors to return again and again, each time gaining confidence and respect for what you do and what you sell.
The difference is people accept television commercials as the price they pay for free TV programming, but the same cannot be said for the Web. People want free information on the Web without the irritation and bother of ads; so the challenge for website owners is to turn their marketing message into compelling programming that creates habituation which is just another form of negotiation, or courtship of potential clients.
4. Web-Audience Response Demands Consistency
You hear the word strategy bandied about with little relevance to its precise meaning. In marketing terms, strategy is a big idea, a sustainable concept that you can build a business around.
Successful companies rarely change their strategies, a concept that should not be confused with tactics, which are the various methods used to implement strategy in order to secure the ultimate objectives.
Business has to be resilient and open-minded enough to adapt to an ever-changing business environment by constantly updating tactics, but strategy needs to be a constant, a touchstone or benchmark for implementing action. Staying on course requires confidence in the strategy with a vigilant eye on the big picture.
Websites that are nothing more than brochures or catalogs of product that anyone can purchase at the local mall or box store is a tactic that delivers little relevance to today's Web-savvy consumer. And the same can be said for the blatantly obvious direct marketíng sites based on old magazine subscription techniques. The new multimedia communication-based Web requires new presentation tactics in order to successfully implement marketing strategy.
5. Web-Audience Response Demands Expectation
Successful marketing is not just about persuading people that what you have is what they need, it's about creating a series of deliverable expectations.
If you expect a product to be easy to use because that's what the marketing communication states, then that product better be easy to use. Effective marketing presentations not only prompt action but just as importantly they create a set of realistic, deliverable expectations.
Ask yourself, why do people mistrust politicians, car salesmen, and telemarketers? We all know the answer: many will say, and promise, just about anything to get your vote or order, and the result is a disgruntled, cynical voter or customer. Read my lips, no false expectations!
6. Web-Audience Response Demands Trust
When customers' expectations are met, you begin to create trust, and trust is one of the hardest things to achieve on a website that lacks any kind of human connection to the audience.
I can't tell you how many websites I've visited that make no effort to humanize their presentations, and consequently their businesses. When you go to a contact page and all that's there is a form to fill-in, with no contact name or phone number, it says to people, 'I really can't be bothered talking to you.' Hiding behind email tells people not to trust you, and if they don't trust you, they are not going to do business with you.
Business is about connecting to people, whether they are consumers, purchasing agents, or suppliers. If your website doesn't have some kind of human element like a video Web-host, audio message, or even a contact name and phone number, how can you expect to connect and build confidence, and trust in your intent to satisfy their needs?
7. Web-Audience Response Demands Personality
By building trust with your Web-audience you are also building your brand and defining your corporate personality. Here again we have a bit of a dichotomy since personality is a human-based characteristic, so how then can we create a personality and instill human characteristics into an inanimate entity like a business?
Corporate personality does not derive from a logo, packaging, or your website's aesthetic qualities. Corporate personality is the sum total of the collective experiences your audience has with your company. In the brick and mortar world, corporate personality is a result of dealing with people, sales people, receptionists, and telemarketers; in short personality is derived from interaction with real human beings.
Clever, well written website copy can help create personality as long as it is written in a distinctive human voice, but we know that 70% of all website text is never read; people skip to bulleted points and captions. But the same material delivered by a real person either through Web-audio or video, not only delivers the marketing message in the most memorable and compelling fashion, but it also defines the business personality and humanizes the website.
Two caveats: avatars are not people, and unless you can afford to hire the creators of the Simpsons to develop your animation, you best forget it; as well, using yourself or a non-professional as a spokesperson or Web-host is a dangerous practice, and speaks more to ego than it does to effective business development.
8. Web-Audience Response Demands Motivation
Lastly your website must communicate content that excites and motivates people to do business with you. The ability to motivate people isn't about what you're selling; it's about how you present it.
Motivational speakers, whether in the business, entertainment, personal coaching, or sports arenas, all deliver a similar message; but the ones that truly stimulate people to act, are the ones that know how to present their ideas in the most exciting and compelling manner. If you want to motivate your Web-audience to respond, your presentation has to be delivered by a real human being: a professional with charm, charisma, and a distinctive character.
About The Author
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit MRPwebmedia.com, 136Words.com, SonicPersonality.com, and CacheClosed.com. Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.
Monday, July 7, 2008
How To Build Backlinks via Google Alerts
By Titus Hoskins (c) 2008
Building backlinks is an essential, yet tedious job for most webmasters. Here are a few tools and tips to make that job just a little bit easier...
I am a member of many online forums. Most of these forums have to do with online marketing and site promotion. Recently, I came across a post on Ken Evoy's SBI forum that truly caught my attention. It basically described how to use Google Alerts to build your backlinks. Now for those not familiar with Google Alerts a little explanation is probably needed.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free program run by Google that allows you to keep track of any topic on the web. You select your "keywords" or "urls" and Google will alert you via email whenever links/ content containing your selected topics appear anywhere on the web.
It is an excellent way to keep informed about your own domain or name. It is also perfect for keeping up-to-date on the latest information in your market niche or niches. It's also a great way to find out what other people are saying about you or your site.
For example: if you have a site on "antique cars" then you would create a Google Alert for those keywords. Google will alert you by email whenever a new link/content related to those keywords appears on the web.
This is a great way to stay informed in your niche, but it is also a valuable source of potential linking partners. Many of those links are blogs that will allow comments with a link back to your site.
Google Alerts will probably send you 10-20 links each day, depending on the popularity of your chosen keywords. Just go to these blogs/links and see if you can leave a comment with some valuable additional information on what's been discussed.
Don't Spam
Please Note: Don't spam; there are intelligent people behind most of these blogs, and they will recognize keyword spam when they see it. Your main goal should be getting targeted traffic back to your site and any link PR should be secondary. Always put the reader or viewer first, especially if it's on someone else's site. Don't talk about your site or your marketing - just join the conversation and add your comments/opinions/suggestions...
Enhance their site and they will reward you with traffic and a link. But you still have to keep your own interests in the equation! You have to make sure you get your targeted keywords in the anchor text.
Keyword Market
First, if you've done your homework, your main keywords should already be in your domain name or url. Another way is to add your "keywords" + "guide" to your sig or signature. Such as: Name, Your Antique Cars Guide. If you're an expert in your particular niche, many webmasters will kindly welcome your comments and links.
Since your main goal is the traffic, many webmasters don't worry if there is a "no follow" attribute attached to the link. But if you are concerned about this - one way is to look at the source code to see if it has the "no follow" tag. I usually copy the whole source code of the page to my text editor and then do a simple "no follow" search.
No Follow
There is also a great little free comment tool called "Comment Kahuna" co-created by Jason Potash which will search blogs and tell you if they have the "no-follow" attribute or not, it will also give you the PageRank of each blog post. If you're going to use blogs as a source of your backlinks, I suggest you try Comment Kahuna - it will make the task much easier and it's free.
Actually, while the "no-follow" issue may be a concern for some webmasters, the savvy ones will realize these are links/sites Google is actively indexing and spidering, otherwise you wouldn't get the alert in the first place. You must get your links into this whole mix of related, relevant sites to help raise your own rankings. Also remember the other search engines may not even consider the "no-follow" tag.
Trackbacks
Likewise, creating trackbacks are another way of linking relevant content. Keep in mind, a trackback is simply an acknowledgement via a ping signal that is sent from Site A (originator) to Site B (receptor). Then the receptor often places a link back to Site A showing its worthiness.
Again, I am mainly concerned with the quality of the blog or link, rather than the linking structure. I want the targeted traffic, and it doesn't really matter whether the link has "no follow" because interested visitors only see a link they can click for other helpful information.
Other Linking Options
Since we are on the topic of link building, another useful way to build backlinks is to use Google Search or Google Blog search. Now if you're looking for niche-related blogs just type in:
"(Keywords)" "powered by (blog scripts)"
For example, if you're looking for some "antique cars" related links on WordPress blogs, you would search for:
"antique cars" "powered by wordpress"
And Google would give you a whole list of sites on antique cars.
Now if you want to find the links that will allow comments, just repeat the Google search with:
"antique cars" "powered by wordpress" "leave a comment" -"no comments"
Remember the "-" means posts that have no comments will not be displayed.
If you're concerned with PageRank, Number of Backlinks, Alexa Ranking... of particular posts you can download and install the SEOQuake plugin. This handy SEO plugin can be attached to your browser and will give you helpful SEO information on the link or links you're viewing.
Used in conjunction with Google, it can sort thru all these blog posts and give you the ones with the highest PR? Highest traffic? Highest number of backlinks? The more knowledge you have, the easier and more effective your link building will become.
Just remember, finding quality backlinks is probably the most tedious job for most webmasters. It takes time and it takes patience. By using Google Alerts you can have relevant keyword related links emailed to you each day. Use this information to help build your backlinks in relevant related niches. Do this consistently over a period of time and your site will get noticed and ranked higher.
About The Author
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous websites. For the latest web marketing tools try: Marketing Tools. Everyone is profiting from Google, find out how you can too! Click here: Google Cash File
Top 20 Contributing Factors For Google SEO
By Jon Bergan (c) 2008
Websites are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways of advertising. Whether it be a business, its product or service or something completely different, everyone of all ages is turning to the web as a method of getting their message out there. With the popularity of this marketing medium increasing and the number of websites always growing, it is obvious that everyone wants to appear at the top of Google's search engine rankings. Achieving such a task is not an easy feat, however with a bit of perseverance, one can definitely improve their chances of reaching that glorious first page result.
Given that there is a heap of websites out there who are on the first page, what is their secret? It is a little industry term called "SEO" and it stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO basically consists of the customization of your website, its content and its internal and external links to assist in the overall indexing and ranking of your website in popular search engines. There are many contributing factors that are used in determining a website's ranking and every search engine is different. This makes trying to optimize your site for Google, Yahoo, Live and the many others quite a painstaking task.
As most of us are aware, Google is currently the most popular search engine for the majority of Internet users. As such, it is only normal that we'd want to focus our sights on achieving a higher ranking within Google first with the hope that the rest will follow. To do this, we must start a journey that could potentially take months before we start seeing any real change, however we have to start somewhere.
Our journey begins by defining some of the key contributing factors that Google uses to determine a website's and webpage's ranking within its results. These factors range from keyword use to manipulating internal and external links and the líst goes on. To get you started, we have listed the top twenty factors that you should focus on in order to help get your website that little bit closer to the top of the search engine results listings.
Keyword Use Factors
The following components relate to the use of search query terms in determining the rank of a particular page.
1. Keyword Use in Title Tag - Placing the targeted search term or phrase in the title tag of the web page's HTML header.
2. Keyword Use in Body Text - Using the targeted search term in the visible, HTML text of the page.
3. Relationship of Body Text Content to Keywords - Topical relevance of text on the page compared to targeted keywords.
4. Keyword Use in H1 Tag - Creating an H1 tag with the targeted search term/phrase.
5. Keyword Use in Domain Name & Page URL - Including the targeted term/phrase in the registered domain name, i.e. keyword.com plus target terms in the webpage URL, i.e. seomoz.org/keyword-phrase.
Page Attributes
The following elements comprise how Google interprets specific data about a webpage independent of keywords.
6. Link Popularity within the Site's Internal Link Structure - Refers to the number and importance of internal links pointing to the target page.
7. Quality/Relevance of Links to External Sites/Pages - Do links on the page point to high quality, topically-related pages?
8. Age of Document - Older pages may be perceived as more authoritative while newer pages may be more temporarily relevant.
9. Amount of Indexable Text Content - Refers to the literal quantity of visible HTML text on a page.
10. Quality of the Document Content (as measured algorithmically) - Assuming search engines can use text, visual or other analysis methods to determine the validity and value of content, this metric would provide some level of rating.
Site/Domain Attributes
The factors below contribute to Google's rankings based on the site/domain on which a page resides.
11. Global Link Popularity of Site - The overall link weight/authority as measured by links from any and all sites across the web (both link quality and quantity).
12. Age of Site - Not the date of original registration of the domain, but rather the launch of indexable content seen by the search engines (note that this can change if a domain switches ownership).
13. Topical Relevance of Inbound Links to Site - The subject-specific relationship between the sites/pages linking to the target page and the target keyword.
14. Link Popularity of Site in Topical Community - The link weight/authority of the target website amongst its topical peers in the online world.
15. Rate of New Inbound Links to Site - The frequency and timing of external sites linking in to the given domain.
Inbound Link Attribute
These pieces affect Google's weighting of links from external websites pointing to a page and ultimately will assist in the ranking of that page.
16. Anchor Text of Inbound Link.
17. Global Link Popularity of Linking Site.
18. Topical Relationship of Linking Page.
19. Link Popularity of Site in Topical Community - The link weight/authority of the target website amongst its topical peers in the online world.
20. Age of Link.
Negative Crawling/Ranking Attributes
There are also some points we should make before you start getting your hands dirty. With any type of SEO marketing, there are some things that can actually have a negative impact on your ranking. These following components may negatively affect a spider's ability to crawl a page or its rankings at Google.
* Server is Often Inaccessible to Bots.
* Content Very Similar or Duplicate of Existing Content in the Index.
* External Links to Low Quality/Spam Sites.
* Duplicate Title/Meta Tags on Many Pages.
* Overuse of Targeted Keywords (Stuffing/Spamming).
It's now time to get busy! Start prioritizing your tasks, modifying your content and building your internal and external links to meet some of the above guidelines. Keep in mind that improving indexing is mostly a technical task and improving ranking is mostly a business/marketing strategy. What might work now may not work in the future and finally, it takes time. Loads of time. Still, with a bit of trial and error and a good dose of persistence, you can achieve the search engine ranking you're after.
About The Author
Jon Bergan is the owner of Bergan Blue, an Australian based creative design firm focused on bridging the gap between the online world of the Internet with the offline world of Marketing. Please visit http://www.berganblue.com.au for more information.
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