The light bulb has finally started flashing in your head and you realize that you need an opt-in list to make money on the Internet. You've read hundreds of articles on the subject and sought expert advice. You've head all the stories of people creating a profitable business with opt-in lists.
With that light bulb still flashing away you finally decide to do something about it - start a list of your own. But how do you get started? And better yet, how do you build a list big enough to generate an income from?
It can be pretty scary when you're first starting out. Do you need a web site? An opt-in form? Should you use an autoresponder service or a script on your own site? How should you format the messages? How many should you send a week? The list goes on and on.
The answers to a lot of these questions will greatly depend on how experienced you are on the Internet. If you have no knowledge of CGI or PHP, then hosting your own script may not be an option. If you don't know HTML or don't have direct access to your on-line files, then editing your pages to insert the code for an opt-in form will not be possible.
These, unfortunately, are just some of the obstacles that you will need to overcome if you want to give this 'Internet Thing' a go. Having your own web site is almost a necessity. Without one, you would only be able to promote other people's products (as they would have their own web sites for you to send traffic to through your affiliate links).
Below are three easy ways that you can use to start building your opt-in list:
• Offer a free report that contains links back to your web site or even includes an opt-in form on one of the main pages. You can also make it necessary for your visitors to fill out your opt-in form before they can access the report.
• Join some of the Fire Sales and Giveaways that other marketers are running (sometimes called Joint Ventures). Add your gift to the site and when visitors want to download your gift make them fill out your opt-in form first.
• Exchange ads with other opt-in list owners. You run an ad for them and they run an ad for you. Granted you probably won't be able to join up with someone who has a huge list (as they won't be getting much exposure in return) but if you can find other lists that are of a similar size to yours, you should be in with a chance.
• Building a profitable opt-in list won't happen overnight, but it will happen. Keep at it and be creative. Try things outside of the box; put a twist on an old idea. And most of all - be persistent.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
If Only I'd Known Then What I Know Now!
Hindsight, we all know only too well, is a wonderful thing. For example, if we had only known that the ceiling on membership at a popular site was going to be subscribed so quickly - we would have joined up the minute we heard about it.
If we had only known that niche marketing was going to be so wildly popular we would have focused on that instead of MLM.
If we had only known that Google was going to change its algorithm and the rules of AdWords were going to change we would have...
Stop.
Stop, stop, stop.
In the world of Internet marketing, you can safely bet that the only constant is the rate of change! There's always news of the latest product dropping into your email inbox. There's always another promise of quick and easy money. Google will keep changing its algorithm, and new search engines are quite likely to pop up to challenge Google.
What can you do about this? Four main things:
(1) Continue To Educate Yourself.
Understand that those who rise to the top of any field - whether it's internet marketing or something else - are good at what they do. This means that they never stop learning. There are always new materials, new techniques and probably new 'experts' showing the way.
Most of us learn in three main ways: (a) from experts who specialize in a certain niche related to our field; (b) from others who are following the same path as we are, and (c) by trial and error, from our own results.
You will find that the more you immerse yourself in the world of internet marketing, the more you will be able to analyze which products, services and opportunities are right for you.
(2) Focus. Pick One System And Give It A Fair Go.
Countless people who start out on the internet with high hopes follow the same pattern. They get excited about a new product or system. They throw themselves into it and invest long hours (and potentially quite a bit of money) in getting it up and running. It might be e-books sold from mini-sites; it might be setting up an eBay business; it might be directory-type sites with text manipulators; it might be AdWords or content sites optimized for AdSense.
Then one day they get wind of another new system (probably one created by someone who claims "the gurus are angry with me for giving away all their secrets..."). Discouraged by the lack of results with the first "opportunity", they decide to let it rest for a while and try the new one. Back they go into the cycle of try-the-new-product, get-discouraged, discard-it-and-try-the-next-thing.
And so it goes on. Months pass. Perhaps years pass. They struggle to pay the credit card bills mounting from buying into every new system that comes along... with very little money coming in to offset their 'investment'. As they look back, they start muttering "If I had only known then what I know now..."
If you can recognize yourself in this scenario, the good news is this: Now you DO know better. You don't know what the next new product will be that's going to set the internet world abuzz, but you do know enough to choose a system that's right for you and stick to it.
(3) Take The Time to Plan.
Give yourself from two to four weeks to regroup. Go through all the products you have on your shelves or on your computer. Make a list. Decide which products you now know (so wise with hindsight!) to be worth keeping. Then analyze the 'keepers' and pick on the best system for YOU to use at this time. (This will depend upon your level of knowledge and which one you would enjoy most. Work with your strengths.)
Finally, devise a game plan. You are going to focus on this ONE method and devise a practical time-line to achieve results. Don't be in a rush. Make sure you give yourself enough time to see it 'take hold' so the money starts flowing in. That will give you the motivation to continue.
Clear the decks, physically as well as mentally. Put all the products that don't fit in with your plan in boxes or on disk for safekeeping. You may return to them one day, but if you've chosen the system that's right for you, you probably won't.
4. Don't Get Distracted by New Products.
Resolve to buy ONLY products or services that will save you time or money in implementing the system you have chosen. Never buy anything on impulse. Print out the sales letter, read it through, then put it aside. Read it through again the next day. Does it still seem so appealing? Check out a few forums to listen to the buzz. If a product doesn't deliver, you'll soon hear about it. If it is exceptional value, you'll hear about that, too.
Some questions to ask: "Will this help me to streamline the business I have chosen? Is it worth the money? Will it make a significant difference?" And above all, "Do I need this, or is it just another distraction?"
Resolve to make this the year you will succeed. No more pocket change. No more "If I had only known..."
You DO know.
So make it work.
If we had only known that niche marketing was going to be so wildly popular we would have focused on that instead of MLM.
If we had only known that Google was going to change its algorithm and the rules of AdWords were going to change we would have...
Stop.
Stop, stop, stop.
In the world of Internet marketing, you can safely bet that the only constant is the rate of change! There's always news of the latest product dropping into your email inbox. There's always another promise of quick and easy money. Google will keep changing its algorithm, and new search engines are quite likely to pop up to challenge Google.
What can you do about this? Four main things:
(1) Continue To Educate Yourself.
Understand that those who rise to the top of any field - whether it's internet marketing or something else - are good at what they do. This means that they never stop learning. There are always new materials, new techniques and probably new 'experts' showing the way.
Most of us learn in three main ways: (a) from experts who specialize in a certain niche related to our field; (b) from others who are following the same path as we are, and (c) by trial and error, from our own results.
You will find that the more you immerse yourself in the world of internet marketing, the more you will be able to analyze which products, services and opportunities are right for you.
(2) Focus. Pick One System And Give It A Fair Go.
Countless people who start out on the internet with high hopes follow the same pattern. They get excited about a new product or system. They throw themselves into it and invest long hours (and potentially quite a bit of money) in getting it up and running. It might be e-books sold from mini-sites; it might be setting up an eBay business; it might be directory-type sites with text manipulators; it might be AdWords or content sites optimized for AdSense.
Then one day they get wind of another new system (probably one created by someone who claims "the gurus are angry with me for giving away all their secrets..."). Discouraged by the lack of results with the first "opportunity", they decide to let it rest for a while and try the new one. Back they go into the cycle of try-the-new-product, get-discouraged, discard-it-and-try-the-next-thing.
And so it goes on. Months pass. Perhaps years pass. They struggle to pay the credit card bills mounting from buying into every new system that comes along... with very little money coming in to offset their 'investment'. As they look back, they start muttering "If I had only known then what I know now..."
If you can recognize yourself in this scenario, the good news is this: Now you DO know better. You don't know what the next new product will be that's going to set the internet world abuzz, but you do know enough to choose a system that's right for you and stick to it.
(3) Take The Time to Plan.
Give yourself from two to four weeks to regroup. Go through all the products you have on your shelves or on your computer. Make a list. Decide which products you now know (so wise with hindsight!) to be worth keeping. Then analyze the 'keepers' and pick on the best system for YOU to use at this time. (This will depend upon your level of knowledge and which one you would enjoy most. Work with your strengths.)
Finally, devise a game plan. You are going to focus on this ONE method and devise a practical time-line to achieve results. Don't be in a rush. Make sure you give yourself enough time to see it 'take hold' so the money starts flowing in. That will give you the motivation to continue.
Clear the decks, physically as well as mentally. Put all the products that don't fit in with your plan in boxes or on disk for safekeeping. You may return to them one day, but if you've chosen the system that's right for you, you probably won't.
4. Don't Get Distracted by New Products.
Resolve to buy ONLY products or services that will save you time or money in implementing the system you have chosen. Never buy anything on impulse. Print out the sales letter, read it through, then put it aside. Read it through again the next day. Does it still seem so appealing? Check out a few forums to listen to the buzz. If a product doesn't deliver, you'll soon hear about it. If it is exceptional value, you'll hear about that, too.
Some questions to ask: "Will this help me to streamline the business I have chosen? Is it worth the money? Will it make a significant difference?" And above all, "Do I need this, or is it just another distraction?"
Resolve to make this the year you will succeed. No more pocket change. No more "If I had only known..."
You DO know.
So make it work.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Your Internet Business - Achieving Success While Avoiding Burnout
Hang around any internet forum for a while, and you're sure to read a post from some exhausted, disillusioned 'apprentice' internet marketer who is ready to give up.
It's not only internet forums that carry sad tales of endless hours spent trying to 'break in'. You'll often see stories like this in testimonials for a system that has finally worked: relieved buyers tell of their rocky journey before finding the solution that did it for them.
If you're one of those who are dealing with a fed-up spouse who is urging you to find a 'real job', or credit cards that have reached the red zone after huge sums spent on the next sure thing, you may well be getting close to burnout.
What do you do? Keep trying - or give up? And if you do keep trying, how can you know what will work best for you? What is the best use of the hours you have available to you, without your health suffering?
Here are a few tips to help you find your way through the maze.
1. Work on the Tasks That You Find Easiest - Outsource the Rest.
There are many ways to make money on the Internet, but most of them require you to know how to work with two things: words and websites. When you're a beginner, focus on working with your strengths. For example, if you are a confident writer but a dud with the technical stuff, spend your time and money wisely. Use sites like Elance.com or Workaholics4Hire.com to find someone to do the things you find difficult. (You could spend a whole day trying to master something an expert could do in twenty minutes.) Instead, let the professionals work on the geeky stuff, while you write your own sales copy and tweak articles to make them unique.
If you're not so hot with either words or the technical aspects, you have a choice: (a) you can pay others to do most of the work, while you come up with the ideas; or (b) you can invest time to teach yourself necessary skills.
The quickest road to burnout is trying to master everything at once. ("I have to work this stuff out in the next three weeks or get another job!") Be kind to yourself, and allow yourself whatever training period you need.
2. Work With Your Personality, Not Against It.
By the time you're ready to embark on an Internet business, it's likely that you have enough life experience to understand your own work patterns. It is essential that you create whatever conditions you need to work efficiently.
Once you have chosen the type of business that seems right for you (for example: creating niche products, or building content sites that will bring in money from AdSense and affiliate sales) your first step should be to create a checklist of necessary tasks. What is the very first thing you need to do? What is the second? What is the third? Write them all down.
Decide on which tasks you will handle yourself, and which tasks you will hand over to others. Arrange these tasks in two separate lists. (If you have no money to outsource anything yet, then you'll still have one big list.)
If you are outsourcing certain tasks, find the professional who will be handling them and get things underway before you begin on your own list. This will give you a mental boost, because things are already happening! (Note that some outsourced tasks may have to wait until you have completed a step on your own list.)
Look back at your past experiences with approaching projects or new tasks, and decide which of the two following work patterns sounds most like you:
- you work best with a 'to do' list that challenges you, ticking off each task as it is completed.
- you become overwhelmed if you have too much on your list; you work best if you have just one task in front of you at a time.
Far too many new internet marketers panic at the sight of a seemingly interminable list of tasks. At the end of a day, if they've checked only three boxes out of twenty-seven, they panic. It all seems too much - and paralysis can set in. That, in turn, leads to disillusionment and another failed business.
If you know that this will be your reaction, then put your list away. Instead, write out the very first task on a piece of paper, and put THAT in front of you. That's all you have to accomplish - that one task.
Be careful that you don't look upon a whole complex project 'one task'. For example: don't write down 'build a website' as Item 1 on your To-Do List! Break large tasks down into smaller jobs, and focus on that. If your first task in building a website is to download the necessary software and install it on your computer, write that down as one thing on your to-do list.
Work your way through one task at a time, and give yourself credit for what you have accomplished. One final tip: pretend that you are hiring yourself, and treat yourself kindly - like a new employee that has to learn the ropes. As a boss, you wouldn't unfairly overload a 'newbie' starting out in the business - so don't do it to yourself!
It's not only internet forums that carry sad tales of endless hours spent trying to 'break in'. You'll often see stories like this in testimonials for a system that has finally worked: relieved buyers tell of their rocky journey before finding the solution that did it for them.
If you're one of those who are dealing with a fed-up spouse who is urging you to find a 'real job', or credit cards that have reached the red zone after huge sums spent on the next sure thing, you may well be getting close to burnout.
What do you do? Keep trying - or give up? And if you do keep trying, how can you know what will work best for you? What is the best use of the hours you have available to you, without your health suffering?
Here are a few tips to help you find your way through the maze.
1. Work on the Tasks That You Find Easiest - Outsource the Rest.
There are many ways to make money on the Internet, but most of them require you to know how to work with two things: words and websites. When you're a beginner, focus on working with your strengths. For example, if you are a confident writer but a dud with the technical stuff, spend your time and money wisely. Use sites like Elance.com or Workaholics4Hire.com to find someone to do the things you find difficult. (You could spend a whole day trying to master something an expert could do in twenty minutes.) Instead, let the professionals work on the geeky stuff, while you write your own sales copy and tweak articles to make them unique.
If you're not so hot with either words or the technical aspects, you have a choice: (a) you can pay others to do most of the work, while you come up with the ideas; or (b) you can invest time to teach yourself necessary skills.
The quickest road to burnout is trying to master everything at once. ("I have to work this stuff out in the next three weeks or get another job!") Be kind to yourself, and allow yourself whatever training period you need.
2. Work With Your Personality, Not Against It.
By the time you're ready to embark on an Internet business, it's likely that you have enough life experience to understand your own work patterns. It is essential that you create whatever conditions you need to work efficiently.
Once you have chosen the type of business that seems right for you (for example: creating niche products, or building content sites that will bring in money from AdSense and affiliate sales) your first step should be to create a checklist of necessary tasks. What is the very first thing you need to do? What is the second? What is the third? Write them all down.
Decide on which tasks you will handle yourself, and which tasks you will hand over to others. Arrange these tasks in two separate lists. (If you have no money to outsource anything yet, then you'll still have one big list.)
If you are outsourcing certain tasks, find the professional who will be handling them and get things underway before you begin on your own list. This will give you a mental boost, because things are already happening! (Note that some outsourced tasks may have to wait until you have completed a step on your own list.)
Look back at your past experiences with approaching projects or new tasks, and decide which of the two following work patterns sounds most like you:
- you work best with a 'to do' list that challenges you, ticking off each task as it is completed.
- you become overwhelmed if you have too much on your list; you work best if you have just one task in front of you at a time.
Far too many new internet marketers panic at the sight of a seemingly interminable list of tasks. At the end of a day, if they've checked only three boxes out of twenty-seven, they panic. It all seems too much - and paralysis can set in. That, in turn, leads to disillusionment and another failed business.
If you know that this will be your reaction, then put your list away. Instead, write out the very first task on a piece of paper, and put THAT in front of you. That's all you have to accomplish - that one task.
Be careful that you don't look upon a whole complex project 'one task'. For example: don't write down 'build a website' as Item 1 on your To-Do List! Break large tasks down into smaller jobs, and focus on that. If your first task in building a website is to download the necessary software and install it on your computer, write that down as one thing on your to-do list.
Work your way through one task at a time, and give yourself credit for what you have accomplished. One final tip: pretend that you are hiring yourself, and treat yourself kindly - like a new employee that has to learn the ropes. As a boss, you wouldn't unfairly overload a 'newbie' starting out in the business - so don't do it to yourself!
How to Use Blog Trackbacks to Your Advantage
First of all, what is a blog trackback? A trackback is a type of blog feature that is used to associate blog posts on different blogs - or a way to notify a website or another blog that you have published an entry that references it. The result of this is that two or more different blogs are able to share readers.
The description above is a little hard to fathom so here is an example. Say you just posted an article to your blog about Pit Bull dog training. Now, as you are surfing the internet, you run across a similar or related post on another blog. So, you could use the trackback feature to notify the person who posted the other post about Pit Bulls that there is a similar post on your blog.
When your trackback, which is the permalink to your post, appears on the other blog's post, that blog's readers find out that you have something to say about Pit Bulls and may even pay your blog a visit to find out more.
In order to create a trackback, you have to get the trackback URL from the post where you want to send your trackback notification. It will be shown on the blog as a Trackback URL or possibly a Permalink. Once you have found it, copy the URL into the correct place in your blog's post. Your blog software will have some notation like Trackback URL identified for where the Trackback URL would go.
Once you have done this, save and republish your blog. Your blog software will automatically send the Trackback ping to the target blog's post. So now your trackback, which is the permalink to your post, will be listed on the other blog's post after that blog owner has approved it.
The trackback feature works by actually sending a ping from your blog to the blog you are trackbacking to notify them of your post. This also causes your post to be listed on the other blog, after it has been approved of course.
Trackbacks should be used to elaborate on or add to a related post. So if your post is on Pit Bulls, your trackback on another blog should also be about that related subject and not one like pet care in general or something like that. Blog comments can be used for posting non specific comments on blogs where trackbacks are topic related specific posts.
You may have noticed that by trackbacking you are essentially placing your link (permalink) on another blog, which creates a backlink to your blog. For this reason, when you set up your blog, modify the permalink structure to be more search engine friendly. This can be done a few different ways, but you want a structure that ends up having keywords in it as opposed to having more dynamic looking links.
By having the backlinks to your blog and by having them relevant to the content of your blog, you now have the ability of improving your blog's page rank. Those backlinks will strengthen both your link popularity and your link relevancy which will bring your blog more organic search engine traffic.
It should be noted that trackbacks should be used with care and not used as methods for spamming other people's blogs.
The description above is a little hard to fathom so here is an example. Say you just posted an article to your blog about Pit Bull dog training. Now, as you are surfing the internet, you run across a similar or related post on another blog. So, you could use the trackback feature to notify the person who posted the other post about Pit Bulls that there is a similar post on your blog.
When your trackback, which is the permalink to your post, appears on the other blog's post, that blog's readers find out that you have something to say about Pit Bulls and may even pay your blog a visit to find out more.
In order to create a trackback, you have to get the trackback URL from the post where you want to send your trackback notification. It will be shown on the blog as a Trackback URL or possibly a Permalink. Once you have found it, copy the URL into the correct place in your blog's post. Your blog software will have some notation like Trackback URL identified for where the Trackback URL would go.
Once you have done this, save and republish your blog. Your blog software will automatically send the Trackback ping to the target blog's post. So now your trackback, which is the permalink to your post, will be listed on the other blog's post after that blog owner has approved it.
The trackback feature works by actually sending a ping from your blog to the blog you are trackbacking to notify them of your post. This also causes your post to be listed on the other blog, after it has been approved of course.
Trackbacks should be used to elaborate on or add to a related post. So if your post is on Pit Bulls, your trackback on another blog should also be about that related subject and not one like pet care in general or something like that. Blog comments can be used for posting non specific comments on blogs where trackbacks are topic related specific posts.
You may have noticed that by trackbacking you are essentially placing your link (permalink) on another blog, which creates a backlink to your blog. For this reason, when you set up your blog, modify the permalink structure to be more search engine friendly. This can be done a few different ways, but you want a structure that ends up having keywords in it as opposed to having more dynamic looking links.
By having the backlinks to your blog and by having them relevant to the content of your blog, you now have the ability of improving your blog's page rank. Those backlinks will strengthen both your link popularity and your link relevancy which will bring your blog more organic search engine traffic.
It should be noted that trackbacks should be used with care and not used as methods for spamming other people's blogs.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Learning the Tricks of Free Classified Advertising
Online free classified sites offer a risk free, no cost solution to promote your businesses and sell products and services. Advertising in free classified sites can be time consuming and frustrating if you do not know how to successfully profit from these sites. Knowing the right tricks and tips of online free classified ads will separate you from the hundreds who post thousands of ads without getting any results.
All free classified sites are not created equal. You should focus on a few good sites and post your ads regularly in those sites only. Your starting point is Google search. Go to google.com and search for "free classifieds" and "free ads". From the search result pages, visit 10 to 15 sites and register in those sites. If a site asks too many questions during the registration process, abandon the site and go to the next site. Why should you have to provide all your personal information for the site's benefits? Good sites will only ask minimal questions to setup your account so that you can edit, delete and renew your ads. Also, look for sites that will allow you to post without any registration.
Write a precise ad using 80 to 100 words. Write about benefits of your products and services for ad viewers. Try to think benefits in terms of generating extra income, improving health and relationships and providing a sense of good feelings when they use your products and services.
Write a concise, interest grabbing, key words filled ad title with action words that asks the reader to do something now. If you are promoting an affiliate product and many ads are also about the same affiliate product, write your ad title and ad copy differently than others so that your ad stands out in the crowd.
If you are selling personal items, like used cars, cameras etc., provide details description of the item, its selling price, and your contact information. If you are promoting an item to make a profit, do not try to sell your products or services in the classified ad. Use the free ad to lead to another site or your affiliate site where you can provide more information to make a sale.
In classified sites, most recent ads are listed on the top of the ad search or ad listing pages. Some free classified sites have paid premium ads which are displayed on the top of the listing pages, followed by the free ads. Avoid those free sites that accept premium listings. In free classified sites, your ads will be buried deep in the listing pages as more ads are posted in the same category. To keep your ads fresh and on the top of the listing page, renew your ads every couple of days.
Do not spam by posting your ads in all categories. Post only in a few relevant categories, preferably using different ad copies and ad titles. If the site has regional sections, e.g. US states, cities, or countries and your target is to reach every region, post in 10 to 15 regions only. For the search function of the site to pickup your ad for display, you do not have to post in all the available regions. This will save you time.
Always use photos or banners in your ads. Make sure that the size and dimensions of your image files are within the site's acceptable limits. Otherwise, the site may not display your images in your ad at all. There are a few free sites where you can create your banners or you can use your affiliate banners. If you are using the picture of a product, take the picture using a good digital camera and then convert the image to jpeg format and reduce the dimensions prior to uploading.
Using the simple techniques mentioned above, you should be able to minimize your online free advertising effort and increase responses from your ads. Remember, your ad title and ad copy should stand out with action words and pictures. You should regularly post your ads to keep them fresh and on top the listing page.
All free classified sites are not created equal. You should focus on a few good sites and post your ads regularly in those sites only. Your starting point is Google search. Go to google.com and search for "free classifieds" and "free ads". From the search result pages, visit 10 to 15 sites and register in those sites. If a site asks too many questions during the registration process, abandon the site and go to the next site. Why should you have to provide all your personal information for the site's benefits? Good sites will only ask minimal questions to setup your account so that you can edit, delete and renew your ads. Also, look for sites that will allow you to post without any registration.
Write a precise ad using 80 to 100 words. Write about benefits of your products and services for ad viewers. Try to think benefits in terms of generating extra income, improving health and relationships and providing a sense of good feelings when they use your products and services.
Write a concise, interest grabbing, key words filled ad title with action words that asks the reader to do something now. If you are promoting an affiliate product and many ads are also about the same affiliate product, write your ad title and ad copy differently than others so that your ad stands out in the crowd.
If you are selling personal items, like used cars, cameras etc., provide details description of the item, its selling price, and your contact information. If you are promoting an item to make a profit, do not try to sell your products or services in the classified ad. Use the free ad to lead to another site or your affiliate site where you can provide more information to make a sale.
In classified sites, most recent ads are listed on the top of the ad search or ad listing pages. Some free classified sites have paid premium ads which are displayed on the top of the listing pages, followed by the free ads. Avoid those free sites that accept premium listings. In free classified sites, your ads will be buried deep in the listing pages as more ads are posted in the same category. To keep your ads fresh and on the top of the listing page, renew your ads every couple of days.
Do not spam by posting your ads in all categories. Post only in a few relevant categories, preferably using different ad copies and ad titles. If the site has regional sections, e.g. US states, cities, or countries and your target is to reach every region, post in 10 to 15 regions only. For the search function of the site to pickup your ad for display, you do not have to post in all the available regions. This will save you time.
Always use photos or banners in your ads. Make sure that the size and dimensions of your image files are within the site's acceptable limits. Otherwise, the site may not display your images in your ad at all. There are a few free sites where you can create your banners or you can use your affiliate banners. If you are using the picture of a product, take the picture using a good digital camera and then convert the image to jpeg format and reduce the dimensions prior to uploading.
Using the simple techniques mentioned above, you should be able to minimize your online free advertising effort and increase responses from your ads. Remember, your ad title and ad copy should stand out with action words and pictures. You should regularly post your ads to keep them fresh and on top the listing page.
Your Blog: An Easy Alternative to a Website
These days, it is much easier to create a website than it used to be. In general, website-creation programs are much simpler to use - and you also have the option of signing up with an online web host with easy-to-use page creation tools.
But the biggest change has to be the advent of the blog.
"Blog" is short for 'web log'. Blogs started off as a way for people to create an online diary. Bloggers would simply log on, tap out a paragraph or two giving their thoughts on life and the universe (and everything in between); click 'publish' and that was that. Their words were live on the Internet for anyone to see. The big appeal of a blog was that it was interactive: readers were welcome to add a comment on any post, with a link back to their own blog or website.
Gradually, bloggers started to want more. They wanted easy ways to upload photos, and extra pages on the site - just like a 'real' website. They wanted a range of themes, to better express their personality or business.
Programmers everywhere came to the party, particularly with WordPress, a well-known open source. Now, if you want a website/blog, it's possible to:
* Sign up with a web host with CPanel for a low monthly fee
* Install WordPress with just a few clicks of the mouse, using Fantastico on your website's CPanel
* Either use one of the pre-installed themes, or browse the various themes available at WordPress (and on many other sites) to choose one that suits your personality or business
* Upload the theme you want to the wp_content folder, using a simple FTP program (such as WS_FTP or Cute FTP)
* Start posting your articles or comments
* Add extra pages to your site (if you want to)
Now that you can add separate pages to blogs - just as you can with a standard website - many people are turning to them as their preferred way of building a website. By using various plugins, it's possible to do pretty well anything you want.
=== What Are "Plugins"? ===
Plugins are extra features available for your blog to make your life easier. You can get plugins, for example, that will:
- help you block spam
- make it easy to upload and sort your photos
- ping the search engines so they know when you've added new content
- insert Adsense blocks so you can earn money from your blog
There are quite a number of plugins available now - take some time to find out what they will do.
=== Help With Using Wordpress ===
While Wordpress is not the only blog software available, it is an excellent choice because (a) it's free; (b) it's relatively easy to use; (c) it's open-source, and therefore has a lot of people working on it constantly to make it better, and (d) there are quite a few 'how to' sites on the Internet showing you how to make the most of your Wordpress blog.
One of them is Guido Stiehle ("The Jungle Marketer") who offers an excellent free tutorial (with video tutorials) that will show you, step by step, how to set up and use your blog. You can find other providers by simply typing 'how to use Wordpress' into a search engine.
Spend an hour or two browsing, and you'll see why a blog is a very viable option for establishing your presence on the Internet.
But the biggest change has to be the advent of the blog.
"Blog" is short for 'web log'. Blogs started off as a way for people to create an online diary. Bloggers would simply log on, tap out a paragraph or two giving their thoughts on life and the universe (and everything in between); click 'publish' and that was that. Their words were live on the Internet for anyone to see. The big appeal of a blog was that it was interactive: readers were welcome to add a comment on any post, with a link back to their own blog or website.
Gradually, bloggers started to want more. They wanted easy ways to upload photos, and extra pages on the site - just like a 'real' website. They wanted a range of themes, to better express their personality or business.
Programmers everywhere came to the party, particularly with WordPress, a well-known open source. Now, if you want a website/blog, it's possible to:
* Sign up with a web host with CPanel for a low monthly fee
* Install WordPress with just a few clicks of the mouse, using Fantastico on your website's CPanel
* Either use one of the pre-installed themes, or browse the various themes available at WordPress (and on many other sites) to choose one that suits your personality or business
* Upload the theme you want to the wp_content folder, using a simple FTP program (such as WS_FTP or Cute FTP)
* Start posting your articles or comments
* Add extra pages to your site (if you want to)
Now that you can add separate pages to blogs - just as you can with a standard website - many people are turning to them as their preferred way of building a website. By using various plugins, it's possible to do pretty well anything you want.
=== What Are "Plugins"? ===
Plugins are extra features available for your blog to make your life easier. You can get plugins, for example, that will:
- help you block spam
- make it easy to upload and sort your photos
- ping the search engines so they know when you've added new content
- insert Adsense blocks so you can earn money from your blog
There are quite a number of plugins available now - take some time to find out what they will do.
=== Help With Using Wordpress ===
While Wordpress is not the only blog software available, it is an excellent choice because (a) it's free; (b) it's relatively easy to use; (c) it's open-source, and therefore has a lot of people working on it constantly to make it better, and (d) there are quite a few 'how to' sites on the Internet showing you how to make the most of your Wordpress blog.
One of them is Guido Stiehle ("The Jungle Marketer") who offers an excellent free tutorial (with video tutorials) that will show you, step by step, how to set up and use your blog. You can find other providers by simply typing 'how to use Wordpress' into a search engine.
Spend an hour or two browsing, and you'll see why a blog is a very viable option for establishing your presence on the Internet.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
How to Boost Your Revenue With Google Adwords
Google Adwords is the most sophisticated and popular pay-per-click advertising system on the internet. Unlike regular search engine listings, which are listed for free according to "relevance," as defined by the particular search engine involved, Adwords are small text ads which usually appear to the right of the unpaid listings. Advertisers bid on specific "keywords", which determines where the ad is displayed. However, unlike other search engines, where placement is completely determined by the amount of the bid, Google uses a complex calculation which also takes into the account the popularity of the ad as well. Thus, an ad which gets clicked on a lot can end up in a better position than one with a higher bid. That's how Google rewards the ad for relevancy, so it pays to create an ad that will invite clicks.
Advertising with Adwords has many advantages. First, the ad is displayed immediately, as opposed to waiting for sites to show up in regular listings, which can take months. Second, they can be highly targeted, meaning you can make sure you're only paying for clicks by customers who are sincerely interested. Third, Adwords allows you to run several ad campaigns simultaneously, so you can test the results and experiment on the fly to constantly improve the quality of the ads. You can even track the "conversion rate," or the actual number of sales generated by a given ad. This is extremely precise marketing.
The first step is to come up with the best possible list of keywords. This is extremely important, because if you bid on the same ones everyone else is bidding on, you will end up with very expensive clicks. You can use any of the many keyword search tools available (wordtracker.com has a popular one) to determine which keywords have lots of searches but not too much competition. If you bid on enough low-cost keywords, you can do as well or better than if you had placed an expensive bid on a popular term. You can also place a limit on your budget, so that you can control how much your total expenditure is per month. You can also specify certain words you do not want included, so that you don't attract a lot of clicks from people looking for something related that you don't offer.
The ad itself consists of four lines: a title of no more than 25 characters, a description with two lines of up to 35 characters each, and a line for your url, also limited to 35 characters. The title is what really attracts attention. It should include the keyword you're targeting, and should be as striking as possible so as to stand out from the crowd. If it's truly attention-getting, it could end up getting more clicks than other, duller ads higher up on the page. Some suggest that it should be in all caps, and include a price if possible.
The description should include the major selling point of your product, and also include enough information to discourage clicks by unqualified customers. Make sure they know what you're selling and what to expect, as well as what sets you apart from the competition.
Finally, make sure the URL listed takes them to the most relevant page in your site for what they're looking for. Make sure the link is up to date and functioning correctly.
That's it in a nutshell, although the nuances are quite a bit more complex than we can deal with here. Many resources are available on the net which go into greater detail. But now that you understand the basics, you should be armed with the information you need to explore one of the most potentially lucrative marketing tools on the
Advertising with Adwords has many advantages. First, the ad is displayed immediately, as opposed to waiting for sites to show up in regular listings, which can take months. Second, they can be highly targeted, meaning you can make sure you're only paying for clicks by customers who are sincerely interested. Third, Adwords allows you to run several ad campaigns simultaneously, so you can test the results and experiment on the fly to constantly improve the quality of the ads. You can even track the "conversion rate," or the actual number of sales generated by a given ad. This is extremely precise marketing.
The first step is to come up with the best possible list of keywords. This is extremely important, because if you bid on the same ones everyone else is bidding on, you will end up with very expensive clicks. You can use any of the many keyword search tools available (wordtracker.com has a popular one) to determine which keywords have lots of searches but not too much competition. If you bid on enough low-cost keywords, you can do as well or better than if you had placed an expensive bid on a popular term. You can also place a limit on your budget, so that you can control how much your total expenditure is per month. You can also specify certain words you do not want included, so that you don't attract a lot of clicks from people looking for something related that you don't offer.
The ad itself consists of four lines: a title of no more than 25 characters, a description with two lines of up to 35 characters each, and a line for your url, also limited to 35 characters. The title is what really attracts attention. It should include the keyword you're targeting, and should be as striking as possible so as to stand out from the crowd. If it's truly attention-getting, it could end up getting more clicks than other, duller ads higher up on the page. Some suggest that it should be in all caps, and include a price if possible.
The description should include the major selling point of your product, and also include enough information to discourage clicks by unqualified customers. Make sure they know what you're selling and what to expect, as well as what sets you apart from the competition.
Finally, make sure the URL listed takes them to the most relevant page in your site for what they're looking for. Make sure the link is up to date and functioning correctly.
That's it in a nutshell, although the nuances are quite a bit more complex than we can deal with here. Many resources are available on the net which go into greater detail. But now that you understand the basics, you should be armed with the information you need to explore one of the most potentially lucrative marketing tools on the
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Mentorship Programs - Are They a Good Investment?
Mentorship programs are becoming increasingly popular on the Internet. Usually, they require a significant investment of money and time - but are they worth it?
Imagine this scenario.
You get out of bed early (as usual), sit down at the computer and open your email program. As you watch a flood of emails pour in, you feel overwhelmingly tired. This is understandable: you're putting in hours and hours at the computer. You've tried one income-earning method after another; you've worked on building your list; you've uploaded a ton of content to your sites. Surely it should be getting close to 'pay off' time? Yet the income level never seems to go up...
It's definitely one of those "Should I just give up and look for a real job?" days.
Then an email header catches your eye. It says "Don't Use Johnny Marketer's New Software Before You Read This!" You realize it's a subject line deliberately crafted to get attention, but it's also from one of the marketing 'gurus' that you actually trust. You are pretty sure that there's substance behind this bold statement.
Jaded as you might be, your interest is piqued. You'd been thinking of buying this new software. You've been trying not to put too much on your credit card, but if it helps your bottom line... Hmmmm, you'd better check this out and make sure you are not wasting your money.
You open the email and find a short paragraph advising you that this information is essential reading for any would-be buyer. There's a link directing you to read the rest of the story on the website. You click through... and you find a credible explanation of why you shouldn't use this software before you learn a few essential facts. In essence, your trusted guru is explaining that without key knowledge that surrounds the use of this software, your chances of success go way down. It's a brilliant product, he admits... but there are five essential techniques that will guarantee better results. He's going to explain the most important one in detail.
And he does. He also briefly lists the other four techniques. You have enough understanding of the Internet to know that this is really good stuff. You'd love to have the other four techniques fully explained, but this valuable information is available only to those in his mentorship program.
You sit and think. You click a link and read the details of the program. It runs for a year and you are guaranteed an in-depth analysis of your current situation and a step-by-step plan for growth. You will find out the best current software and approaches to use. It sounds perfect for where you are now. However, it costs big bucks.
You mull it over some more. Your mind goes over the struggles you've had to date, and the thought of a helping hand is incredibly tempting. You could really do with that objective overview of your business. Your hand hovers over the mouse - and finally, you click through and sign up.
Will this be worth it to you? It could be - but this depends on several factors.
1. The Promise: What does the mentor actually promise to do?
- Is there a guaranteed figure or result, or does he just promise to work with you and show you the way?
- Is there a safety net if he doesn't deliver?
- What exactly does he require from YOU in order to achieve what he promises?
2. Credibility: Do you have good reasons for believing that your mentor will deliver the goods?
- Does he have a background of success himself? Is he living what he preaches?
- Have you purchased other lesser-priced products from this person? Did they deliver?
- Has he coached others to success before you?
- Does he have the ability to TEACH as well as DO?
3. Your Own Work Ethic: Will YOU deliver the goods?
- Are you prepared to work hard to make the most of your time?
- Can you take direction? Do you usually work well with others?
- Are you willing to believe that an experienced marketer can see your business path more clearly than you can?
- Can you stick it out for the full year?
4. Can You Afford It?
- Can you afford the payment without unnecessary hardship?
- Can you afford the time?
- Can you afford the emotional investment?
A good mentor can save you days, weeks and years of errors and frustration. A bad mentor can result in your losing money, time and even your health. Before you sign up, evaluate the program and your mentor carefully. If you decide to commit, be prepared to work hard to achieve the results you desire.
Imagine this scenario.
You get out of bed early (as usual), sit down at the computer and open your email program. As you watch a flood of emails pour in, you feel overwhelmingly tired. This is understandable: you're putting in hours and hours at the computer. You've tried one income-earning method after another; you've worked on building your list; you've uploaded a ton of content to your sites. Surely it should be getting close to 'pay off' time? Yet the income level never seems to go up...
It's definitely one of those "Should I just give up and look for a real job?" days.
Then an email header catches your eye. It says "Don't Use Johnny Marketer's New Software Before You Read This!" You realize it's a subject line deliberately crafted to get attention, but it's also from one of the marketing 'gurus' that you actually trust. You are pretty sure that there's substance behind this bold statement.
Jaded as you might be, your interest is piqued. You'd been thinking of buying this new software. You've been trying not to put too much on your credit card, but if it helps your bottom line... Hmmmm, you'd better check this out and make sure you are not wasting your money.
You open the email and find a short paragraph advising you that this information is essential reading for any would-be buyer. There's a link directing you to read the rest of the story on the website. You click through... and you find a credible explanation of why you shouldn't use this software before you learn a few essential facts. In essence, your trusted guru is explaining that without key knowledge that surrounds the use of this software, your chances of success go way down. It's a brilliant product, he admits... but there are five essential techniques that will guarantee better results. He's going to explain the most important one in detail.
And he does. He also briefly lists the other four techniques. You have enough understanding of the Internet to know that this is really good stuff. You'd love to have the other four techniques fully explained, but this valuable information is available only to those in his mentorship program.
You sit and think. You click a link and read the details of the program. It runs for a year and you are guaranteed an in-depth analysis of your current situation and a step-by-step plan for growth. You will find out the best current software and approaches to use. It sounds perfect for where you are now. However, it costs big bucks.
You mull it over some more. Your mind goes over the struggles you've had to date, and the thought of a helping hand is incredibly tempting. You could really do with that objective overview of your business. Your hand hovers over the mouse - and finally, you click through and sign up.
Will this be worth it to you? It could be - but this depends on several factors.
1. The Promise: What does the mentor actually promise to do?
- Is there a guaranteed figure or result, or does he just promise to work with you and show you the way?
- Is there a safety net if he doesn't deliver?
- What exactly does he require from YOU in order to achieve what he promises?
2. Credibility: Do you have good reasons for believing that your mentor will deliver the goods?
- Does he have a background of success himself? Is he living what he preaches?
- Have you purchased other lesser-priced products from this person? Did they deliver?
- Has he coached others to success before you?
- Does he have the ability to TEACH as well as DO?
3. Your Own Work Ethic: Will YOU deliver the goods?
- Are you prepared to work hard to make the most of your time?
- Can you take direction? Do you usually work well with others?
- Are you willing to believe that an experienced marketer can see your business path more clearly than you can?
- Can you stick it out for the full year?
4. Can You Afford It?
- Can you afford the payment without unnecessary hardship?
- Can you afford the time?
- Can you afford the emotional investment?
A good mentor can save you days, weeks and years of errors and frustration. A bad mentor can result in your losing money, time and even your health. Before you sign up, evaluate the program and your mentor carefully. If you decide to commit, be prepared to work hard to achieve the results you desire.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Are Big Ticket Private Label Rights always a good idea?
As an online marketer you are always looking for fresh new products to promote. One of the fastest ways to acquire new products is to purchase Big Ticket Items with Private Label Rights (PLR). PLR Big Ticket Items usually start at around $147 for a range of 5 to 10 e-products that have not been previously released on the internet.
PLR Big Ticket Items provide you with a wide range of options in order for you to grow your online business, but are they really worth it?
Consider the Positives:
With PLR Big Ticket Items you buy an instant “business in a box” solution. This requires you to do no work on creating the product, and in addition these big ticket items typically come with a web site, professional sales pages and graphic images.
You receive a number of products that you can resell immediately after setting up your payment processor. All that remains is for you to market your products.
If you have an existing mailing list centered on your niche products, your financial outlay to purchase the PLR big ticket items can be viewed as an investment in which you can immediately make significant gains.
Further, with PLR content you typically have the right to use and repackage the content in any way that you can – depending on the rights and restrictions that come with the package when you purchase.
This provides you with a lot of flexibility when offering your product to end users. For instance, you may brand the products with your own (or affiliates) name and website. Although you cannot claim copyright to the product, by repackaging it with other PLR products you may be able to create a whole new product with a higher perceived value.
Consider the Negatives:
Although you purchased the products with the right to do anything with the content, you do not own the copyright. Even if you are encouraged to put your name on the product, you are unable to copyright it unless you make significant changes to the product itself, so that it becomes quite unlike the original product.
Another factor that you need to consider is that a limited number of other marketers will also possess the same PLR Big Ticket Items. This amounts to a small amount of competition.
There is also likely to be restrictions on the sale and use of the products. These are usually introduced to preserve the long-term value of the product in the marketplace. While this limits your marketing methods, it also stops other marketers from introducing too much competition and reducing the overall value of the product in the market place.
As the PLR products are introduced into the marketplace, some marketers may purchase products with Master Resell Rights, so you will be competing with a higher number of marketers than the original “limited” number who purchased the products with Private Label Rights.
Your Strategy:
Now that you know the benefits and risks of purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items, let’s look at your strategy for acquiring the products.
1. Are the products in your niche?
Don’t even consider purchasing the products if you think that you will be unable to resell them, or if you don’t plan to use them.
2. What level of Rights do you need in your business?
Do you need to own Private Label Rights for what you want to do with the products, or can you purchase them individually from other marketers with Master Resell Rights?
3. Understand the restrictions.
You may be attracted by the ability to own content that you can do anything with, but check out the things that you can’t do. For example, some common restrictions are that you are unable to resell the item on auction sites, or you must meet a certain price criteria.
4. Is the price affordable?
Don’t rack up credit card debt in order to get the products. Spend wisely!
5. What is your expected rate of return on your investment?
If you are spending $147 (or more) to purchase PLR Big Ticket Items, when do you expect to get that money back? How much profit do you expect to make once you’ve paid off the initial investment?
6. How do you plan to market the products?
A marketing plan is essential to knowing how to make money from any product that you promote. If you are purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items then it is important to consider how to market each item prior to purchase.
7. Can you include the products in Membership Sites?
8. Do some keyword research.
Are the products as popular as the owners claim them to be?
9. Will you add value to your website, your customers and your affiliates if you purchase the PLR big ticket items?
10. Can you give the products away for free?
If so, consider that the market may become flooded with the same products in the next 3 months by other marketers using this approach to gain subscribers,
Are PLR Big Ticket Items for Everyone?
Using your strategy, you will need to determine whether purchasing the PLR Big Ticket Items will enhance your business model and make it attractive. Beware of being caught up in a buying frenzy in order to claim the ‘latest to market’ products, especially if you have no plan to market them.
However, if you carefully consider your strategy then purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items can provide you with some heavy hitting products and tools that can seriously boost your online income, without the enormous time and effort required to create your own products.
PLR Big Ticket Items provide you with a wide range of options in order for you to grow your online business, but are they really worth it?
Consider the Positives:
With PLR Big Ticket Items you buy an instant “business in a box” solution. This requires you to do no work on creating the product, and in addition these big ticket items typically come with a web site, professional sales pages and graphic images.
You receive a number of products that you can resell immediately after setting up your payment processor. All that remains is for you to market your products.
If you have an existing mailing list centered on your niche products, your financial outlay to purchase the PLR big ticket items can be viewed as an investment in which you can immediately make significant gains.
Further, with PLR content you typically have the right to use and repackage the content in any way that you can – depending on the rights and restrictions that come with the package when you purchase.
This provides you with a lot of flexibility when offering your product to end users. For instance, you may brand the products with your own (or affiliates) name and website. Although you cannot claim copyright to the product, by repackaging it with other PLR products you may be able to create a whole new product with a higher perceived value.
Consider the Negatives:
Although you purchased the products with the right to do anything with the content, you do not own the copyright. Even if you are encouraged to put your name on the product, you are unable to copyright it unless you make significant changes to the product itself, so that it becomes quite unlike the original product.
Another factor that you need to consider is that a limited number of other marketers will also possess the same PLR Big Ticket Items. This amounts to a small amount of competition.
There is also likely to be restrictions on the sale and use of the products. These are usually introduced to preserve the long-term value of the product in the marketplace. While this limits your marketing methods, it also stops other marketers from introducing too much competition and reducing the overall value of the product in the market place.
As the PLR products are introduced into the marketplace, some marketers may purchase products with Master Resell Rights, so you will be competing with a higher number of marketers than the original “limited” number who purchased the products with Private Label Rights.
Your Strategy:
Now that you know the benefits and risks of purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items, let’s look at your strategy for acquiring the products.
1. Are the products in your niche?
Don’t even consider purchasing the products if you think that you will be unable to resell them, or if you don’t plan to use them.
2. What level of Rights do you need in your business?
Do you need to own Private Label Rights for what you want to do with the products, or can you purchase them individually from other marketers with Master Resell Rights?
3. Understand the restrictions.
You may be attracted by the ability to own content that you can do anything with, but check out the things that you can’t do. For example, some common restrictions are that you are unable to resell the item on auction sites, or you must meet a certain price criteria.
4. Is the price affordable?
Don’t rack up credit card debt in order to get the products. Spend wisely!
5. What is your expected rate of return on your investment?
If you are spending $147 (or more) to purchase PLR Big Ticket Items, when do you expect to get that money back? How much profit do you expect to make once you’ve paid off the initial investment?
6. How do you plan to market the products?
A marketing plan is essential to knowing how to make money from any product that you promote. If you are purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items then it is important to consider how to market each item prior to purchase.
7. Can you include the products in Membership Sites?
8. Do some keyword research.
Are the products as popular as the owners claim them to be?
9. Will you add value to your website, your customers and your affiliates if you purchase the PLR big ticket items?
10. Can you give the products away for free?
If so, consider that the market may become flooded with the same products in the next 3 months by other marketers using this approach to gain subscribers,
Are PLR Big Ticket Items for Everyone?
Using your strategy, you will need to determine whether purchasing the PLR Big Ticket Items will enhance your business model and make it attractive. Beware of being caught up in a buying frenzy in order to claim the ‘latest to market’ products, especially if you have no plan to market them.
However, if you carefully consider your strategy then purchasing PLR Big Ticket Items can provide you with some heavy hitting products and tools that can seriously boost your online income, without the enormous time and effort required to create your own products.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Making Money with Affiliate Links And Google Adsense
One of the most frequently asked questions of all time is, "How do I make money on the Internet"?
If you have been trying to make money on the Internet for even a short while, you have undoubtedly heard quite a few names being thrown about. It seems as if everyone sees themselves as an expert and everyone who is anyone knows everyone else who is someone. It is like a marketing guru clique. And they make you think that if you do not know somebody, you will always be a nobody.
You have probably encountered product launches, audio and video streaming, teleseminars, and joint ventures, etc. The gurus that are selling these products and services are making money hand over fist. In all fairness, these products and services are genuine and valuable to the folks who buy them.
But what most of them will not tell you is that there are thousands of people on the Internet making thousands of dollars a month without spending a lot of money. They do not fly to every seminar in the country just to make contacts. They rarely do joint ventures, because frankly, no one knows who they are. They literally sit in front of their computers in their underwear, click a few links, and wait for the money to roll in.
How do they do it? Affiliate links, Google Adsense, and content.
Take Google Adsense, for instance. Search engines love good content, the more, the better.
When you create multiple content pages on your website, the search engine spiders crawl the site, then follow each link to more content, which helps raise your rankings.
How does this make you money? By placing Adsense ads on every page. As readers click through your pages, many will also click the Adsense links. Every time they do, you make a commission from Google. It can be anywhere from a few cents to several dollars.
They do not have to buy anything. Just clicking the link makes you money. The more people you drive to your site, the more people will click the links, and the more money you will make.
Now all you need is content. If you are a good writer, you can write your own. But most of us are not.
One option would be to use articles written by others. Go to any of the popular article directories and you will find thousands of articles. Most can used free of charge as long as you include the resource box with each article. Since you are not promoting your own product, this is a very viable option.
The major downside to using other peoples articles is that the reader will view them as the expert and likely click the link in the resource box instead of the Adsense links, and you lose money.
However, the best option is Private Label Rights articles. Just a little editing can turn these articles into your own creation. The reader will view you as the expert, since you are not competing with another writer.
You can also include your own resource box with a link to an affiliate program, so whether they click the Adsense links or your affiliate link, you have increased your chances of making money. And you have done it without a single product of your own.
Making money on the Internet is not as difficult as some would have you believe. As with any business, give the people what they want and they will keep coming back.
If you have been trying to make money on the Internet for even a short while, you have undoubtedly heard quite a few names being thrown about. It seems as if everyone sees themselves as an expert and everyone who is anyone knows everyone else who is someone. It is like a marketing guru clique. And they make you think that if you do not know somebody, you will always be a nobody.
You have probably encountered product launches, audio and video streaming, teleseminars, and joint ventures, etc. The gurus that are selling these products and services are making money hand over fist. In all fairness, these products and services are genuine and valuable to the folks who buy them.
But what most of them will not tell you is that there are thousands of people on the Internet making thousands of dollars a month without spending a lot of money. They do not fly to every seminar in the country just to make contacts. They rarely do joint ventures, because frankly, no one knows who they are. They literally sit in front of their computers in their underwear, click a few links, and wait for the money to roll in.
How do they do it? Affiliate links, Google Adsense, and content.
Take Google Adsense, for instance. Search engines love good content, the more, the better.
When you create multiple content pages on your website, the search engine spiders crawl the site, then follow each link to more content, which helps raise your rankings.
How does this make you money? By placing Adsense ads on every page. As readers click through your pages, many will also click the Adsense links. Every time they do, you make a commission from Google. It can be anywhere from a few cents to several dollars.
They do not have to buy anything. Just clicking the link makes you money. The more people you drive to your site, the more people will click the links, and the more money you will make.
Now all you need is content. If you are a good writer, you can write your own. But most of us are not.
One option would be to use articles written by others. Go to any of the popular article directories and you will find thousands of articles. Most can used free of charge as long as you include the resource box with each article. Since you are not promoting your own product, this is a very viable option.
The major downside to using other peoples articles is that the reader will view them as the expert and likely click the link in the resource box instead of the Adsense links, and you lose money.
However, the best option is Private Label Rights articles. Just a little editing can turn these articles into your own creation. The reader will view you as the expert, since you are not competing with another writer.
You can also include your own resource box with a link to an affiliate program, so whether they click the Adsense links or your affiliate link, you have increased your chances of making money. And you have done it without a single product of your own.
Making money on the Internet is not as difficult as some would have you believe. As with any business, give the people what they want and they will keep coming back.
Friday, March 10, 2006
The Use Of Private Label Articles On Your Site.
Regular users of Private Label Rights content are delighted to see more and more PLR sites appearing. The proliferation of such sites has, however, given rise to a new problem - the overall quality of the articles users pay for. Good writers are snapped up fast and given ongoing work. Regrettably, some PLR site owners seem to be only concerned with getting a batch of articles uploaded no matter what the quality.
Competition, as we all know, is a GOOD thing. Quite a number of PLR users are now making a practice of signing up to check out the quality of what's on offer in a new site. If they like it, they stay. If they don't - they vote with their feet, or more appropriately, with the 'cancel this subscription' option at PayPal.)
Your Rights as a PLR Site Subscriber
_________________________
Don't feel that you have to accept the articles you get no matter what the quality. You are entitled to get articles and/or ebooks that have been proof read and edited to correct grammar and spelling mistakes. It is the responsibility of the PLR site owner to check that the articles are of an acceptable standard.
PLR users expect to have to tweak and change an article to create unique website content. They should not, however, have to edit every article. We all expect an error to creep in here and there - but an entire batch of articles written by someone whose language is quite obviously NOT English is not acceptable. Nobody wants to have to copy-edit every one of 20 articles before turning them into an e-book!
What You Can Do If You Are Not Satisfied With the Quality of PLR Content.
____________________________________________
The first and most obvious option is to cancel your subscription. However, you would be doing everyone a favor if you took the time to contact the site owner to explain why you are not happy. Copy and paste a few examples from the articles to demonstrate the errors.
In the past, PLR site owners have sent back batches of articles to be corrected and/or rewritten when they are not satisfied with the job. In extreme cases, they cut their losses and just hire a new writer. Any PLR site owner who wants to build a profitable and well-regarded business will be interested in working with you on this - they don't want to lose customers!
If you can't get any satisfaction, move on. Sample the content of several sites. Ask for recommendations from friends or other publishers before you sign up. (Look for more than one satisfied customer - never forget that some reviews are there solely to get you to sign up via the reviewer's affiliate link.)
Find a Site to Satisfy Your Personal Needs
____________________________
Different sites offer different things. Some sites offer articles and completed e-books, sales letters, and well-produced graphics. Others provide only articles and a few bonus products.
If you are a competent graphic designer and know your way around programs like Photoshop, graphics may not be important to you. (Indeed, you may prefer to create your own graphics so your site looks different to everyone else's.) Some sites offer 'extras' like web hosting and autoresponders, plus ready-made AdSense sites. If you are just starting out, you may like these all-in-one solutions.
Check out the following:
- What you get for your monthly subscription - articles, e-books, e-courses, AdSense sites, graphics and sales letters.
- The quality of the articles that are immediately available - general style, grammar, and spelling.
- Is the content original (not copied from some other source)?
- The regularity with which content is posted. (Check out the forum, if there's one available. Are there constant complaints or queries about when this month's content will be available?)
- The range of topics covered. You will find that some sites specialize in one subject area, while others cover a broad range of topics. Are you using enough of the monthly content to make it worth your while? There's not much point in being able to access 200 articles a month if you can use only five of them.
It's common for PLR users to belong to more than one site. An example: $250 a month spread between four to six sites comes to only $3,000 a year - which is an excellent business investment compared to the cost of hiring your own writer. Well-written, carefully-edited PLR articles are usually well worth the monthly fee. Take the time to assess the content of any PLR site - and stay with the ones that believe in quality control.
Competition, as we all know, is a GOOD thing. Quite a number of PLR users are now making a practice of signing up to check out the quality of what's on offer in a new site. If they like it, they stay. If they don't - they vote with their feet, or more appropriately, with the 'cancel this subscription' option at PayPal.)
Your Rights as a PLR Site Subscriber
_________________________
Don't feel that you have to accept the articles you get no matter what the quality. You are entitled to get articles and/or ebooks that have been proof read and edited to correct grammar and spelling mistakes. It is the responsibility of the PLR site owner to check that the articles are of an acceptable standard.
PLR users expect to have to tweak and change an article to create unique website content. They should not, however, have to edit every article. We all expect an error to creep in here and there - but an entire batch of articles written by someone whose language is quite obviously NOT English is not acceptable. Nobody wants to have to copy-edit every one of 20 articles before turning them into an e-book!
What You Can Do If You Are Not Satisfied With the Quality of PLR Content.
____________________________________________
The first and most obvious option is to cancel your subscription. However, you would be doing everyone a favor if you took the time to contact the site owner to explain why you are not happy. Copy and paste a few examples from the articles to demonstrate the errors.
In the past, PLR site owners have sent back batches of articles to be corrected and/or rewritten when they are not satisfied with the job. In extreme cases, they cut their losses and just hire a new writer. Any PLR site owner who wants to build a profitable and well-regarded business will be interested in working with you on this - they don't want to lose customers!
If you can't get any satisfaction, move on. Sample the content of several sites. Ask for recommendations from friends or other publishers before you sign up. (Look for more than one satisfied customer - never forget that some reviews are there solely to get you to sign up via the reviewer's affiliate link.)
Find a Site to Satisfy Your Personal Needs
____________________________
Different sites offer different things. Some sites offer articles and completed e-books, sales letters, and well-produced graphics. Others provide only articles and a few bonus products.
If you are a competent graphic designer and know your way around programs like Photoshop, graphics may not be important to you. (Indeed, you may prefer to create your own graphics so your site looks different to everyone else's.) Some sites offer 'extras' like web hosting and autoresponders, plus ready-made AdSense sites. If you are just starting out, you may like these all-in-one solutions.
Check out the following:
- What you get for your monthly subscription - articles, e-books, e-courses, AdSense sites, graphics and sales letters.
- The quality of the articles that are immediately available - general style, grammar, and spelling.
- Is the content original (not copied from some other source)?
- The regularity with which content is posted. (Check out the forum, if there's one available. Are there constant complaints or queries about when this month's content will be available?)
- The range of topics covered. You will find that some sites specialize in one subject area, while others cover a broad range of topics. Are you using enough of the monthly content to make it worth your while? There's not much point in being able to access 200 articles a month if you can use only five of them.
It's common for PLR users to belong to more than one site. An example: $250 a month spread between four to six sites comes to only $3,000 a year - which is an excellent business investment compared to the cost of hiring your own writer. Well-written, carefully-edited PLR articles are usually well worth the monthly fee. Take the time to assess the content of any PLR site - and stay with the ones that believe in quality control.
Friday, February 17, 2006
How Not To Use Article Marketing
Article marketing seems to be the latest rage and with good reason. It's by far the best free method of promoting your business and increasing your sales and opt in subscribers.
By submitting your articles to article directories, article announcement lists, and ezine publishers, you accomplish several things.
First, you establish yourself as an expert in your field. Readers are more likely to listen to you if they feel you know what you are talking about.
Second, by attaching a resource box to your article, you are giving the reader a link to your website. If the reader is impressed with your knowledge, they will likely click on your link to see what it is that you are offering.
Third, you increase your search engine page rank by providing a non-reciprocal link to your website. Search engines seem to give extra weight to non-reciprocal links in their page rankings.
But many marketers are not comfortable writing their own articles. They just do not know how to put their thoughts into words. Or worse yet, they do not have any thoughts worth printing.
That is why private label articles are in such high demand these days. There are several of these services available and more seem to be popping up every day.
Therein lies the problem. Depending on how these articles are used, the results can be good, bad, or downright ugly.
The Good: As stated previously, private label articles, when used correctly, can give the non-writer a big advantage over other marketers. They can increase your traffic, sales, and opt in subscribers. That is good.
The Bad: A common mistake made by marketers using private label articles is getting lazy. They simply copy and paste the article and submit it, as is, with no personalization.
At the very least, you should change the title. Most article directories require that your article be approved before they are posted. But do you really think they read every article that comes in? Not likely.
They get dozens, even hundreds of submissions every day, so it's unlikely that your article will actually be read.
But most directory software will automatically search their database for duplicate titles. If the title of your article matches one in their database, yours will be rejected.
So do yourself a favor and at the very least, change the title. It might also be a good idea to change the wording in the first paragraph.
The Ugly: Many marketers load so many links in their article that it becomes one long ad. This will not only get you rejected, but eventually banned if you do it often enough.
A good article contains useful information to the reader whether they buy your products or not. Give them good content and you will increase the chances that they will click your link in the resource box.
Private label articles are a great tool, but do not get lazy!
By submitting your articles to article directories, article announcement lists, and ezine publishers, you accomplish several things.
First, you establish yourself as an expert in your field. Readers are more likely to listen to you if they feel you know what you are talking about.
Second, by attaching a resource box to your article, you are giving the reader a link to your website. If the reader is impressed with your knowledge, they will likely click on your link to see what it is that you are offering.
Third, you increase your search engine page rank by providing a non-reciprocal link to your website. Search engines seem to give extra weight to non-reciprocal links in their page rankings.
But many marketers are not comfortable writing their own articles. They just do not know how to put their thoughts into words. Or worse yet, they do not have any thoughts worth printing.
That is why private label articles are in such high demand these days. There are several of these services available and more seem to be popping up every day.
Therein lies the problem. Depending on how these articles are used, the results can be good, bad, or downright ugly.
The Good: As stated previously, private label articles, when used correctly, can give the non-writer a big advantage over other marketers. They can increase your traffic, sales, and opt in subscribers. That is good.
The Bad: A common mistake made by marketers using private label articles is getting lazy. They simply copy and paste the article and submit it, as is, with no personalization.
At the very least, you should change the title. Most article directories require that your article be approved before they are posted. But do you really think they read every article that comes in? Not likely.
They get dozens, even hundreds of submissions every day, so it's unlikely that your article will actually be read.
But most directory software will automatically search their database for duplicate titles. If the title of your article matches one in their database, yours will be rejected.
So do yourself a favor and at the very least, change the title. It might also be a good idea to change the wording in the first paragraph.
The Ugly: Many marketers load so many links in their article that it becomes one long ad. This will not only get you rejected, but eventually banned if you do it often enough.
A good article contains useful information to the reader whether they buy your products or not. Give them good content and you will increase the chances that they will click your link in the resource box.
Private label articles are a great tool, but do not get lazy!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Strengthen Your Website Content with Online Database Access
Website content, as articles, has taken center stage as web publishers scramble to differentiate their online offers. As both the quantity and quality of articles have accelerated, so too have online directories. These directories often resemble mere lists, but they can be powerful content additions that serve to deepen the value of the overall selling proposition by helping users in locating critical, related resources that for the visitor is otherwise much too time consuming.
On today's websites, it is not uncommon to find online databases designed to provide the data-hungry website visitor with more comprehensive database management functions which are far superior to list-style directories. At a minimum, we find web-driven data pages that include search and display functions which facilitate quick and easy manipulation of back-end SQL databases. Many sites also include options to add, edit, delete, print, and even download data directly from the database to the desktop, all enabled with multiple levels of login/password security. While this is not revolutionary, the technical expertise required to build database-driven web pages has been the domain of more sophisticated online publishers who not only owned the back end database outright, but possessed the required expertise to build and maintain such access for their loyal constituents.
But that has all changed. A flurry of new, low-cost desktop tools have entered the scene, leveling the playing field for the budget-strapped internet marketer who, until recently, was limited to throwing in a basic "telephone book" style directory in an attempt to bolster his value proposition.
Three such tool categories warrant a closer look:
Web data extraction tools costing less than $400 enable web content, as "repeating data", to be easily extracted to MS Excel, MS Access, or virtually any SQL database in high volume. This data serves to build, or at least augment the publisher's's new online database. (Ideally, one should first obtain permission from the website owner before scraping large volumes of data).
The next challenge is to manipulate the collected data now resident in multiple files, and often in disparate data formats. Though list processing applications have long been available, lower cost tools now offer powerful merge/purge capabilities without the need to import and export files in the process. Some simple routines and the data is ready to upload to the database on the host web server.
Finally, the publisher builds the web pages which access the database. Perhaps most exciting is the arrival of a wide variety of desktop code generators, many which are open source, that allow a non-programmer to build customized web pages that rival the database search, display, add, edit,delete and download capabilities previously reserved for the more technical publisher. No longer is the web publisher required to know a single SQL command to accomplish this feat. Amazingly, most of these tools generate pure PHP or PERL code. All that remains is to upload the generated code to the host database and the project is complete. The website now houses a "living, breathing" database, to the extent that the publisher desires to maintain fresh data.
One of the more common, and simple applications of database-driven web pages is to build versatile Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages. Questions and answers can be queried by category (e.g. pricing, product) or keyword (e.g. sporting goods), while enriching the users support experience.
How can such newfound capabilities be monetized? The possibilities are plenty. Limited datasets can be made freely searchable and viewable for casual visitors, though it's usually wise to request that the user register even if membership is free. The idea is to prime the pump, getting casual users to thirst for more comprehensive database access. Extended and full database access can be reserved only for paid members.
Never has a publisher had such power to build data-rich content that can serve to immediately strengthen his unique selling sales proposition. In the old paradigm, he who owned the data held all the power. Today, data is everywhere for the internet entrepreneur. By applying the latest database tools, any website publisher can now cement the most loyal of customer relationships by ensuring that his customer has a reason to keep coming back.
Web visitors have a difficult enough time sorting out the perceived sameness of online offerings. For the content builder, there are few better methods to establish and lock in immediate credibility with customers than to implement an easily accessible database that underscores the site's overall content theme.
On today's websites, it is not uncommon to find online databases designed to provide the data-hungry website visitor with more comprehensive database management functions which are far superior to list-style directories. At a minimum, we find web-driven data pages that include search and display functions which facilitate quick and easy manipulation of back-end SQL databases. Many sites also include options to add, edit, delete, print, and even download data directly from the database to the desktop, all enabled with multiple levels of login/password security. While this is not revolutionary, the technical expertise required to build database-driven web pages has been the domain of more sophisticated online publishers who not only owned the back end database outright, but possessed the required expertise to build and maintain such access for their loyal constituents.
But that has all changed. A flurry of new, low-cost desktop tools have entered the scene, leveling the playing field for the budget-strapped internet marketer who, until recently, was limited to throwing in a basic "telephone book" style directory in an attempt to bolster his value proposition.
Three such tool categories warrant a closer look:
Web data extraction tools costing less than $400 enable web content, as "repeating data", to be easily extracted to MS Excel, MS Access, or virtually any SQL database in high volume. This data serves to build, or at least augment the publisher's's new online database. (Ideally, one should first obtain permission from the website owner before scraping large volumes of data).
The next challenge is to manipulate the collected data now resident in multiple files, and often in disparate data formats. Though list processing applications have long been available, lower cost tools now offer powerful merge/purge capabilities without the need to import and export files in the process. Some simple routines and the data is ready to upload to the database on the host web server.
Finally, the publisher builds the web pages which access the database. Perhaps most exciting is the arrival of a wide variety of desktop code generators, many which are open source, that allow a non-programmer to build customized web pages that rival the database search, display, add, edit,delete and download capabilities previously reserved for the more technical publisher. No longer is the web publisher required to know a single SQL command to accomplish this feat. Amazingly, most of these tools generate pure PHP or PERL code. All that remains is to upload the generated code to the host database and the project is complete. The website now houses a "living, breathing" database, to the extent that the publisher desires to maintain fresh data.
One of the more common, and simple applications of database-driven web pages is to build versatile Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages. Questions and answers can be queried by category (e.g. pricing, product) or keyword (e.g. sporting goods), while enriching the users support experience.
How can such newfound capabilities be monetized? The possibilities are plenty. Limited datasets can be made freely searchable and viewable for casual visitors, though it's usually wise to request that the user register even if membership is free. The idea is to prime the pump, getting casual users to thirst for more comprehensive database access. Extended and full database access can be reserved only for paid members.
Never has a publisher had such power to build data-rich content that can serve to immediately strengthen his unique selling sales proposition. In the old paradigm, he who owned the data held all the power. Today, data is everywhere for the internet entrepreneur. By applying the latest database tools, any website publisher can now cement the most loyal of customer relationships by ensuring that his customer has a reason to keep coming back.
Web visitors have a difficult enough time sorting out the perceived sameness of online offerings. For the content builder, there are few better methods to establish and lock in immediate credibility with customers than to implement an easily accessible database that underscores the site's overall content theme.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Market Your Online Business For Less
Business can get expensive. If you are like most people starting an online business you may quickly find your savings tapped and your credit cards maxed. That is, unless you know how to market your online business for free - or nearly free.
There are many ways to market your business, but not all methods deliver the same results to every business. While you learn your way around the online business world it makes sense to start with the cheap or free methods of marketing before spending a lot of money on a system that will not work for you.
Here are three methods for marketing your business for little or no cost. Some will work better than others and some will take longer to show results. Find out the costs as well as the Pros and Cons of each method.
MARKETING METHOD ONE: TRAFFIC EXCHANGES
Traffic exchanges are very popular for new online businesses. They can be free or charge a monthly fee. The way they work is that each member views other members websites, usually for a specified period of time, to build credits. Their sites will then be displayed to other members depending on the number of websites they have viewed.
PRO: Usually free. Lots of traffic quickly.
CON: Traffic is not targeted so usually works better for businesses that appeal to a wide audience. Viewing other members websites is time consuming.
MARKETING METHOD TWO: ONLINE FORUMS
Forums are online communities that discuss specific topics. There are forums (or discussion groups) on just about any topic you can think of. You can find these by doing a search for 'forum' and your topic. Or you can go to Google and search the Groups for your key word or phrase. Forums are usually free to join.
Most forums do not allow commercial solicitations. The focus is on exchanging information. Be prepared to add useful comments to the discussion and follow the posted rules. You may be allowed to attach a signature to your comments. Put your website in the signature to attract the search engine spiders and send visitors to your site. Develop a reputation as an expert on your topic and give free advice when possible to build credibility.
PRO: Targeted traffic. Builds credibility
CON: Have to be careful not to be labeled as "spam". Must spend time answering questions and posting comments. Depending on where you post and what you say you may or may not see a lot of traffic initially.
MARKETING METHOD THREE: NEWSLETTERS
Start your own newsletter right away. While this does not bring traffic to your site it does take advantage of the visitors who do come. The code for collecting emails can often be obtained from your host provider for free or an autoresponder service which is free or paid depending on your service.
Have a place for visitors to enter their email address and name. Send them a free report or email once a week with tips or news about your topic. This will permit you to build a relationship with prospects as well as grant you permission to contact them again with your offer. It often takes up to seven contacts before a prospect will buy, so don't let them leave without getting their email!
PRO: Permits you to contact interested prospects again. Builds relationship with customers and potential customers.
CON: Effort is needed to provide quality information on a regular basis. Does not attract new visitors.
Each of the marketing strategies outlined above are proven to work. What works best for you and your business will depend on various factors such as; what your business is, what time you can spend marketing and what information you can provide. Start using two or all three of these methods and you will be creating a solid marketing foundation for your business.
There are many ways to market your business, but not all methods deliver the same results to every business. While you learn your way around the online business world it makes sense to start with the cheap or free methods of marketing before spending a lot of money on a system that will not work for you.
Here are three methods for marketing your business for little or no cost. Some will work better than others and some will take longer to show results. Find out the costs as well as the Pros and Cons of each method.
MARKETING METHOD ONE: TRAFFIC EXCHANGES
Traffic exchanges are very popular for new online businesses. They can be free or charge a monthly fee. The way they work is that each member views other members websites, usually for a specified period of time, to build credits. Their sites will then be displayed to other members depending on the number of websites they have viewed.
PRO: Usually free. Lots of traffic quickly.
CON: Traffic is not targeted so usually works better for businesses that appeal to a wide audience. Viewing other members websites is time consuming.
MARKETING METHOD TWO: ONLINE FORUMS
Forums are online communities that discuss specific topics. There are forums (or discussion groups) on just about any topic you can think of. You can find these by doing a search for 'forum' and your topic. Or you can go to Google and search the Groups for your key word or phrase. Forums are usually free to join.
Most forums do not allow commercial solicitations. The focus is on exchanging information. Be prepared to add useful comments to the discussion and follow the posted rules. You may be allowed to attach a signature to your comments. Put your website in the signature to attract the search engine spiders and send visitors to your site. Develop a reputation as an expert on your topic and give free advice when possible to build credibility.
PRO: Targeted traffic. Builds credibility
CON: Have to be careful not to be labeled as "spam". Must spend time answering questions and posting comments. Depending on where you post and what you say you may or may not see a lot of traffic initially.
MARKETING METHOD THREE: NEWSLETTERS
Start your own newsletter right away. While this does not bring traffic to your site it does take advantage of the visitors who do come. The code for collecting emails can often be obtained from your host provider for free or an autoresponder service which is free or paid depending on your service.
Have a place for visitors to enter their email address and name. Send them a free report or email once a week with tips or news about your topic. This will permit you to build a relationship with prospects as well as grant you permission to contact them again with your offer. It often takes up to seven contacts before a prospect will buy, so don't let them leave without getting their email!
PRO: Permits you to contact interested prospects again. Builds relationship with customers and potential customers.
CON: Effort is needed to provide quality information on a regular basis. Does not attract new visitors.
Each of the marketing strategies outlined above are proven to work. What works best for you and your business will depend on various factors such as; what your business is, what time you can spend marketing and what information you can provide. Start using two or all three of these methods and you will be creating a solid marketing foundation for your business.
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