10 Ways to Produce a Winning Blog
According to Technorati, a leading authority on the so-called blogosphere, there are more than 100,000,000 blogs that have launched since 2002. Yes, you read that right. One hundred million. But let me be honest. It is my (admittedly) unscientific opinion that 95 percent of blogs on the Web today range from generally mediocre to digital train wrecks.
Great blogs stand out because they have great content. It’s why you bookmark, subscribe to RSS feeds, and generally come back for more. If you want to take your material to the next level, you’re going to have to pay attention. Get ready to take notes — we have a lot to cover.
Let’s look at some of the basics of creating a winning content strategy:
1. Determine your publishing frequency. Different blogs have success with different publishing schedules, but the key to this equation is to remain as consistent as possible. Elance user Tim Ferriss crafts no more than two-to-three posts a week on his blog, while sites like the uber-popular TechCrunch publish five-to-ten new posts everyday. While there is no definitive answer for how many times a week you should post, just remember that as unpredictable and fickle as blog readers may be, when it comes to frequency, they appreciate consistency.
2. Create an editorial calendar. This is a big one. Once you've tackled number 1, build an editorial calendar to keep track of your content. If "editorial calendar" makes you feel like you're roaming in uncharted territory, a marketing professional can help you come up with the right topics, angles, and frequency for your posts. A well-kept calendar will also keep your blog sharp, timely, and informative, all while ensuring you that all topics have been covered.
3. Look for unique content angles. Three words: Set. Yourself. Apart. Avoid boring your readers to death with the same song and dance as the next blogger. Give breaking news a little bit of edge, share your personal perspective or bias on a controversial topic, or give add a little kick to your blog by using a truly unique voice. Confused? Public relations professionals professionals are experts at getting your message across, and they can help you construct a blog your readers (and your customers) can’t breathe without.
4. Choose the right blog platform. Decisions, decisions. With so many choices out there on the Web, picking one can seem like a daunting task. Strong candiates like WordPress and Movable Type have huge community support and feature plug-ins and many customization options, while Joomla and Drupal software packages can publish a wide variety of page types. If simplicity is your game, Typepad and Blogger are right up your alley. Want more info? We break down six of the most popular blogging platforms used on the Web today in our latest blog post.
5. Too busy? Get help. Dust off the Rolodex and start scanning for friends, partners, colleagues and experts who could be guest contributors—not only will you get content with a refreshing voice, but their readers may stumble upon your blog as a result. (As a rule of thumb, we follow our own advice: The Elance Blog features guest contributors often.) Another possible option is to hire talented ghostwriters: Formulate the topic and select a deadline, and an elancer can create the engaging content that you didn't have the time — or ability — to write yourself.
6. Write a great headline. The headline can either make or break a post, so choose your words wisely. Try using lists, numbers, how-tos, compelling questions, popular names, or even satire and wit. Think of it this way: Would you read an article titled “Techniques for Personal Budgeting” or one titled “Save Hundreds by Making Four Simple Phone Calls”? If you're still struggling with headlines, copywriters are the pros; they know how to instantly grab Web surfers with just a few key words.
7. Avoid filler or fluff. Remember: You are not the only blogger out there. Readers just have too many choices available within half of a click; they’ll quickly pass on an article with padding or unnecessary commentary. Get to the point and stay on point. Leave your readers wanting more, and they’ll come back for more. Bore them and they may never return.
8. Create a conversation. We’re all human, so let your voice show it. Conduct your writing as if you’re having a conversation with close friends. Let your personality shine through; after all, that’s what social media is all about. And don’t be afraid to take an unpopular position or to be wrong or brutally honest—your readers want to know what you truly think, so tell them.
9. Use pictures and video. Adding an image or video is simple yet adds a huge amount of depth to your blog. For example, Tim Ferris often includes how-to videos on his blog, and the headline/photo posts on The Sartorialist get dozens of comments from visitors. Trust me — it makes a big difference.
10. Above all, be a resource and put your readers first. Your readers want to gain something special from your blog that doesn’t exist anywhere else on the Web. If you want your blog to grow in popularity, provide information, analysis, and viewpoints that are exclusive to your blog. Not only will they tell others by word-of-mouth, but they’ll also submit your content to social media sites. Don’t create a blog for you–create a blog that for your readers.
With these tips, you’ll be able to give your lifeless blog a major content makeover while attracting a wealth of new readers. If any of these points sound difficult or time consuming, remember, you don’t have to do it all alone. Get help from marketing professionals, blogging platform experts or talented writers as they can help you build your blog, devise a direction and maintain its freshness.
Did we miss any? Leave a note in the comments section and let us know your secrets to keeping your blog on top of its game.
check out the photography blog http://desingsandphotos-naval.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Search Engine Basics
Search engines are computer programs that are used to explore the internet in search of web pages. They do this by using "spiders," "crawlers," or "robots" which are used to search for the most up to date information on any given search request. This may seem like an odd place to introduce you to the search engines, but I can assure that this section is well placed. Giving you the basics here will help you to understand what I am saying in the later sections. Anyways….back to the basics and explanation of search engine spiders.
These spiders (like those that are used by Google) are able to follow the links present on web pages that are located by specific keywords. When spiders are searching for a new webpage, they copy all or parts of the text present on the
page into their search engine database. Other spiders revisit these pages on a regular basis so that they can register changes or dead links. The wait time varies greatly from search engine to search engine. It is for this reason that your website should stay current.
The search engine will have hundreds of millions of web pages in its database. In order to deliver relevant results, the search engine companies have developed special ranking algorithms that calculate the order of search requirement results. The keyword or keyword phrase the visitor enters into the search form of the search engine will determine which web sites get picked up by the query. The pages the search engine find most relevant will be listed first. This will determine where you will be listed upon search requests.
For instance, if you are searching for "Beethoven," and the search engine finds a main headline on that page containing the phrase "Ludwig von Beethoven," it will assume that this page is fairly relevant to your needs. If, on the other hand, it finds the phrase only once, and it is buried in a long text, it will ignore it because it will assume that this is not important. That is why so many websites use special keywords more than once in a particular article or webpage, because that is how the spiders pick them up and place them higher in the results of a search.
What does this mean to you as a business person? Well…..this means that in order for you to even consider affiliation; you must first have a website. If you want your website to get attention, you have to appeal to search engines first. Many potential affiliates will not want to associate with just anyone prefer a site that gets traffic. Knowing about search engines and how to appeal to them will get you this traffic. I will offer more on traffic in another section later. Right now I would like to get you started with website affiliation because that is what this book is about and I have already given the basics about marketing in general.
******************************************************************************
http://internetadvertisingnavalbhatt.blogspot.com
http://meandhongkong.blogspot.com/
http://cookinginmicrowave.blogspot.com/
http://navalinsingapore.blogspot.com/
You can help me to earn by clicking the ads you find while you learn how all this work . I will really appreciate the help and will feel enthusiastic to update this blog with better information to help you to earn.
These spiders (like those that are used by Google) are able to follow the links present on web pages that are located by specific keywords. When spiders are searching for a new webpage, they copy all or parts of the text present on the
page into their search engine database. Other spiders revisit these pages on a regular basis so that they can register changes or dead links. The wait time varies greatly from search engine to search engine. It is for this reason that your website should stay current.
The search engine will have hundreds of millions of web pages in its database. In order to deliver relevant results, the search engine companies have developed special ranking algorithms that calculate the order of search requirement results. The keyword or keyword phrase the visitor enters into the search form of the search engine will determine which web sites get picked up by the query. The pages the search engine find most relevant will be listed first. This will determine where you will be listed upon search requests.
For instance, if you are searching for "Beethoven," and the search engine finds a main headline on that page containing the phrase "Ludwig von Beethoven," it will assume that this page is fairly relevant to your needs. If, on the other hand, it finds the phrase only once, and it is buried in a long text, it will ignore it because it will assume that this is not important. That is why so many websites use special keywords more than once in a particular article or webpage, because that is how the spiders pick them up and place them higher in the results of a search.
What does this mean to you as a business person? Well…..this means that in order for you to even consider affiliation; you must first have a website. If you want your website to get attention, you have to appeal to search engines first. Many potential affiliates will not want to associate with just anyone prefer a site that gets traffic. Knowing about search engines and how to appeal to them will get you this traffic. I will offer more on traffic in another section later. Right now I would like to get you started with website affiliation because that is what this book is about and I have already given the basics about marketing in general.
******************************************************************************
http://internetadvertisingnavalbhatt.blogspot.com
http://meandhongkong.blogspot.com/
http://cookinginmicrowave.blogspot.com/
http://navalinsingapore.blogspot.com/
You can help me to earn by clicking the ads you find while you learn how all this work . I will really appreciate the help and will feel enthusiastic to update this blog with better information to help you to earn.
Google adsense
Google Adsence is a good way to earn money without putting anything on risk .
Google AdSense enables website publishers of all sizes to display relevant Google ads and earn revenue.
You can go through the following blogs to see how you can see the ads in your blogs .
http://internetadvertisingnavalbhatt.blogspot.com
http://meandhongkong.blogspot.com/
http://cookinginmicrowave.blogspot.com/
http://navalinsingapore.blogspot.com/
You can help me to earn by clicking the ads you find while you learn how all this work . I will really appreciate the help and will feel enthusiastic to update this blog with better information to help you to earn.
Google AdSense enables website publishers of all sizes to display relevant Google ads and earn revenue.
You can go through the following blogs to see how you can see the ads in your blogs .
http://internetadvertisingnavalbhatt.blogspot.com
http://meandhongkong.blogspot.com/
http://cookinginmicrowave.blogspot.com/
http://navalinsingapore.blogspot.com/
You can help me to earn by clicking the ads you find while you learn how all this work . I will really appreciate the help and will feel enthusiastic to update this blog with better information to help you to earn.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Necessity of Reinvention
From time to time, once your business becomes an established entity, you’ll want to reinvent your methods or your products. If your approach in selling begins to weaken, and you notice a decline in sales, try something new before you change your entire product line.
It may be that your audience is now gathering somewhere else online and you have to find them so that you can begin your new marketing campaign. It could be that your marketing efforts themselves need a boost or a facelift!
If so, you can find a professional to help you create an ad campaign – banners, killer content, auto-responders, and more. What if all of those efforts still don’t reap any rewards? Then it’s time to reassess your products.
Is what you’re trying to sell outdated? Has technology taken over and demanded a newer approach to solving a problem than what you’re touting as the “next big thing?” Is your product or service overpriced when compared to the competition? Stay abreast of current events in your industry and begin developing a strong affinity to continuing education.
Are you simply tired of selling eBooks based on real estate options and want to tackle a fresh subject matter? You can do it, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw away your current enterprise. In fact, if you’ve built a formidable reputation on the ‘Net as an honest businessperson who provides excellent information to his or her customers, that will aid you in any endeavors you pursue online!
Finding your groove in the online community will eventually come naturally as your products and selling mechanisms begin to harmonize with your customers’ needs. To keep your business fluid (changing with the times) and growing, your challenge is to stay organized, focused, and in tune with hot topics emerging on the Internet.
Keep in tune? How? The best way is by having conversations with people who are doing the same thing you are! Network with fellow entrepreneurs, customers, service providers, gurus – ask questions, solicit opinions, be a sounding board, don’t stop learning. You never know what contacts you might make or information you’ll learn that could be the key to taking your business to the next level. Even the shyest among us can send an email to another business owner to strike up a conversation! No phone required!
This eBook has outlined and described the basics of successful online entrepreneurship. Now it’s up to you to take the next step. No matter who you are, your background, your level of formal education, your social status, or your financial situation – armed with the tools available to you, you can be as successful as you are committed to being. Start NOW – don’t waste another day!
It may be that your audience is now gathering somewhere else online and you have to find them so that you can begin your new marketing campaign. It could be that your marketing efforts themselves need a boost or a facelift!
If so, you can find a professional to help you create an ad campaign – banners, killer content, auto-responders, and more. What if all of those efforts still don’t reap any rewards? Then it’s time to reassess your products.
Is what you’re trying to sell outdated? Has technology taken over and demanded a newer approach to solving a problem than what you’re touting as the “next big thing?” Is your product or service overpriced when compared to the competition? Stay abreast of current events in your industry and begin developing a strong affinity to continuing education.
Are you simply tired of selling eBooks based on real estate options and want to tackle a fresh subject matter? You can do it, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw away your current enterprise. In fact, if you’ve built a formidable reputation on the ‘Net as an honest businessperson who provides excellent information to his or her customers, that will aid you in any endeavors you pursue online!
Finding your groove in the online community will eventually come naturally as your products and selling mechanisms begin to harmonize with your customers’ needs. To keep your business fluid (changing with the times) and growing, your challenge is to stay organized, focused, and in tune with hot topics emerging on the Internet.
Keep in tune? How? The best way is by having conversations with people who are doing the same thing you are! Network with fellow entrepreneurs, customers, service providers, gurus – ask questions, solicit opinions, be a sounding board, don’t stop learning. You never know what contacts you might make or information you’ll learn that could be the key to taking your business to the next level. Even the shyest among us can send an email to another business owner to strike up a conversation! No phone required!
This eBook has outlined and described the basics of successful online entrepreneurship. Now it’s up to you to take the next step. No matter who you are, your background, your level of formal education, your social status, or your financial situation – armed with the tools available to you, you can be as successful as you are committed to being. Start NOW – don’t waste another day!
Recurrent Marketing Efforts
Don’t think that once you launch a single ad campaign, your efforts are finished. Marketing your products is a never-ending task that has to be factored into the continued growth of your business. Even after you’ve made the sale, the show must go on – your goal is to keep these customers for life, if not longer!
Whenever you create a product to sell on the Internet, you must have a way to capture and store the contact information of your customer – preferably through email – and let them know they will hear from you from time to time. So long as you provide a way for them to opt out of receiving your emails, this is standard procedure.
When someone becomes your customer, the next time he hears from you will be right after his first purchase – thanking him for becoming a valued customer. From that point on, you can occasionally contact him to alert him to other special offers, upgrades, or complementary products that are available to him at a special discount because he’s an existing customer.
Your new best friends will be an auto-responder and your mailing list software. Auto-responders usually come with a mass mailing function, which is very convenient. With auto-responders, the “after-the-sale” marketing is done for you automatically – contacting the customer periodically with various “drive ‘em back” messages. You can either write these messages or hire a professional.
Your mailing list software (or the mass mail feature of your auto-responder) allows you to contact your customers “on the fly” with up-to-the-minute information that would not typically be loaded into an auto-responder. This can be in the form of special reports or a newsletter you send out regularly.
Keep your eye on the media – newspapers, television, even radio – and send your customers a message whenever you find information that could benefit their lives in some way, relevant to their relationship with you. These reports can be drafted in a matter of hours, and can be anywhere from one to five pages long.
For example, if you sell an eBook on lowering telecommunications costs, and you see a story about it on the 5 o’clock news, whip up a short report and send it to your customers. They will appreciate knowing you’re on top of the situation and looking out for their best interests. At the same time, you’ll be positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
Whenever you create a product to sell on the Internet, you must have a way to capture and store the contact information of your customer – preferably through email – and let them know they will hear from you from time to time. So long as you provide a way for them to opt out of receiving your emails, this is standard procedure.
When someone becomes your customer, the next time he hears from you will be right after his first purchase – thanking him for becoming a valued customer. From that point on, you can occasionally contact him to alert him to other special offers, upgrades, or complementary products that are available to him at a special discount because he’s an existing customer.
Your new best friends will be an auto-responder and your mailing list software. Auto-responders usually come with a mass mailing function, which is very convenient. With auto-responders, the “after-the-sale” marketing is done for you automatically – contacting the customer periodically with various “drive ‘em back” messages. You can either write these messages or hire a professional.
Your mailing list software (or the mass mail feature of your auto-responder) allows you to contact your customers “on the fly” with up-to-the-minute information that would not typically be loaded into an auto-responder. This can be in the form of special reports or a newsletter you send out regularly.
Keep your eye on the media – newspapers, television, even radio – and send your customers a message whenever you find information that could benefit their lives in some way, relevant to their relationship with you. These reports can be drafted in a matter of hours, and can be anywhere from one to five pages long.
For example, if you sell an eBook on lowering telecommunications costs, and you see a story about it on the 5 o’clock news, whip up a short report and send it to your customers. They will appreciate knowing you’re on top of the situation and looking out for their best interests. At the same time, you’ll be positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
Customer Service
Everyone knows that keeping a customer is ten times harder than getting one initially. We can all recall numerous times when we’ve purchased something and vowed never to return.
You don’t want to be labeled one of those businesses that doesn’t seem to value its customers. Word on the Internet spreads rapidly. If you burn one customer, he or she might post that experience on an online message board or mention it in an email discussion list, and no one else will want to do business with you, either.
What does customer service mean? Does it mean the customer is always right? If you want it to! But more often than not, it means that you are willing to listen to a customer’s complaints and work toward a mutual resolution.
Sometimes the only resolution that will work means a full money-back guarantee. Yes, even if you know the consumer is only doing this to scam you out of your money.
But other times, the customer is lodging a legitimate complaint, and this can be very helpful to you when it comes to satisfying the needs of other customers. Say a customer emails you with a request for a refund because many of the links in your eBook were dead links (they no longer worked).
First of all, you need to thank this customer profusely because he’s just done you a big favor. He’s saved you money. How? Because you can instantly refund his money, fix the dead links, and avoid dozens of other returns.
Then you should happily refund the money for this sale and promise him that you’ll be repairing the problem and ensuring it never happens again. As a result, you might have salvaged his business for your release of the next edition of your informational eBook.
No matter what the situation, always be courteous and friendly when dealing with a customer – even those who are furious with you for no good reason (that you can see). Remain calm and gently take care of the problem.
The biggest complaint online consumers have in working with customer service departments is their slow reply. To combat this problem, make sure you stay on top of customer contact so that you can resolve any issues before they grow into larger ones.
By aligning yourself with a company with an unprecedented reputation for integrity and fast, friendly service, you will garner the experience to serve your clients with the respect they expect.
You don’t want to be labeled one of those businesses that doesn’t seem to value its customers. Word on the Internet spreads rapidly. If you burn one customer, he or she might post that experience on an online message board or mention it in an email discussion list, and no one else will want to do business with you, either.
What does customer service mean? Does it mean the customer is always right? If you want it to! But more often than not, it means that you are willing to listen to a customer’s complaints and work toward a mutual resolution.
Sometimes the only resolution that will work means a full money-back guarantee. Yes, even if you know the consumer is only doing this to scam you out of your money.
But other times, the customer is lodging a legitimate complaint, and this can be very helpful to you when it comes to satisfying the needs of other customers. Say a customer emails you with a request for a refund because many of the links in your eBook were dead links (they no longer worked).
First of all, you need to thank this customer profusely because he’s just done you a big favor. He’s saved you money. How? Because you can instantly refund his money, fix the dead links, and avoid dozens of other returns.
Then you should happily refund the money for this sale and promise him that you’ll be repairing the problem and ensuring it never happens again. As a result, you might have salvaged his business for your release of the next edition of your informational eBook.
No matter what the situation, always be courteous and friendly when dealing with a customer – even those who are furious with you for no good reason (that you can see). Remain calm and gently take care of the problem.
The biggest complaint online consumers have in working with customer service departments is their slow reply. To combat this problem, make sure you stay on top of customer contact so that you can resolve any issues before they grow into larger ones.
By aligning yourself with a company with an unprecedented reputation for integrity and fast, friendly service, you will garner the experience to serve your clients with the respect they expect.
Advertising Issues
Advertising will be the lifeblood of your business, so this is where the majority of your time, money, and effort will be spent. Your goal is to build a database (list) of prospects and customers you can sell to time and time again.
In the ever-changing (and challenging) world of online advertising, there are two primary categories: Free and Paid. The basic rule of thumb is that if you have much more time than money, Free advertising may be your most logical choice. However, if you have even just a little room in your budget for advertising, Paid advertising, combined with effective free methods, will save you bundles of time and is the most direct route to success.
The entire goal of your advertising efforts should be to drive targeted traffic to your website, where visitors are encouraged to add their name and email address to your database. Plain and simple. Database Marketing 101.
Free online advertising methods include (but are not limited to) posting to free safelists, engaging in message board discussions and including your tagline on each post, posting to free classified ad sites, using traffic generators (surfing/clicking for credits), submitting your website to search engines, banner exchanges, reciprocal linking with similar sites, submitting free ezine ads, writing articles and including your byline at the end, and writing a press release about the launch of your site or a new product and submitting to online news media.
These methods can be tedious and frustrating, but when you’re starting off, with no extra funds, if you can choose two and stick with them religiously, you will most likely generate enough profit to form a Paid advertising plan. Paid advertising methods are virtually endless. Some of the most popular include renting opt-in lists, buying opt-in leads, placing ads in reputable ezines, using pay-per-click search engines, buying banner ad space, and buying targeted traffic Just because you have an online business, that doesn’t mean all of your advertising has to be on the Internet. However, online advertising is usually less costly than offline avenues. You don’t have to pay for pricey prime time placement, but you do have to spend more time figuring out where your prospects are so that your dollars are not wasted in your efforts.
In the ever-changing (and challenging) world of online advertising, there are two primary categories: Free and Paid. The basic rule of thumb is that if you have much more time than money, Free advertising may be your most logical choice. However, if you have even just a little room in your budget for advertising, Paid advertising, combined with effective free methods, will save you bundles of time and is the most direct route to success.
The entire goal of your advertising efforts should be to drive targeted traffic to your website, where visitors are encouraged to add their name and email address to your database. Plain and simple. Database Marketing 101.
Free online advertising methods include (but are not limited to) posting to free safelists, engaging in message board discussions and including your tagline on each post, posting to free classified ad sites, using traffic generators (surfing/clicking for credits), submitting your website to search engines, banner exchanges, reciprocal linking with similar sites, submitting free ezine ads, writing articles and including your byline at the end, and writing a press release about the launch of your site or a new product and submitting to online news media.
These methods can be tedious and frustrating, but when you’re starting off, with no extra funds, if you can choose two and stick with them religiously, you will most likely generate enough profit to form a Paid advertising plan. Paid advertising methods are virtually endless. Some of the most popular include renting opt-in lists, buying opt-in leads, placing ads in reputable ezines, using pay-per-click search engines, buying banner ad space, and buying targeted traffic Just because you have an online business, that doesn’t mean all of your advertising has to be on the Internet. However, online advertising is usually less costly than offline avenues. You don’t have to pay for pricey prime time placement, but you do have to spend more time figuring out where your prospects are so that your dollars are not wasted in your efforts.
Search Engine Support
Without aiming for a decent search engine ranking, you might have difficulty in achieving the kind of sales results you’re after. In addition to content, addressed in the previous section, there are several tools you can use to help you increase your search engine placement.
While many engines have their own criteria for developing their unique ranking system, most rely on a combination of keywords, relevancy, and even link reciprocation. In order to move into the top ten, most coveted positions, you have to know how to play their game.
First, sit down and brainstorm the keywords most used to describe your product. Google has a keyword tool that helps you determine the most widely used search terms for your business. You can find it at:
https://adwords.google.com/select/main?cmd=KeywordSandbox.
For example, if you enter “investing,” the tool will return the following terms to you: Real estate investing, online investing, socially responsible investing, value investing, stock market investing, stock investing, investing online, gold investing, drip investing, & investing money – and these are only the top 10 out of 50+ terms it returns.
How do you use these search terms? You use them both behind the scenes and on center stage. Your web developer will want to include many of them in your META tags, which allows search engine spiders to classify your site more easily.
You’ll also want to use them in your keyword content when crafting the home page of your website. When the spider crawls onto your site, it scans the keywords to make sure the site is really relevant to that particular subject matter, and not just a scam to get traffic in the door.
You will need to continue recreating your search engine strategy, since many engines change their formula to keep everyone on their toes. Google and others, for instance, now factor into the ranking formula the number of other sites who have a link to your site. This is known as link reciprocation.
While many engines have their own criteria for developing their unique ranking system, most rely on a combination of keywords, relevancy, and even link reciprocation. In order to move into the top ten, most coveted positions, you have to know how to play their game.
First, sit down and brainstorm the keywords most used to describe your product. Google has a keyword tool that helps you determine the most widely used search terms for your business. You can find it at:
https://adwords.google.com/select/main?cmd=KeywordSandbox.
For example, if you enter “investing,” the tool will return the following terms to you: Real estate investing, online investing, socially responsible investing, value investing, stock market investing, stock investing, investing online, gold investing, drip investing, & investing money – and these are only the top 10 out of 50+ terms it returns.
How do you use these search terms? You use them both behind the scenes and on center stage. Your web developer will want to include many of them in your META tags, which allows search engine spiders to classify your site more easily.
You’ll also want to use them in your keyword content when crafting the home page of your website. When the spider crawls onto your site, it scans the keywords to make sure the site is really relevant to that particular subject matter, and not just a scam to get traffic in the door.
You will need to continue recreating your search engine strategy, since many engines change their formula to keep everyone on their toes. Google and others, for instance, now factor into the ranking formula the number of other sites who have a link to your site. This is known as link reciprocation.
Constructive Content
Content can make a big difference if you fail to urge the audience to take action on your site. You have to create words that provoke the reader to continue reading until they are convinced to buy your product or sign up for something on your site.
Some websites run on for pages, causing the reader to scroll forever. Others use a mere paragraph or two to make their point and hope for the best results. What length you require depends on the product you’re selling and how much convincing needs to be done to make the sale.
Many websites are sheer sales propaganda, and it often works! Your sales strategy should reflect the customer and how they approach buying on the Internet. Many people like and expect to see testimonials sprinkled throughout your home page, for instance.
Whenever you work on your content, make sure that you answer the 5 W’s: Who (who the product is for and who you are as well); What (what the product is exactly, along with any other bonus materials included); When (when the offer expires – an often crucial element in making the sale tonight as opposed to never); Where (where they can reach you in case they have any questions or need assistance); and Why (why they need your product above any others selling on the ‘Net).
You might want to write your online sales content like a personal letter, complete with an image of your signature at the bottom of the page. Don’t forget your Postscripts (P.S.) – you can have up to five Postscripts where you sum up the important facts and urge the client to purchase now or miss out on the deal altogether.
You content will play a key factor in your search engine placement, so you will need to learn how to “write for the search engines” and incorporate that whenever possible. If that’s something you’re not familiar with, Empowerism offers a full training module on keyword and keyphrase integration for search engine optimization.
Content isn’t confined just to your website! Email marketing is a vital aspect of Internet Marketing, and the content of your communications to your prospects and customers must be professional, with the right blend of relationship-building, soft-sell, and hard-sell copy.
Some websites run on for pages, causing the reader to scroll forever. Others use a mere paragraph or two to make their point and hope for the best results. What length you require depends on the product you’re selling and how much convincing needs to be done to make the sale.
Many websites are sheer sales propaganda, and it often works! Your sales strategy should reflect the customer and how they approach buying on the Internet. Many people like and expect to see testimonials sprinkled throughout your home page, for instance.
Whenever you work on your content, make sure that you answer the 5 W’s: Who (who the product is for and who you are as well); What (what the product is exactly, along with any other bonus materials included); When (when the offer expires – an often crucial element in making the sale tonight as opposed to never); Where (where they can reach you in case they have any questions or need assistance); and Why (why they need your product above any others selling on the ‘Net).
You might want to write your online sales content like a personal letter, complete with an image of your signature at the bottom of the page. Don’t forget your Postscripts (P.S.) – you can have up to five Postscripts where you sum up the important facts and urge the client to purchase now or miss out on the deal altogether.
You content will play a key factor in your search engine placement, so you will need to learn how to “write for the search engines” and incorporate that whenever possible. If that’s something you’re not familiar with, Empowerism offers a full training module on keyword and keyphrase integration for search engine optimization.
Content isn’t confined just to your website! Email marketing is a vital aspect of Internet Marketing, and the content of your communications to your prospects and customers must be professional, with the right blend of relationship-building, soft-sell, and hard-sell copy.
Site Structure
The structure of your website can mean the difference between a stalled business and a flourishing one. If your website isn’t built for the consumer, then the consumer will steer clear.
Have you ever ventured into a store and found it messy or crowded and hard to maneuver? Did you ever go back to that place? Probably not. The same thing goes for your online business.
Some websites are not built for the average customer. They use large graphics that take hours for a 56K modem to download, or their links don’t work. If you don’t know how to build a website yourself, then hire a professional who knows how to do it for you.
Your site needs to be user-friendly so that customers keep coming back – not only for their first purchase, but also for follow-up sales once they’ve devoured your initial product.
Some basic tips for building a better website include using professional colors and fonts. You don’t want a rainbow site with happy faces and flowery lettering trying to sell your serious eBook on Investing for Seniors.
You also want to make sure you have a separate domain for your business. You can register your very own dot com at GoDaddy.com for only $8.95 per year, and the investment is well worth it for the professionalism it gives your business.
Once the designer drafts your site and your content is in place, ask a few friends or family members to make a test run through it and tell you if they notice any areas where the user would run into problems, like dead links or layout trouble.
Sometimes, something as simple as the browser the customer is using will distort the website and make it appear as if an amateur has launched an online business. Any reputable designer knows how to appeal to the masses, so you shouldn’t run into any trouble if you check references and hire someone who’s been in the business for at least 5 years.
If you’re not quite ready to hire a website designer, there are companies that offer low-cost, ready-made templates that you can customize.
Have you ever ventured into a store and found it messy or crowded and hard to maneuver? Did you ever go back to that place? Probably not. The same thing goes for your online business.
Some websites are not built for the average customer. They use large graphics that take hours for a 56K modem to download, or their links don’t work. If you don’t know how to build a website yourself, then hire a professional who knows how to do it for you.
Your site needs to be user-friendly so that customers keep coming back – not only for their first purchase, but also for follow-up sales once they’ve devoured your initial product.
Some basic tips for building a better website include using professional colors and fonts. You don’t want a rainbow site with happy faces and flowery lettering trying to sell your serious eBook on Investing for Seniors.
You also want to make sure you have a separate domain for your business. You can register your very own dot com at GoDaddy.com for only $8.95 per year, and the investment is well worth it for the professionalism it gives your business.
Once the designer drafts your site and your content is in place, ask a few friends or family members to make a test run through it and tell you if they notice any areas where the user would run into problems, like dead links or layout trouble.
Sometimes, something as simple as the browser the customer is using will distort the website and make it appear as if an amateur has launched an online business. Any reputable designer knows how to appeal to the masses, so you shouldn’t run into any trouble if you check references and hire someone who’s been in the business for at least 5 years.
If you’re not quite ready to hire a website designer, there are companies that offer low-cost, ready-made templates that you can customize.
Product Conception
Many people go through life wishing they could sell something and become instant millionaires. It rarely works this way, but the possibility still tugs at us and we’re always looking for the “magic solution” to our financial stresses.
In order to develop a good product line, you have to look at the marketplace. What are consumers buying? What’s being heavily advertised? You know it takes money to market your products, so the successful companies will be advertising greatly because they can afford to.
Is there a need that’s not being met? Many success stories come out of regular consumers who couldn’t find a particular product to solve their own problems, so they invented one themselves to help others!
Many thriving online businesses do nothing but sell information on the ‘Net. Information is the hottest commodity, and almost anyone can do it with very little upfront investment of money.
Think about your own personal experiences. What skills do you have that cause people come to you for help? Are you a wiz at writing? Do you have a knack for investing or real estate solutions?
You can write an eBook to sell on the ‘Net and rake in a lot of money – just for sharing your knowledge with others! Why are eBooks so popular? For several reasons, including the fact that they can be purchased and read in seconds from the comfort of your own home.
No bookstores. No traffic. No-hassle returns on most sites. Plus, eBooks usually come with a package deal, so customers get bonus materials just for ordering. This can be an extra eBook, a teaser eBook (a shorter version of the same book, highlighting a few excerpts), or a membership to a free Ezine.
If you aren’t confident in your writing skills, but have an idea you’d like to see in print, consider hiring a professional to do it for you. Writing consultants can research and write about topics quickly and gear them toward consumers for about $20 per page.
In order to develop a good product line, you have to look at the marketplace. What are consumers buying? What’s being heavily advertised? You know it takes money to market your products, so the successful companies will be advertising greatly because they can afford to.
Is there a need that’s not being met? Many success stories come out of regular consumers who couldn’t find a particular product to solve their own problems, so they invented one themselves to help others!
Many thriving online businesses do nothing but sell information on the ‘Net. Information is the hottest commodity, and almost anyone can do it with very little upfront investment of money.
Think about your own personal experiences. What skills do you have that cause people come to you for help? Are you a wiz at writing? Do you have a knack for investing or real estate solutions?
You can write an eBook to sell on the ‘Net and rake in a lot of money – just for sharing your knowledge with others! Why are eBooks so popular? For several reasons, including the fact that they can be purchased and read in seconds from the comfort of your own home.
No bookstores. No traffic. No-hassle returns on most sites. Plus, eBooks usually come with a package deal, so customers get bonus materials just for ordering. This can be an extra eBook, a teaser eBook (a shorter version of the same book, highlighting a few excerpts), or a membership to a free Ezine.
If you aren’t confident in your writing skills, but have an idea you’d like to see in print, consider hiring a professional to do it for you. Writing consultants can research and write about topics quickly and gear them toward consumers for about $20 per page.
Time Management Control
If you’re working from home or doing this business as a second career until it firmly gets on its feet, then you’ll have to set and meet your schedule in order to carefully control your online enterprise.
You don’t want to fall at one end of the spectrum – investing too much or too little time into your business. Instead, you want a healthy balance where you’ve spent enough time working toward your goals and plenty of time to spend enjoying family time or recreational life in general.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” You’ve heard the saying. It rings true for many whose lives are consumed by their business. Don’t let this happen to you! If you fall into the trap of working yourself to death, your business will suffer in the end because you’ll become too frustrated to think clearly and make sound business decisions.
If your online business is your only job, then you can afford to spend 8-10 hours a day working toward its success. But if you’re working at home, those 8-10 hours a day might be marred by constant interruptions and personal pauses that so easily take precedence over your work life.
If you have a family at home, remind them that you’re going to be putting in formal work hours and that even though you might be available to temporarily stop and help them when they need it, they must respect your efforts to build your business.
Your time is critically important! You know the saying, “Time is Money” and you will find that to be especially true online where you can spend hour after hour on repetitive tasks that deliver marginal results. Don’t fall into the trap of doing the same thing over and over again without results. Look for a true “turnkey system” that finds, sorts, and sells to your prospects, while you’re spending time doing things that contribute to the long haul, like building relationships with your customers.
How many affiliate programs on the ‘Net have you found who promise a turnkey investment? Just set it up and it runs itself. When it comes down to it, not many make the grade – then you eventually end up unwilling to spend the necessary time – and failure closes in.
You don’t want to fall at one end of the spectrum – investing too much or too little time into your business. Instead, you want a healthy balance where you’ve spent enough time working toward your goals and plenty of time to spend enjoying family time or recreational life in general.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” You’ve heard the saying. It rings true for many whose lives are consumed by their business. Don’t let this happen to you! If you fall into the trap of working yourself to death, your business will suffer in the end because you’ll become too frustrated to think clearly and make sound business decisions.
If your online business is your only job, then you can afford to spend 8-10 hours a day working toward its success. But if you’re working at home, those 8-10 hours a day might be marred by constant interruptions and personal pauses that so easily take precedence over your work life.
If you have a family at home, remind them that you’re going to be putting in formal work hours and that even though you might be available to temporarily stop and help them when they need it, they must respect your efforts to build your business.
Your time is critically important! You know the saying, “Time is Money” and you will find that to be especially true online where you can spend hour after hour on repetitive tasks that deliver marginal results. Don’t fall into the trap of doing the same thing over and over again without results. Look for a true “turnkey system” that finds, sorts, and sells to your prospects, while you’re spending time doing things that contribute to the long haul, like building relationships with your customers.
How many affiliate programs on the ‘Net have you found who promise a turnkey investment? Just set it up and it runs itself. When it comes down to it, not many make the grade – then you eventually end up unwilling to spend the necessary time – and failure closes in.
1. Motivation and Goal Setting
If you’re reading this blog, then you have already instilled some of the motivation needed to be a successful online entrepreneur. But are you ready to invest the time and money needed to realize your vision?
Before you ever start the first formal step of launching your cyber-business, you have to have the right mindset and a list of goals that you plan to accomplish one step at a time.
First, you need to gather the support of those who will be closely involved with you in your endeavor. It may be a work partner or your spouse and children if you’re working solo from home.
Even if you’re interested in signing up with an established affiliate program, you should still set and try to maintain your own personal goals. While some seasoned marketers have long-term success, those who sustain their victories in the marketplace know that they have to put in equal effort to building a successful affiliate network.
Sit down with a list of things you hope to accomplish with this business and be as specific as possible. It may help convince others (and even yourself) if you map out a simple business plan to show them how your idea will come to life. You can see a small business plan outline at www.sba.gov.
If you run into opposition, or self-doubts, then you may want to take some time to thoroughly review your business plan and try to solve any areas of concern before you begin investing too much time or money into your operation.
If you’re considering joining an affiliate program, look at it carefully to determine what its drawbacks are, if any. Then, if you still have concerns, contact the administrator or a sponsor of the program and open a dialogue so that you can find out for yourself if these problems really exist, and if so, how they are solved.
Along with the plan itself, you should have several stages of goals that you hope to reach and the timeline to accompany them. Too many people sit down one day and decide to start a business with no direction to go. These people wind up off the path very quickly, and all the time and funds they devoted to their business goes down the drain.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew with your goals. Start small and remember that goals are to be viewed as a “living list,” and can be altered at any time depending on the success rate of your business.
You might want to set monetary goals – such as hoping to make $2,000 per month within the first three months. Remember that most new businesses don’t even see a profit until after the first year, so don’t despair if yours is slow to grow.
On the Internet, your growth rate will be much quicker because your audience is global, not limited to your physical location. Another bonus with online selling is that many products are informational, and don’t require the standard upfront investment that other companies do.
When you find a business opportunity that piques your interest, you need to make sure that there is a system in place that offers plenty of member support and training to get your own enterprise underway.
Before you ever start the first formal step of launching your cyber-business, you have to have the right mindset and a list of goals that you plan to accomplish one step at a time.
First, you need to gather the support of those who will be closely involved with you in your endeavor. It may be a work partner or your spouse and children if you’re working solo from home.
Even if you’re interested in signing up with an established affiliate program, you should still set and try to maintain your own personal goals. While some seasoned marketers have long-term success, those who sustain their victories in the marketplace know that they have to put in equal effort to building a successful affiliate network.
Sit down with a list of things you hope to accomplish with this business and be as specific as possible. It may help convince others (and even yourself) if you map out a simple business plan to show them how your idea will come to life. You can see a small business plan outline at www.sba.gov.
If you run into opposition, or self-doubts, then you may want to take some time to thoroughly review your business plan and try to solve any areas of concern before you begin investing too much time or money into your operation.
If you’re considering joining an affiliate program, look at it carefully to determine what its drawbacks are, if any. Then, if you still have concerns, contact the administrator or a sponsor of the program and open a dialogue so that you can find out for yourself if these problems really exist, and if so, how they are solved.
Along with the plan itself, you should have several stages of goals that you hope to reach and the timeline to accompany them. Too many people sit down one day and decide to start a business with no direction to go. These people wind up off the path very quickly, and all the time and funds they devoted to their business goes down the drain.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew with your goals. Start small and remember that goals are to be viewed as a “living list,” and can be altered at any time depending on the success rate of your business.
You might want to set monetary goals – such as hoping to make $2,000 per month within the first three months. Remember that most new businesses don’t even see a profit until after the first year, so don’t despair if yours is slow to grow.
On the Internet, your growth rate will be much quicker because your audience is global, not limited to your physical location. Another bonus with online selling is that many products are informational, and don’t require the standard upfront investment that other companies do.
When you find a business opportunity that piques your interest, you need to make sure that there is a system in place that offers plenty of member support and training to get your own enterprise underway.
10 Basics for Starting Your Online Business
10 Basics for Starting Your Online Business
Launching an online business can seem either simple or harrowing, depending on your perception of the Internet. For many, the task at hand will come naturally because they’re comfortable maneuvering the ‘Net with ease. For others, it’s an entirely alien idea requiring heavy guidance.
Everyone who has ever sought out legitimate business opportunities online has probably scoured the Internet for sites that offer both direction and devices to make their journey easier.
Most people are looking for a place where Internet Marketers can make a single stop to gather and implement all of the information they need to carry them from A to Z and a turnkey marketing system that supplies everything they need for success.
There are ten basic steps to initiating and cultivating your dream of starting of your very own Internet-based business. The steps begin the moment you first conceptualize your dream and they culminate with continued revenue from your customers.
Launching an online business can seem either simple or harrowing, depending on your perception of the Internet. For many, the task at hand will come naturally because they’re comfortable maneuvering the ‘Net with ease. For others, it’s an entirely alien idea requiring heavy guidance.
Everyone who has ever sought out legitimate business opportunities online has probably scoured the Internet for sites that offer both direction and devices to make their journey easier.
Most people are looking for a place where Internet Marketers can make a single stop to gather and implement all of the information they need to carry them from A to Z and a turnkey marketing system that supplies everything they need for success.
There are ten basic steps to initiating and cultivating your dream of starting of your very own Internet-based business. The steps begin the moment you first conceptualize your dream and they culminate with continued revenue from your customers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe Now: iheart
Subscribe to learn how to earn
Posts
All Comments
About Me
- Naval Bhatt
- I love photography and started taking casual shots when i was in college. I bought my first Digital SLR Nikon D200 when I went to HK for work . I started doing photography professionally as a freelancer in year 2007 . I am into all genres of photography.but I love documentary and people . My work has been published in various travel and fashion magazines and websites . I believe in a better society for that I have worked as a volunteer for United nations development program .My work has be exhibited in various fund raising exhibitions for United nations .