When people first enter the Internet Arena, and they hear the word domain -- they may be kind of -- well, lost. What is a domain, was my first question. Pretty green, huh! I learned by trial and error, not realizing the importance of the name -- the domain name, of my online business. Just by chance, I did do some things right. But I sure wish I had the facts when I first began. With that being said, here is an article on Domain Names -- and the facts that you should be aware of.
Your Domain -- Just the Facts!
By Vickie J. Scanlon
Your domain identifies your business in the eyes of the people searching for the product or products you are selling on your website and in the eyes of the search engines. So, is choosing a domain important? The answer is yes. I hope to enlighten you to some important elements to creating and owning a domain name.
What Is A Domain Name
What is a Domain Name? Your website has a unique address called an IP address. The domain name--in essence, is the IP address with a naming convention. It is far easier for people to remember a name instead of a bunch of numbers.
Creating A Domain Name
Many people new to the Internet and to the Internet Business, do not realize the importance of a Domain Name, they just think they can put up any creative name and people will come. If you're lucky, that may be true, but in truth, your creativity should incorporate the following tips:
When creating a domain name, you should keep in mind the following tips:
1. If it is possible, go with a ".com" extension. This is the most common, and easier for people to remember. In my case, no .com was available, so I opted for the .biz. Since I'm in a business of affiliate marketing -- I felt it perfect for my needs.
2. The name itself -- Do not use dashes or numbers in your domain name--it is hard for people to remember, unless it is central to the theme of your site.
3. Keep your name as compact as possible -- the fewer words in the naming/description of your website will makes it easier for people to remember your site name, and that is definitely what you want.
Protecting Your Domain Name
Once you have your domain name, and your website is flourishing -- you must protect your domain.
So how do you protect your domain? At the end of the year, the registrar will send you a notice that your domain name is about to expire. Inadvertently, you may be thinking, that they just want your money, and they can darn well wait til the date it is due to get your money! Well, I wouldn't do that. There is a very legitimate process called "drop catching"-- that can easily destroy all your hard work in one instance.
Drop Catching
Drop catching is a legal process by which people can quickly grab domain names that have expired and use the link to create a website consisting of advertisements -- or worse yet, resell them to make a profit off of your hard earned traffic. So, it is wise that you do not wait til the last minute to pay your registration. You do not want to log-in to your site, to find an error, or find out that suddenly you are no longer in business.
The rules of the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), gives domain registrars 45 days after the expiration date to notify the website owner that their domain name is going to be dropped from the registry. After the 45 days, you have a 30 day grace period, then your domain is up for grabs. However ..
Some domain services have created an auction process for expired names, such as GoDaddy.com, that begins the auctioning of domain names in as little of 30 days after the expiration date, to prospective buyers. However, GoDaddy.com does state to the prospective buyer in the auction process, that the original owners still have the option of reclaiming their name.
What's in a name? If it's a domain name, it can be your future online. So choose wisely, and protect what you worked, or have been working for -- a business online.
Vickie J Scanlon -- Visit her site at: My Affiliate Place for tools, articles, ebooks, affiliate opportunities, software, web host info, computers, software and for the Afffiliate/Internet Marketing person online.
Read more...
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Adwords--The Basics
Here is a good article on Adwords -- The Basics. For those who know the "how to" of Adwords -- it is always good to revisit the basics -- and for those new to the Adwords game, it good to have a heads up before getting your feet wet.
Deploying a negative keyword strategy is important -- it does give you some control over where your ad goes -- and eliminates the clicks that will only eat up your budget and give you no return.
For those that are beginning -- keep to your budget, and your product in mind. For example (Does your product go Internationally or only in certain countries?)
Some Adwords Basics For Beginners
by Joseph Pratt
Google’s Adwords is still the yardstick by which other search advertising platforms measure themselves. This isn’t merely an industry observation, but a respectful sentiment that I share now, having learned the ins and outs of Adwords first hand. At ICMediaDirect.com I use this experience to give clients advice that saves them money.
No two advertising campaigns are alike, so naturally each one requires its own strategy. But there are general suggestions that a first time Adwords user should heed. What I have are a few tips aimed at saving the new advertiser money. Just because I learned a few of them the hard way doesn’t mean you should have to: caution and patience are key virtues for an Adwords novice. Incidentally, since Google announced new localized features for Adwords, I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of new users in upcoming months.
Do not assume that the popularity of Adwords stems from a gentle or forgiving platform. You’ve got to watch your ads with the same eye you’d use to watch your chips in a game of Texas Hold’Em. Carelessness in Adwords will cost you as quickly and dearly as it would in poker.
It’s crucial to economize your campaign. Competition from other advertisers within the Adwords space has made it more expensive to use. Bigger advertisers, like an eBay for instance, can be particularly daunting in the way they throw money around. You can’t compete with them, so as you craft a detailed plan, you should manage your budget closely, as every penny counts.
Remember to:
1) Deploy a negative keyword strategyI cannot stress this enough. As an advertiser you have almost no control over where your ad goes, but you have the option to keep it from going where it won’t work! The negative keyword function essentially blocks your ads from being shown with search results you feel are not likely to generate business. In other words, it keeps your ads from being exposed to people looking for something else. Clicks from unwanted showings means wasted expense.
2) Stick to a daily budgetOnline advertising offers us unprecedented measurability. We know how many people have seen our ads. But, like in any new endeavor, we should still proceed carefully until we are sure of ourselves. We must apportion daily budgets.
You could lose your shirt on Adwords if you don’t set some limits. Sometimes advertisers are too gung-ho and let expenditures grow with the faith that clicks equals sales growth. There are no guarantees that the advertising will work or that you’re doing it correctly from the get-go. Remember, if clicks are ineffective – you do not get your money back, nor should you. Start slow, learn the ropes, and then prosper.
3) Target for successAdwords now lets you target your advertising by nation, state and/or municipality. You may also opt for a stated radius. These features, which are the first steps towards the onset of local search, significantly boost click-through rates. If geography has any relevancy in your business plan, then localized tools are a must.
4) Mind CPC ratesAs part of your budget, your CPC rate is important. Keep it down. I know, I know, these rates being measured in cents don’t look like much, but they quickly add up to real cost, believe me. Adwords has introduced a policy of minimum keyword bids that many feel has made Adwords a more expensive place to advertise. Not so. It’s only made Adwords a slightly more difficult place to advertise because some advertisers subsequently bid too high. Be patient and find your place. It would be better to start too low, and not get enough clicks, than to start too high and burn advertising capital.
5) USD, that’s United States Dollars Where is your trade, is it the United States? Set your account up in dollars. If you’re doing business in Europe, set it up in Euros. More than a few people have had rude awakenings by not squaring their denominations with their geographic trade base. The transaction charges are steep.
6) Scrutinize click qualityThere is fear about click fraud in Adwords, legitimate fear. There are, for instance, unethical adversaries who will click your ad to cost you money. (Yet another reason to be nice to everyone you meet!) It is tough to prevent ethical lapses in other people, but if you feel your clicks are suspicious, contact Google immediately and stop running the ads.
The web developer clickbot farms are another issue of concern. These are the kind that are the most threatening, but can be defeated. They are simply websites designed to click your ads in order to steal your advertising money - nothing more and nothing less. If Google values their advertisers, they’ll continue to combat click fraud and, it stands to reason, eliminate it as the current scourge it is. They’ve accomplished bigger feats already and if they don’t, the competition will. Bank on it.
Be cautious and be thrifty when beginning Adwords. It’s a wonderful advertising tool that will not only help your business, but also give you a working, hands-on education, in a field that continues to grow with each passing day, search advertising.
About This Author:
Joseph PrattMedia AnalystICMediaDirect.com http://www.icmediadirect.com
email: joseph@icmediadirect.com
Note: On my website I have web page on Adwords Basics that can be a good starter on Adwords
Read more...
Deploying a negative keyword strategy is important -- it does give you some control over where your ad goes -- and eliminates the clicks that will only eat up your budget and give you no return.
For those that are beginning -- keep to your budget, and your product in mind. For example (Does your product go Internationally or only in certain countries?)
Some Adwords Basics For Beginners
by Joseph Pratt
Google’s Adwords is still the yardstick by which other search advertising platforms measure themselves. This isn’t merely an industry observation, but a respectful sentiment that I share now, having learned the ins and outs of Adwords first hand. At ICMediaDirect.com I use this experience to give clients advice that saves them money.
No two advertising campaigns are alike, so naturally each one requires its own strategy. But there are general suggestions that a first time Adwords user should heed. What I have are a few tips aimed at saving the new advertiser money. Just because I learned a few of them the hard way doesn’t mean you should have to: caution and patience are key virtues for an Adwords novice. Incidentally, since Google announced new localized features for Adwords, I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of new users in upcoming months.
Do not assume that the popularity of Adwords stems from a gentle or forgiving platform. You’ve got to watch your ads with the same eye you’d use to watch your chips in a game of Texas Hold’Em. Carelessness in Adwords will cost you as quickly and dearly as it would in poker.
It’s crucial to economize your campaign. Competition from other advertisers within the Adwords space has made it more expensive to use. Bigger advertisers, like an eBay for instance, can be particularly daunting in the way they throw money around. You can’t compete with them, so as you craft a detailed plan, you should manage your budget closely, as every penny counts.
Remember to:
1) Deploy a negative keyword strategyI cannot stress this enough. As an advertiser you have almost no control over where your ad goes, but you have the option to keep it from going where it won’t work! The negative keyword function essentially blocks your ads from being shown with search results you feel are not likely to generate business. In other words, it keeps your ads from being exposed to people looking for something else. Clicks from unwanted showings means wasted expense.
2) Stick to a daily budgetOnline advertising offers us unprecedented measurability. We know how many people have seen our ads. But, like in any new endeavor, we should still proceed carefully until we are sure of ourselves. We must apportion daily budgets.
You could lose your shirt on Adwords if you don’t set some limits. Sometimes advertisers are too gung-ho and let expenditures grow with the faith that clicks equals sales growth. There are no guarantees that the advertising will work or that you’re doing it correctly from the get-go. Remember, if clicks are ineffective – you do not get your money back, nor should you. Start slow, learn the ropes, and then prosper.
3) Target for successAdwords now lets you target your advertising by nation, state and/or municipality. You may also opt for a stated radius. These features, which are the first steps towards the onset of local search, significantly boost click-through rates. If geography has any relevancy in your business plan, then localized tools are a must.
4) Mind CPC ratesAs part of your budget, your CPC rate is important. Keep it down. I know, I know, these rates being measured in cents don’t look like much, but they quickly add up to real cost, believe me. Adwords has introduced a policy of minimum keyword bids that many feel has made Adwords a more expensive place to advertise. Not so. It’s only made Adwords a slightly more difficult place to advertise because some advertisers subsequently bid too high. Be patient and find your place. It would be better to start too low, and not get enough clicks, than to start too high and burn advertising capital.
5) USD, that’s United States Dollars Where is your trade, is it the United States? Set your account up in dollars. If you’re doing business in Europe, set it up in Euros. More than a few people have had rude awakenings by not squaring their denominations with their geographic trade base. The transaction charges are steep.
6) Scrutinize click qualityThere is fear about click fraud in Adwords, legitimate fear. There are, for instance, unethical adversaries who will click your ad to cost you money. (Yet another reason to be nice to everyone you meet!) It is tough to prevent ethical lapses in other people, but if you feel your clicks are suspicious, contact Google immediately and stop running the ads.
The web developer clickbot farms are another issue of concern. These are the kind that are the most threatening, but can be defeated. They are simply websites designed to click your ads in order to steal your advertising money - nothing more and nothing less. If Google values their advertisers, they’ll continue to combat click fraud and, it stands to reason, eliminate it as the current scourge it is. They’ve accomplished bigger feats already and if they don’t, the competition will. Bank on it.
Be cautious and be thrifty when beginning Adwords. It’s a wonderful advertising tool that will not only help your business, but also give you a working, hands-on education, in a field that continues to grow with each passing day, search advertising.
About This Author:
Joseph PrattMedia AnalystICMediaDirect.com http://www.icmediadirect.com
email: joseph@icmediadirect.com
Note: On my website I have web page on Adwords Basics that can be a good starter on Adwords
Read more...
Friday, April 7, 2006
Website Copy and Your Personality
I found this article by Paul Matthews to be very interesting and enlightening. Does, or should I say, can your personality sabotage your web copy -- and thus, effect your website? Since content is an important aspect of your website, I would venture to say that it does. Check this article out, and see if you need to go back through your own website -- and see if you are sabotaging your website with your own personality. As they say, sometimes when you are so close to the creation, you do not see the flaws that others can see quickly.
Web Copy Sabotage
How does your personality affect your web copy? Whether you mean to or not, your site reflects you in ways you might not notice: sometimes good, sometimes bad. While personality peccadilloes can be endearing in social situations, minor personality flaws can cause web copy sabotage.
So before you get out your keyboard, get out a mirror.
Why not see if any of these 3 personality traits are seeping into the design and copy of your web site?
* Insecurity
* Pride
* Anxiety
Web Copy Sabotage #1: Insecure people create timid sites
Most people are insecure in certain situations as they vary their image to gain the favour of others. Nothing kills web copy faster than trying to be a people pleaser. Insecure people create timid sites that try to be all things to all people. Instead of declaring, “Here’s who I am,” insecure web copy tentatively pleads, “I can be whatever you want; hope you find something you like.” How forgettable and phony is that?
Secure people on the other hand have learned to get real.
Some people like them; others don’t. Their web copy stands out because their authors stand up. Their web copy is memorable because it is authentic. Does your web copy take a stand or does it sit on the sidelines wanting to be liked? Is your web copy real or real phony?
Web Copy Sabotage #2: Proud people produce narcissistic sites
While timid web copy aims overly outward, narcissistic web copy looks too far in the other direction. Business owners have a justifiable pride in their business. Sorry to say this pride can lead to web copy sabotage.
* Many owners lost in their delight often boast, “Look what I can do,” instead of proclaiming, “Look what you get.”
* Their web copy tends to focus on features instead of real customer benefits. It highlights trained staff rather than peace of mind.
Missing are empathy and impact. Nothing kills internet rapport like a one-sided, relationship. Does your web copy brag about you or resonate with strangers?
Web Copy Sabotage #3: Anxious people make nervous sites
Nervous sites are the most common form of web copy sabotage. They don’t gaze outward or inward; they look nowhere, all hurried and patchy.
The visuals are the first give-away:
* A little red here and a dash of purple
* A touch of bold with a smidgen of underlining
* A bevy of random quotations
* A frenzy of isolated graphics
Where’s the rhyme? Where’s the reason? Where is the message? The web copy reads more like a digital ransom note than a calm presentation of a distinctive value proposition.
The sad part is this kind of web copy sabotage is that it frequently betrays an honest business person who is just not comfortable about expressing his business. This web copy unfairly depicts sleaze and incredulity.
Sometimes the anxiety is driven by a specific learning style. A number of individuals are more comfortable with trees than a forest, preferring details to the big picture. That’s too bad because site visitors usually crave the big picture before they invest their care and clicks. What image does your web copy convey – calm or chaos?
Web Copy Sabotage: What can you do about it?
So you’re not perfect.
Everybody is a bit insecure, a tad proud and slightly anxious. The trick is to keep these failings from invading your web copy. So what can you do to prevent web copy sabotage?
Your human shortcomings might populate your site because you are just too close to the data to detect your demons creeping up the keyboard.
You’ve got to get some distance. First have a third party who’s not a family member play site doctor, looking for symptoms of insecurity, pride, and anxiety in your site design and copy.
There’s nothing like conducting your own foible check to be sure you parked your sabotaging issues at the curb, not in your web copy. Here are 3 questions to ask:
* What exactly does my site stand for?
* How do my visitors see themselves?
* How have I organized my design and copy?
If these tactics don’t help you improve your web copy, you could either see a qualified psychiatrist or hire – you know – a handy copywriter.
About the Author
Website copywriter, SEO Copywriter Paul Matthews gets business. Receive your FREE
website copy analysis and view more FREE articles in the series Web Copy Tips
Read more...
Web Copy Sabotage
How does your personality affect your web copy? Whether you mean to or not, your site reflects you in ways you might not notice: sometimes good, sometimes bad. While personality peccadilloes can be endearing in social situations, minor personality flaws can cause web copy sabotage.
So before you get out your keyboard, get out a mirror.
Why not see if any of these 3 personality traits are seeping into the design and copy of your web site?
* Insecurity
* Pride
* Anxiety
Web Copy Sabotage #1: Insecure people create timid sites
Most people are insecure in certain situations as they vary their image to gain the favour of others. Nothing kills web copy faster than trying to be a people pleaser. Insecure people create timid sites that try to be all things to all people. Instead of declaring, “Here’s who I am,” insecure web copy tentatively pleads, “I can be whatever you want; hope you find something you like.” How forgettable and phony is that?
Secure people on the other hand have learned to get real.
Some people like them; others don’t. Their web copy stands out because their authors stand up. Their web copy is memorable because it is authentic. Does your web copy take a stand or does it sit on the sidelines wanting to be liked? Is your web copy real or real phony?
Web Copy Sabotage #2: Proud people produce narcissistic sites
While timid web copy aims overly outward, narcissistic web copy looks too far in the other direction. Business owners have a justifiable pride in their business. Sorry to say this pride can lead to web copy sabotage.
* Many owners lost in their delight often boast, “Look what I can do,” instead of proclaiming, “Look what you get.”
* Their web copy tends to focus on features instead of real customer benefits. It highlights trained staff rather than peace of mind.
Missing are empathy and impact. Nothing kills internet rapport like a one-sided, relationship. Does your web copy brag about you or resonate with strangers?
Web Copy Sabotage #3: Anxious people make nervous sites
Nervous sites are the most common form of web copy sabotage. They don’t gaze outward or inward; they look nowhere, all hurried and patchy.
The visuals are the first give-away:
* A little red here and a dash of purple
* A touch of bold with a smidgen of underlining
* A bevy of random quotations
* A frenzy of isolated graphics
Where’s the rhyme? Where’s the reason? Where is the message? The web copy reads more like a digital ransom note than a calm presentation of a distinctive value proposition.
The sad part is this kind of web copy sabotage is that it frequently betrays an honest business person who is just not comfortable about expressing his business. This web copy unfairly depicts sleaze and incredulity.
Sometimes the anxiety is driven by a specific learning style. A number of individuals are more comfortable with trees than a forest, preferring details to the big picture. That’s too bad because site visitors usually crave the big picture before they invest their care and clicks. What image does your web copy convey – calm or chaos?
Web Copy Sabotage: What can you do about it?
So you’re not perfect.
Everybody is a bit insecure, a tad proud and slightly anxious. The trick is to keep these failings from invading your web copy. So what can you do to prevent web copy sabotage?
Your human shortcomings might populate your site because you are just too close to the data to detect your demons creeping up the keyboard.
You’ve got to get some distance. First have a third party who’s not a family member play site doctor, looking for symptoms of insecurity, pride, and anxiety in your site design and copy.
There’s nothing like conducting your own foible check to be sure you parked your sabotaging issues at the curb, not in your web copy. Here are 3 questions to ask:
* What exactly does my site stand for?
* How do my visitors see themselves?
* How have I organized my design and copy?
If these tactics don’t help you improve your web copy, you could either see a qualified psychiatrist or hire – you know – a handy copywriter.
About the Author
Website copywriter, SEO Copywriter Paul Matthews gets business. Receive your FREE
website copy analysis and view more FREE articles in the series Web Copy Tips
Read more...
Saturday, April 1, 2006
Importance of Targeted Content for your Website
Quality Content will help you increase your affiliate sales because it is targeted to the market you are seeking. The author emphasizes that you need to know your Customer, Offer Quality Content, and Develop a Reputation based on quality advise.
All are true, the quality of your content and your honesty will drive people to your site. It will not only be listed by the search engines but be stated in forums as people begin to search for a specific item. Word-of-Mouth is a great driving force for your website. Thus, don't be conplacent with your reputation -- because your reputation will build your credibility, or damage your credibility. And it is harder to rebuild credibility once it has been broken -- bottom line, you've lost the trust of your customer.
Know your customer -- You need to gear your website and advertising to your target market, if you don't, no sales or return visits.
Targeted Content Can Increase Affiliate Sales
Less than a decade ago, Amazon.com, an upstart little online bookseller, started a unique new business model: have other people's websites sell books for you. It made so much sense that other booksellers started doing it as well: have fishing websites sell fishing books, and needlepoint websites sell books on knitting and crochet. Any site that sells a book, they decided, deserved a piece of the profits made from the book.
Affiliate sales program today still make up a large chunk of Amazon's sales, although many other innovative online business models have come into practice. And with several years of experience, those affiliates have learned a number of tricks to maximize their book sales. These tricks don't work only with books, but with any number of affiliate programs.
Know Your Customer: Affiliate sales sites that try to sell everything are going to be a turnoff to the average consumer. Even though the Internet is an anonymous electronic force, consumers want to feel as if the website owner knows about and cares about them as individuals, and a website that tries to be Wal-mart to you is going to get exactly what it deserves - nothing.
At the same time, if you understand the type of person coming to your website and you can deliver to them items that they really want and need, you're going to get a repeat customer. Ideally, your affiliated sales should take place within articles or in the right sidebar of your website, and when your customer sees the item you're selling, they should instantly want it.
Use Targeted Content: Once you know exactly what you should be selling to your customer, you can target your content to support those sales. Consumers, more than anything else, want information on products they may want to buy. And those who sell products depend on "buzz," people like you talking about the product's advantages and disadvantages, to get those products sold.
Targeted content can be the obvious reviews of books, new products, etc. But it can also be things like descriptions of fishing trips where you drop in links to affiliated products you actually used. For instance, if you caught a huge bass last weekend using a particular lure, you can drop in a photo of the lure, linking the photo and a text reference to your affiliated sales page where you actually allow the consumer to purchase that lure.
This is a trick that television networks are just catching onto. While recent fashions may have been largely driven by the clothes characters wear in popular TV shows, there was no way to purchase those fashions without searching for something similar throughout stores. Just this season, networks are starting websites where you can purchase the sweater Jennifer Aniston wore, or Tom Welling's jacket, even funky new glasses frames. It's the ultimate targeted-content model, if they sell it right.
You probably don't have a network to sell your products on. But you can develop a dedicated audience that knows your recommended affiliate products are good, reliable, and exactly what you say they are.
Develop a Reputation:The largest sales driver online is trust. This is a rare commodity in today's world of corporate scandal, downsizing, and sell-it-now trends. If you can develop a growing loyal customer base who know they can trust you, you are guaranteed success, no matter who tries to move in on your territory.
One of the best ways to do this is by writing excellent reviews. Another is by giving information away on your website. You must be able to write well to do all this, or at least contract with others who can write well and to your specifications.
To grow your customer base, you must expand your communications outside your own website. You must be able and willing to distribute articles to other newsletters, websites, and content distributors who are willing to print your information and retain your personal name and URL in a resource box attached to the article.
You also must be honest about the items you write about. If it's junk, you should be willing to say it's junk. You won't sell many of the junky things, but you'll gain something priceless: respect from your customers.
About the Author: Cody Moya writes about Article Marketing in his free 50 parts course on Internet Marketing. You can sign up for his Free Internet Marketing Course
and get additional information at his website: http://www.marketing.us.
Read more...
All are true, the quality of your content and your honesty will drive people to your site. It will not only be listed by the search engines but be stated in forums as people begin to search for a specific item. Word-of-Mouth is a great driving force for your website. Thus, don't be conplacent with your reputation -- because your reputation will build your credibility, or damage your credibility. And it is harder to rebuild credibility once it has been broken -- bottom line, you've lost the trust of your customer.
Know your customer -- You need to gear your website and advertising to your target market, if you don't, no sales or return visits.
Targeted Content Can Increase Affiliate Sales
Less than a decade ago, Amazon.com, an upstart little online bookseller, started a unique new business model: have other people's websites sell books for you. It made so much sense that other booksellers started doing it as well: have fishing websites sell fishing books, and needlepoint websites sell books on knitting and crochet. Any site that sells a book, they decided, deserved a piece of the profits made from the book.
Affiliate sales program today still make up a large chunk of Amazon's sales, although many other innovative online business models have come into practice. And with several years of experience, those affiliates have learned a number of tricks to maximize their book sales. These tricks don't work only with books, but with any number of affiliate programs.
Know Your Customer: Affiliate sales sites that try to sell everything are going to be a turnoff to the average consumer. Even though the Internet is an anonymous electronic force, consumers want to feel as if the website owner knows about and cares about them as individuals, and a website that tries to be Wal-mart to you is going to get exactly what it deserves - nothing.
At the same time, if you understand the type of person coming to your website and you can deliver to them items that they really want and need, you're going to get a repeat customer. Ideally, your affiliated sales should take place within articles or in the right sidebar of your website, and when your customer sees the item you're selling, they should instantly want it.
Use Targeted Content: Once you know exactly what you should be selling to your customer, you can target your content to support those sales. Consumers, more than anything else, want information on products they may want to buy. And those who sell products depend on "buzz," people like you talking about the product's advantages and disadvantages, to get those products sold.
Targeted content can be the obvious reviews of books, new products, etc. But it can also be things like descriptions of fishing trips where you drop in links to affiliated products you actually used. For instance, if you caught a huge bass last weekend using a particular lure, you can drop in a photo of the lure, linking the photo and a text reference to your affiliated sales page where you actually allow the consumer to purchase that lure.
This is a trick that television networks are just catching onto. While recent fashions may have been largely driven by the clothes characters wear in popular TV shows, there was no way to purchase those fashions without searching for something similar throughout stores. Just this season, networks are starting websites where you can purchase the sweater Jennifer Aniston wore, or Tom Welling's jacket, even funky new glasses frames. It's the ultimate targeted-content model, if they sell it right.
You probably don't have a network to sell your products on. But you can develop a dedicated audience that knows your recommended affiliate products are good, reliable, and exactly what you say they are.
Develop a Reputation:The largest sales driver online is trust. This is a rare commodity in today's world of corporate scandal, downsizing, and sell-it-now trends. If you can develop a growing loyal customer base who know they can trust you, you are guaranteed success, no matter who tries to move in on your territory.
One of the best ways to do this is by writing excellent reviews. Another is by giving information away on your website. You must be able to write well to do all this, or at least contract with others who can write well and to your specifications.
To grow your customer base, you must expand your communications outside your own website. You must be able and willing to distribute articles to other newsletters, websites, and content distributors who are willing to print your information and retain your personal name and URL in a resource box attached to the article.
You also must be honest about the items you write about. If it's junk, you should be willing to say it's junk. You won't sell many of the junky things, but you'll gain something priceless: respect from your customers.
About the Author: Cody Moya writes about Article Marketing in his free 50 parts course on Internet Marketing. You can sign up for his Free Internet Marketing Course
and get additional information at his website: http://www.marketing.us.
Read more...
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