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  • Essentials of doing SEO Properly

    Video: Brad discusses search engine optimization and what you should, and shouldn’t be doing to get to the top of the search engines.

  • Choosing the Perfect Internet Marketing Software For You

    There is no doubt that online marketing sounds like a great way to advertise your business. While it’s true that it odes have a lot of advantages over traditional marketing methods, it can be confusing and take a lot of time; especially for those who are new to it. The good news is that there is a solution to those problems, and that solution is internet advertising software. But don’t think that such software is only made for, or useful to, new marketers. It can also be beneficial to those who have been involved in internet marketing for a long time.

    It would be next to impossible to make a blanket statement that describes all internet advertising software, but generally speaking, it should be able to streamline and automate a lot of your marketing efforts. You should also expect it to be easy enough to use, and to come with clear instructions for its use. Some software is quite self-explanatory, while some has a steeper learning curve. Even if it takes longer to get the hang of, it should come with a good usage guide, or even videos that walk you through how to use it.

    As long as you are interested in internet advertising software, you should look into what kind of support is offered. At the very least, you should sign up for updates so you will be aware of any new versions or security patches. You can get some idea of how good a company’s support is by contacting them before you buy. Then take note of how quickly they respond, and how professional they are. If you don’t hear from them, or they are rude, before you become a customer, then you can assume you will be treated the same after becoming a customer. In other words, you may want to look at another piece of software.

    Other than that, you should have a good idea of what areas you want the internet advertising software to help you with. For example, if you are interested in robust ad tracking, then getting a piece of software that helps you keep tabs on your inventory doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Don’t just buy something because it sounds good and you think you may use it “some day”. Get what you need, or what you are sure you will need in the immediate future.

    Before you buy anything, go online and search for reviews. Keep in mind that not all reviewers are being honest, good or bad. So, you will need to consider the source, and then look at the totality of all the comments before using them to help you make your decision. For the most part, you can trust reviews that are made by featured reviewers in well-established outlets.

    There is a lot of good internet advertising software out there. Software that can save you time, money and hassle. Using it can make things that much easier for you, and that means spending less time on the “boring stuff” and spending more on the fun part…which is collecting your profits.

  • How Market On Forums

    You must take the steps after you have registered in a forum, to ensure your success in forum marketing.

    A lot of forums have specific threads designated for welcoming new members, where those who have just registered are encouraged to introduce themselves. Your introductory post should basically inform the other members who you are and why you’ve joined the forum. The reason you give should not be in any way business-oriented. Making a sales-pitch in your first post will definitely be frowned on and may get you banned.

    Do not post immediately. Most forums have at least one, large, close-knit community in it. If you suddenly post on a thread where discussions have been carried on for days, you shall be shunned and ignored. Spend some time going through the archives?figure out which topics are perennial favorites and which users are the unofficial leaders. Also observe the particular etiquette of the forum.

    Whenever there are questions asked that fall within your area of expertise, answer them to the best of your ability. Back up your answers by providing links to trusted sources and answer follow-up questions promptly. If you prove to be a helpful, efficient member, you’re more likely to be paid attention to.

    Do not get involved in heated arguments, no matter what you think of the question at hand. Keep reminding yourself that you’re there to build up a clientele for your business; stay away from topics like religion, race and politics; don’t immediately respond to criticism; make sure the others know when you’re joking; leave discussions when they become contentious.

    Once you’re acknowledged as a respected user, start marketing your products aggressively. Focus on techniques which are likely to prove beneficial to the community as a whole. Offer forum members free samples and/or discounts. However, make sure to obtain the forum moderator’s permission before you start a marketing campaign.

    If you are hiring a marketing agency to run your campaign for you, research their methods. A lot of agencies use robots to spam forums. While spamming might ensure temporary traffic, in the long run, it’ll do you more harm than good. Forum users dislike being flooded with spam and can blacken your reputation if they so wish. So accept the services of only those marketing agencies which will abide by the guidelines set out above.

    If at all possible, you should handle your own forum marketing.

  • Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Offline Consultant

    If you’re looking to go into consulting, remember that the real product you’re selling isn’t your expertise in a subject or your knowledge or even your advice. What you’re actually selling is yourself.

    Who you are is a full package. This means that you need to know yourself from soup to nuts, and understand who you are both as a person and a professional, and what exactly you can bring to the table when it comes to the needs of the client. This requires a great deal of self-awareness, as well as a high amount of business savvy.

    Not only do you need to be knowledgeable, but you also have to be able to be able to sell yourself, as well. This sounds a lot more titillating than it actually is – a lot of “selling yourself” involves getting social networking accounts and schmoozing with potential clients. Never underestimate the power of the schmooze – if you’ve got serious social skills, now is the time to have them shine. If you don’t, now is the time to learn to cultivate some.

    Another thing to consider when you’re going into the business of consulting is how much you’re actually worth. Your mom might say that you’re worth your weight in gold, but it’s unlikely that most clients will say the same. In general it’s a good idea to charge your clients hourly rather than by the job, as it presents a more consistently professional image. It’s more difficult to judge how much an individual job may be worth, too, and if clients believe that other clients are getting preferential treatment, it does damage to the reputation of your company or your name, which is anathema in consulting.

    Remember to take the time to establish a relationship with the client that will go beyond the first sale. Building and cultivating longevity in your consulting endeavors should be one of your most important goals – if you can sow the right relationship in the beginning, it’s very possible you might have a customer for life. Treating clients like long term business partners right off the bat helps – be sure to approach new clients with a professional attitude and a comprehensive plan as to how you are the right consultant for the job. A firm handshake and smile will go farther than you will ever know.

    In short, it’s not just about your ability to think and your expertise in a particular subject that will make you a god consultant. There are of course, millions of people who have the knowledge to be excellent consultants but only a small amount of people are able to make it happen. It’s very important to remember to package yourself as first-class goods and get out there and market – often, it’s not what you know, but whom you can convince that you know enough to get the job done!

  • Interviews: An Alternative Way To Get Fresh Content

    Do you have a blog? Are you looking for new content? Are you having a hard time posting everyday? If you answered yes to any of those questions then this article will show you one method that will ensure you have consistent content. There is no doubt about it, interviewing people is one of the easiest and smartest ways to generate content for you blog. These four points are sure to convince you.

    1. It Is Easy: You don’t have to worry about writing a funny or thoughtful post. You just have to interview someone, and listen to their story. It couldn’t be simpler. All you have to think about are your questions. Once you have a set of questions you can use that as a template for every other interview.

    It is also pretty easy to book people. You can start with bloggers who are in your niche, they are usually open to doing an interviews, especially for a backlink. You can even contact independent musicians and artists for interviews. They can be very interesting and are usually looking for outlets to market themselves. You can also interview local businesses in your neighbourhood. They want exposure and this is a great way to network with people.

    Once you have your interview you just post it – simple.

    2. Many Different Styles: You can choose a couple different ways to display your interviews. For long distance interviews you can post text or audio versions. You can also do video interviews in person. Or webcam interviews over a free platform like Skype. This is great because it adds variety to your blog.

    3. Networking: This is a big bonus. Every person you meet with and interview has the potential to become part of your network. So at the same time you are creating content for your blog, you are also creating a website visitor and possibly a potential lead.

    When you connect with someone in this fashion they are put at ease. There is no sell or anything, you simply want to interview them for your blog. Now next time you call them you have a great opening “Hey, this is Ted, I interviewed you for my blog last month…”

    4. Word of Mouth: One of the most effective ways to market yourself is through word of mouth. every person you interview is going to check out your blog. More importantly they are going to tell their friends to check out their interview. They might even tweet it or Facebook it to thousands of their social contacts. Then every one of those people might tell their friends…you get the idea. Interviewing people is a great way to get people talking.

    This is only one content creation idea but look how many benefits you get. Now that you have read this article you will be able to consistently create content by using interviews on your blog. The benefits are clear, it is up to you to act!

  • Essentials of placing an ad banner in your WordPress sidebar

    Video: How to place an ad banner in your WordPress sidebar

  • Using Facebook Fan Pages vs. Facebook Groups

    Video: Facebook Fan Pages VS Groups

  • Essential Things You Need To Know About Social Media

    If you don’t know what social media is, you have probably heard of it. The most popular of social media platforms are mentioned in the media daily; Facebook and Twitter. In it’s most basic form social media are internet platforms and tools that encourage sharing and discussing of information among human beings. When it comes to your business it is all about engaging like minded individuals. If you want to find and be found by customers you need to be where they are. Today, that means you have to have a social media presence, because that is where your customers are.

    This short report will cover the most critical items you need to be aware of when it comes to social media for your business.

    Everyone is on Twitter and Facebook: OK, not everyone is on Twitter and Facebook, but the amount of users are staggering. It is estimated that these two social media hubs have around 700 MILLION users combined. That is a lot of people. Even more surprising is that all age groups and demographics are represented. Some more than others of course, but even the older demographics are steadily growing. It is likely that millions of people interested in your offer are using these social media services

    Social Media Is About Engagement: Joining social media sites like Twitter and Facebook isn’t about spamming your offers. It is about engaging with your potential customers. You want to watch and listen to what they are saying about your product or offer online. You want join some of these conversations, and know when not to. You want to offer helpful advice more often than you advertise. The goal of social media is to built a community around your brand or product, only engaging with customers will allow you to do that.

    Monitor Your Reputation: Social media makes it easier to share information faster than ever. People seem to love to circulate bad reviews of businesses or professionals. One irate customer can lead to thousands of people seeing their rant in minutes. You want to ensure you have a presence in social media so you can meet these claims heads on. You can defend yourself from any slander, explain misunderstanding or make things right with the customer. Any of these actions will lead to more loyal followers.

    Get Staff Involved: The number one complaint I hear is: “I am a business owner, I don’t have the time to be on Twitter and Facebook 24 hours a day.” Great point. Neither do I actually. I don’t think many business people in general do. I have two responses to that. First, it doesn’t take a huge time commitment to do the minimum required to have at least a basic social media presence. Secondly, get your staff involved. Younger staff will often enjoy a task like this. One tip though, make sure you have a couple staff participate, that way if you lose one of them there is no pause in your social media marketing.

    Where Do I Start: We have went over why social media is important, and some of the ways you should use it. What should you do if you want to get started today? I think at the very minimum you need a Twitter and Facebook presence. You can set up your Twitter account at Twitter.com. I suggest that you fill out your profile fully and add a picture. On Facebook, you will want to create a personal profile and then use that profile to create a “fan page”. A regularly updated Facebook Fan Page and Twitter account are basic social media steps that all businesses should take.

    As a consumer base we are growing more cynical and wary of traditional advertising. If you want to ensure that you can still reach a broad audience then you need to tap into social media. This relatively new technology allows businesses unparalleled access to their customers. At the end of the day you want to be where your customers are, so don’t ignore the 700 million people on Twitter and Facebook.

  • Pay Per Click Makes Real Cash

    Engaging in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has its own benefits and drawbacks.

    Business nowadays is doing different kinds of austerity measures when it comes to advertising their products and services. This is because of high rates of placing ads on print and on television. But there is a fast growing approach that businessmen can utilize to bring their services closer to the people and that is through Internet Marketing.

    One tool that is causing Internet marketing popularity is PPC advertising. This is a technique used in search engine marketing that requires one to pay a fee every time someone clicks an ad on your website. Usually this placement is done through a bidding process. If you are a top bidder for your keywords/phrases, you are sure to be on the number one spot on all search engines. Just be sure of the effectiveness of your ad copy to get the most number of clicks you need for your business.

    PPC – The Pros

    You need not be a genius in computer and technology to be able to run this ad campaign.

    Immediate results are seen after a few days.

    No need to make a website conform to the SEO rules.

    Nothing to lose even if you do not top the pages of different search engines. You can still always choose PPC advertising.

    You can make use any search engine available.

    You can type in any keyword you like.

    PPC – The Cons

    Fixed payments every month to the search engine you choose.

    Pay for each click received by your website. At times, visitors are just competitors or people playing pranks on search engines. This hassle wastes money you put in to this advertising.

    Inability to pay for the fees next month would mean removal of your website on the paid listings.

    This advertising can only be used temporarily because it is difficult to handle in the long run.

    Pay-per-click pricing can be costly for long periods of time, therefore, this should be stopped after an ad campaign.

    But how exactly PPC advertising can increase traffic, leads and sales?

    PRE-QUALIFIED TRAFFIC. All visitors of your website are already considered as a qualified consumer or buyer of your product. PPC advertising leads your customers to you for a lesser cost.

    INSTANT EXPOSURE, IMMEDIATE PROFITS. PPC search engines enable you to get your desired results fast. They will have your website live within just a few hours which means immediate increase in sale.

    CONSISTENT TOP LISTINGS. This is to get your website on top of the sponsored search results for free. You just have to choose the keywords related to your site and business and place them within your web pages. After this, you are done.

    PPC advertising enables advertisers to control their advertising campaigns. Advertisers have effectively targeted their audience and set their own price per click. PPC advertising networks provide the platform to identify the desired audience by geographic setting, topic and industry. These networks have a list of websites of the publishers where the ads will be placed.

    Tools are provided by the networks to check how the pay per click limit is working for a certain advertiser. If its still competitive, would it be even listed among the paid search lists or does it generate sales? Of course, if the advertiser made the highest bid, the better chances the ad will be seen in the search engine. These networks too provide protection for the advertisers against click fraud. This advertising set-up allows advertisers to set a daily budget for his ads, thus, less spending for unnecessary clicks. Advertiser will never go over his budget.

    In PPC advertising, what are important are the keywords and phrases. You have to select at least 10 “very specific” keywords that would give you the best traffic in the search. Then, write the ad creatively but straightforward. Tell the truth about your product or service and do not lie. Good thing if your product or service will not disappoint those that are relying on your ad’s promise – but what if it did otherwise? Important too is the clarity of the ad. Do not use very vague languages. Include important details like the price.

    Important! You should also remember to budget your bids. Do not go overbidding because you will only lose your money and do not go so low that your ads will never get the chance to show up. Check your profit against your spending. If you see no progress then most likely you have to drop your ad campaign.

    More and more advertisers have been using PPC advertising and it will continue to grow faster than any online advertising techniques. From revenues of $2.6 billion in 2004 to $5.5 billion in 2009, cost per click will dramatically go up as well from $0.29 to $0.36.

    PPC advertising is new in online marketing and it is going to continue in the years to come. For advertisers, this means increase revenues with fewer advertising expenses, savings, more sales, good return of investment (ROI) and effective ad campaigns in the days to come.

  • Essentials of Adding a Facebook Like Button to WordPress

    Video: Brad demonstrates how simple it is to add a Facebook like button to a WordPress site.