I got an email the other day with the subject "Awesome Website tool" and kept the email to read later. I always keep these types of emails because I absolutely love these tools made to help us fellow webmasters.
I finally had a chance to check it out today and I would have to say that the tool is awesome. Basically you go to the link and type your domain and it finds all your backlinks. It shows the link that is pointing at your site as well as the anchor test.
I am definately adding this site to my Favorites/Bookmarks to use later.
Want the link? Here ya go. Enjoy!!
http://www.helpfulinformation.org/seo-tools/anchortext.pl
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Enterprises
Helping Moms Make & Save At Home
http://www.MommyEnterprises.com
Monday, November 14, 2005
Monday, August 01, 2005
New Article I Wrote Today
Ideas on Promoting Your Home Business Opportunity
By Stefani Partin
Have you got yourself into a home business opportunity but don’tknow where to begin to generate yourself some leads? That happensamong many of us that join a home business opportunity, you arenot alone. Many will join and give up before really putting any effortinto the business. Those who are determined will put forth effort and succeed with effort.
When you become a home based business owner, you will want to getthe word out. First off,tell the people in your warm market, your friendsand family and maybe even co-workers. Don’t stop there. Create yourself some business cards on your computer or even order some online. Vistaprinto ffers 250 professional cards FREE of charge, you just pay the small shipping and handling fee. I have found these FREE cards very useful. What I would do is order some professional cards to hand out to those you
come in contact with. Then if you can, create a bunch on your computer that you will use as drop cards. Drop cards are business cards that you leave everywhere you go. Remember, nobody will visit your site if they can’t find you. The more cards you get out to the public, the better chance of getting someone interested in what you have to offer.
You might be thinking that you don’t know anyone to give business cards too, well if you think that you are wrong. Include a card in everything you send out in the mail. If you dine out, leave one with your tip. Always keep a stack in your car as you just never know when you will need one. There are many places you can leave cards, the sky is the limit.
Drive your car a lot? Why not use your vehicle as a method of advertising. I did this last year by buying two magnets for each side of my vehicle’s door. The magnets have a few bright colors on them, therefore catching attention. Be sure you magnet says something catchy and make sure you have ways of contact on your magnet. Be sure to include a phone number and your website link if you have one. I got mine online and very affordable at www.jalapenodesigns.com.
Another great method in generating leads is by online advertising. You got to do your research first before jumping into this one. You will find you can place ads on all sorts of websites and online newsletters. My preference would be placing ads in newsletters. Be sure that the ad is placed in your “niche” market. Don’t place an ad on a site or newsletter that is not similar to your companies market. Also, when placing ads on websites, be sure to ask the webmaster what their unique daily or monthly visitors is, not the hits. Most people, not familiar to webstats will look for the hits which is not an accurate number of the visitors to a website. Remember to do your research first, there is LOTS of places online that you can WASTE your hard earned money.
One of my favorite ways on generating visitors to my sites is through online message forums and discussion groups. There are millions of forums online. The forums range from every kind of topic you can think of. Find a message forum on a topic you can relate to and become an expert in that topic. Most forums will let you put a signature line at the end of your post. You will be surprised the amount of visitors that will come to your site coming from a signature line in a post. I have been very successful with this method and have tracked my website stats to verify it. It won’t bring in millions of visitors, but it’s better then nothing.
And lastly, don’t forget your signature line of your emails. If you send emails all the time and don’t have a signature file that goes out with each email, you are losing out on lots of free advertising opportunities. If you are the type of person that receives lots of say joke emails and forwards them, you are missing out on even more advertising. You just never know who is going to see an email, see your link and click it. Don’t miss out on any free advertising you can get. Every bit of effort counts.
Don’t give up in the beginning like most do. If you believe in your company, stick it out. There are always ups and downs and any real business takes work and effort to build it. Find something you have a passion for and you will fly upwards.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Stefani owns MommyEnterprises.com as well as a few other
websites that focus on helping moms work from home. Subscribe
to her free newsletter "The Making Money Newsletter For Moms"
and receive a free work at home ebook and more. Subscribe by
sending an email to makingmoneymoms-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
By Stefani Partin
Have you got yourself into a home business opportunity but don’tknow where to begin to generate yourself some leads? That happensamong many of us that join a home business opportunity, you arenot alone. Many will join and give up before really putting any effortinto the business. Those who are determined will put forth effort and succeed with effort.
When you become a home based business owner, you will want to getthe word out. First off,tell the people in your warm market, your friendsand family and maybe even co-workers. Don’t stop there. Create yourself some business cards on your computer or even order some online. Vistaprinto ffers 250 professional cards FREE of charge, you just pay the small shipping and handling fee. I have found these FREE cards very useful. What I would do is order some professional cards to hand out to those you
come in contact with. Then if you can, create a bunch on your computer that you will use as drop cards. Drop cards are business cards that you leave everywhere you go. Remember, nobody will visit your site if they can’t find you. The more cards you get out to the public, the better chance of getting someone interested in what you have to offer.
You might be thinking that you don’t know anyone to give business cards too, well if you think that you are wrong. Include a card in everything you send out in the mail. If you dine out, leave one with your tip. Always keep a stack in your car as you just never know when you will need one. There are many places you can leave cards, the sky is the limit.
Drive your car a lot? Why not use your vehicle as a method of advertising. I did this last year by buying two magnets for each side of my vehicle’s door. The magnets have a few bright colors on them, therefore catching attention. Be sure you magnet says something catchy and make sure you have ways of contact on your magnet. Be sure to include a phone number and your website link if you have one. I got mine online and very affordable at www.jalapenodesigns.com.
Another great method in generating leads is by online advertising. You got to do your research first before jumping into this one. You will find you can place ads on all sorts of websites and online newsletters. My preference would be placing ads in newsletters. Be sure that the ad is placed in your “niche” market. Don’t place an ad on a site or newsletter that is not similar to your companies market. Also, when placing ads on websites, be sure to ask the webmaster what their unique daily or monthly visitors is, not the hits. Most people, not familiar to webstats will look for the hits which is not an accurate number of the visitors to a website. Remember to do your research first, there is LOTS of places online that you can WASTE your hard earned money.
One of my favorite ways on generating visitors to my sites is through online message forums and discussion groups. There are millions of forums online. The forums range from every kind of topic you can think of. Find a message forum on a topic you can relate to and become an expert in that topic. Most forums will let you put a signature line at the end of your post. You will be surprised the amount of visitors that will come to your site coming from a signature line in a post. I have been very successful with this method and have tracked my website stats to verify it. It won’t bring in millions of visitors, but it’s better then nothing.
And lastly, don’t forget your signature line of your emails. If you send emails all the time and don’t have a signature file that goes out with each email, you are losing out on lots of free advertising opportunities. If you are the type of person that receives lots of say joke emails and forwards them, you are missing out on even more advertising. You just never know who is going to see an email, see your link and click it. Don’t miss out on any free advertising you can get. Every bit of effort counts.
Don’t give up in the beginning like most do. If you believe in your company, stick it out. There are always ups and downs and any real business takes work and effort to build it. Find something you have a passion for and you will fly upwards.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Stefani owns MommyEnterprises.com as well as a few other
websites that focus on helping moms work from home. Subscribe
to her free newsletter "The Making Money Newsletter For Moms"
and receive a free work at home ebook and more. Subscribe by
sending an email to makingmoneymoms-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Saturday, July 16, 2005
My upcoming traffic exchange blogs
For those that believe in traffic exchange programs, I am creating a blog that will review various online traffic exchange programs or also known as startpage programs. There are techniques in using these, tips and secrets I want to share as I learn.
I myself have gained alot of FREE traffic from these types of programs.
Here is the link to my upcoming blog
Traffic Exchange Notes
http://www.mommyportal.com/traffic-exchanges
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
I myself have gained alot of FREE traffic from these types of programs.
Here is the link to my upcoming blog
Traffic Exchange Notes
http://www.mommyportal.com/traffic-exchanges
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Some SEO Tips To Remember
Below are some tips to remember when setting up a new website.
1. First make sure that you buy a good domain. Try to include
your type of business in your domain. For example I have a website
with classifieds for work at home opportunities. I own the domain
www.TheWorkAtHomeClassifieds.com.
2. When naming each file of your website, try to use the theme of
the page in your filename as well. If you are using something that
is two words use the - and not the _ . For example if you were
creating a page on mortgage refinancing you could create the
filename mortgage-refinancing.html.
3. Be sure to add the title tag to your website . Use your important keywords in this tag and try using thest ones in the beginning. For example, if your webpage is about mortgage
refinancing tips, be sure that your title tag reads "Mortgage Refinancing Tips".
4. Be sure to include your main keywords in the content of your
webpages as well. Don't overdo it. Each search engine determines
your keyword density of the webpage in differnet ways. Here is a
neat little tool to anyalyze your keyword density:
http://www.ranks.nl/tools/spider.html
5. Last but not least, don't forget to get inbound links. I recommend
creating a link directory of some on your website. Make sure you
welcome your visitors to exchange links. Don't refuse a link to your
site because it is not the same theme of your site. If you have a good
website, people will naturally want to link to your site.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
1. First make sure that you buy a good domain. Try to include
your type of business in your domain. For example I have a website
with classifieds for work at home opportunities. I own the domain
www.TheWorkAtHomeClassifieds.com.
2. When naming each file of your website, try to use the theme of
the page in your filename as well. If you are using something that
is two words use the - and not the _ . For example if you were
creating a page on mortgage refinancing you could create the
filename mortgage-refinancing.html.
3. Be sure to add the title tag to your website . Use your important keywords in this tag and try using thest ones in the beginning. For example, if your webpage is about mortgage
refinancing tips, be sure that your title tag reads "Mortgage Refinancing Tips".
4. Be sure to include your main keywords in the content of your
webpages as well. Don't overdo it. Each search engine determines
your keyword density of the webpage in differnet ways. Here is a
neat little tool to anyalyze your keyword density:
http://www.ranks.nl/tools/spider.html
5. Last but not least, don't forget to get inbound links. I recommend
creating a link directory of some on your website. Make sure you
welcome your visitors to exchange links. Don't refuse a link to your
site because it is not the same theme of your site. If you have a good
website, people will naturally want to link to your site.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Saturday, May 21, 2005
15 Easy Ways to Grow Your Subscriber List
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
While there are seemingly endless ways to promote your e-zine and attract new subscribers, here's a list of my favorite 15. Which ones are YOU using?
Print this out and check those you already do, and note those you should "get a move on."
___ 1. Tell your clients, associates, and friends. Send out one of your best issues (or your first issue) as a sample issue, inviting them to sign up if they like it. (Never sign anyone up without his/her permission.)
___ 2. Put a signup form on your home page and every page of your Web site. No matter what page people may land on, this way they'll know about your amazing e-zine. Don't let them click away and lose them forever!
___ 3. Use a pop-up or pop-under box on your site. Yes, they're irritating if abused, but I can tell you they work. Studies show pop-ups/unders can increase your e-zine signups by up to 10 times! Give it a try and test it. (You can see my pop-under here.)
___ 4. Offer a free goodie for new subscribers. We all get so much e-mail these days, that you have to work hard to get anyone's e-mail address. Offer new subscribers a valuable free article, report, resource list, e-book, etc.
___ 5. Offer a free sample issue on your Web site or have one available by e-mail autoresponder. Some people won't sign up for anything until they can see it first.
___ 6. List your e-zine in free e-zine directories. There are hundreds of these on the Web where people visit to search for e-zines on particular topics. Make sure you're here so you can be found! (One of the best is Charlie Page's Directory of E-zines.)
___ 7. Swap ads with other e-zines. Search online e-zine directories for other e-zines whose target readership matches yours, and contact their publishers. Swap at least three ads in a row for best results.
___ 8. Buy ads in other e-zines. Again, search those directories for other e-zines whose target readership matches yours, and see their ad specifications and rates. Purchase at least three ads in a row for best results.
___ 9. Plug your e-zine in your e-mail signature. After your usual contact information at the bottom of all your e-mails, be sure to include a two- or three-line plug for your e-zine.
___ 10. Get published in OTHER e-zines. There are dozens of Web sites where other publishers visit to pick up free content for their e-zines. Why not post YOUR articles there for them to use? You get free exposure and plenty of traffic back to your site
___ 11. Do a co-op with other e-zine subscribers. You can cross-promote with other e-zine publishers on your own, or use an automated service such as Subscription Rocket.
___ 12. Try a pay-for-subscriber service. These services advertise your e-zine for you and bring you subscribers automatically for as little as 10 to 30 cents apiece. One with a good reputation is Lead Factory.
___ 13. Announce your e-zine to all of the professional organizations and associations you're a member of. They usually allow you to make announcements in their newsletters or on their online bulletin boards.
___ 14. Advertise your e-zine on the back of your business cards. In the text, be sure to tell people how they can sign up for your e-zine.
___ 15. Become active in a few online forums where your ideal readers hang out. In your posts, position yourself as a resource in your area of expertise, and include a signature file that promotes your e-zine!
For STEP-BY-STEP instructions on all of these strategies (and dozens more) see my SPECIAL REPORT: "101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a MASSIVE EMAIL LIST".
© 2003-2005 Alexandria K. Brown WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit
"EzineQueen.com".
While there are seemingly endless ways to promote your e-zine and attract new subscribers, here's a list of my favorite 15. Which ones are YOU using?
Print this out and check those you already do, and note those you should "get a move on."
___ 1. Tell your clients, associates, and friends. Send out one of your best issues (or your first issue) as a sample issue, inviting them to sign up if they like it. (Never sign anyone up without his/her permission.)
___ 2. Put a signup form on your home page and every page of your Web site. No matter what page people may land on, this way they'll know about your amazing e-zine. Don't let them click away and lose them forever!
___ 3. Use a pop-up or pop-under box on your site. Yes, they're irritating if abused, but I can tell you they work. Studies show pop-ups/unders can increase your e-zine signups by up to 10 times! Give it a try and test it. (You can see my pop-under here.)
___ 4. Offer a free goodie for new subscribers. We all get so much e-mail these days, that you have to work hard to get anyone's e-mail address. Offer new subscribers a valuable free article, report, resource list, e-book, etc.
___ 5. Offer a free sample issue on your Web site or have one available by e-mail autoresponder. Some people won't sign up for anything until they can see it first.
___ 6. List your e-zine in free e-zine directories. There are hundreds of these on the Web where people visit to search for e-zines on particular topics. Make sure you're here so you can be found! (One of the best is Charlie Page's Directory of E-zines.)
___ 7. Swap ads with other e-zines. Search online e-zine directories for other e-zines whose target readership matches yours, and contact their publishers. Swap at least three ads in a row for best results.
___ 8. Buy ads in other e-zines. Again, search those directories for other e-zines whose target readership matches yours, and see their ad specifications and rates. Purchase at least three ads in a row for best results.
___ 9. Plug your e-zine in your e-mail signature. After your usual contact information at the bottom of all your e-mails, be sure to include a two- or three-line plug for your e-zine.
___ 10. Get published in OTHER e-zines. There are dozens of Web sites where other publishers visit to pick up free content for their e-zines. Why not post YOUR articles there for them to use? You get free exposure and plenty of traffic back to your site
___ 11. Do a co-op with other e-zine subscribers. You can cross-promote with other e-zine publishers on your own, or use an automated service such as Subscription Rocket.
___ 12. Try a pay-for-subscriber service. These services advertise your e-zine for you and bring you subscribers automatically for as little as 10 to 30 cents apiece. One with a good reputation is Lead Factory.
___ 13. Announce your e-zine to all of the professional organizations and associations you're a member of. They usually allow you to make announcements in their newsletters or on their online bulletin boards.
___ 14. Advertise your e-zine on the back of your business cards. In the text, be sure to tell people how they can sign up for your e-zine.
___ 15. Become active in a few online forums where your ideal readers hang out. In your posts, position yourself as a resource in your area of expertise, and include a signature file that promotes your e-zine!
For STEP-BY-STEP instructions on all of these strategies (and dozens more) see my SPECIAL REPORT: "101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a MASSIVE EMAIL LIST".
© 2003-2005 Alexandria K. Brown WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit
"EzineQueen.com".
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Three Ways to Get Top Quality Content for Your Niche Websites
Hi everyone, I am busy adding content to MommyPortal. I found an article I thought you might enjoy.
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyportal.com
Three Ways to Get Top Quality Content for Your Niche Websites
Good, popular, profitable niche topic websites need good content.Period. You and I both know this.
Now, there are many ways to get content online...
1. You can hire freelance writers, and have them create custom contentto be used by you exclusively. This is the best way to get content,because if you choose your writers well, you can get decent content onthe topic of your choice. And chances are pretty slim that anyone elseonline will have the exact same content you have. The cheapest rateI've seen this service at though, is $4 per article. Usually it's morelike $10 and up per article if you want good content. So a mere 20articles will cost you at least two hundred bucks!
2. Another great way to get content online though, is to joinmembership sites like Nicheology and Push Button Health. These sitesgive you a steady flow of rough draft content for one set price eachmonth. The content usually needs some work, but it's generally worthit for the price paid. The catch though, is that these sites areusually filled to their limit. So if you want to join, you'll findyourself waiting in line... sometimes for over 6 months!The other problem with membership sites is the number of people whohave access to the exact same content. Nicheology for instance, limits the number of active members to 1500. That's 1499 other people besidesyourself who have access to the exact same content. BUT... that's notincluding all of the previous members who ALSO had access to thatcontent... and it's not including all of the new members who will comearound in the future. They'll have access to that same content as well.
3. Now, one more excellent way to get website content is through freearticle distribution websites and mailing lists. You can literally getthousands upon thousands of articles completely free this way. There'sa couple of catches to this method though... First: You have to keepthe author's name on the article. You're not allowed to change or editthe article. Usually you're not even allowed to link to one of yourwebsites, pages or affiliate programs from within the article either.Then you have to include the "bio box" at the end of the article. This- by the way - tends to be an advertisement of some sort. And last butnot least: You have to link to the author's website. And in manycases, you have to link to several of the author's websites.
Oh yeah... one more thing about these free articles: Since they'refree - tens of thousands of other websites use them too!
Putting quality content on your website will help bring in relevant,targeted traffic. And that usually brings in more clicks... and moresales. Hopefully the above brief comparison helps you understand thedifferent ways to get content for your site. Study them fully, andchoose which one works best for you, your site needs, and your budget.
2005 Kathy Burns-MillyardVisit The Guru Gazette at http://www.gurugazette.com/ for more ofKathy's articles, tips and advice. Also check out her brand newarticle content packages: http://www.gurugazette.com/Content-Packs/You can get 20 quality articles for niche topic websites at just $0.74each!
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyportal.com
Three Ways to Get Top Quality Content for Your Niche Websites
Good, popular, profitable niche topic websites need good content.Period. You and I both know this.
Now, there are many ways to get content online...
1. You can hire freelance writers, and have them create custom contentto be used by you exclusively. This is the best way to get content,because if you choose your writers well, you can get decent content onthe topic of your choice. And chances are pretty slim that anyone elseonline will have the exact same content you have. The cheapest rateI've seen this service at though, is $4 per article. Usually it's morelike $10 and up per article if you want good content. So a mere 20articles will cost you at least two hundred bucks!
2. Another great way to get content online though, is to joinmembership sites like Nicheology and Push Button Health. These sitesgive you a steady flow of rough draft content for one set price eachmonth. The content usually needs some work, but it's generally worthit for the price paid. The catch though, is that these sites areusually filled to their limit. So if you want to join, you'll findyourself waiting in line... sometimes for over 6 months!The other problem with membership sites is the number of people whohave access to the exact same content. Nicheology for instance, limits the number of active members to 1500. That's 1499 other people besidesyourself who have access to the exact same content. BUT... that's notincluding all of the previous members who ALSO had access to thatcontent... and it's not including all of the new members who will comearound in the future. They'll have access to that same content as well.
3. Now, one more excellent way to get website content is through freearticle distribution websites and mailing lists. You can literally getthousands upon thousands of articles completely free this way. There'sa couple of catches to this method though... First: You have to keepthe author's name on the article. You're not allowed to change or editthe article. Usually you're not even allowed to link to one of yourwebsites, pages or affiliate programs from within the article either.Then you have to include the "bio box" at the end of the article. This- by the way - tends to be an advertisement of some sort. And last butnot least: You have to link to the author's website. And in manycases, you have to link to several of the author's websites.
Oh yeah... one more thing about these free articles: Since they'refree - tens of thousands of other websites use them too!
Putting quality content on your website will help bring in relevant,targeted traffic. And that usually brings in more clicks... and moresales. Hopefully the above brief comparison helps you understand thedifferent ways to get content for your site. Study them fully, andchoose which one works best for you, your site needs, and your budget.
2005 Kathy Burns-MillyardVisit The Guru Gazette at http://www.gurugazette.com/ for more ofKathy's articles, tips and advice. Also check out her brand newarticle content packages: http://www.gurugazette.com/Content-Packs/You can get 20 quality articles for niche topic websites at just $0.74each!
Sunday, April 17, 2005
10 Keys to Cop That Sells
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to Web copy, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, direct mail, and more. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you've come to the right place.
1. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered.
Many ads, brochures, and Web sites talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, "What's in it for me?" If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word "you" often.
2. Focus on the benefits -- not just the features.
The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here's an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you're not just looking for good UV protection. You're buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that's what Gucci sells. You don't see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think about what your customers are REALLY looking for.
Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies?
Nope -- peace of mind. (See? You've got it.)
3. Draw them in with a killer headline.
The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today's ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They're cute, but most of them aren't effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it's safest to appeal to your reader's interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered -- no one gives a hoot about your company.
Bad: "SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program" Better: "Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!"
4. Use engaging subheads.
Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy "skimmable." Because subheads catch readers" eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it's important to include action or selling elements.
Bad: "Our Department's Successes." Better: "Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us."
5. Be conversational.
Write to your customers like you'd talk to them. Don't be afraid of using conversational phrases such as "So what's next?" or "Here's how do we do this." Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can't possibly be misunderstood, a few people will still be confused. Plus, being conversational helps prospects feel like they can trust you more.
6. Nix the jargon.
Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords -- stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what they're used to. In some industries, buzzwords are crucial. Just make sure your points don't get muddled in them!)
7. Keep it brief and digestible.
No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or service's benefits to the reader, the more likely you'll keep her reading. Fire your "biggest gun" first by beginning with your biggest benefit -- if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) -- these make your points easy to digest.
8. Use testimonials when possible.
Let your prospects know they won't be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people's initials only -- it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like "L0se 50 P0unds in 3 Days!" Give people's full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) -- and be sure to get their permission first.
9. Ask for the order!
Tell your reader what you want her to do -- don't leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? 0rder n0w? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what you'd most like her to do, and then ask her. It's amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that don't make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget you're trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and she'll be more likely to do it.
10. Have your copy proofread!
Good. Now have it proofread again. Don't risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurs. Hire a professional editor or proofreader to clean up your work. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops -- impression.
© 2001-2005 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit www.ezinequeen.com
Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results! These guidelines can apply to Web copy, e-mail, sales letters, brochures, direct mail, and more. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, you've come to the right place.
1. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered.
Many ads, brochures, and Web sites talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, "What's in it for me?" If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word "you" often.
2. Focus on the benefits -- not just the features.
The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Here's an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, you're not just looking for good UV protection. You're buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So that's what Gucci sells. You don't see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think about what your customers are REALLY looking for.
Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies?
Nope -- peace of mind. (See? You've got it.)
3. Draw them in with a killer headline.
The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Today's ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. They're cute, but most of them aren't effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but it's safest to appeal to your reader's interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered -- no one gives a hoot about your company.
Bad: "SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program" Better: "Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!"
4. Use engaging subheads.
Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy "skimmable." Because subheads catch readers" eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, it's important to include action or selling elements.
Bad: "Our Department's Successes." Better: "Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us."
5. Be conversational.
Write to your customers like you'd talk to them. Don't be afraid of using conversational phrases such as "So what's next?" or "Here's how do we do this." Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it can't possibly be misunderstood, a few people will still be confused. Plus, being conversational helps prospects feel like they can trust you more.
6. Nix the jargon.
Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords -- stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what they're used to. In some industries, buzzwords are crucial. Just make sure your points don't get muddled in them!)
7. Keep it brief and digestible.
No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or service's benefits to the reader, the more likely you'll keep her reading. Fire your "biggest gun" first by beginning with your biggest benefit -- if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) -- these make your points easy to digest.
8. Use testimonials when possible.
Let your prospects know they won't be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give people's initials only -- it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like "L0se 50 P0unds in 3 Days!" Give people's full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) -- and be sure to get their permission first.
9. Ask for the order!
Tell your reader what you want her to do -- don't leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? 0rder n0w? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what you'd most like her to do, and then ask her. It's amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that don't make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget you're trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and she'll be more likely to do it.
10. Have your copy proofread!
Good. Now have it proofread again. Don't risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurs. Hire a professional editor or proofreader to clean up your work. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops -- impression.
© 2001-2005 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit www.ezinequeen.com
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Need Content?
I have found myself recently looking for free content for
my websites.
Below are some sites that I found useful for free content:
Free Sticky - Free content and webmaster tools
Home-Based Business Online Articles by Elena Fawkner
Saving Secrets - Free Money Saving Articles
Find Sticky - Lots of various website content
Enjoy
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.MommyPortal.com
my websites.
Below are some sites that I found useful for free content:
Free Sticky - Free content and webmaster tools
Home-Based Business Online Articles by Elena Fawkner
Saving Secrets - Free Money Saving Articles
Find Sticky - Lots of various website content
Enjoy
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.MommyPortal.com
Saturday, March 19, 2005
3 Reasons why your site isn't being visited
Every wondered how all those other sites get tons of visitors and your doesn't?
Below are 3 reasons why your site isnt being visited:
1. You don't offer something free. People like to see the word FREE. Offer
some sort of freebie on your site. Some ideas include a free contest,
free ebook, free recipes, free report, free tips, and free shipping.
2. You don't offer original content. Be sure to have content on your site
that isn't offered on another site. It is okay to use others content such
as articles but be sure to include content of your own. If you offer your
visitors something they can't find somewhere else, they will be bound
to visit your site.
3. You do not have any incoming links to your site. The search engines
will not find you if there is no other sites linking to you. In fact the more
your site is listed on others sites, the more likely your site will be indexed.
If you don't have a link exchange or directory on your site, I would advise
setting one up. Then exchange links with sites related to yours.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Url Affiliates
A Mom's Affiliate Directory
http://www.urlaffiliates.com
Below are 3 reasons why your site isnt being visited:
1. You don't offer something free. People like to see the word FREE. Offer
some sort of freebie on your site. Some ideas include a free contest,
free ebook, free recipes, free report, free tips, and free shipping.
2. You don't offer original content. Be sure to have content on your site
that isn't offered on another site. It is okay to use others content such
as articles but be sure to include content of your own. If you offer your
visitors something they can't find somewhere else, they will be bound
to visit your site.
3. You do not have any incoming links to your site. The search engines
will not find you if there is no other sites linking to you. In fact the more
your site is listed on others sites, the more likely your site will be indexed.
If you don't have a link exchange or directory on your site, I would advise
setting one up. Then exchange links with sites related to yours.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Url Affiliates
A Mom's Affiliate Directory
http://www.urlaffiliates.com
Sunday, February 27, 2005
How to get your customer's email address legitimately
Need a few pointers on how to obtain your customers and site visitors email address legitimately? Below is a few tips on how to legitimately get an email address from your customer.
1) Put a subscription box on a prominent site of your home page. Another good idea for those of you that have templates and/or menus on your sites, put the subscription box on your menua and/or template. The more pages your subscription box is shown, the better chances of signups to your newsletter/mailing list.
2) Create a webpage just for your newsletter or mailing list. Some of you will just put a subscriptoin box to your (autoresponder/mailing list vendor). So the people just signup trusting you have something to offer them. What you want to do is create a seperate webpage just for this list. See my newsletter homepage here: http://www.mommyenterprises.com/newsletter
One MommyEnterprises.com I have the subscription box on my menu in the template and have a link to the newsletter's webpage as well.
3) Offer your visitor's and/or customer's something of value for joining. I have put together an ebook library and newsletters are given access to download valuable ebooks and reports. See the link above for an my tip put into action there. It WORKS.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
http://www.MommyPortal.com
1) Put a subscription box on a prominent site of your home page. Another good idea for those of you that have templates and/or menus on your sites, put the subscription box on your menua and/or template. The more pages your subscription box is shown, the better chances of signups to your newsletter/mailing list.
2) Create a webpage just for your newsletter or mailing list. Some of you will just put a subscriptoin box to your (autoresponder/mailing list vendor). So the people just signup trusting you have something to offer them. What you want to do is create a seperate webpage just for this list. See my newsletter homepage here: http://www.mommyenterprises.com/newsletter
One MommyEnterprises.com I have the subscription box on my menu in the template and have a link to the newsletter's webpage as well.
3) Offer your visitor's and/or customer's something of value for joining. I have put together an ebook library and newsletters are given access to download valuable ebooks and reports. See the link above for an my tip put into action there. It WORKS.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
http://www.MommyPortal.com
Thursday, February 17, 2005
I am over 5000 incoming links
I have done it. Mommy Enterprises is now showing on MarketLeap's Link Popularity tool 5,167 incoming links.
Read a blurb from one of my past blog posts:
"As of today 09/19/04 there are a total of 1,954 links to www.mommyenterprises.com. I hope to increase this by the hundreds within the next month. It takes a long time to build up good link popularity."
Wow, that is 3,213 more links. I am excited. I can definately say that my building of my website and trading links, etc is starting to payoff.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Read a blurb from one of my past blog posts:
"As of today 09/19/04 there are a total of 1,954 links to www.mommyenterprises.com. I hope to increase this by the hundreds within the next month. It takes a long time to build up good link popularity."
Wow, that is 3,213 more links. I am excited. I can definately say that my building of my website and trading links, etc is starting to payoff.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Friday, January 28, 2005
Google's Sandbox
I just got done reading a very interesting article about Google that I thought I would share. For those of you with new websites you will want to read this.
Google's Giant Sandbox
by Mark Daoust
If you pay any attention to the search engine optimization community, you have probably heard about Google's sandbox. Knowing exactly what the sandbox is might be a little confusing, but it is an important concept to know if you hope to eventually be successful with Google.
What is the Sandbox?
Before we get too far into an explanation as to what Google’s sandbox is, it must be noted that not everyone even agrees that the sandbox exists. The sandbox is actually nothing more than a theory developed to explain what many different SEO experts have witnessed with their listings. Whether or not the sandbox really exists is actually irrelevant when we know that the effects of the sandbox exist.
Google’s sandbox is a relatively new filter that appeared to be put in place back in March of 2004. This happened after the widely publicized updates of Austin and Florida, and the implementation of what is known as the Austin update. If you are not sure what those are, there is no need to worry as those updates are now for the most part in the past. The sandbox filter seems to affect nearly all new websites placing them on an initial “probation” status. The effect of this is that new websites may get into Google’s SERP’s (search engine results pages) relatively quickly and may even perform well for a couple of weeks. When the filter is applied to the new website it is referred to as being put in the “sandbox”. The new website will still show in the result pages, but it will not rank well regardless of how much original, well optimized content and regardless of how many quality inbound links the site may have. The filter restrains new websites from having immediate success in the search engine result pages.
The sandbox filter seems to affect almost all new websites, with very few exceptions. It is important to note that the filter is not a punishment for anything the webmaster did with their new website. The filter is merely an initiation period for new websites.
The sandbox filter also affects more competitive keyword driven sites more than sites that key in on less competitive keywords. If your website focuses on very competitive keywords, you are likely to remain in the sandbox for a longer period of time than if you focus on keywords that are relatively non-competitive keywords.
Does the Sandbox Exist?
There is a lot of debate as to whether the sandbox filter is a good thing for Google to implement or not. Obviously webmasters who are trying to get their sites well positioned in Google do not like the sandbox filter as it prevents them from receiving the huge levels of traffic that a top listing in Google can bring. The filter was not implemented at random, however, and there is some good reasoning for the filter existing.
As the SEO community figured out the basic elements of Google’s ranking algorithm, inbound links, original content rich with keywords, and the proper use of anchor text, search engine spammers began to take advantage of these elements. Search engine spammers would setup websites that were in clear violation of Google’s policies with the knowledge that eventually their website would be banned from the listings. This, however, did not matter. If a search engine spammer could get their website to rank well in Google for even one month, the profits they could make from that one month would justify the cost of building the site in the first place. All they needed to do in the future was to rebuild their spam websites with different domains and slightly different content.
The idea for spammers was a simple one. Capitalize off of Google’s traffic for as long as they can (before they get banned), then do it all over again with a new website. The method was extremely effective and easy to implement.
What made this all the more easy to accomplish was Google’s extremely fast indexing. While other search engines would take several months to index a new website, Google could index a website in as little as one month (they are now indexing sites within a few days). Search engine spammers were living large off of Google’s generosity.
To solve this problem, Google determined that it would compromise. They would still index websites quickly, attempting to get as much new, fresh content out to the general public as possible, but they would not trust new websites implicitly as they had in the past. All new websites that were launched would be put on probation. As time passed, and as the sites continued to pass any spam filters they ran, the website will not be held back from performing well in the rankings. Eventually, after quite a bit of time had passed, a site would be allowed to “leave” the sandbox and join the rest of the established websites.
How Does This Affect My Website?
If you have a new website, there is a good chance that you will be placed in the sandbox. This should be expected, but it should not change the way you build your website or market it. You should use the sandbox filter to your advantage.
Google still ranks websites in much the same way that they had in the past. Websites are judged on the quality of their inbound links and the quality of their content. Google will continue to change how they evaluate inbound links and content, but the basic elements of their rankings will remain the same.
While your website is in the sandbox, you should use this time to build your traffic using regular traffic building methods such as writing articles, building a strong community of visitors, and partnering with websites that offer some synergy to your visitors. During your time on probation, you have an excellent opportunity to build all the elements that cause websites to perform well in the search engines. When you finally do leave the sandbox, your website should be very well positioned within Google.
Is My Website in the Sandbox?
When webmasters learn about the sandbox filter, their first question is always whether or not their website has been placed in it. Determining whether or not you are in the sandbox is a relatively easy task to do.
First, being placed in the sandbox is different than having your website banned. If you do a search for your domain in Google and they return zero results for your website (and you had been previously listed in Google), there is a chance that you have been banned. One of the best ways to determine if you have been banned is to look at your log files to see if Google is visiting your website. Banned websites typically do not see Google visit their websites, regardless of who is linking to them.
If you have not been banned, but do not rank well with Google, you should look at the quality of your content and the quality of your inbound links. You should also see if you rank well for non-competitive keywords. Remember how the filter affects competitive keywords more than less competitive keywords? Well, you can use this to determine if you have been sandboxed. Finally, if you rank well in all the other major search engines, but do not show up at all in Google’s rankings, you have probably been sandboxed.
Is There A Way to Get Out of the Sandbox?
The quick answer to this is yes, there is a way out of the sandbox, but you will not like the answer. The answer is to simply wait. The sandbox filter is not a permanent filter and is only intended to reduce search engine spam. It is not intended to hold people back from succeeding. So eventually, if you continue to build your site as it should be built, you will leave the sandbox and join the other established websites.
Again, if your website has been placed in the sandbox you should use this time to your advantage. It is a great opportunity to build your traffic sources outside of the search engines. If you have a website that does well in the search engines, you may be tempted to ignore other proven methods of traffic building such as building a community, or building strong inbound links through partnerships. However, if you establish traffic sources outside of search engines, when you finally leave the sandbox, you will see a welcome increase in your traffic levels.
Conclusion
Google has been going to great lengths to cut out on search engine spam. Some have faulted them on the lengths that they are going to claiming that it is effecting legitimate sites as well as the spam websites. While this is probably the case, as an owner of a website you need to place yourself in the position of Google and ask yourself what they are really looking for in a website. Google is looking for websites that offer quality content. Google still relies on the natural voting system that was first used to establish pagerank. They may change the way that they qualify content or inbound links, but the basic elements of a quality website will always remain the same.
No website owner in their right mind will “like” Google’s sandbox. However, a smart website owner will use the sandbox as an opportunity to build a website that Google simply cannot refuse.
Mark Daoust is the owner of Site Reference.
Discuss this article and others in our Search Engine Forums
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Google's Giant Sandbox
by Mark Daoust
If you pay any attention to the search engine optimization community, you have probably heard about Google's sandbox. Knowing exactly what the sandbox is might be a little confusing, but it is an important concept to know if you hope to eventually be successful with Google.
What is the Sandbox?
Before we get too far into an explanation as to what Google’s sandbox is, it must be noted that not everyone even agrees that the sandbox exists. The sandbox is actually nothing more than a theory developed to explain what many different SEO experts have witnessed with their listings. Whether or not the sandbox really exists is actually irrelevant when we know that the effects of the sandbox exist.
Google’s sandbox is a relatively new filter that appeared to be put in place back in March of 2004. This happened after the widely publicized updates of Austin and Florida, and the implementation of what is known as the Austin update. If you are not sure what those are, there is no need to worry as those updates are now for the most part in the past. The sandbox filter seems to affect nearly all new websites placing them on an initial “probation” status. The effect of this is that new websites may get into Google’s SERP’s (search engine results pages) relatively quickly and may even perform well for a couple of weeks. When the filter is applied to the new website it is referred to as being put in the “sandbox”. The new website will still show in the result pages, but it will not rank well regardless of how much original, well optimized content and regardless of how many quality inbound links the site may have. The filter restrains new websites from having immediate success in the search engine result pages.
The sandbox filter seems to affect almost all new websites, with very few exceptions. It is important to note that the filter is not a punishment for anything the webmaster did with their new website. The filter is merely an initiation period for new websites.
The sandbox filter also affects more competitive keyword driven sites more than sites that key in on less competitive keywords. If your website focuses on very competitive keywords, you are likely to remain in the sandbox for a longer period of time than if you focus on keywords that are relatively non-competitive keywords.
Does the Sandbox Exist?
There is a lot of debate as to whether the sandbox filter is a good thing for Google to implement or not. Obviously webmasters who are trying to get their sites well positioned in Google do not like the sandbox filter as it prevents them from receiving the huge levels of traffic that a top listing in Google can bring. The filter was not implemented at random, however, and there is some good reasoning for the filter existing.
As the SEO community figured out the basic elements of Google’s ranking algorithm, inbound links, original content rich with keywords, and the proper use of anchor text, search engine spammers began to take advantage of these elements. Search engine spammers would setup websites that were in clear violation of Google’s policies with the knowledge that eventually their website would be banned from the listings. This, however, did not matter. If a search engine spammer could get their website to rank well in Google for even one month, the profits they could make from that one month would justify the cost of building the site in the first place. All they needed to do in the future was to rebuild their spam websites with different domains and slightly different content.
The idea for spammers was a simple one. Capitalize off of Google’s traffic for as long as they can (before they get banned), then do it all over again with a new website. The method was extremely effective and easy to implement.
What made this all the more easy to accomplish was Google’s extremely fast indexing. While other search engines would take several months to index a new website, Google could index a website in as little as one month (they are now indexing sites within a few days). Search engine spammers were living large off of Google’s generosity.
To solve this problem, Google determined that it would compromise. They would still index websites quickly, attempting to get as much new, fresh content out to the general public as possible, but they would not trust new websites implicitly as they had in the past. All new websites that were launched would be put on probation. As time passed, and as the sites continued to pass any spam filters they ran, the website will not be held back from performing well in the rankings. Eventually, after quite a bit of time had passed, a site would be allowed to “leave” the sandbox and join the rest of the established websites.
How Does This Affect My Website?
If you have a new website, there is a good chance that you will be placed in the sandbox. This should be expected, but it should not change the way you build your website or market it. You should use the sandbox filter to your advantage.
Google still ranks websites in much the same way that they had in the past. Websites are judged on the quality of their inbound links and the quality of their content. Google will continue to change how they evaluate inbound links and content, but the basic elements of their rankings will remain the same.
While your website is in the sandbox, you should use this time to build your traffic using regular traffic building methods such as writing articles, building a strong community of visitors, and partnering with websites that offer some synergy to your visitors. During your time on probation, you have an excellent opportunity to build all the elements that cause websites to perform well in the search engines. When you finally do leave the sandbox, your website should be very well positioned within Google.
Is My Website in the Sandbox?
When webmasters learn about the sandbox filter, their first question is always whether or not their website has been placed in it. Determining whether or not you are in the sandbox is a relatively easy task to do.
First, being placed in the sandbox is different than having your website banned. If you do a search for your domain in Google and they return zero results for your website (and you had been previously listed in Google), there is a chance that you have been banned. One of the best ways to determine if you have been banned is to look at your log files to see if Google is visiting your website. Banned websites typically do not see Google visit their websites, regardless of who is linking to them.
If you have not been banned, but do not rank well with Google, you should look at the quality of your content and the quality of your inbound links. You should also see if you rank well for non-competitive keywords. Remember how the filter affects competitive keywords more than less competitive keywords? Well, you can use this to determine if you have been sandboxed. Finally, if you rank well in all the other major search engines, but do not show up at all in Google’s rankings, you have probably been sandboxed.
Is There A Way to Get Out of the Sandbox?
The quick answer to this is yes, there is a way out of the sandbox, but you will not like the answer. The answer is to simply wait. The sandbox filter is not a permanent filter and is only intended to reduce search engine spam. It is not intended to hold people back from succeeding. So eventually, if you continue to build your site as it should be built, you will leave the sandbox and join the other established websites.
Again, if your website has been placed in the sandbox you should use this time to your advantage. It is a great opportunity to build your traffic sources outside of the search engines. If you have a website that does well in the search engines, you may be tempted to ignore other proven methods of traffic building such as building a community, or building strong inbound links through partnerships. However, if you establish traffic sources outside of search engines, when you finally leave the sandbox, you will see a welcome increase in your traffic levels.
Conclusion
Google has been going to great lengths to cut out on search engine spam. Some have faulted them on the lengths that they are going to claiming that it is effecting legitimate sites as well as the spam websites. While this is probably the case, as an owner of a website you need to place yourself in the position of Google and ask yourself what they are really looking for in a website. Google is looking for websites that offer quality content. Google still relies on the natural voting system that was first used to establish pagerank. They may change the way that they qualify content or inbound links, but the basic elements of a quality website will always remain the same.
No website owner in their right mind will “like” Google’s sandbox. However, a smart website owner will use the sandbox as an opportunity to build a website that Google simply cannot refuse.
Mark Daoust is the owner of Site Reference.
Discuss this article and others in our Search Engine Forums
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Sunday, January 16, 2005
What is your subscription box doing for you
Is your subscription box giving you subscribers? Have you just started a newsletter and don't know how to gain subscribers.
Here a couple key two tips to remember.
Put your subscription box right on the main page to your website if not
in the menu bar of your website if you have one. If they don't see it, they
won't or can't subscribe.
Offer your visitors something of value for subscribing. I did offer my
newsletter subscribers a free ebook. Now that I am offering a library
of ebooks for them FREE my subscriber rate is going up like crazy.
I thought I would share that success story.
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyenterprises.com
Here a couple key two tips to remember.
Put your subscription box right on the main page to your website if not
in the menu bar of your website if you have one. If they don't see it, they
won't or can't subscribe.
Offer your visitors something of value for subscribing. I did offer my
newsletter subscribers a free ebook. Now that I am offering a library
of ebooks for them FREE my subscriber rate is going up like crazy.
I thought I would share that success story.
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyenterprises.com
Friday, January 07, 2005
Ways to get inbound links to your site
Are you looking for additional ways to receive inbound links to your site and maybe get some without providing one in return?
Below are ways to get "inbound links" to your website. The more inbound links the easier the search engines have in finding its way to your site. While some links may cost you there are several free methods as well. I would suggest starting with the free methods first
1. Articles - Have something to write about? Create your own articles and submit them to websites to be published. The key is to include a little bio about you at the end and include your website link. The more the article is published, the more links you will have pointing to your website. There are tons of places online to submit your article to as well.
2. Link directory - Create a link directory on your site. With your link directory require a recipricol link back to your site. Be sure to link with sites that are related to yours. Linking to related websites will improve your search engine rankings.
3. Directory Listings - Purchase a listing in some popular directories for the market your website is in. If you are in the candle business find online candle directories and get listed. Do your research first before purchasing ads, you will want to get your money worth. Ask the webmaster how many visitors the site gets and do a comparison of ad rates with other sites.
4. Free Ebook - Write an ebook and offer it free to webmasters in exchange for a link on your site. There are free software programs you can download as well to create the ebook. You don't have to be a professional to write an ebook. Be sure the ebook will be helpful to the readers. Don't forget to add a link to your website in your ebook as well.
5. Blog - Create a blog and include a link to your site in your template. Then publish your blog frequently. Search engines tend to spider blogs quickly and the more you publish your blog, the more webpages it will create online to be spidered.
6. Resourceful website - Make sure your website has lots and lots of information. Include helpful content, articles, resources and tools your visitors will benefit from. If your website provides its visitors will helpful information you will most likely get links to your site without even asking for them.
I think that is going to sum it up for now. Remember to keep building and building those inbound links to your site. It will pay off in the end when you end up with thousands of links to your site. I have been very successful over the last year creating inbound links.
To check your link popularity please visit: http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop/
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal for the WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
Below are ways to get "inbound links" to your website. The more inbound links the easier the search engines have in finding its way to your site. While some links may cost you there are several free methods as well. I would suggest starting with the free methods first
1. Articles - Have something to write about? Create your own articles and submit them to websites to be published. The key is to include a little bio about you at the end and include your website link. The more the article is published, the more links you will have pointing to your website. There are tons of places online to submit your article to as well.
2. Link directory - Create a link directory on your site. With your link directory require a recipricol link back to your site. Be sure to link with sites that are related to yours. Linking to related websites will improve your search engine rankings.
3. Directory Listings - Purchase a listing in some popular directories for the market your website is in. If you are in the candle business find online candle directories and get listed. Do your research first before purchasing ads, you will want to get your money worth. Ask the webmaster how many visitors the site gets and do a comparison of ad rates with other sites.
4. Free Ebook - Write an ebook and offer it free to webmasters in exchange for a link on your site. There are free software programs you can download as well to create the ebook. You don't have to be a professional to write an ebook. Be sure the ebook will be helpful to the readers. Don't forget to add a link to your website in your ebook as well.
5. Blog - Create a blog and include a link to your site in your template. Then publish your blog frequently. Search engines tend to spider blogs quickly and the more you publish your blog, the more webpages it will create online to be spidered.
6. Resourceful website - Make sure your website has lots and lots of information. Include helpful content, articles, resources and tools your visitors will benefit from. If your website provides its visitors will helpful information you will most likely get links to your site without even asking for them.
I think that is going to sum it up for now. Remember to keep building and building those inbound links to your site. It will pay off in the end when you end up with thousands of links to your site. I have been very successful over the last year creating inbound links.
To check your link popularity please visit: http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop/
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal for the WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Things You Don't Want To Do To Your Website
Here is a brief list of things you want to avoid when creating and maintaining your website. Remember to always think from your visitors point of view.
1. Don't repeat the same content on your webpages. Make each and every one of your pages have fresh content. Make your content unique and appealing.
2. Don't use alot of animation/flash. You might think that you are impressing your visitor but in reality you might be making your visitor frustrated. Those without a fast internet connection or older computer might not be able to load all the high tech website tools you might want to add.
3. Don't change the size and type of your font on your pages. Keep to a normal size for your text content. I prefer to use size 2 and I make my headings a size 3.
4. Don't forget to add your title tag to your webpage. A majority of the search engines use the title tag in your search engine listing results. If you don't design your own webpages ask your webmaster to make sure your title tags are done.
5. Don't add a ton of images to your webpages. The more images you have the slower your webpage takes to load. This could cause your visitor to get frustrated and click off your site before it finishes loading.
6. Don't change your topics. Try to keep only one topic per webpage. If your webpage seems to be long you might want to try rewriting it and breaking it down into additional topics.
7. Don't use "Page Under Construction" signs on your site. If the page isn't ready, simply don't publicize it. Make sure to customize your 404.html error pages. You don't want to lose a visitor.
8. Don't change your links. As you build your site, people will begin to link to these pages on your website. If you change your links those links coming into your site will lead your visitors to a dead link, not good.
9. Don't misguide your visitors to your site. If you are selling products from your site, you will want targeted visitors, not visitors that thought they were coming for something else.
10. Don't put a hit counter on your webpage. Yeah put one on your ebay auctions for the fun of it but don't put them on your webpages, it looks tacky. The hit counters stats don't count as actual visitors. Each image on your page counts as a hit so if you have lots of images on each page its going to count each of those images as a visitor.
Hope you enjoyed these tips on things to avoid.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
1. Don't repeat the same content on your webpages. Make each and every one of your pages have fresh content. Make your content unique and appealing.
2. Don't use alot of animation/flash. You might think that you are impressing your visitor but in reality you might be making your visitor frustrated. Those without a fast internet connection or older computer might not be able to load all the high tech website tools you might want to add.
3. Don't change the size and type of your font on your pages. Keep to a normal size for your text content. I prefer to use size 2 and I make my headings a size 3.
4. Don't forget to add your title tag to your webpage. A majority of the search engines use the title tag in your search engine listing results. If you don't design your own webpages ask your webmaster to make sure your title tags are done.
5. Don't add a ton of images to your webpages. The more images you have the slower your webpage takes to load. This could cause your visitor to get frustrated and click off your site before it finishes loading.
6. Don't change your topics. Try to keep only one topic per webpage. If your webpage seems to be long you might want to try rewriting it and breaking it down into additional topics.
7. Don't use "Page Under Construction" signs on your site. If the page isn't ready, simply don't publicize it. Make sure to customize your 404.html error pages. You don't want to lose a visitor.
8. Don't change your links. As you build your site, people will begin to link to these pages on your website. If you change your links those links coming into your site will lead your visitors to a dead link, not good.
9. Don't misguide your visitors to your site. If you are selling products from your site, you will want targeted visitors, not visitors that thought they were coming for something else.
10. Don't put a hit counter on your webpage. Yeah put one on your ebay auctions for the fun of it but don't put them on your webpages, it looks tacky. The hit counters stats don't count as actual visitors. Each image on your page counts as a hit so if you have lots of images on each page its going to count each of those images as a visitor.
Hope you enjoyed these tips on things to avoid.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Do you use Trafficswarm
There are so many traffic exchanges out there, how do you choose which one
to use? I have tried many with not much luck.
Some time ago an online friend of mine told me how she used these traffic exchanges to her advantage. She told me she sets her startup page as a rotator script. I asked her for the script
and have been using it ever since. Everytime I startup my browser, it will randomly open
one of my traffic exchange programs. So instead of just being able to start my browser on one program, I can actively use as many programs as I want. I currently am only using about 4 of the programs that are working the best for me. My friend also suggested putting your referral links in each of the other programs you are using, let your credits build up and then put your regular links in the programs. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. :)
Well as for traffic exchanges my favorite is going to have to be TrafficSwarm. Now this program is actually bringing a swarm of traffic to my links. I am a free member too. How TrafficSwarm works is you get your own unique TrafficSwarm link. You can either set your browsers startup page as this or you can put it in your favorites. When you visit this link, you will see a list of other sites, when you visit those sites listed you earn credits towards your links shown on other users screen. You can also upgrade to Pro and earn even more traffic. I have placed a few links and have created a downline underneath me now of 108 (87 1st level & 21 2nd level). As of now I have earned 10,010 credits just from my downline. I am going to have to give TrafficSwarm a thumbs UP.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
to use? I have tried many with not much luck.
Some time ago an online friend of mine told me how she used these traffic exchanges to her advantage. She told me she sets her startup page as a rotator script. I asked her for the script
and have been using it ever since. Everytime I startup my browser, it will randomly open
one of my traffic exchange programs. So instead of just being able to start my browser on one program, I can actively use as many programs as I want. I currently am only using about 4 of the programs that are working the best for me. My friend also suggested putting your referral links in each of the other programs you are using, let your credits build up and then put your regular links in the programs. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. :)
Well as for traffic exchanges my favorite is going to have to be TrafficSwarm. Now this program is actually bringing a swarm of traffic to my links. I am a free member too. How TrafficSwarm works is you get your own unique TrafficSwarm link. You can either set your browsers startup page as this or you can put it in your favorites. When you visit this link, you will see a list of other sites, when you visit those sites listed you earn credits towards your links shown on other users screen. You can also upgrade to Pro and earn even more traffic. I have placed a few links and have created a downline underneath me now of 108 (87 1st level & 21 2nd level). As of now I have earned 10,010 credits just from my downline. I am going to have to give TrafficSwarm a thumbs UP.
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
Mommy Portal
The Web Portal For The WAHM
http://www.mommyportal.com
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Link building
I find myself constantly finding other websites to exchange links with. I also have a great number of link requests in my inbox daily. I try to add at least one link to one of my sites per day.
I hope all of this hard work pays off in the future as so many things change so fast in the
SEO world. Right as I started to learn how to create my own tags to better my search engine
results, they change their algorithm on me. It seems hard for an average web designer to stay on top of the new trends of the search engines.
For the past year I have used Market Leap's Link Popularity tool to view the incoming links to my site. On Sept 27, 2004 I checked my number of links, it said 2,427. As of today I now have 3,110, not too bad huh.
Just shows that my strategy is working!!!
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
The Making Money Newsletter For Moms
http://www.mommyenterprises.com/newsletter
I hope all of this hard work pays off in the future as so many things change so fast in the
SEO world. Right as I started to learn how to create my own tags to better my search engine
results, they change their algorithm on me. It seems hard for an average web designer to stay on top of the new trends of the search engines.
For the past year I have used Market Leap's Link Popularity tool to view the incoming links to my site. On Sept 27, 2004 I checked my number of links, it said 2,427. As of today I now have 3,110, not too bad huh.
Just shows that my strategy is working!!!
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
The Making Money Newsletter For Moms
http://www.mommyenterprises.com/newsletter
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Linking Is Queen
Enjoy!
Linking is Queen
By Shawn Campbell
If content is king, then linking is the queen that shares his throne. We have all heard about adding content to your site to give the search engines fodder to consume. But the sëcret to luring the search engines is the links to your site. Today's search engines look very carefully and critically at who is linking to you, and what it is that they are saying about you. A link from a leader in your industry carries a lot of clout and means that your site is important. Two links from industry leaders means your site is even more important. 100 links from random web sites, from industries you are not even related with, means almost nothing. Thus, getting links is only the start; the important thing is getting good links from quality web sites.
Why Do Links Matter?
Since the arrival of Google and their PageRank, search engines have put a lot of emphasis on links to a site. There used to be simple ways to get good rankings: Meta tags, titles, keyword density, etc... Today, things have become more complex, with search engines using a very complicated algorithm that involves:
Linking is Queen
By Shawn Campbell
If content is king, then linking is the queen that shares his throne. We have all heard about adding content to your site to give the search engines fodder to consume. But the sëcret to luring the search engines is the links to your site. Today's search engines look very carefully and critically at who is linking to you, and what it is that they are saying about you. A link from a leader in your industry carries a lot of clout and means that your site is important. Two links from industry leaders means your site is even more important. 100 links from random web sites, from industries you are not even related with, means almost nothing. Thus, getting links is only the start; the important thing is getting good links from quality web sites.
Why Do Links Matter?
Since the arrival of Google and their PageRank, search engines have put a lot of emphasis on links to a site. There used to be simple ways to get good rankings: Meta tags, titles, keyword density, etc... Today, things have become more complex, with search engines using a very complicated algorithm that involves:
* links to your site,
* what is written in those links,
* who is linking to the site that links to yours,
* what are the keyphrases used in those links,
* what is the quality of the site that is linking to yours,
* how many other links does that site have,
* how many links out (and to what sites) does your site have,
* and other such criteria.
To use a rather appetizing analogy, these new criteria are added to the stew that is your site, along with the quality and quantity of the content. Left to simmer on the worldwide web, this stew is then eaten up by the search engines depending on how well your site matches the aforementioned criteria. Put differently, the king and queen must join together to turn your site into a number one result.
How Do We Get Links?
It all starts with content. No one will link to you unless you offer quality information about a particular subject. If you are in real estate, you must offer information about the area you sell. If someone wants to buy in your area, first s/he will want to learn about it, so you will need to have good resources about that area. The next step is to find new sites that would benefit from your site's information; new sites whose clients would potentially buy your real estate. For example, one of our clients (www.monlac.com) sells real estate in the Laurentians area of Quebec. Their site has content on activities in Quebec and the nearby Laurentian mountains. Thus, we will be soliciting links from web sites such as the nearby water parks and ski hills, nearby towns, lake and boating associations, and local construction web sites to name just a few. To these web sites, not only will linking to www.monlac.com make their customers happier, but it is in their best interest that the site sells real estate since it brings in more business for them.
How Do You Solicit Links?
To solicit sites you have to use a lot of elbow grease. Send out personalized emails to these sites. Don't send out mass emails or sp@m. Be friendly, and point out the benefits of linking to your site. If you are lucky, maybe 1 in 3 emails will get a response. It is frustrating and discouraging, but keep your spirits up. Many times a site is perfect but they don't ever update it, so your site won't get the link in because nothing ever changes on the solicited site. Don't waste too much time on sites that haven't been updated in years. It is also important to follow up. Until you get a flat out denial, keep saying "Hi", and keep it personal. Keep track of who you have contacted and what you have written or said because you have to make it seem like they are the only person you are contacting. As soon as they get a sniff that you are sending out a mass email, or that you are using the exact same approach with other sites, you will probably losë their respect - and their business!
Do not forget to submit to the directories such as the Open Directory Project, because getting listed at DMOZ counts for a lot in all the big search engines. Take your time and choose the right category to submit to. Also, read about how they want their descriptions and titles written, and write them that way. These are the keys to getting into the directories.
Soliciting links is a very time-consuming (and frustrating) venture, but it is essential to getting good rankings in the search engines. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Getting your first link is like getting your first sale. It is just as hard - and just as satisfying.
Good luck, Shawn Campbell
About The AuthorShawn Campbell is an enthusiastic player in the ecommerce marketplace, and co-founded Red Carpet Web Promotion, Inc.. He has been researching and developing marketing strategies to achieve more prominent listings in search engine results since 1998. Shawn is one of the earliest pioneers in the search engine optimization field. Contact: shawn@redcarpetweb.com
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Guaranteed Ways To Build Up Your Ezine List
Hello everyone,
Sorry I haven't been posting much here lately but things have been crazy at home. I just became a broker for AmeriPlan®, which provides a great health benefit plan for only $11.95 a month by the way. This new business is keeping me quite busy, so much to learn. I read this article and thought it would be useful to those who have a newsletter or are in the process of creating one.
Enjoy!
Guaranteed Ways to Build Up Your Ezine List By Suzanne Falter-Barns (c) 2004
Here are tips gleaned from roughly 5 years spent building up an ezine list. I've also incorporated comments and tips from Jenna Glatzer, who successfully built her list up to 75,000 at her excellent site, www.absolutewrite.com.
1. 'Free' Stuff. Pick genuinely useful frëe stuff that you know your audience wants and needs. For instance, my brand new ezine, Expert Status, attracted 600 readers in just a few weeks by offering a report, "25 Top Self Help Literary Agents". The practical freebie works. Jenna Glatzer offers two frëe ebooks/reports to subscribers on agents who are receptive to new writers, and on writer's markets. She notes: "Before I did that, my subscriber numbers were in the hundreds, not thousands.
2. Put a subscribe box on every page of the site. This has worked for both Jenna and me. Mine is parked in the left hand column of the site. Experts advise putting a simple sign up box (with freebie mentioned) in the top left hand corner, as that's where the eye naturally travels first. A simple sign up box that requests only email address works best.
3. Ad swaps. Exchange plugs for your ezine with another website, to run in each other's ezines. Be sure to mention those freebies! Doing this on a regular basis with a rotating selection of web partners will keep your subscription page busy.
4. Cross-registration. I've found subscribers by having a plug for my ezine on the thank you page of a comparable (but not directly competitive) website. This offer is made to folks who just signed up for an ezine, and are therefore deemed 'in the mood for more.' Offer a swap with your site, and try not to list more than about two other ezines. Also, make a point of including only really good, reliable publications that reach your target market.
5. Give away a bonus for other sites to use, based on your ezine. A popular web marketing technique is the special one or two-day promo that offers big bonus lists when you buy a certain product on those particular days. (I cover this promo technique in more detail in my ebook/binder, Get Known Now; How to Build Your Platform as a Self Help Expert.) So collect some of your best ezine essays, pack 'em up in a downloadable PDF-based e-book, and offer it as a bonus these sites can use in their special promos. Don't forget juicy descriptive copy about your ezine, and a subscribe link at the end of your ebook. I've gotten hundreds of new readers this way, and much traffïc to my site.
6. Announce ezine 'events' on PRweb.com and other PR sites. There's an entire world of web-based press release distribution services out there, some of which are low cost or even frëe. So use them. But be sure to only plant press releases that are truly newsworthy, and thus likely to get press attention. Even if the media don't use your words this time, they'll hopefully file you as an expert for future use.
7. Use discussion boards or groups. These are sites frequented by gangs of people interested in the same thing. Avoid the unmoderated sites, because they're likely to be sp@m targets that generate little bonafide traffïc. Boards found on member sites are the best. Don't sp@m the board with your subscribe message. Instead, offer some genuinely helpful info. Then sign off with a signature line that includes ezine and subscribe info. You can find some of these groups at groups.yahoo.com, topica.com, and mail-list.com for starters.
8. Sponsor other people's contests. Jenna Glatzer gives away products like her paid newsletter, Absolute Markets Premium Newsletter, to writers' groups, contests, and conferences that request it, regardless of size. I've tried this too, to good effect. Simply run an announcement in your ezine that you'd be happy to sponsor comparable events. Ask them to provide a URL for an event description so you know it's legit. Then offer up your gifts, and ask for a plug for your ezine and for them to talk up your dazzling freebie, as well. Jenna notes that groups she sponsors "often send out ads for us to their lists... just as a thank you."
9. Run quality content. There's no substitute for heartfelt writing plus solid information about a subject that matters. Jenna writes: 'The main reason our list stays so big is our 'letter from the editor' ... Each week, I chronicle my writing life and my triumphs and failures ...when an article is killed, when I'm having trouble finishing a book ... And I share personal things, too, like when my grandfather died... . People write: 'I feel like I know you so well.' And I think that's why they stay on the list, even when their mailbox fills up with dozens of other writer's newsletters.
Put A Google-Type Ad Box on 7 Search EnginesYour Keywords - Top 10 Placement
All for $12/URL or Less, PLUS Sign Up Today and Receive FR-E-E Bonus Software
10. Allow reprints. Allow any newsletter that wants to reprint your articles do so. I like to have an email requesting permission, so I can enter their info into a big database I use to track where I can send more articles in the future. I end each article with the line: You may reprint this article in your own ezine or website. Simply send an email requesting permission to Email Address. Please be sure to include our full bio box at the end.
11. Create a survey or contest. This would be one of those newsworthy 'ezine events' I mentioned above in point # 6. Make it a fun, relevant question that you could really develop a good, newsy story from. I did a survey asking people what they fought with their spouse/partner/boy or girlfriend about. The results made for the kind of reading offline media enjoy running short, 100-word pieces about (fillers.) I made sure to attribute the survey to my ezine, The Joy Letter, with a mention of the site's basic URL. You can get the technology to run your own survey and collect responses at surveymonkey.com (for a fee) or bravenet.com (for frëe.)
I think I could actually go on and on. The possibilities seem to be endless. If you try even half of these techniques on a regular basis, you'll find your subscriber rates double and even triple. Here's to building your list... the foundation that much of your traffïc and success rely on.
About The AuthorSuzanne Falter-Barns' website, The Self Help Salon offers tips and tools that help you build your platform and get known as an expert in your field. Sign up for her frëe ezine, Expert Status, and receive her frëe report, "25 Top Self Help Literary Agents"
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
AmeriPlan® Independant Business Owner
http://www.mommyenterprises.simpleasabc.com
Sorry I haven't been posting much here lately but things have been crazy at home. I just became a broker for AmeriPlan®, which provides a great health benefit plan for only $11.95 a month by the way. This new business is keeping me quite busy, so much to learn. I read this article and thought it would be useful to those who have a newsletter or are in the process of creating one.
Enjoy!
Guaranteed Ways to Build Up Your Ezine List By Suzanne Falter-Barns (c) 2004
Here are tips gleaned from roughly 5 years spent building up an ezine list. I've also incorporated comments and tips from Jenna Glatzer, who successfully built her list up to 75,000 at her excellent site, www.absolutewrite.com.
1. 'Free' Stuff. Pick genuinely useful frëe stuff that you know your audience wants and needs. For instance, my brand new ezine, Expert Status, attracted 600 readers in just a few weeks by offering a report, "25 Top Self Help Literary Agents". The practical freebie works. Jenna Glatzer offers two frëe ebooks/reports to subscribers on agents who are receptive to new writers, and on writer's markets. She notes: "Before I did that, my subscriber numbers were in the hundreds, not thousands.
2. Put a subscribe box on every page of the site. This has worked for both Jenna and me. Mine is parked in the left hand column of the site. Experts advise putting a simple sign up box (with freebie mentioned) in the top left hand corner, as that's where the eye naturally travels first. A simple sign up box that requests only email address works best.
3. Ad swaps. Exchange plugs for your ezine with another website, to run in each other's ezines. Be sure to mention those freebies! Doing this on a regular basis with a rotating selection of web partners will keep your subscription page busy.
4. Cross-registration. I've found subscribers by having a plug for my ezine on the thank you page of a comparable (but not directly competitive) website. This offer is made to folks who just signed up for an ezine, and are therefore deemed 'in the mood for more.' Offer a swap with your site, and try not to list more than about two other ezines. Also, make a point of including only really good, reliable publications that reach your target market.
5. Give away a bonus for other sites to use, based on your ezine. A popular web marketing technique is the special one or two-day promo that offers big bonus lists when you buy a certain product on those particular days. (I cover this promo technique in more detail in my ebook/binder, Get Known Now; How to Build Your Platform as a Self Help Expert.) So collect some of your best ezine essays, pack 'em up in a downloadable PDF-based e-book, and offer it as a bonus these sites can use in their special promos. Don't forget juicy descriptive copy about your ezine, and a subscribe link at the end of your ebook. I've gotten hundreds of new readers this way, and much traffïc to my site.
6. Announce ezine 'events' on PRweb.com and other PR sites. There's an entire world of web-based press release distribution services out there, some of which are low cost or even frëe. So use them. But be sure to only plant press releases that are truly newsworthy, and thus likely to get press attention. Even if the media don't use your words this time, they'll hopefully file you as an expert for future use.
7. Use discussion boards or groups. These are sites frequented by gangs of people interested in the same thing. Avoid the unmoderated sites, because they're likely to be sp@m targets that generate little bonafide traffïc. Boards found on member sites are the best. Don't sp@m the board with your subscribe message. Instead, offer some genuinely helpful info. Then sign off with a signature line that includes ezine and subscribe info. You can find some of these groups at groups.yahoo.com, topica.com, and mail-list.com for starters.
8. Sponsor other people's contests. Jenna Glatzer gives away products like her paid newsletter, Absolute Markets Premium Newsletter, to writers' groups, contests, and conferences that request it, regardless of size. I've tried this too, to good effect. Simply run an announcement in your ezine that you'd be happy to sponsor comparable events. Ask them to provide a URL for an event description so you know it's legit. Then offer up your gifts, and ask for a plug for your ezine and for them to talk up your dazzling freebie, as well. Jenna notes that groups she sponsors "often send out ads for us to their lists... just as a thank you."
9. Run quality content. There's no substitute for heartfelt writing plus solid information about a subject that matters. Jenna writes: 'The main reason our list stays so big is our 'letter from the editor' ... Each week, I chronicle my writing life and my triumphs and failures ...when an article is killed, when I'm having trouble finishing a book ... And I share personal things, too, like when my grandfather died... . People write: 'I feel like I know you so well.' And I think that's why they stay on the list, even when their mailbox fills up with dozens of other writer's newsletters.
Put A Google-Type Ad Box on 7 Search EnginesYour Keywords - Top 10 Placement
All for $12/URL or Less, PLUS Sign Up Today and Receive FR-E-E Bonus Software
10. Allow reprints. Allow any newsletter that wants to reprint your articles do so. I like to have an email requesting permission, so I can enter their info into a big database I use to track where I can send more articles in the future. I end each article with the line: You may reprint this article in your own ezine or website. Simply send an email requesting permission to Email Address. Please be sure to include our full bio box at the end.
11. Create a survey or contest. This would be one of those newsworthy 'ezine events' I mentioned above in point # 6. Make it a fun, relevant question that you could really develop a good, newsy story from. I did a survey asking people what they fought with their spouse/partner/boy or girlfriend about. The results made for the kind of reading offline media enjoy running short, 100-word pieces about (fillers.) I made sure to attribute the survey to my ezine, The Joy Letter, with a mention of the site's basic URL. You can get the technology to run your own survey and collect responses at surveymonkey.com (for a fee) or bravenet.com (for frëe.)
I think I could actually go on and on. The possibilities seem to be endless. If you try even half of these techniques on a regular basis, you'll find your subscriber rates double and even triple. Here's to building your list... the foundation that much of your traffïc and success rely on.
About The AuthorSuzanne Falter-Barns' website, The Self Help Salon offers tips and tools that help you build your platform and get known as an expert in your field. Sign up for her frëe ezine, Expert Status, and receive her frëe report, "25 Top Self Help Literary Agents"
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
AmeriPlan® Independant Business Owner
http://www.mommyenterprises.simpleasabc.com
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Get Your Web Visitors Off the Couch!
By Sandi Smith
You've built your Web site, you've implemented your SEO ideas, and people are actually visiting your site. Are your visitors turning into clients? Perhaps some are, but surely you'd like to have more. Here are some tips to get your Web visitors off the couch and calling you, sending you emails, and buying your products or services:
1. Make sure every page of your Web site has a call to action listed at least once.
Your pages should be carefully designed to drive the visitor into taking the action you want them to. That could be buying a product,calling you, setting an appointment, signing up for your newsletter, or taking a quiz.
Calls to action look like the following:
--For more information about our work, please call or email
--Sign up for a free information session
--Register for our newsletter
--Read more
--Click here
--Add to Cart
--Register now!
--Get started today by contacting __ at __.
It might be a no-brainer to have these calls to action listed on yourproduct or service description pages, but what about your other pages?Do you have them listed on your articles pages? Right after you'vedemonstrated your incredible knowledge is a perfect time to mentionthings like "Do you have questions? Email us at ___." Or better yet,say "This is a tip from our ebook. Want more?", then send them toyour ebook product page.
Take a look at all of your pages and see what calls to action area ppropriate for each one.
2. List enough information to let the visitor make a decision about your business.
You want to list everything you can think of when you're developing your products and services pages. Here is a generic list:
1. Describe the product or service physically if possible, and includea photo.
2. Include benefits, value, features, and what's different about your product that other products don't have:
--What pain will it ease?
--Who usually buys it?
--What type of customers benefit from it?
--Is there a guarantee?
--What will the buyer experience when working with the product or service?
--Are there instructions?
--How does a customer get started with it?
--What results will it produce?
--Is there a methodology or philosophy?
--How can a visitor learn more
There's a reason why those long sales letters work. In addition to evoking emotions, they confront every objection a buyer has by givingthem more information -- enough to make a purchasing decision.
3. Create a sense of urgency with a deadline or special offer.
If visitors feel like they'll be missing out by not acting now, they will be more likely to get off the couch.
4. Mention pain.
I just wrote an article last week called "Avoiding Major Pain in Web Design." Years ago, I wrote an article similar to "Twelve Steps to Recovery for Executives in Denial of the Internet." For some reason, I get the most reader response to these negatively worded titles. Mentioning pain that evokes guilt or greed gets people off the couch.
5. Create actionable content.
As you write your Web copy, use phrases like "Have you thought about___?", "You owe it to yourself," and other language that invokes interaction on the part of the visitor. Include lots of "you" statements, making it about the reader. Your reader should relate towhat you're saying and even empathize with your words. It's all about getting your visitor to take the first step towards starting a relationship with you. Then you'll have a chance down the road to turn them into a customer.
These ideas on getting more business from actionable content havecertainly helped my clients, and I hope they will help you as well!
Sandi Smith
http://www.sandismith.com
Hope You Enjoyed This Article!
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyportal.com
By Sandi Smith
You've built your Web site, you've implemented your SEO ideas, and people are actually visiting your site. Are your visitors turning into clients? Perhaps some are, but surely you'd like to have more. Here are some tips to get your Web visitors off the couch and calling you, sending you emails, and buying your products or services:
1. Make sure every page of your Web site has a call to action listed at least once.
Your pages should be carefully designed to drive the visitor into taking the action you want them to. That could be buying a product,calling you, setting an appointment, signing up for your newsletter, or taking a quiz.
Calls to action look like the following:
--For more information about our work, please call or email
--Sign up for a free information session
--Register for our newsletter
--Read more
--Click here
--Add to Cart
--Register now!
--Get started today by contacting __ at __.
It might be a no-brainer to have these calls to action listed on yourproduct or service description pages, but what about your other pages?Do you have them listed on your articles pages? Right after you'vedemonstrated your incredible knowledge is a perfect time to mentionthings like "Do you have questions? Email us at ___." Or better yet,say "This is a tip from our ebook. Want more?", then send them toyour ebook product page.
Take a look at all of your pages and see what calls to action area ppropriate for each one.
2. List enough information to let the visitor make a decision about your business.
You want to list everything you can think of when you're developing your products and services pages. Here is a generic list:
1. Describe the product or service physically if possible, and includea photo.
2. Include benefits, value, features, and what's different about your product that other products don't have:
--What pain will it ease?
--Who usually buys it?
--What type of customers benefit from it?
--Is there a guarantee?
--What will the buyer experience when working with the product or service?
--Are there instructions?
--How does a customer get started with it?
--What results will it produce?
--Is there a methodology or philosophy?
--How can a visitor learn more
There's a reason why those long sales letters work. In addition to evoking emotions, they confront every objection a buyer has by givingthem more information -- enough to make a purchasing decision.
3. Create a sense of urgency with a deadline or special offer.
If visitors feel like they'll be missing out by not acting now, they will be more likely to get off the couch.
4. Mention pain.
I just wrote an article last week called "Avoiding Major Pain in Web Design." Years ago, I wrote an article similar to "Twelve Steps to Recovery for Executives in Denial of the Internet." For some reason, I get the most reader response to these negatively worded titles. Mentioning pain that evokes guilt or greed gets people off the couch.
5. Create actionable content.
As you write your Web copy, use phrases like "Have you thought about___?", "You owe it to yourself," and other language that invokes interaction on the part of the visitor. Include lots of "you" statements, making it about the reader. Your reader should relate towhat you're saying and even empathize with your words. It's all about getting your visitor to take the first step towards starting a relationship with you. Then you'll have a chance down the road to turn them into a customer.
These ideas on getting more business from actionable content havecertainly helped my clients, and I hope they will help you as well!
Sandi Smith
http://www.sandismith.com
Hope You Enjoyed This Article!
Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyportal.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
FeedBurner