Comfortable Marketing

Saturday, January 24, 2009

The Secret To Affiliate Marketing Success

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online, even if you don't have a list of customers, subscribers and prospects who buy things every time you email them, you can still make money with affiliate marketing with these cool tactics that I am using.

I actually have taught my sis to do this in several niches and she uses it to bring in a couple hundred dollars a month.Now she wants to start her own online business and works it as a full time job, that's why I knew I had to come up with something she could do fairly easy.

First, you'll need to pick a pretty broad niche, like from the health and fashion area, or from your hobbies etc.You can even use Internet marketing, that's actually the niche I use this tactic for.

Once you have your niche, you need to make sure there are plenty of digital products for your niche, such marketplace like Clickbank, PayDotCom and Commission Junction are the affiliate sites where you can find tons of digital products to sell as an affiliate.

To start out with, you need to pick one digital product first.You're either going to have to buy it or ask the owner for a review copy, because you'll need to write a review for the product, this is really important because you're not writing an ad for the product, you're writing a product review.

If you never write one, my suggestion is to go to a place like IdeaMarketers and read articles about how to write a review before writing your first one.It's really not that hard, so don't let that discourage you.Once you get your first one done, all other ones you write will be super easy.

After you have your product reviewed and the review written for it, it's time for you to create a blog and post the review to your blog.When you do this, don't forget to make sure you create product links within the post because it will be easier for the visitors - when they read your product review, they know where to buy the product.

The product links that you created in your post will be your affiliate links.To get more sales, I highly recommend getting your own domain name and installing a blog on it.

Now, you've got a blog with your product review, there's only one problem left - how to get people come to your blog?Well, here's where the secrets come in.The secret is there are no secrets.Just tactics you have to learn and use.

Here are the things that I did.

The first thing I did is to use an RSS submitter tool, and submit my blog RSS feed to the directories to gain some instant traffic.

The second thing I did is to do the keyword research, I need to find out the keywords that related to the products that I am promoting, and those keywords have to be the ones that don't have lots of competition (long tail keywords).

After I got this part done, I started to write articles on the topic of the products I have reviewed with the keywords focus.

Once I got those entire works done, I will write a short 'about me' section at the end of the article, which is called 'resources box', together with my website URL address in it.This is a great way to get more back links, which means when readers click on the links that in your resources box; it will directly bring them back to your website, and you gain free instant traffic.

For in case if you don't have time or if you don't like to write, you can pay an article writer to write an article for you.

The finally thing I did is to use article distribution service, such as use Article Marketer to submit my articles to the article directories on the web.

Once you've done your first article, rinse and repeat with a new product.If you keep writing reviews for the products and putting your affiliate links in the reviews, sooner or later, you'll make sales on those products by driving traffic the ways I've told you.

There are tons of ways to drive traffic, but this is the easy method for affiliates to make money.By using the back link tactic, you are not only getting instant traffic, you will also get long term traffic as your reviews start ranking for the keywords that you chooses.


About the Author

Ann Liu, a certified professional Internet marketer and author of Online Profiting.

To learn how YOU too can succeed in Internet and affiliate marketing, please visit http://www.marketingbyann.com


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Friday, January 23, 2009

On The Campaign Trail - Leaflet Distribution In Politics

It's the biggest concern to any politician who wishes to see their ideas come to fruition; how do I get my message across to the most people possible.It's all very well having the best idea but unless you can get it into the minds of the voting public then it's no good to anyone.Of course one of the biggest mass media tools is television, but even this has restraints and drawbacks.You rely on people tuning in to listen to what you have to say.Unless you are already well know the chances of that are slim.

Leaflet distribution offers an effective alternative.
Television advertising costs big money these days.The need to look as good in high definition on some of the super sized screens that are on the market right now has meant that a badly produced commercial stands out like a sore thumb.As a result if a politician is going to undertake a TV commercial they'll need to hire the best people possible so that they portray the right image; clothes, location, make-up, sound...the list of things to consider goes on and the cost mounts up.

One of the other majors concerns of any politician is always money.Getting the most for your money, not wasting a penny and justifying any expenses are all at the front of a politician's mind when making any sort of decision.Leaflet distribution, then, has added attraction as a marketing or promotional tool.It is relatively inexpensive, can reach large numbers of people quickly and can be adapted to specific needs or requirements.

Throughout history leaflet distribution has been used in politics to influence decisions and get a particular point of view across.It has helped groups like the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffragettes achieve their aims and it has been used in every democratic nation on the planet to tell people why they should vote for a particular person or idea.It's probably the most cost effective and easiest way of reaching lots of people all at once.

In countries that are governed by oppressive or dictatorial regimes political leaflet distribution is at its most effective.The methods some governments go to in suppressing large groups of people are sometimes shocking and they are always carried out with a view to suppressing free thought and stopping discussion of new ideas.In that situation people turn to surreptitious means to get their message across.Because of the immediate nature of leaflets and their ability to convey a message quickly they are a popular tool among groups of radicals and campaigners, especially those who live under potentially dangerous political systems.

In Central and Eastern Europe the leaflet was an important propaganda tool in bringing about democratic change.Leaflets containing anti communist literature and images were distributed as a way of destabilising governments and making people aware that change was being planned.

The role that leaflet distribution played in bringing down the Soviet Union has added irony in that it was the Russian Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century that made the most of leafleting as a political tool.Before the October Revolution of 1917 its impact had been negligible.After the revolution it was looked at as a serious method of communicating a message and bringing about change.

In recent times it has been used to great effect in Korea, Bahrain and Nigeria.


About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the marketing industry.


Find out more about leaflet distribution and marketing.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

3 Ways To Keep MS Word From Killing Your SEO Strategy

Most of us type our content in Microsoft Word before publishing our articles, blog posts, and web content.But did you know that Microsoft Word can actually hurt the SEO strategy of your site?

If Microsoft Word is set up incorrectly, it can cause major issues when transferring the content to the web.Before writing any document, it is important to make a few changes to your Word settings to eliminate these issues.

Smart Quotes, Apostrophes, and Dashes


Microsoft Word automatically converts straight quotation marks and apostrophes into "smart" quotes and apostrophes for a more pleasant look.

It will also automatically convert single and double dashes into an elongated dash.While these might look nice on the Microsoft Word document, these modified characters cause a lot of trouble on the web.If you've ever seen something on the web with "??" where quotes should be or strange jargon in place of a dash, you've seen the embarrassment these can cause.

The good news is that it only takes changing a few settings once to eliminate this problem for every future document you write.This is important because your SEO strategy is only good if your content is good as well.

1.Go the "Tools" menu and select "Auto Correct"
2.
Select the "Format as You Type" Tab.
3.Under the "Replace As You Type" heading uncheck: "Straight Quotes" with "Smart Quotes" and "Symbol Characters (--) with symbols"


Style Formatting


The style formatting toolbar looks innocent enough - but choosing certain settings here can cause hours of additional work over time for the person who is converting your text to the web.

Always choose NORMAL when using Word!

I've noticed that many freelance writers choose something other than normal - or add additional spaces after lines, or double spaces after single returns.While this might look good in Word, all of that formatting disappears once it is put into an HTML editor and then must be completely reformatted in order for your SEO strategy to be effective.If you highlight the text and see extra spaces around the line breaks, then there is something off with the settings.

To ensure that your document does not have any extra Word Doc formatting:
1.
Select "Format" and "Paragraph" from your toolbar:
2.
The "Indents and Spacing" tab should be set to single spacing with 0 spacing before and after lines.
3.The "Line and Page Breaks" tab should have nothing checked other than "window/orphan control"


Pasting Content into Your Website Software from Word


When pasting content into your website software such as Wordpress, Joomla, or other type of website software with a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, it's important to paste the content into the HTML tab - NOT the visual editor.

The reason is that Microsoft Word adds a ton of HTML code "behind the scenes" when you paste directly into the editor.

Pasting into the HTML tab eliminates all of this sloppy extra code that can severely dilute your keyword density and make it more difficult for search engine spiders to crawl your content and decipher the primary topic of the article.And if the search engines cannot determine the focus of your content, your SEO strategy is not efficient.

Taking these few extra steps before you start typing, can eliminate hours of reformatting and ensure that your content is properly read and ranked by search engines.Creating an effective SEO marketing campaign means that you sometimes have to take into consideration all of the small changes you can make as well as the big ones -- every bit counts towards higher rankings!


About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is co-owner of SEO Content Solutions, a leading SEO copywriting firm.

The company provides SEO press releases, articles, blog content and web content to resellers and end users alike.

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

RSS Feeds Delivers A New Wave Of Entertainment Without Leaving Your Desk

The development of RSS feeds, which stands for really simple syndication, is a branch of basic XML file formatting that enables users to receive information on an instantaneous basis.For those who want to know about the chronic updating of any website, an RSS feed is the way to go.The feed is able to detect any minor (or significant) change on any given website and bring that updated information directly to the user.Web syndication brought the use of the RSS feed up to speed and brought it into the hands of the average user.

The RSS feed requires assistance in converting code into text, which can be done through an aggregator, commonly called a feed reader.This is a simple download available for no charge from a vast array of websites.These downloads require nothing more than the speed and OS necessary to support the feed and the reader.

What is the value of an RSS feed?Websites that are often updated or that carry a high number of subscribers can alert their entire database of changes or news without having to bother with email communications.It is like having a direct link to the web designers.Having this information can do a multitude of things for a business.Imaging the response for any website expecting to carry a Playstation 3.You had thousands of hungry gamers awaiting the release of the new gaming system and one single RSS feed that was ready to output the information as soon as the information was entered into computer's database.

At this point, the gamers flooded the site trying to order their Playstation 3.Any website that offers special deals, that offers news and information, or who values home entertainment above all else, RSS feeds have broadened the scope of their internet based clientele and their business ventures have taken off in new ways.

RSS feeds are no longer limited to the desktop or the laptop.You can now program and RSS feed to bring the exact same information directly to a cell phone or a PDA.This is one of the most effective methods of eliminating spam and unwanted email communications.Feeds that offer the information that is relevant to your life can be huge time savers.When you carry a few specific RSS feeds that give you the most vital information to you and your life, it becomes easy to get the information you need without the need for dearch engines, long winded searches, and unwanted results.

Most RSS feeds are developed with the consumer in mind.Whether it's news or special interest, an RSS feeds is a great asset to small internet companies.It allows the client base to gather information directly from their website and helps the smallest of the companies stay connected to their loyal following, even if it is only a few people.Updating websites, even the small ones, takes some effort.Alerting everyone to the new information can be time consuming.RSS feeds save consumers time and money while saving business proprietors time and money.

RSS feed directories can help consumers connect with small business owners and maintain the same connection that the small e-business is developing with their basic client list.In many cases, RSS feeds listed on the directories are highly effective helping smaller e-commerce entrepreneurs achieve a higher standard within their own business community.By being listed, even if they are selling something tiny and seemingly worthless, are able to bring together those who are interested in purchasing with the company that is offering the sale of the item.It works for so many companies that it has been deemed the super mall of the future.

Through such directories such as Feedster, consumers can also gain access to the company's blog site and also get involved in community based projects sponsored by the company.With an RSS feed revolution on the doorstep of our technologically based society, it won't be long before they become completely necessary for businesses without the need for chronic email communications.RSS feeds may very well be the key to future record breaking sales for may companies.


About the Author

OR if you would like to succeed immediately to create financial freedom working only 4 hours a week, check out www.

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Making Money With Affiliate Programs - Just The Facts

Many of us only dream about a life in which we work the hours we want and have time for the important things.What about making an income that we are satisfied with and proud of?It is time to face facts most of us work because we have to not because we want to.Often times work takes away from our life then adding to it.

This is the main reason why so many people are becoming involved with affiliate marketing as a means of income.Affiliate marketing is a very lucrative job and it was responsible for billions of dollars of revenue over the past years most of which was centered on holiday shopping.When you decide to become an affiliate marketer there are a few things for you to focus on.

As with everything else in life you must make a choice and starting something new is difficult.Thats a known fact and when it comes to affiliate marketing the same concept is true.Just like any other career path there are going to be ups and downs, times when you are tired and you feel like quitting.You have to make all the decisions, be responsible for every part of the business, and overall just maintain your life work balance.

On the other hand, certain things will be easier especially when you start to make money and you totally enjoy what you are doing.It is imperative that you remember these times when things get rough and you feel like giving up.Such as everything else in life it is your choice as to what happens and what your destiny will be.Your destiny in being a successful affiliate marketer relies on you and your work ethic whether things are good or bad.Like the old adage says if you believe you can be successful then you will be.

The first thing you should do after you have chosen to become an affiliate marketer is to learn how to be the best in the field.In order to do this you need to do research and learn the best techniques to use to make sure that you are a successful affiliate marketer.If you invest the time to learn in the beginning you will have a bigger financial reward in the end.

There are three main techniques that you should focus on which are; writing articles, posting on forums, and posting on blogs.All of these ensure that people will visit the website that you are promoting thus you will have more sales and a higher commission.In order to learn more about these techniques you can utilize the resources found on:
thesecret2onlinemoney
googlenemesis
affiliatepayload
googlemassacre
googlesnatch


Increase your profits
Since you have made your decision and you are working towards being a successful affiliate marketer now it is time for you to increase the amount of money that you are making.





You have already invested tons of time into this and now you need to invest some capital back into your business in order for you to be successful.

If you know the phrase, It takes money to make money, then you know that you have to invest money towards your affiliate marketing career.Hopefully you have invested some money into learning the best techniques to use from the sites listed above and you are writing articles to promote your products.

What if I told you that you could earn more money and save time when it comes to writing articles?It is easy, simply hire a professional web writer.These writers are starting to notice the affiliate market as a place for them to apply their knowledge and writing savvy.It is important to realize that since these people know how to write they can probably promote your product very well since that is there job.These people are also willing to sit for hours on end writing articles which is something that you need to be successful.

I must warn you though that as with everything else in life you get what you pay for.Top writers charge more money but they will also give you a better written article which will pay you more in the long run.Sure you can spend less money but that means poorer quality articles which could potential make your sales decline.

You must know that it is very easy to be a successful affiliate marketer.There are a few steps that you must make sure you follow though to ensure that you are successful.Seeing as how the internet is growing bigger by the day and almost every company will have increased sales by simply having a website you can see that the world can benefit greatly if you become an affiliate marketer.All that is required is for you to have patience, be willing to work hard, and lastly a minor amount of capital.

Good luck and I wish you much success as an affiliate marketer!


About the Author

Melissa is an established online marketer who has learned many tips and techniques about online marketing and she wants to teach you what she knows.

For more information please visit http://www.thesecret2onlinemoney.com


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Monday, January 19, 2009

Outsource-If You Don't, Which Hat Would Like To Wear?

Say the word outsource and many people new to internet marketing run for the hills.It's really because it's not understood the importance of what it can do for you.Running your online business does require wearing different hats, and a lot of times you will have to wear these hats at the same time.

Often people are swayed into believing that they can sit at their desk behind their cute little computer, punch a few buttons and money will mysteriously come flying out of their PC.I know it's not portrayed quite that simple, but you know what I mean.

That portrayal or fantasy is what leads people in a straight line to failure.They walk into the arena with these visions of grandeur dancing in their heads of money falling from the sky.They don't see reality again until their pockets are empty.Sad but true.Speaking of the truth, let's run through a quick list of titles, or hats, you might have to wear in your online business:


- Sole Decision Maker
- Bookkeeper
- Legal Clerk
- IT Specialist
- Sales and Marketing Representative
- Customer Service Representative
- Graphics Designer
- Web Master
- Researcher


Whew!









Those are really a lot of hats, and they are all mine?Yep they are, and these or many more may be required for your business.Any one of those roles, if not done by you, would harm your business by NOT doing it.

When you start becoming more successful, you will find that these roles and tasks are becoming cumbersome (not that they won't be before then) and you won't have enough time to do them all.But, right now if you just learn the roles, and what's required of them, it will help you in the future.

That's because you will have to learn to outsource some of your tasks and projects.Once you know and understand the requirements of the role, you will be in a better position to state exactly what you need and evaluate whomever you will hire.

You are only one person, probably working full time like me, and working as hard as you can to get your business to achieve your financial goals.If you continue to perform all of these roles, you will become a "Jack of all trades and Master of none".You will not have developed the expertise in the area that is destined for you.You will also waste a lot of time and incur the same expenses or more than if you would have simply outsourced the task.

Let me give you an example of what I mean.I was trying to create some graphics for one of my products.I teetered around with these graphics for almost a month.I just couldn't get them to look like I wanted them to.

I searched for answers, researched forums, and tried to gather as much information as possible about these graphics.Well one day I was talking to some friends about this dilemma I was having, and they asked me "Why don't you just outsource it, I know a really good graphics designer?"


Hmmm, I thought well I don't have the money to pay for a graphics designer.

My friends said well just go ahead and spend another month trying to figure out what to do on your own.Then I started thinking, I've already wasted a month and have gotten nowhere.What can I lose by getting a quote.

So I bit the bullet and contacted the graphic designer.I was quoted $100 and a turnaround of two days because he was working on another project.Well I jumped on that immediately.I wound up getting the graphics back the next day instead of two days.

Think about the money I lost for not doing this sooner.How much money could I have made if I would have just outsourced this earlier and focused my attention on the making money part of my business?You need to understand how and when outsourcing will benefit you.It doesn't have to be a scary or nail biting situation.You just need to embrace it and learn about it just as you've learned about everything else.


About the Author

I invite you to acquire more information on how to start, build and manage your online business.

You can get instant access to future updates on all the tips, tools and advice by simply visiting NetBiz Handbook


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