Using Tags to Get More Traffic to Your Blog through Blog Directories:
Tags are generally ignored by site owners and bloggers in terms of potential. They're small, for one and very often easy to overlook. Furthermore, those who do not understand their use or significance or at least why and how they work may not often appreciate their value. This is unfortunate because tags can help increase the traffic coming in to your blog from blog directories. Learn what tags are and how they work so you can maximize their use.
Tag – you're it
A tag, also referred to as a meta tag, is a keyword that is used to label specific information found on a web page. A meta tag uses HTML tags that are hidden from plain sight but clearly 'visible' to web crawlers.
A tag functions mainly for identification of an article, for example, or a title, subheading, site description or image – hence the name 'tag'. They are often used as tools to ping multiple search engines, create a presence for use in social bookmarking and to drive traffic to your site, especially your blog. With tags, it will be easier for your site, article or web page to be found in search engines where they are supported.
Put simply, a tag is a small piece of identification on your blog that informs a search engine bot or spider what your site is about and how it should be indexed. If you can choose and design the right combination of tags for your blog, you will be able to manipulate the number and type of traffic that reaches your site from blog directories legally.
Using tags on your blog to drive more traffic
Blog directories are repositories of information and news regarding the types of blogs available for a particular topic or subject. As such, they can be very useful sources of highly targeted traffic for your own blog. To maximize the use of blog directories for this purpose, consider doing the following:
Choose your words carefully
Keep in mind that your blog is just one of millions out there vying for attention. Even if you're trying to build a reputation within a relatively smaller niche industry, you will still be competing with at least a dozen others in your market segment. Careful consideration in choosing the specific keywords (or tags) to use with your blog will help you stand out in blog directories.
There are three important tags that you should focus on when designing your blog for traffic increase from blog directories. These are the title tag, the description tag and the keyword/s tag.
The title tag. The title of each blog entry you have should contain the most essential keywords that appear in your write-up or are relevant to your content. This will help optimize your entry and make it easier for search engines to find and index.
Prospective visitors who perform a search using Google, Yahoo! or MSN Search, for example, will be able to reach an optimized blog, since it's more likely to appear in a search engine list. As a result, you drive more traffic to your blog.
The description tag. Although description tags are ignored by some search engines, adding this to your blog can help influence how your blog (or at least its web pages) is described.
The keyword tag. The keyword tag is the word or phrase that you will repeat within the content body or web page in question. Used strategically, these keywords can help increase your blog's results in search engines and bring in more traffic to your site by allowing visitors to easily find you.
Don't be afraid to combine keywords, though. That's how you will be able to create highly targeted key phrases to optimize your blog. Three- to four-word key phrases will do. Multiple word tags are advantageous to single word searches as well. If you use a keyword phrase tag that says 'rock paper scissors', for example, your blog still has the potential to show up in case someone uses only the word 'rock' or 'paper' in his search.
Don't overdo the use of tags
If you don't watch out, tags can be addictive. It could reach a point where you might find yourself using tags that have little relevance to your blog. This usually happens when you try too hard to make sure that your blog or web page appears in more listings.
Although it may seem like a good idea to help increase traffic to your blog particularly as a means to shine in blog directories, overuse of tags can be counter-productive. Try to be careful in choosing only the kind of tags that your blog truly needs. Leaner but highly targeted tags are much more effective than generic ones.
Follow through
A good tag can gain initial interest in your blog and increase traffic coming from blog directories. However, it can only do so much. Now that traffic is beating at your door, you should be able to throw a real party thereafter. Make sure that the content associated with your tag/s is well worth your visitor's click. It should offer specific information for a specific purpose and should include the content that you so readily promised in your links.
Otherwise, you won't earn the trust of a loyal readership or following. A baited title that lacks the backing of useful content will be viewed as a cheap trick and won't earn you a lot of respect – or traffic.
Traffic Ad Bar
Showing posts with label ads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ads. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Friday, August 1, 2014
Differences between Marketing and Advertising
Differences between Marketing and Advertising:
Marketing and Advertising, although they sound similar but in reality they are not. Advertising is only a part of the bigger game called Marketing. Marketing encompasses complete conceptualization of a brand right from research to designing to advertising to sale. Advertising, on the other hand is a component of the marketing process which is nothing but conveying the message through variety of mediums to promote the product.
Advertising is one of the most important component of a marketing strategy and also the most expensive. Advertising constitutes sending the message across the public about your company, product or services. It also constitutes behind the scenes work like the process involving formation of various strategies and coming up with a right one to target the viewers. The strategy consists of planning things like placing ads, deciding what media to use, what time, frequency etc. The advertisements are generally placed via mediums like television, snail mail, newspapers, internet, emails, radio, magazines, mobile messaging, flyers, billboards etc. The most popular one is of course television although advertising on internet is becoming increasingly popular too.
Easiest way to differentiate advertising from marketing is to consider marketing as a cake and if you cut the cake, advertising as one of the pieces of that cake. The other pieces of cake are market research of the product, product designing, media planning, PR, product pricing, customer satisfaction, customer support, sales and many more. All these components or pieces of cake should work independently but collectively in achieving the bigger goal i.e. sell product and build company's reputation in the market. Marketing is a marathon process involving many tasks that involve hours sometimes days of research. The research part of marketing takes the longest duration as it involves thoroughly understanding the behavior of people towards a product. Designing the product and developing advertising strategy is also a time consuming process. Only components that take less time are executing advertisements and sales. Marketing can also be perceived as a medium between consumers and the company.
But many companies often make mistake of confusing advertising with marketing. They try to ape big companies like Coke and Pepsi in advertising but they simply ignore the work that goes behind that. The classical example of this is, take the case of logo for instance. Many business owners are so hysterical about the logo of their company in their advertisements that they think that it will simply bring in the sales. But what makes a logo works is none other than the reputation of the company and the logo must have a feeling to it and should truly reflect company's values. One should also remember that these companies spend fortunes on advertising which a new start up business can't. Rather than spending unnecessary money on branding your product one should invest money and time in communicating to the consumers that they can address their expectations. After building reputation and growing to a big size company one can think of these lavish ideas. Educating the consumers also helps as it will give them an understanding that you know what you do and are best at doing that.
Smart marketers are aggressive in approach rather than passive. They provoke reader's minds by prompting them to do something rather than just making them knowledgeable of the product. Smart marketers also bring home the names, addresses and contact numbers of people who are really interested in hiring your company by employing aggressive marketing. Thus having a good marketing campaign speaks a lot about the company and their products and advertising gives that finishing touch to the hard work done by the marketing people in selling a product.
Marketing and Advertising, although they sound similar but in reality they are not. Advertising is only a part of the bigger game called Marketing. Marketing encompasses complete conceptualization of a brand right from research to designing to advertising to sale. Advertising, on the other hand is a component of the marketing process which is nothing but conveying the message through variety of mediums to promote the product.
Advertising is one of the most important component of a marketing strategy and also the most expensive. Advertising constitutes sending the message across the public about your company, product or services. It also constitutes behind the scenes work like the process involving formation of various strategies and coming up with a right one to target the viewers. The strategy consists of planning things like placing ads, deciding what media to use, what time, frequency etc. The advertisements are generally placed via mediums like television, snail mail, newspapers, internet, emails, radio, magazines, mobile messaging, flyers, billboards etc. The most popular one is of course television although advertising on internet is becoming increasingly popular too.
Easiest way to differentiate advertising from marketing is to consider marketing as a cake and if you cut the cake, advertising as one of the pieces of that cake. The other pieces of cake are market research of the product, product designing, media planning, PR, product pricing, customer satisfaction, customer support, sales and many more. All these components or pieces of cake should work independently but collectively in achieving the bigger goal i.e. sell product and build company's reputation in the market. Marketing is a marathon process involving many tasks that involve hours sometimes days of research. The research part of marketing takes the longest duration as it involves thoroughly understanding the behavior of people towards a product. Designing the product and developing advertising strategy is also a time consuming process. Only components that take less time are executing advertisements and sales. Marketing can also be perceived as a medium between consumers and the company.
But many companies often make mistake of confusing advertising with marketing. They try to ape big companies like Coke and Pepsi in advertising but they simply ignore the work that goes behind that. The classical example of this is, take the case of logo for instance. Many business owners are so hysterical about the logo of their company in their advertisements that they think that it will simply bring in the sales. But what makes a logo works is none other than the reputation of the company and the logo must have a feeling to it and should truly reflect company's values. One should also remember that these companies spend fortunes on advertising which a new start up business can't. Rather than spending unnecessary money on branding your product one should invest money and time in communicating to the consumers that they can address their expectations. After building reputation and growing to a big size company one can think of these lavish ideas. Educating the consumers also helps as it will give them an understanding that you know what you do and are best at doing that.
Smart marketers are aggressive in approach rather than passive. They provoke reader's minds by prompting them to do something rather than just making them knowledgeable of the product. Smart marketers also bring home the names, addresses and contact numbers of people who are really interested in hiring your company by employing aggressive marketing. Thus having a good marketing campaign speaks a lot about the company and their products and advertising gives that finishing touch to the hard work done by the marketing people in selling a product.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Ideas For Making Money With A Cyber Yard Sale On Craigslist.org
Ideas For Making Money With A Cyber Yard Sale On Craigslist.org
You have a lot of items you want to get rid of or sell. The idea of a yard sale or moving sale does not appeal to you because you do not want to give up your weekend to sell your items. Auction sites on the web will not work for some of your items as you would like to sell larger things that are not easily shipped. They can also be expensive if the items do not sell. The ideal place for you would be a free website that has enough traffic to make it worth your while. Craigslist.org is what you are looking for. Chances are you are close to one of the 450 areas that this website covers. Here are some ideas for making money with a cyber yard sale on craiglsist.org.
The first step is to take great photographs of all of your items. A digital camera is the best way, but if you only have a 35mm or APS camera that is ok too. Just have the place where you get the film developed put the images on to a CD for you. Then write your ads. Use a good title with a keyword that will get it noticed. If you are selling vintage dinning room chairs, then in your title say "Vintage Dinning Room Chairs". This way, your ad will attract only the buyers that are looking for vintage chairs; not someone who is looking for a rocking chair. Your final step is to write a really good descriptive ad for your item. Be sure to include any flaws your items may have and if they are new state that. If they are used also state that. The price of the item should be clearly noted. Craigslist.org will protect your privacy. You can have all emails forwarded to you through their system. Your email address is not posted for all to see. Now that you have your ad written, do the same for every item you wish to sell.
Getting your ads posted is easy. All it takes is a valid email address to register. It is always free on craigslist.org. Once your ads are posted, you will have to manage them. Every ad you post is valid for 45 days. What is not told to you though is that as your ad gets older, it drops to the bottom of the listings. In order to keep your ad toward the top of the first page, you must delete and repost every 2-3 days. By doing this your ad will be visible to all. A lot of people searching for items do not search past the first page. If you have many items for sale and do not think you will be able to keep up with deleting and reposting in this time frame, then think about posting fewer items at a time, if you can. This way there is less to manage.
The advantages of selling your items in a cyber yard sale on craigslist.org are numerous. You do not have to depend on the weather. Traditional yard sales, no matter how well planned are at the mercy of the weather, unless you wish to bring it indoors. Another advantage is that you post and manage the ads, and then wait for responses. You do not lose an entire day or two. Finally, there is a greater level of security for you when using craigslist.org. Instead of advertising a yard sale with your address, everything is kept private and only interested individuals are given your contact information. You decide who you are going to sell to. This eliminates those who "browse" yard sales. Some of these browsing individuals may have ulterior motives.
Hopefully these ideas for making money with a cyber yard sale on craigslist.org have helped you. The internet has opened up a whole new way of turning our unwanted items into cash. Craigslist.org is a free way to get your unwanted items for sale in front of millions of visitors from your area. Many people are realizing how valuable an asset like this can be. With time becoming a rare commodity, why not use craigslist.org for your next yard sale. This way you can get to your kids baseball game without a conflict.
You have a lot of items you want to get rid of or sell. The idea of a yard sale or moving sale does not appeal to you because you do not want to give up your weekend to sell your items. Auction sites on the web will not work for some of your items as you would like to sell larger things that are not easily shipped. They can also be expensive if the items do not sell. The ideal place for you would be a free website that has enough traffic to make it worth your while. Craigslist.org is what you are looking for. Chances are you are close to one of the 450 areas that this website covers. Here are some ideas for making money with a cyber yard sale on craiglsist.org.
The first step is to take great photographs of all of your items. A digital camera is the best way, but if you only have a 35mm or APS camera that is ok too. Just have the place where you get the film developed put the images on to a CD for you. Then write your ads. Use a good title with a keyword that will get it noticed. If you are selling vintage dinning room chairs, then in your title say "Vintage Dinning Room Chairs". This way, your ad will attract only the buyers that are looking for vintage chairs; not someone who is looking for a rocking chair. Your final step is to write a really good descriptive ad for your item. Be sure to include any flaws your items may have and if they are new state that. If they are used also state that. The price of the item should be clearly noted. Craigslist.org will protect your privacy. You can have all emails forwarded to you through their system. Your email address is not posted for all to see. Now that you have your ad written, do the same for every item you wish to sell.
Getting your ads posted is easy. All it takes is a valid email address to register. It is always free on craigslist.org. Once your ads are posted, you will have to manage them. Every ad you post is valid for 45 days. What is not told to you though is that as your ad gets older, it drops to the bottom of the listings. In order to keep your ad toward the top of the first page, you must delete and repost every 2-3 days. By doing this your ad will be visible to all. A lot of people searching for items do not search past the first page. If you have many items for sale and do not think you will be able to keep up with deleting and reposting in this time frame, then think about posting fewer items at a time, if you can. This way there is less to manage.
The advantages of selling your items in a cyber yard sale on craigslist.org are numerous. You do not have to depend on the weather. Traditional yard sales, no matter how well planned are at the mercy of the weather, unless you wish to bring it indoors. Another advantage is that you post and manage the ads, and then wait for responses. You do not lose an entire day or two. Finally, there is a greater level of security for you when using craigslist.org. Instead of advertising a yard sale with your address, everything is kept private and only interested individuals are given your contact information. You decide who you are going to sell to. This eliminates those who "browse" yard sales. Some of these browsing individuals may have ulterior motives.
Hopefully these ideas for making money with a cyber yard sale on craigslist.org have helped you. The internet has opened up a whole new way of turning our unwanted items into cash. Craigslist.org is a free way to get your unwanted items for sale in front of millions of visitors from your area. Many people are realizing how valuable an asset like this can be. With time becoming a rare commodity, why not use craigslist.org for your next yard sale. This way you can get to your kids baseball game without a conflict.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
The Google Blog Network Massacre - Blog Networks Deindexed
The Google Blog Network Massacre - Blog Networks Deindexed
By Samuel Frost on March 29 2012 Mar 29 2012 140Comments 
If you're anything like me then you love to keep your finger on the pulse of the affiliate marketing and SEO world. Just like you probably watch the 6pm news broadcast on TV, you should keep up to date with SEO current events. The biggest headline story this week has to be the deindexing of blog networks by Google.Thousands have been affected by Google either partially or completely removing entire blog networks. When Google removes a website from its index, any outgoing links automatically become null and void. Also, it doesn't look very good if a big portion of your links come from services that Google dislikes.
What is a blog network?
In case you aren't aware what a blog network is, allow me to quickly explain. Basically, blog networks allow you to publish blog posts (read "articles") on different websites that are linked into some form of automatic content distribution system. For example, if I wrote an article called "5 Killer Guitar Solo Secrets", I could then submit to a blog networks and in theory this article will then be published to sites in the network related to "guitars", "music", "hobbies", and things like that.
Blog networks come in many different flavors and varieties, with the only real underlying similarities being they are a system for generating backlinks by submitting content, and there is usually a price for membership (I'll come back to why this is important soon) "Public" blog networks consist of blog owners putting their sites in the network to receive free content. "Private" blog networks are slightly different, because the administrators of the network actually own the sites to which writers publish their content.
The biggest casualty so far of Google's push against blog networks is the Build My Rank service. This was a private blog network, and the sites which made up the network have all been deindexed by Google. Any links generated through Build My Rank are now worthless, and the service has been closed down to new members. You can read BMR's statement about the closure of their network here - kudos to them for coming clean straight away about what happened too.
Other notable networks that have been punished include SEO Link Monster, Authority Link Network, and Linkvana.
If you want more evidence of this latest algorithm update in action, just search "blog networks deindexed" and see how many discussion results there are. Some of them are truly frightening - SEO companies relying entirely on blog networks like BMR to build links for their clients' websites, entire websites disappearing from Google's index; it's like Nightmare on SEO Street (I'm keeping the horror related quips going here!)
Why are blog networks being targeted by Google?
I see three principal reasons why Google has started to crackdown on blog networks, so let me run you through them:
- Blog networks are a form of paid link building. Google's policy on paid link building is crystal clear, especially the fact that "buying or selling links that pass PageRank is in violation of Google's Webmaster Guidelines and can negatively impact a site's ranking in search results." The purpose blog networks is to facilitate link building, and these links are most definitely paid for in a slightly less obvious manner. Google penalized the website of their own Chrome software when it was revealed that a marketing company they used had employed paid backlinks; Google were hardly going to think twice about penalizing other paid link users were they?
- Blog networks are a form of "link scheme". Just like paid linking, Google's opinion on link schemes leaves no room for confusion. They are not a natural form of link building, especially once blog networks developed the technology to allow you submit a spin-ready article to hundreds of different blogs in a short space of time. Nobody submitted to blog networks just for the sake of getting content published - it is and always was about generating links. Blog networks sold themselves on this basis of being a way to get unnaturally large amounts of links quickly, and it was only a matter of time until Google caught on.
- Articles posted to blog networks tend to be low quality. The vast majority of articles posted to blog networks were low quality "filler" content that was only written to get backlinks. That might sound harsh, but the unfortunately the truth hurts. If the Panda update of 2011 wasn't a big enough wake up call, then hopefully the newest of Google's changes is. Google wants quality, unique content to populate its search index. Google wants you to create and distribute content for the purpose of providing value to readers, not just to build links. If you want high search engine rankings then you need to focus on providing value first, and link building/SEO second. I simply cannot stress this point enough!
Are any blog networks still safe?
It's still early days with Google's latest rollout. Some blog networks, such as Article Marketing Automation appear not to have been hit yet. In fact, blog networks that publish content on member submitted blogs (as opposed to admin-owned blogs) appear to have fared better than other networks. However, that's not to say that more blog networks wont be penalized going forward, so proceed with caution.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket and rely on a single blog network as your main source of links. In fact, you shouldn't even rely on multiple blog networks for the bulk of your links. If you are going to use any of the remaining networks, it should be as the cherry on your SEO cake. The ball is in Google's court here, so you should be playing by their rules of natural link building and quality content.
What now?
However, there is one new blog network that looks quite promising - it's called The Content Facilitator. In fact, it isn't really a blog network at all because the articles you submit aren't automatically passed to sites in the network. There isn't really a network to speak of at all. Instead, I like to think of The Content Facilitator as a guest blogging marketplace. Bloggers looking for quality, unique (and non-spun) articles for their blogs can come and browse for content written for those who want to reach a larger audience and get some backlinks in the process.
The Content Facilitator also runs on a credit system, which means membership is free for both writers and those looking for content. Every time one of your articles is picked up by a blog owner, credits are deducted from your balance (this means you don't wind up with hundreds of articles being published at once, and an unnatural link profile) You can earn credits by referring new members to The Content Facilitator, and by publishing others' content.
My favorite feature of The Content Facilitator is the ability to set your article as "unique", meaning it can only be published by one member in the marketplace. Writing "unique" articles for The Content Facilitator therefore provides a strong incentive to other members to pick up your content and publish it before it's gone.
Mark has managed to organize a pretty sweet deal with the owners of The Content Facilitator, where you can get 100 free publishing credits by signing up here (you will need to use the coupon code TrafficTravis inside the members' area to get these credits) The Content Facilitator is in its infancy at the moment, and I predict it will get much bigger and more popular in the coming months; just remember that the early bird catches the worm!
Closing thoughts
One issue a lot of people are raising with the deindexing of blog networks is the theory that a competitor could simply submit hundreds of spun articles to networks, featuring links back to YOUR website. Think of it as a kind of "SEO sabotage". However, there is no need to worry about this - if a blog network is deindexed, the outgoing links in the network count for nothing, and therefore won't be able to affect your website. This is just disinformation at best, and scaremongering at worst.
If you've been affected by the closure and deindexing of blog networks, I'd love to hear from you. Just leave a comment below!
Monday, July 14, 2014
Apple iPhone - Drama
The Apple iPhone - Super Phone or Super Hype:
The Apple iPhone, super phone or super hype? Is this cell phone really the complete package that Apple purports it to be or is it all hype? Let us take a look at the facts and fiction about the Apple iPhone to see how it really stacks up against the advertising.
Ease of use, this is what Apple shows in all of its advertising. On this point, they hit it dead on. The Apple iPhone is extremely easy to use. If you can tap something with your finger or slide your finger along a screen you can use the iPhone without difficulty. For ease of use, the iPhone is a super phone.
Music listening and storage. As far as sound quality goes, the iPhone is great. A set of good quality stereo earbuds are required to enjoy the iPhone's sound quality. To complete the upscale look of the iPhone, perhaps a set of Bluetooth stereo earphones are in orders. In the category of sound quality and music playback capability, the iPhone is a super phone.
Storage is another feature that Apple hypes the iPhone. With 6 GB, 8 GB, and now 16 GB, this seems like a tremendous amount of storage. Here is where the downfall is, you cannot upgrade the memory or use external memory such as memory cards or sticks. Therefore you are limited by the amount of content you can have on your iPhone. You cannot take content with you. A work around could be to store content on an internet site and swap it out when you want it. Any teenager I know can blow through even 16 GB of music in an amazingly short amount of time. If you add in videos and TV shows, 16 GB becomes filled rather quickly. In the storage department, the Apple iPhone becomes hype instead of a super phone.
What about battery life. Here is where there is no hype at all: actually Apple has very little to say about the iPhone's battery. Here is why. You cannot change it. Most cell phones have a removable battery. This way if it dies, you change it out with a new one. The iPhone lacks this capability. Once that battery dies and will no longer hold a charge, you need a new phone. The reason Apple is so quite about the battery is probably due to the current litigation surrounding this. Is this hype or super phone? Neither one. The battery issue definitely does not qualify it as a super phone. Apple has said very little so there really is no hype involved. Perhaps we should just categorize this as buyer beware.
What about that touch screen? This is where you see the Apple iPhone hyped to the max. Is this super phone or hype? The touch screen is super sensitive. If your phone hits up against something in your pocketbook, or knocks into something while you are getting in and out of your car, you can end up calling people or having your iPhone do something weird. The touch screen does allow you to easily manipulate the iPhone. Overall, the touch screen ranks it as super phone not hype. Just be careful with it.
Next there is internet access. All of the commercials for the Apple iPhone show it as a super phone when it comes to internet access. You can use any WiFi to contact friends on Facebook or watch content on YouTube. Well, the browser needs better search capabilities. This is one area where the iPhone is lacking. Another is that the iPhone's browser does not store password. This was most likely a security feature that Apple built in. Personally, you are better off it does not store your passwords. In general WiFi networks are not secure, and you do not want your banking access information readily available to the public. Is this super phone or hyper. I will give them super phone on this one although it is not any different than any other smart phone out there.
The Apple iPhone, super phone or hype? It is looking like it comes out as a super phone. Especially if you want the music and internet capabilities.
The Apple iPhone, super phone or super hype? Is this cell phone really the complete package that Apple purports it to be or is it all hype? Let us take a look at the facts and fiction about the Apple iPhone to see how it really stacks up against the advertising.
Ease of use, this is what Apple shows in all of its advertising. On this point, they hit it dead on. The Apple iPhone is extremely easy to use. If you can tap something with your finger or slide your finger along a screen you can use the iPhone without difficulty. For ease of use, the iPhone is a super phone.
Music listening and storage. As far as sound quality goes, the iPhone is great. A set of good quality stereo earbuds are required to enjoy the iPhone's sound quality. To complete the upscale look of the iPhone, perhaps a set of Bluetooth stereo earphones are in orders. In the category of sound quality and music playback capability, the iPhone is a super phone.
Storage is another feature that Apple hypes the iPhone. With 6 GB, 8 GB, and now 16 GB, this seems like a tremendous amount of storage. Here is where the downfall is, you cannot upgrade the memory or use external memory such as memory cards or sticks. Therefore you are limited by the amount of content you can have on your iPhone. You cannot take content with you. A work around could be to store content on an internet site and swap it out when you want it. Any teenager I know can blow through even 16 GB of music in an amazingly short amount of time. If you add in videos and TV shows, 16 GB becomes filled rather quickly. In the storage department, the Apple iPhone becomes hype instead of a super phone.
What about battery life. Here is where there is no hype at all: actually Apple has very little to say about the iPhone's battery. Here is why. You cannot change it. Most cell phones have a removable battery. This way if it dies, you change it out with a new one. The iPhone lacks this capability. Once that battery dies and will no longer hold a charge, you need a new phone. The reason Apple is so quite about the battery is probably due to the current litigation surrounding this. Is this hype or super phone? Neither one. The battery issue definitely does not qualify it as a super phone. Apple has said very little so there really is no hype involved. Perhaps we should just categorize this as buyer beware.
What about that touch screen? This is where you see the Apple iPhone hyped to the max. Is this super phone or hype? The touch screen is super sensitive. If your phone hits up against something in your pocketbook, or knocks into something while you are getting in and out of your car, you can end up calling people or having your iPhone do something weird. The touch screen does allow you to easily manipulate the iPhone. Overall, the touch screen ranks it as super phone not hype. Just be careful with it.
Next there is internet access. All of the commercials for the Apple iPhone show it as a super phone when it comes to internet access. You can use any WiFi to contact friends on Facebook or watch content on YouTube. Well, the browser needs better search capabilities. This is one area where the iPhone is lacking. Another is that the iPhone's browser does not store password. This was most likely a security feature that Apple built in. Personally, you are better off it does not store your passwords. In general WiFi networks are not secure, and you do not want your banking access information readily available to the public. Is this super phone or hyper. I will give them super phone on this one although it is not any different than any other smart phone out there.
The Apple iPhone, super phone or hype? It is looking like it comes out as a super phone. Especially if you want the music and internet capabilities.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Advertising in Yellow Pages
Advertising in Yellow Pages
Some people believe that yellow pages do not receive response like other advertising methods do and this is true to some extent but not in totality. When talking about traditional yellow pages, there sure is a decline in number of people opting for advertising in it. According to a recent report, even the most attractive advertisement in a particular section is not getting the response from callers like they used to get before. On the contrary, the prices of placing ads in directories are on a rise, which speaks a different, story altogether.
In reality different categories are witnessing different rates of decline. Like the lawyers category is seeing the maximum decline, where as emergency service provider's section has the same call rate. And sections like mobile phones, real estate and furniture are seeing a rise due to the increasing customer demand. Altering the size of the advertisement or changing the look cannot do wonders any more.
Experts suggest that relying on yellow pages to get customers isn't enough. Other options should be considered as well along with it. With the Internet reaching every home, nearly half of the Internet users use the net everyday. They prefer to buy stuff online, from the comfort of their homes. Research should be done on the Internet to get reviews about the product. People, who don't usually shop online, also are also opting to shop online as information is provided at the click of a mouse. It is easier for people to trust as customers who used the product give their feedback about the product after using it.
A relatively newer concept is the yellow pages going online. The good thing about them is that they are updated frequently unlike the printed directories and can be viewed from any part of the world. According to researches conducted, the response increased by twenty five percent every year. So those who are interested to invest in yellow pages advertising can think of going online. Directories are submitted to search engines, which on typing a keyword or phrase bring the results. Small and local businesses, too, can land on the pages brought by the result. The cost of creating a website can be saved if all the relevant information about the company is included in the online yellow pages. Look out for the date to renew the directory listing, and if there is a need to change the advertisement, it is not a big problem on online yellow pages. Some starter websites offer to place advertisement in their yellow pages for free. Search out for such websites on the Internet.
Larger businesses can start their own websites and place links in the online yellow pages. Articles can be framed about the business and can be submitted to Ezines and websites related to the area of business. Some websites also allow posting articles for free. The purpose of the yellow pages is basically to get potential customers but that doesn't mean that existing customers should be neglected. Steps should be taken to strengthen the relationship with them and to retain their trust by maintaining the standard of the products supplied to them. Once they are completely satisfied, the price-rise won't bother them and they will talk about the company to people they know, which will fetch new customers.
The objective is to work smartly and select the right method of advertising. If a business isn't using any other method for advertising apart from using yellow pages, it can cause problems and the products may not sell. Analyze how much money is spent on placing ads in directories and estimate whether the amount of customers the business gets is desirable. Whenever a call is received from a potential customer, ask them how they got to know about the enterprise. This will help to analyze which advertising method is ideal for the business. It is never late to correct the mistake and go for the right method.
Some people believe that yellow pages do not receive response like other advertising methods do and this is true to some extent but not in totality. When talking about traditional yellow pages, there sure is a decline in number of people opting for advertising in it. According to a recent report, even the most attractive advertisement in a particular section is not getting the response from callers like they used to get before. On the contrary, the prices of placing ads in directories are on a rise, which speaks a different, story altogether.
In reality different categories are witnessing different rates of decline. Like the lawyers category is seeing the maximum decline, where as emergency service provider's section has the same call rate. And sections like mobile phones, real estate and furniture are seeing a rise due to the increasing customer demand. Altering the size of the advertisement or changing the look cannot do wonders any more.
Experts suggest that relying on yellow pages to get customers isn't enough. Other options should be considered as well along with it. With the Internet reaching every home, nearly half of the Internet users use the net everyday. They prefer to buy stuff online, from the comfort of their homes. Research should be done on the Internet to get reviews about the product. People, who don't usually shop online, also are also opting to shop online as information is provided at the click of a mouse. It is easier for people to trust as customers who used the product give their feedback about the product after using it.
A relatively newer concept is the yellow pages going online. The good thing about them is that they are updated frequently unlike the printed directories and can be viewed from any part of the world. According to researches conducted, the response increased by twenty five percent every year. So those who are interested to invest in yellow pages advertising can think of going online. Directories are submitted to search engines, which on typing a keyword or phrase bring the results. Small and local businesses, too, can land on the pages brought by the result. The cost of creating a website can be saved if all the relevant information about the company is included in the online yellow pages. Look out for the date to renew the directory listing, and if there is a need to change the advertisement, it is not a big problem on online yellow pages. Some starter websites offer to place advertisement in their yellow pages for free. Search out for such websites on the Internet.
Larger businesses can start their own websites and place links in the online yellow pages. Articles can be framed about the business and can be submitted to Ezines and websites related to the area of business. Some websites also allow posting articles for free. The purpose of the yellow pages is basically to get potential customers but that doesn't mean that existing customers should be neglected. Steps should be taken to strengthen the relationship with them and to retain their trust by maintaining the standard of the products supplied to them. Once they are completely satisfied, the price-rise won't bother them and they will talk about the company to people they know, which will fetch new customers.
The objective is to work smartly and select the right method of advertising. If a business isn't using any other method for advertising apart from using yellow pages, it can cause problems and the products may not sell. Analyze how much money is spent on placing ads in directories and estimate whether the amount of customers the business gets is desirable. Whenever a call is received from a potential customer, ask them how they got to know about the enterprise. This will help to analyze which advertising method is ideal for the business. It is never late to correct the mistake and go for the right method.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Internet Marketing Is 24/7, Not A One-Time Stunt
Internet Marketing Is 24/7, Not A One-Time Stunt
An oft-stated principle of Internet Marketing and Social Media Marketing is that it is not a one time stunt—it is a 24/7 endeavor. As we have discussed earlier in this course, you can profit indefinitely from the things that you build. But, that does not mean you can just create a Website and some social media profiles and then leave them to work by themselves. Nothing you build, no matter how clever, will work without your continued attention.
You may have very limited time. You may have a full-time job—perhaps even two jobs. You may have family responsibilities. As grand as it would be if we could, we simply cannot create extra hours in the day. Thus, it is understandable that you cannot devote 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to your Internet Marketing, no matter how promising the future might be if you could. What you can do, though, is care about your Internet Marketing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can be mindful of it. You can ensure that you do carve out as much time as possible to devote to it.
Your goal is social media is to create conversations. Online conversations are understood to have pauses, no one is expected to be online all the time. But, conversations must have some steady flow or they will dry up. However limited your time may be, make enough time to keep the flow of your conversations as steady as possible. Do your best to respond to everything, even if it takes some time for you to get to it.
The most frequently made mistake in Internet Marketing, from my observations, is that someone will put a great deal of effort into creating a Website and setting up social media pages and then just ignore it, expecting it to work on its own. What you are creating when you create a Website and social media pages is a vehicle, a vehicle that must then be driven before it can go anywhere. You can build the greatest car in the world, but you go nowhere in it unless you crank it up and attentively drive it somewhere. You can take breaks and pauses in your trip, but you have to get back in again soon and keep driving in order to reach your destination.
If You Think You're Done Creating Content, Start OptimizingContent
The platitude, "if you think you're done creating content, start optimizing content', which follows from our discussion above, is expressed various ways. It is just another way of reminding Internet Marketers that the job is never done. There are times when we all feel that we have just said all there is to say for now. We feel we have worked hard and have covered everything that needs to be covered in our Website and our social media pages. When you have that feeling, start optimizing your content on the same regular schedule that you used to create your content.
You can optimize your content in a number of ways. First, you can review the language you used in your content and ask yourself if it could be more clearly expressed. Could you say the same thing is less words? Could you say it in a more understandable way? Are there 'power words' you can use to replace some of the bland words you have used in your content? Is there some better way to say essentially the same thing, but with much more impact? You can always find something to improve in your content. Often, those little improvements can make a big difference.
Always Respond
"Always Respond" is a very concise way of expressing the principle that we have been discussing as it applies to social media. You do not have to respond right away— although it is better if you do—but do always respond to every legitimate communication you receive through your Website or social media pages, regardless of how long it takes you to do so.
In polite conversation among friends, it may not be the best thing to always have the last word. In marketing, though, if you do it thoughtfully, it is good to always send the last communication. This way, you are always acknowledging that you have been contacted. Even if the last correspondence you received concluded all business at hand, it is still good to acknowledge that communication and let your contact know that you are available the next time they need to communicate with you.
Don't Try To Be Clever, Be Clever
We discussed being clever in your social media posts just a few lessons back. It is mentioned again here because it appeared regularly in the recent articles I reviewed. It is worth repeating that being clever only works when there is a surprise and an intelligent point is made. If you try and fail, it falls flat. If possible, have a business associate, friend, or family member review your posts that are intended to be clever and see if they have the expected reaction. If not, perhaps you should rethink the post. It takes a little extra effort to be clever and creative, rather than bland in your communications, but that extra effort pays off.
Not Everything Will Work And That's Fine
On the other hand, if you do try and fail, it is not the end of the world. Do not let the fear of failure paralyze you. Some of your posts will work. Some will not. Some of your Web campaigns will work. Some will not. Study the ones that do work and study the ones that do not work. Try to ascertain what is common among the ones that do work and what is common among the ones that do not work. If you observe your results carefully, you should be able to improve the percentage of your efforts that do pay off.
Conclusion
To have success in Internet Marketing, you must really stick with it. While you may not be able to make it a 24/7 activity, you can make it a 24/7 concern. Always being mindful of your Internet Marketing efforts will help you to find more time to make them work. Any time you have the feeling that you're done for now, focus on trying to optimize what you have done. You can always find ways to improve things and little improvements often make a big difference in outcomes. In social media, always keep the conversations going and always respond to communications, even if it takes you a while to get to everything. Every communication to which you fail to respond may be a lost opportunity. Be clever, at least at times, in your communications and responses. Because failed attempts to be clever can be harmful, have someone review your efforts before you post them. Sometimes your efforts will fail despite the thoughtfulness and cleverness you apply to them. That's OK. Observing what works and what doesn't work, will help you apply your efforts more efficiently in the future.
Material from my SFI Business Tool Kit at: Http://sfi4.com/12688726/First
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Turn Traffic Into Profits - Globally!
| Turn Traffic Into Profits |
| Thank you for connecting with me and recognizing the benefits for us to share marketing tips and sites directly with each other. I look forward to hearing what you are marketing. If you are a member of Global Ad Share, PLEASE TELL ME YOUR STORY! I want to document for myself and others the success that is building with GAS. If you haven't joined yet, SIGN UP HERE! This is one of the first times since I have been surfing that I have found a site that I have heard ONLY GOOD THINGS about! I have had many responses from members with amazing incomes in just a few months. I recently signed up for Global Ad Share and have been happily rewarded with money very quickly. This is one of the easiest programs I have ever joined. I am usually very conservative and was skeptical, but have been convinced it works extremely well. Here are the easy steps to take: (NO SURFING)
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