Four Marketing Myths That Steal Sales
October 21st, 2008
How to Submit Your Blog to the Top Search Engines
January 2nd, 2008Although submitting your blog to the search engines is very similar to submitting your website, there are several differences that you should be aware of. Knowing these differences can help you get your blog indexed more quickly because you have submitted your blog correctly.
Regardless of whether you are submitting a blog or a website, if you are submitting to Google, you should create a sitemap. Although you should check your sitemap periodically to make sure Google isn’t encountering any errors with your sitemap, once you submit it, you don’t have to submit to Google again. All you have to do is keep your sitemap up to date.
If you use a blog like Wordpress, you can install the sitemap plugin. This plugin updates your sitemap automatically and notifies Google that your site has changed.
If you don’t use a blogging software that generates sitemaps, you can create your own. Google offers plenty of free tools for creating sitemaps.
Even if you don’t have a sitemap, you can still add your site to Google. You just won’t get detailed statistics.
You can submit to Google here: https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login
Since Google doesn’t allow direct submission to its blog search, you will need to make sure that you submit your site to blog directories Google pulls results from for its blog search, and then make sure you ping these sites when you update your blog.
You can use sites like Feed Shot, http://www.feedshot.com, to submit your site to some of the major blog directories. Then you only need to ping your blog to update it at these directories.When submitting to Yahoo, you need to submit your site feed instead of a sitemap. You can submit your blog to Yahoo here: . Instead of submitting your site, you will use the first block and submit your feed.You should also add your blog feed to your My Yahoo page. This can get your blog added faster and will get your blog included in Yahoo’s version of blog search.
You will need an account to submit to both Yahoo and Google. It’s free.
MSN, the third of the big three search engines is completely different in the way that you need to submit to get your blog included.
You can submit directly to MSN to be included. You don’t need an account, but you will need to submit manually because you will need to enter the characters on the page to make sure your submission request goes through.
You can submit here: http://beta.search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx
MSN also offers an alternative that will help you get your entire blog included in its site results. Submit your blog to Moreover, http://www.moreover.com. If your site is included in Moreover, it should be included in MSN as MSN draws a lot of results from this news site.
Once you’ve submitted your blog to the top three search engines, forget about it. Your next step should be to ping your blog each time that you post to it.
Before you ping your blog for the first time though, make sure that you glance through the list of blog directories. You want to make sure you have submitted your blog to each of the directories listed. Also, some of the ping sites listed may not relate to your blog. Make sure you uncheck these before you ping.
Ping Services
http://www.pingomatic.com
http://www.pingtheempire.com
http://www.pingoat.com
Ping your blog each time you update.
These techniques will help you get about 80 percent coverage in the search engines. Once you’ve taken this step in your promotion, move on. Write press releases and articles and submit them to press release and article directories. Build links.
Successfully promoting your blog or website depends on consistent promotion. Promote regularly, and you will see results.
Jinger Jarrett will show you how to get more traffic and sales with free marketing. Get her book, “1001 High Traffic Sites Where You Can Market for Free”, at www.askjinger.com/bookstore/
Cutting down on AdWords expense
June 12th, 2007Just wanted to take a minute and share an excellent blog article I stumbled on today. While the content deals directly with AdWords optimization and testing, there are some excellent lessons to be learn’t about site optimization and creating content that is targetted to your audience.
Its the old adage “Content is King” yet again.
10 Ways to increase Adwords Quality Score by Dave Davis.
Why Video Might Be Harming Your Site
May 7th, 2007The downside of video content
I have a big secret to confess. I’ve been stuck on dial up for the last 13 years, only recently having been able to get high speed in my area. So during this time the video content phase has passed me by as I quickly left pages that tried to auto-load video content. I just couldn’t load it. Now I’m hitting the video content scene with gusto.
That gusto is quickly coming to an end however, and I’m becoming more and more annoyed with the way many people have tried to transfer over textual content to audio and video formats. Video and audio are exclusive to textual content.
Instead of my normal long winded rants I’ve boiled down my thoughts into a few key tips on what to do and what to avoid when creating audio or video content for your sites…
Reinforce
Video is intended as a way of reinforcing content. Avapro 300 mg. Other less common side effects of Avapro andPharmacy online. Avapro Buy 30 150mg pills for $34. Buy Avapro from Canada. If you plan on standing in front of a camera and reading your text out loud, and then using that video you’ve created in place of the text, you’re setting yourself up for failure. If what you are going to say can be written as text and I as a reader can quickly read it, then use text. Video can be used to show visuals, or to reinforce some of your key points, but not as a replacement for your textual content. The only exception being a video taped real-world presentatio Read about trazodone (Desyrel), a drug used for the treatment of depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, cocaine withdrawal, and agressive behavior. (Click Desyrel Uses for more information on what the drug is used for,See our Low Price Guarantee. Desyrel Find a Deal at OhDeal. Order online or toll-free. n.
Please don’t waste my time making me have to spend 10 minutes listening to what you have to say, when I can speed read that same content in less than a minute.
Captivate
Video on the net is still a new medium, in its infancy for many publishers and thus still fairly crude. However it has a big competitor - television which has many years experience. If you want some lessons on how to captivate your audience watch 10 minutes of MTV. They know how to keep their target audiences attention. Start with some basic visuals, other than yourself, or just your screen shots.
Edit
Go on YouTube, or Google Video and you’ll find many content type videos that start with the person walking from the camera (where they pressed record) to the wall as their background, ending with them walking to the camera and reaching over as the video ends. Take the 10 minutes it takes to import your video into an editor (use Windows Movie Maker if you need to!), cut those end and starting fumbles out and add a good fade to black at the end. You’ll immediately be above the majority of your competition out there with your simple but clean video.
Quality
If this text was hard to rad, hed bad spling etc, u’d probably skip over it right? Same goes for low quality choppy video. Choose a bitrate that doesn’t distract from you or your message, while still allowing for a speedy load time.
Moderation
It seems that my life motto is “everything in in moderation”, but it really does seem to apply in all areas. If video and audio is going to help - use it to its full advantage! If its just the latest and greatest cool idea, do Lowest prices forBuy Eldepryl online through international online pharmacies at lower international prices. We will beat any competitor’s price. Eldepryl We will beat any competitor’s price. Guranteed Lowest Prices from Canada. n’t.
Thoughts?
- Ed Loveless
You can find everythign on e-bay…
April 11th, 2007I was just searching online for some information on the movie “8 heads in a duffel bag”, after hearing part of the score on an internet radio station.
I couldn’t resist taking a screen shot of the ebay ad that showed up when I Googled the movie.
You can see other ones I’ve found on an older article I wrote on online advertising.
Marketing Online? Read This
February 26th, 2007Just browsing one of my favourite blog writers. They linked to a study that was completed that I just had to pass on.
Over 200 people were shown various pages, and an eye tracking device was used to track how they looked at the page. We’ve speculated about this for a long time, and only now have finally have some easy to understand reasons to work with.
How the human eye actually reads your website
Are Your Strengths Under Control?
January 31st, 2007An excerpt from the book “IT AIN’T OKAY TO FAIL”
By Brian Strachan
I first learned of this particular concept of strengths and excesses in the context of annual performance appraisals. Periodic performance feedback, coupled with an annual performance appraisal, is an integral part of a well-run business. Honest appraisals which inform the employee of his or her development needs are critical to helping the employee improve. They also help the business improve because its employees are improving their performance. It’s a “win-win” proposition.
Unfortunately, not all appraisals are honest. The one for the outstanding employee is easy to conduct and is a pleasure. The one for the marginal employee can be difficult because the discussion can become argumentative and contentious. I have seen too many managers avoid the tough performance appraisal by simply deeming an employee’s performance to be satisfactory and avoiding any discussion of development needs.
This is unacceptable because it is unfair to the marginal employee. Sooner or later the true assessment will come to light and it will be a shock to the employee. Perhaps it will come in the form of a layoff notice. Perhaps it will come with a new manager who believes in giving honest performance assessments. Whatever the form, the day will come and it won’t be pretty.
I never understood why many managers don’t give honest appraisals. Again, the employee deserves honest feedback. If a manager can’t conduct an honest discussion, he should not accept a position as a manager.
In one particular staff discussion this subject was being discussed. The general manager stated that he expected his managers to conduct honest performance appraisals with their people. He further stated that there is no need for the discussions with marginal employees to be contentious if the discussion is in terms of strengths and excesses.
The theory he was discussing is that no one inherently has any weaknesses. We develop weaknesses when we carry strengths to an excess.
Self-confidence is a trait we admire, we strive to have, and we count as a strength. If we carry the strength of self-confidence to an excess, it becomes arrogance, and a weakness.
Consider one’s ability to trust others. This is a strength and one which you need to develop as you need to delegate more to others. If you carry trust to an excess it becomes gullibility.
Being strong and forceful are strengths.
Carry them to an excess and you become a bully.
Being cautious is a strength. Carry it an excess and you become indecisive.
Being cooperative is a strength. Carry it to an excess and you become a pushover.
Taking risks is a strength and a necessary ingredient to being an entrepreneur. If you carry risk-taking to an excess you can become reckless.
Having ambition is a strength. In this case I’m thinking of the person with the desire and ambition to get ahead. You’ve recognized that in some people and you admire their drive. However, I have seen some people carry their ambition to an excess. They become obsessed with getting ahead and start doing some pretty dumb things which have hurt their chances. They carried their strength right into a weakness.
Again, this was presented in the context of having performance discussions with marginal people in a positive manner.
Like many of the lessons I’ve learned I have thought about them long after and have extrapolated them beyond their original context. In this case I have tried to self-assess my weaknesses to see if they are indeed strengths carried to an excess. Not surprisingly, the theory fits the case.
I feel one of my strengths is the capacity to speak out when I don’t agree with something being said. In other words, I am not a “yes-person.” I think of this as a strength which adds value to the organization.
In my later years I came to the realization that this strength was of value to me if I utilized it in moderation. If I carry my outspokenness to an excess I become argumentative. I have learned to speak out more sparingly and with more caution. I will speak out when I think something is wrong or if I think something can be done in a better way. However, I don’t play devil’s advocate as much as I used to and I’ve learned to pick my fights.
I think it is a very healthy exercise for everyone to periodically make a list of his or her strengths. You should know yourself pretty well and should be able to easily list your strengths. Which of your characteristics make you proud? What do you do well and which characteristics contribute to your doing that well?
Once you have your list spend some time thinking about what those characteristics would become if they were carried to an excess. Then ask yourself, “is there any characteristic on the list that I might be carrying to an excess? Are any of these strengths becoming weaknesses?” If there are, you need to consider what you are going to do about them.
From time to time you must ask yourself, “are my strengths under control?”
Visit http://www.brianstrachan.com for more information about “IT AIN’T OKAY TO FAIL”
10 Common advertising mistakes and how to avoid them
December 13th, 2006When starting out online, or even in business in general. There comes a point where we have to start designing our own advertising copy and writing or designing in order to bring in the sales. Some people are naturals at this, however most of us need some instruction, a few hard knocks and some further lessons until we truly grasp whats required.Today, I’d like to feature some content from an article that John Obono wrote. He has covered what I beleive are 10 good things to double check before you send out an ad. Yet another great lesson from anothers class of hard knocks…
You’re ready to launch that new product or promotion, & you’re really counting on a piece of advertising copy to come through for you.
You’re looking for stellar results! And, you’re determined to do everything in your power to get them. Which means surveys, thorough testing, and ongoing refinement of your ad copy.
Hold the phone! When you’ve got your draft, run it through this 10-point inspection…
Cover off these basics, and you can be sure you’re off to a running start.1 - Do You Have A Compelling Headline?Does it generate curiosity or envy? Does it promise a benefit that will compel someone with an interest in what you’re selling to keep reading. Remember, your headline is the ad for the ad.When I am being paid to write direct response ad copy, or a sales letter, or have a very important sales objective of my own, I normally write 25 headlines before I begin the body of the piece.
Then I’ll pick half a dozen that I think will work & test them. The best of the rest, I use as sub headings throughout the piece to propel readership, and draw skimmers & skippers back into the copy as they move down the page.
2 - Are Your Headlines Pleasing To The Eye?
I most often find that headlines work best when they are centered on the page, & present a balanced appearance in terms of the shape they create. Encasing them in quotation marks also serves to grab more attention.
Long top headlines tend to reduce readership, but if they help qualify more effectively they can improve sales! Try them, but look for ways to modularize the text using punctuation & spacing so your readers don’t suffocate trying to read them. Sometimes a long top headline is better presented as two or even three separate headlines.
3 - Is Your Opening Provocative & Arresting?
Does it trip the reader, interrupting the internal turbulence of the day? Each line of your ad copy must serve to “sell” the reader on continued reading, especially at the beginning.
You are looking to build enough momentum & interest to convey the points necessary to generate a greater desire for the product than it’s price. Generally speaking, the higher the cost of the product, the more words required.
4 - Are You FAB Balanced?
You must focus on painting a picture of your prospects future life, as a result of their purchase. Does your copy promise emotional benefits? Does it pledge the realization of positive feelings, or the relief of negative ones?
Does it show how these outcomes are achieved with concise descriptions of the features & advantages that will deliver them? Your ad copy must strike a balance between emotion & logic if it is to be effect.
5 - Are You Creating Excitement & Enthusiasm?
Demonstrate your personal belief in what you are selling. Will your message quicken the readers pulse? Is it upbeat, positive, & full of inspired energy? Is there a sense of WOW?
6 - Is Your Body Copy Highly Readable?
Remember simple is best. Keep sentences short. Use a plain 10-point to 12-point font. Paragraphs no more than a few lines. Words that are comfortable & specific to the audience you are targeting. Inject subheads to break up text. Highlight important points.
7 - Do You Have High YOU density?
Remember to you use the words YOU & YOUR to the hilt. Your reader is auto translating to ME & MINE.
8 - Are you speaking intimately?
Can you get a strong sense of personality when you review your letter after being away from it for a while? Visualize yourself, or the character you are personifying, writing a personal letter to your perfect prospect. Never write to a crowd.
9 - Are you inspiring the readers imagination?
You must trigger mental images with your writing. The mind has difficulty distinguishing between vividly painted word pictures, & reality. Daydreams enchant, & emotions flow in their wake.
When you have emotion, you have desire. When you have desire, you have suggestibility. When you have suggestibility, you can direct action. Your levers are allegory (storytelling), metaphor, similes, verbs, adjectives, & specificity.
10 - Do you offer proof?
Specific testimonials & convincing guarantees worked into your ad copy are essential.
11 - Are you deceiving yourself?
I can’t help but add one more tip to the list John has put together. Simply put - ask a friend. By now, you know your whole advertisement word for word. The blinders are on, and subjectivity has left the building. Simply asking a friend to review what your about to send out with the above 10 guidelines can help you see the glaring errors you glazed over.
Now - Publish that Ad!
Thats all for today folks,
- Ed
Why Your Ad Just Isn’t Working (and why I’m making fun of it)
November 27th, 2006Advertising Screw Up’s
Have you ever done an advertising campaign to have it simply flop? Not a single reply, maybe even a negative response or two?
Sometimes in our haste to get the cheapest ad, or be the first to have an ad in place, we forget to look at some of the important points in ad placement and relevance.
Lesson One: The Where and With lesson
It’s an honest mistake, not taking the time to check where you ad is going to be displayed, and who else is being displayed on the same page. If you’re going neck to neck with your top competitor, is that going to make you shine or put you down? It’s not very unlikely people are going to contact both of you (unless it’s the yellow pages). So make sure you’re not next to your worst enemy unless your ad is ready to put them to shame.
Brilliant isn’t it?
It’s such an easy mistake to make, and if someone had just taken a minute to ask what else was being advertised, this image wouldn’t be making its rounds on the ‘net.
Tip: Never Assume
Lesson Two: The What
In the age of online advertising where it only takes a few minutes to fire up an AdWords campaign with Google using thousands of different ads targeted at niche markets and search engine results. Make sure you do due diligence before setting it live.
The first time I saw this, a friend sent me a Google search for “cavador”. Top of the list was an E-Bay ad promising a wide selection of human remains and cavador’s for sale. New and used!
‘Slightly Stained’
Tip: Don’t be an idiot, read it over, then click
Lesson Three: Know your market
Due diligence can save a lot of grief when you are working with a market or potential audience that you can’t personally relate to 100%.
One of the more famous mistranslations had Coors, an American brewer losing its edge in Spain when their hip phrase “Turn It Loose” came out as “Get Diarrhea”.
Top 10 Reasons for Failure
November 21st, 2006Failure is never a bad thing. Its what you do after you failed that determines your success. Kano Ayala has put together a great list of ten common causes for failure and lists a few tips on avoiding or at least surviving them.
Here are some of the top reasons why people fail. Sometimes we have to look at that ugly side of ourselves before we can grow past it. You need to take an honest inventory of yourself. Why are you not successful? It does not take much to change any of these negatives into a positive. You just need to reach inside and take the necessary steps.
1. No Definition
There is little hope for the person with no idea of where they’re going. That’s like getting into a car and starting to drive with no destination. You need a destination so you can know what map to use. If you take nothing else from this article, I want you to take out 10 minutes right now and think about your life’s purpose. Seriously, get out a pad and pen and get to scribblin’. If you don’t know where you’re going, then you ain’t getting there.
2. No Drive
If the person is not wanting or willing, there is little can be done about that. You have to want it, more than anything. This usually relates to number one. If you have no aim, no reason for your existence, then you’ll probably have no ambition to get anywhere. So, if you’re stuck in neutral, you need to fire yourself up about something. Decide on your life purpose and set off that spark.
3. No Discipline
You have to be strong enough to truly ‘know thyself’ and still strong enough to forge ahead even when the obstacles are plenty. You have to get that fire burning inside so that it can generate enough power to make you disciplined. It takes discipline to not ignore my asking you for the third time to sit there and contemplate your life’s purpose. Be disciplined with yourself. Make yourself do it, now.
4. Procrastination
Hardest part is getting started. You have to listen to Nike when they say “Just Do It”. NOW! Strongly related to the previous reason. It takes discipline to not put things off. It’s the easiest thing in the world to say “I’ll do it tomorrow.” We all do it, for all kinds of reasons. We have to stop, though, if we want to be successful. Successful people get the job done, quickly and efficiently.
5. No Follow Through
While some have a hard time getting started, others just can’t seem to keep it going. They have a hard time keeping the fire burning. A lot of us have drawerfuls of marketable ideas that we just didn’t follow through on. The best things you can do to counteract are; a) keep your eyes on the prize and b) surround yourself with supportive people who will encourage you when things get tough. There is strength in numbers.
6. Negative Mindset
Should be closer to the top of the list. Some people are just stuck in a rut. Walking around with a dark cloud over their head. This is a tough one. They really have to focus on developing a reason to go forth. These folk, more than any, need to have a support group to help them if they’re ever going to break free of the quicksand they trudge around in.
7. Indecisiveness
Can’t make up their minds which way to go on anything. Or they might jump at one idea or another for fear of appearing indecisive. Thus not really making any real decisions. To be truly successful, you have to be able to make decisions, right or wrong. When you’re right, great, keep on trucking. But when you’re wrong, you have to be able to decide to change course.
8. Cautiousness
This could actually count as two, but they’re two sides of the same coin. One is over-cautious, afraid to take any risks and thus missing out on opportunities. The other is the crazy risk taker who takes too many chances and thus winds up falling too often. You have to be able to walk the fine line between the two. When scary opportunities come up, do your homework and check it out. Don’t be afraid to look into the lion’s den before you walk in.
9. Entourage
You surround yourself with people who bring out the worst in you. You marry the wrong person. You take on shady business partners. You won’t let go of relationships that need to be out of your life. Let them go. You can’t help them unless you break free. You have to be able to get somewhere before you can give your in-laws all that attention that they’re wanting.
10. Shadiness
You yourself are a shady, dishonest person. True, some people make money being shady, but they’re not really successful. They are failures of the worst kind. For you, all I can say is, repent. You’ve got to change your evil ways, baby. It’s the only way you’ll get the real blessings you crave for. Be a better person.
If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll find a couple of these to be true for you. Don’t just read…ACT! Start to work on these issues. I promise, if you take those first few steps there will be an avalanche of positive energy coming your way. You’ll be blessed with the strength to win and succeed. Hope this is useful to you. Would love any feedback you may want to give. Have a truly blessed day.
Kano Ayala, author of “Stop Now and Succeed!”, went from smug thug to hug bug through the power of positive thinking. He believes that all people are capable of remarkable transformation. His book is a great introduction to stopping the world and manifesting your true destiny:
http://www.newinfoonline.com/