Articles - A Down and Dirty Guide to Search Engine Optimisation
A Down and Dirty Guide to Search Engine Optimisation and Positioning
I've been asked here to sum up what everyone should know about search engine positioning.
First, two caveats:
1) Search Engine Positioning is only a tiny part of the big Internet Marketing picture. It takes time and there are other things that will pay off far more in the long run.
2) This is a gross simplification of the whole process.
With that said, let's dive in.
1. This discussion will focus on spider engines. That is, an engine that goes to your site and indexes you based on what it finds. Directories are a whole 'nother ball game (which we will address in another article). Good examples of spiders are: Infoseek, Excite, and AltaVista.
Read more about Search Engine Optimisation
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
How do I get my small business on the internet? How do I promote my website on a shoestring budget? Who can help me with my home based business? If you are asking yourself these questions, then read on ... you will find plenty of useful marketing tips for your small or home-based business.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Free Website Promotion
Free Website Promotion - How to Get Free Super Powerful Publicity for your Business:
by Ivana Katz
Having worked with a large number of small business owners, one common mistake I see over and over again is the obscene amounts of money they throw away on advertising. Many of them believe the more money they spend, the more business it will bring. WRONG!!! WRONG!!! WRONG!!!
So what’s a new entrepreneur to do?
It’s simple!!! Write articles.
Writing articles is an excellent way for you to get free publicity. Getting an article published is free and some publications even pay for your contributions. The publicity you receive by having your article published in a newspaper, magazine or website can be worth thousands of dollars in equivalent advertising space. Well written articles yield better results than advertisements and earn you respect from customers, who see you as an expert in your field.
Read more about Free Website Promotion
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
by Ivana Katz
Having worked with a large number of small business owners, one common mistake I see over and over again is the obscene amounts of money they throw away on advertising. Many of them believe the more money they spend, the more business it will bring. WRONG!!! WRONG!!! WRONG!!!
So what’s a new entrepreneur to do?
It’s simple!!! Write articles.
Writing articles is an excellent way for you to get free publicity. Getting an article published is free and some publications even pay for your contributions. The publicity you receive by having your article published in a newspaper, magazine or website can be worth thousands of dollars in equivalent advertising space. Well written articles yield better results than advertisements and earn you respect from customers, who see you as an expert in your field.
Read more about Free Website Promotion
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Saturday, December 27, 2008
30 Ways to promote your business on a shoestring budget - Tip 30
30. Joint Ventures
A joint venture is an agreement in which two or more businesses work on a project for a set period of time. Joint ventures can be long-term or short-term. With joint venture you can:
(a) Build long lasting business relationships.
(b) Increase your credibility by teaming up with other reputable, branded businesses.
(c) Get free or discounted products and services.
(d) Set up most joint venture deals with little or no money.
(e) Gain new leads and customers.
(f) Offer your customers new products and services.
(g) Get rid of your extra inventory.
(h) Find and create new distribution channels for your products.
To learn more about Joint Ventures, visit:
www.howtowritehypnoticjointventureproposals.com
There are many excellent ebooks on internet marketing. I would strongly recommend you pick up at least one or two and start reading. For a list of some great electronic books and tools, which are available for instant download, visit:
http://www.web4business.com.au/BusinessTools.htm
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au
Thursday, May 15, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 29
29. Viral marketing
On the Internet, viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces Web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users, creating a potentially exponential growth in the message's visibility and effect. One example of successful viral marketing is Hotmail, a company, now owned by Microsoft. Their strategy is simple:
(a) Give away free e-mail addresses and services,
(b) Attach a simple tag at the bottom of every free message sent out: "Get your private, free email at http://www.hotmail.com" and,
(c) Then stand back while people e-mail to their own network of friends and associates,
(d) Who see the message,
(e) Sign up for their own free e-mail service, and then
(f) Propel the message still wider to their own ever-increasing circles of friends and associates.
Some viral marketing strategies work better than others. Below are basic elements you should try to include in your strategy.
(a) Give away products or servicesMost viral marketing programs give away valuable products or services to attract attention. Free e-mail services, free information, free "cool" buttons, free software programs etc
(b) Provide for effortless transfer to othersThe medium that carries your marketing message must be easy to transfer and replicate: e-mail, website, graphic, software download. From a marketing standpoint, you must simplify your marketing message so it can be transmitted easily and without degradation. Short is better.
(c) Scale easily from small to very largeTo spread like wildfire the transmission method must be rapidly scalable from small to very large. Ensure you have enough resources, such as mail servers and staff that will be able to handle the increase in business.
(d) Exploit common motivations and behaviorsClever viral marketing plans take advantage of common human motivations such as greed, the desire to be cool, hunger to be popular, loved, and understood.
(e) Utilize existing communication networksEach person has a network of 8 to 12 people in their close network of friends, family, and associates. A person's broader network may consist of hundreds or thousands of people. People on the Internet develop networks of relationships, too. They collect e-mail addresses and favourite website URLs. Affiliate programs exploit such networks, as do permission e-mail lists. Learn to place your message into existing communications between people, and you rapidly multiply its dispersion.
(f) Take advantage of others' resourcesThe most creative viral marketing plans use others' resources to get the word out. For example, affiliate programs place text or graphic links on others' websites, authors give away free articles, news release can be picked up by a large number of publications as they form the basis of articles seen by hundreds of thousands of readers.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au
On the Internet, viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces Web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users, creating a potentially exponential growth in the message's visibility and effect. One example of successful viral marketing is Hotmail, a company, now owned by Microsoft. Their strategy is simple:
(a) Give away free e-mail addresses and services,
(b) Attach a simple tag at the bottom of every free message sent out: "Get your private, free email at http://www.hotmail.com" and,
(c) Then stand back while people e-mail to their own network of friends and associates,
(d) Who see the message,
(e) Sign up for their own free e-mail service, and then
(f) Propel the message still wider to their own ever-increasing circles of friends and associates.
Some viral marketing strategies work better than others. Below are basic elements you should try to include in your strategy.
(a) Give away products or servicesMost viral marketing programs give away valuable products or services to attract attention. Free e-mail services, free information, free "cool" buttons, free software programs etc
(b) Provide for effortless transfer to othersThe medium that carries your marketing message must be easy to transfer and replicate: e-mail, website, graphic, software download. From a marketing standpoint, you must simplify your marketing message so it can be transmitted easily and without degradation. Short is better.
(c) Scale easily from small to very largeTo spread like wildfire the transmission method must be rapidly scalable from small to very large. Ensure you have enough resources, such as mail servers and staff that will be able to handle the increase in business.
(d) Exploit common motivations and behaviorsClever viral marketing plans take advantage of common human motivations such as greed, the desire to be cool, hunger to be popular, loved, and understood.
(e) Utilize existing communication networksEach person has a network of 8 to 12 people in their close network of friends, family, and associates. A person's broader network may consist of hundreds or thousands of people. People on the Internet develop networks of relationships, too. They collect e-mail addresses and favourite website URLs. Affiliate programs exploit such networks, as do permission e-mail lists. Learn to place your message into existing communications between people, and you rapidly multiply its dispersion.
(f) Take advantage of others' resourcesThe most creative viral marketing plans use others' resources to get the word out. For example, affiliate programs place text or graphic links on others' websites, authors give away free articles, news release can be picked up by a large number of publications as they form the basis of articles seen by hundreds of thousands of readers.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au
Monday, March 03, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 28
28. eBay
If you sell products (as opposed to services) in your business, one of the best marketing tools you can use is eBay. eBay is a community where individuals and businesses can buy and sell a vast range of new and used items at fair market prices.
The main reasons why you should sell on eBay include:
- You can sell little or lot of practically anything from antiques to cars.
- Gain access to the millions of eBay buyers worldwide.
- Feel safe with policies and protections of the Community.
- Sell as an individual, small business, enterprise, and more!
For more information visit: www.ebay.com for selling globally or www.ebay.com.au for selling within Australia.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
If you sell products (as opposed to services) in your business, one of the best marketing tools you can use is eBay. eBay is a community where individuals and businesses can buy and sell a vast range of new and used items at fair market prices.
The main reasons why you should sell on eBay include:
- You can sell little or lot of practically anything from antiques to cars.
- Gain access to the millions of eBay buyers worldwide.
- Feel safe with policies and protections of the Community.
- Sell as an individual, small business, enterprise, and more!
For more information visit: www.ebay.com for selling globally or www.ebay.com.au for selling within Australia.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Recommended Reading - The Big Book of Small Business
The Big Book of Small Business
In The Big Book of Small Business, Tom shares his hard-earned lessons on how to become an enlightened, effective leader, and on how to do the small things right so the big decisions work. This all-in-one toolbox for small businesses is jammed with warm-hearted, tough-minded practices and street-smart tips, covering every aspect of a growing business:
Starting, funding, and getting your new business off the ground
Crafting a mission and growing a corporate culture that works
Hiring the best people and maximizing their potential
Communicating and negotiating with your employees, customers, and suppliers
Creating processes for continuous innovation and growth
Protecting your business from unforeseen dangers
Planning for growth
And much more . . .
In The Big Book of Small Business, Tom shares his hard-earned lessons on how to become an enlightened, effective leader, and on how to do the small things right so the big decisions work. This all-in-one toolbox for small businesses is jammed with warm-hearted, tough-minded practices and street-smart tips, covering every aspect of a growing business:Starting, funding, and getting your new business off the ground
Crafting a mission and growing a corporate culture that works
Hiring the best people and maximizing their potential
Communicating and negotiating with your employees, customers, and suppliers
Creating processes for continuous innovation and growth
Protecting your business from unforeseen dangers
Planning for growth
And much more . . .
As thorough as a textbook and as lively as a news magazine, The Big Book of Small Business is the most comprehensive and practical book on how to take a small business to the next level, and an indispensable slingshot for the million.
To order this book in Australia, click hereTo order this book in USA, click here
To order this book in Australia, click hereTo order this book in USA, click here
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
Websites 4 Small Business
Sunday, February 24, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 27
27. Word of mouth / Testimonials
Word-of-mouth marketing truly is one of the best ways to promote your business. The three most important things you can do to start the process of increasing your business through word-of-mouth include:
(a) Diversify your networks by becoming visible and active in the community. Participate in various networking groups and/or professional associations.
(b) Set up a contact list of businesses that are complementary and non-competitive to you. For example: a lawyer, an accountant, a financial planner and a banker. All of them have clients with overlapping similar needs. They can all work with and refer each other easily. Another good example is a florist, a photographer, a travel agent and a jeweler. A referral for one of them becomes a referral for all of them.
(c) Building your business through word-of-mouth is about cultivating relationships with people who get to know you and trust you. People do business with people they have confidence in. It's not what you know, or whom you know, it's how well you know them that counts. If you go into this process understanding this one key point, you will have a better opportunity to build your business through word-of-mouth.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Word-of-mouth marketing truly is one of the best ways to promote your business. The three most important things you can do to start the process of increasing your business through word-of-mouth include:
(a) Diversify your networks by becoming visible and active in the community. Participate in various networking groups and/or professional associations.
(b) Set up a contact list of businesses that are complementary and non-competitive to you. For example: a lawyer, an accountant, a financial planner and a banker. All of them have clients with overlapping similar needs. They can all work with and refer each other easily. Another good example is a florist, a photographer, a travel agent and a jeweler. A referral for one of them becomes a referral for all of them.
(c) Building your business through word-of-mouth is about cultivating relationships with people who get to know you and trust you. People do business with people they have confidence in. It's not what you know, or whom you know, it's how well you know them that counts. If you go into this process understanding this one key point, you will have a better opportunity to build your business through word-of-mouth.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Sunday, February 17, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 26
26. Postcards
If looking to target potential customers, don’t overlook postcard marketing. Postcards achieve almost a 100% readership, while being simple to use and inexpensive.
Postcards:
- keep your name in front of customers - generate a high return on investment - are flexible, informative and creative - have high impact and low cost
Postcards can be used to:
- generate website traffic and sales leads - promote new specials or company awareness - announce new products, websites, store locations - thank customers - use as a discount offer /coupon
Repetition is the key to effective marketing efforts and postcards offer an inexpensive way of doing it.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au
If looking to target potential customers, don’t overlook postcard marketing. Postcards achieve almost a 100% readership, while being simple to use and inexpensive.
Postcards:
- keep your name in front of customers - generate a high return on investment - are flexible, informative and creative - have high impact and low cost
Postcards can be used to:
- generate website traffic and sales leads - promote new specials or company awareness - announce new products, websites, store locations - thank customers - use as a discount offer /coupon
Repetition is the key to effective marketing efforts and postcards offer an inexpensive way of doing it.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au
Friday, February 15, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 25
25. Print advertising
Writing the Copy
When it comes to print advertising, you have to get to the point—fast. Your headlines should motivate readers to want to read on to learn more about your product, price and offer. Effective headlines address a pressing customer need or desire. The reality is that people care more about themselves—and what you can do for them—than about your business. You'll get a much higher response rate when your headline quickly answers the question, "What's in it for me?"
In the body of your copy, offer an incentive for the reader to call you or come to your store. You may want to offer a discount or a free giveaway
Placing the Ad
Newspaper ads are very effective for businesses that market their products and services locally. Not only can you reach a large number of people in a specific metropolitan location, but you can also target prospects via their interests (in the sports, lifestyle and business sections, for example).
Advertising costs depend on a number of factors, including the size of the ad, where it's placed, the day it runs and so on. Call and request a media kit from the newspaper or magazine so you can determine what advertising steps you can take that will fit with your marketing budget.
Consider placing print advertisements in local publications, national publications, industry publications, target market specific publications, yellow pages, local directories, special catalogues
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Writing the Copy
When it comes to print advertising, you have to get to the point—fast. Your headlines should motivate readers to want to read on to learn more about your product, price and offer. Effective headlines address a pressing customer need or desire. The reality is that people care more about themselves—and what you can do for them—than about your business. You'll get a much higher response rate when your headline quickly answers the question, "What's in it for me?"
In the body of your copy, offer an incentive for the reader to call you or come to your store. You may want to offer a discount or a free giveaway
Placing the Ad
Newspaper ads are very effective for businesses that market their products and services locally. Not only can you reach a large number of people in a specific metropolitan location, but you can also target prospects via their interests (in the sports, lifestyle and business sections, for example).
Advertising costs depend on a number of factors, including the size of the ad, where it's placed, the day it runs and so on. Call and request a media kit from the newspaper or magazine so you can determine what advertising steps you can take that will fit with your marketing budget.
Consider placing print advertisements in local publications, national publications, industry publications, target market specific publications, yellow pages, local directories, special catalogues
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Monday, February 11, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 24
24. Radio advertising
You may have shied away from radio advertising, thinking the cost would be well over your budget and it may very well be if you were to advertise on commercial radio stations. But have you considered community radio stations? There are hundreds of them around and the great thing is that they will reach your local market. For community radio stations in your area, visit your local yellow pages or search on the internet.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
You may have shied away from radio advertising, thinking the cost would be well over your budget and it may very well be if you were to advertise on commercial radio stations. But have you considered community radio stations? There are hundreds of them around and the great thing is that they will reach your local market. For community radio stations in your area, visit your local yellow pages or search on the internet.
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Monday, February 04, 2008
30 ways to promote your website on a shoestring budget - Part 23
23. Media Releases
Having a story written about you and your business will not only bring you lots of new customers (at no cost to you), but will also provide you massive credibility. Stories about you in the media are far more believable, powerful and attractive than any ads you could possibly run. People will trust and respect you instantly.
A media release (also called press or news releases) should provide enough details to be informative, but it should leave out just enough information to be tantalizing that the media person calls you to find out more.
Your media release should feature the following:
(a) The Headline This is 90% of your release. Your headline will do almost all of the work in attracting attention to you.
(b) The Summary This is the first part of the media release and should tell your story briefly.
(c) Credentials & Quotations Insert quotes from other people and include the person’s credentials
(d) Call to Action What do you want the person reading this release to do? You want them to call you for an interview. So provide your contact details and write a very brief outline of why you would be an interesting person to interview.
For more information about writing media releases visit:
PRWeb - Tell your company story to thousands!
Press Release - www.pressrelease.com.au
Elance - www.elance.com
PRNewswire - www.prnewswire.com
NewsBureau - www.newsbureau.com
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Having a story written about you and your business will not only bring you lots of new customers (at no cost to you), but will also provide you massive credibility. Stories about you in the media are far more believable, powerful and attractive than any ads you could possibly run. People will trust and respect you instantly.
A media release (also called press or news releases) should provide enough details to be informative, but it should leave out just enough information to be tantalizing that the media person calls you to find out more.
Your media release should feature the following:
(a) The Headline This is 90% of your release. Your headline will do almost all of the work in attracting attention to you.
(b) The Summary This is the first part of the media release and should tell your story briefly.
(c) Credentials & Quotations Insert quotes from other people and include the person’s credentials
(d) Call to Action What do you want the person reading this release to do? You want them to call you for an interview. So provide your contact details and write a very brief outline of why you would be an interesting person to interview.
For more information about writing media releases visit:
PRWeb - Tell your company story to thousands!
Press Release - www.pressrelease.com.au
Elance - www.elance.com
PRNewswire - www.prnewswire.com
NewsBureau - www.newsbureau.com
Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
http://www.web4business.com.au/
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Interesting reading
I like to spend my Christmas break catching up on reading and learning about new marketing techniques and ways to improve my business. This year I've come across some fabulous material. Nothing gives me a greater buzz (except for spending a day shopping ;) than when I learn something new - either something that will save me time, make me money or both. I've picked up some great tips and I will be posting them here over the upcoming months, but today I wanted to share an informative interview with Michael Cheney from AdSense Videos which I came across recently. Happy reading!!!Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
Interview with Michael Cheney from AdSense-Videos.com
Q. So what made you get started with AdSense?
A. I was looking for a way to monetize some of my websites. AdSense is such an easy thing to get started with the eye for it would be a great way to start earning more money without actually putting into much more effort. I think as soon as you see the first earnings coming into your account you get addicted to AdSense. I know is what happened to me and since then I've just spent time working out how to earn more and more each day.
Q. How much do you make with AdSense?
A. Some days I can earn close to $1000 and others it's less than that. But it all comes down to how much time and effort you devote to creating a quality site that people like visiting. AdSense is not what my business is based on by any means - but it is a great way to earn revenue almost on autopilot.
Q. What is the biggest mistake people making with AdSense?
A. Probably the biggest mistake people make is thinking the AdSense earnings are easy to achieve. It is very easy to get started but as I learned it takes a lot of effort to increase your earnings. I got really downhearted whenever I would log in to my account to see that I had only made a few dollars. And that's when I decided to spend months and months of my time learning everything I could about
AdSense.
I basically buried myself away and devoured every single piece of AdSense information I could find. I ran thousands of AdSense tests and started to see a dramatic effect on my click through ratio and therefore on my earnings.
This is why I'd decided to record the videos - because I knew that it would help people who were in my position to also increase their earnings. I've read an absolute ton of AdSense e-book's but they take so long to go through and always seem to keep information back.
With AdSense Videos I knew that I had to tell the story exactly as it is and actually show people and lead them by the hand through the exact techniques that I use to generate large earnings from AdSense.
Q. In your videos you show people how to increase their AdSense earnings - can you
give us a taster of this advice?
A. I don't want to give away my biggest secrets as you can understand! But some of the more basic things that you can do to increase your revenues include using ads that blend in rather than stand
out from your content. Flat out the worst thing you can do with an AdSense ad is make it look like the standard Google ad. What you need to realise is that you will get more clicks if your ad
actually appears part of your site rather than something that's just been dropped into the page.
Q. What would you recommend that someone do right now to increase their AdSense
earnings?
A. I've created a totally free AdSense minicourse that people can go through to learn some of my techniques. It takes you through the four cornerstone principles that I've used to build up my AdSense empire. You can check it out, as well as all the AdSense Videos, by clicking here
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