Monthly Archives: September 2010

Double Barrel Web Marketing Tactics



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News


Double Barrel Web Marketing Tactics: Writing Content Which
Will Rank High In The Search Engines & Pull In The Sales





Creating top ranked web pages which convert…


If you go the SEO route you will have to write web content which
will rank high in all the search engines. Plus, if you’re into web
marketing, that very same content will have to convert into sales or
leads in order for you to make a profit. It’s what I like to call
my “Double Barrel Web Tactics” and I have been using these simple
tactics to earn a full-time income from the net for over 5 or 6 years.

Not that that’s any kind of feat to brag about since countless individuals
are doing the same thing and probably doing a much better job at it. But
I have picked up a few tricks over the years which had helped me along
the way, one of the most important is writing top ranking web pages which
convert into sales.


Create SEO Empowered Webpages


First, in order to get those pages to the top of the search engines,
especially Google, I follow some simple SEO rules. They can be summed
up as such:


– Concentrate all the content around one central keyword phrase for each web page

– Include this keyword phrase in the Title, Meta Tags, Headline and in the URL

– Place this keyword phrase and variations of it throughout the page

– Have a column of related keyword links on each page

– Have very simple site construction with all links no more than 3 clicks from the homepage

– Build valuable one-way links to this page from keyword rated sites around the web

– Use Twitter, Facebook, Youtube… to promote each page


Choose Your Keyword Battles


Further more, you must use keyword phrases which are competitive for your site.
Picking long-tail keywords which have less traffic but still bring in sales,
is one way of doing this. Targeting really competitive keywords is rather pointless
unless you have unlimited funds and resources to build links and/or buy PPC traffic.
The average webmaster is better off choosing keyword phrases where he/she knows
they can compete and rank high in the search engines.

One good site which will tell how much competition your chosen keywords will have
is Google’s Keyword Tool. It will also give you some estimation of the amount of
traffic each keyword phrase receives each month. All valuable information to help you
pick your keyword battles.



Writing Webpages Which Convert


For me this is the most difficult part of earning an online income – writing web
copy which converts into a sale or a lead. Keep in mind, you don’t always have to
sell something, many companies will pay you 10s of dollars just to supply them
with a lead or potential paying customer. I sometimes find this is much easier
to do than making an actual sale.

My online marketing tactics are very basic – I give my visitor a strong incentive
or reason to buy from my site. I find using simple discounts, coupons and free trials
to be one of the most effective ways to make a sale or capture a lead for the companies
and products I am promoting. Giving those online shoppers or customers 10%, 20%, 50%
or more OFF will usually convert well. So too is offering bonuses, discounts and coupons
if they buy from your links. For leads, offering a Free 30 Day Trial works the best.

But never forget, visitors who use your site also want information about the products
or services they’re buying. Giving them clear unbiased information will go a long way
in capturing a lead or sale. Providing customer reviews and feedback is another way to
increase your conversions. So too are customer testimonials and video reviews.

Another tactic I use is picking keywords that have a high probability of commercial
intent which is more likely to bring in revenue. Just finding those customers and
visitors who are in the right mind-set to buy is the key. Targeting certain keywords
such as best deals, discounts, coupons… and targeting certain niche markets such
as wedding gifts, corporate gifts, holiday gifts… have done very well for me.
People are actually searching for a special gift and are ready to purchase.

One handy tool for determining the online commercial intention of your keywords
is Microsoft’s Adcenter Laps. It will give you a good starting point for choosing
which keywords and niche markets you should target with your web pages.

Online marketing is not some mysterious formula, it is merely a double-barrel process
of keeping all your SEO ranking factors in order and targeting customers when they’re
ready to buy. You build up your rankings with quality one-way links while offering the
resulting traffic valuable information and a good solid reason to buy from your web
site or page. Using special deals, discounts and coupons will go a long way in boosting
your conversion rates. So too, will targeting certain keywords that have great online
commercial intention or potential, such as the gift niche markets. Try this simple Dual
marketing tactic and watch both your traffic and sales increase.




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

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Google Instant – Implications For SEO & Internet Marketing



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News


Google Instant – Implications For SEO & Internet Marketing




Here’s a more detailed follow-up to last week post on Google
Instant. After only of a week of testing, I believe these
recent changes within Google will have more impact than
I first thought. Here are some of my views and findings…



Google Spot!








While reading Harry McCracken’s rather insightful article on Google Instant
in PCWorld, I was reminded once again, how narrowly focused my own thinking
has become in regards to Google. I keep forgetting, not everyone is into SEO
or Internet Marketing (lucky bastards), and that Google search has a function
outside of SEO.

I keep forgetting that the general public actually uses Google for online search,
there are millions of web users out there who have been using Google Instant to
find out the weather, the latest Lady Gaga outfit or which flat-screen HDTV to buy?
Of course, I know this to be the real function of Google, but if you’re a full-time
search engine marketer, your perspective is solidly aligned to all the SEO elements
– keyword rankings, link building and content placement in the most dominant search
engine in the world.

Basically, you will be more concerned with how Google Instant will impact those
top keyword rankings, your click-through rates and most importantly, what effect
will it have on your conversion rates and sales? More specifically, how does this
instant search impact the display of your listings in Google and what are the
long-term ramifications this instant display will have on your online marketing?

There are even some so-called experts which say Google Instant will be the end of SEO.
This is a rather foolish notion since the underlying structure of using optimized
strategies to obtain top rankings in Google or any other search engine, has not changed.
We still have the emphasis on quality content, high quality backlinks and on-page
ranking factors.


In the background nothing has changed, in the foreground everything has
changed. Well, somewhat.


Google Instant is a game changer for online marketers simply because it changes
“How” your listings are displayed. Not only is the faster speed a factor but Google
is guessing or rather dictating what the web surfer is searching for so Google’s
influence on what’s displayed has increased 10-fold. They are displaying results
not only based on rankings BUT on what their data tells them you’re looking for?
How big a role this other compiled data and web users histories plays in these
suggestions only Google knows.


Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google has been quoted as saying, “Never underestimate the
power of fast. Quick, quick, quick – we want to help you right now… we can understand
things like what you really meant.”


Only time will tell what effect this “jumping the gun” or “making up your mind for you”
will have on Internet marketing. The long-lasting effect of Google imposing its results
on the web searcher will no doubt have some strong impacts on web marketing. Getting
those first suggestions when a surfer types in just one or two letters… will become
the real money-makers in terms of online traffic and sales.

Those companies and products which pop-up first will gain in market share and importance,
but hasn’t this always been the case with getting those first place keyword rankings in
Google? Yes, but now Google is giving the searcher options and planting seeds/suggestions,
which Google has done in the past but not at this speed. The implications for online
marketing could be enormous, assuming of course, web surfers actually use this function
because Google does give users the option of turning off Instant search. In our hurried
fast-paced world, one would reason, web searchers would not turn off this function, although
if your Internet connection is too slow, Google will automatically turn off Instant search
for you.

From a marketing angle, webmasters must now note Google’s keyword suggestions which quickly
pop-up and target them in their SEO efforts. Analyzing and targeting which keyword phrases
Google are displaying in your niche market will be vital to capturing the majority of traffic.
Surfers will click on Google’s suggestions to find what they’re looking for on the web.
Getting top rankings for those 4 or 5 suggestions will become important if an online marketer
or webmaster wants to cover/corner all the search territory in their niche. Whether you actually
target these keywords would really be determined by their commercial intent probability which
can be discovered by using Microsoft’s Adcenter Laps
and of course, the amount of traffic each keyword gets each month.

Another area of concern has to do with the ever-decreasing space for organic listings
on the new Google Instant interface. With the drop-down menu and depending upon how many
paid listings are shown, there may only be room for 3 listings instead of five or more
above the fold. Keep in mind, we are mainly talking about lucrative keyword phrases which
will also usually have three Adwords paid listings in the spots where organic search results
were formerly displayed. Searchers are lazy, they will probably not scroll down, especially
if they see different listings popping up as they narrow down their search. So your SEO has probably
gotten much harder since you will now have to aim for the top 3 spots – thanks Google.

Of course, savvy online marketers know the real gold is in the long-tail keyword phrases
which surfers use to find what they’re looking for on the web. Google Instant could possibly
play havoc on this whole process because before the searcher finishes typing in the long 4 or
even 5-word phrases, they would be exposed to maybe 4 or 5 pages of Google listings… chances
are great that searchers will click on one of these listings before they finish typing,
especially if the listing contains a part of the searched for phrase.

Marketers will have to closely analyze their own web stats and conversion rates in regards
to Google Instant. I am seeing little change in my own online marketing… traffic has dropped
on some sites and risen on others, subscription rates are up and sales are steady. Other web
marketers have seen a bigger jump in traffic and sales from Google Instant.

What really concerns me is the fact that Google may not only be pre-judging their rankings but
also your mind. They are playing a much bigger role in how you decide which listing you click.
Granted, this is probably drawn from unbiased data but will the influence of top-brand companies
be more dominant in Google’s Instant results?

Another general concern, will the display of so many listings make it harder for your site or
page to be clicked? Will giving the searcher so many options so quickly, lower your chances
of getting that click-thru, even if you have the top spot in Google? The laws of probability
and human nature say your chances have diminished somewhat in this new instant search environment.
Not good news if your livelihood depends upon getting that click.

There is also a Star function which “logged in” Google users can click to
bookmark their personal choices, these listings will be at the top under
“Starred Results” if you search the same keywords again.

However, many of these changes and no matter how fast Google gives you their search results,
will not change the fundamental principles of good SEO practices. Keyword positioning will
still get you to the number one spot in Google for your chosen phrase if you have the time
and resources to create quality content, build quality one-way backlinks and use good on-page
optimization. Besides the smaller emphasis on organic traffic, the only other real concern is
in the degree to which Google will use their suggestions and how much those suggestions are
based not on SEO ranking factors but on users’ histories and compiled data. Even with this concern,
Google Instant, even at warp speed, doesn’t negate the importance of getting those top rankings.


For many search engine marketers, like myself, it’s business as usual. Full speed ahead.

To read more on my first impressions of Google Instant go here:


Google Instant Search – Faster Than The Speed Of Type




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

Did you find the above information helpful? If so, why not
help spread the word – recommend this content by using
the social bookmark sites below. The SEO Gods will Thank You!

Google at Warp Speed – Does Google Instant Change SEO or Online Marketing?



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News


Google at Warp Speed – Does Google Instant Change SEO or Online Marketing?





Does the introduction of Google Instant Search
really change how one markets online…


The introduction of Google Instant took me by complete surprise, even
though I knew they were playing around with the logo in some very strange ways, I
still didn’t expect such a novel change to how they displayed their SERPs.

The speed was truly blinding, not to mention somewhat confusing at
first until you quickly got used to it. Experiencing Instant Search
for the first time sent shivers down my spine and probably not for the
reasons you’re thinking.

As a full-time online marketer, Google directly or indirectly, accounts
for around 80% of my online income.

Any changes within Google, even small ones, can sometimes have devastating
effects on that income. Such a major change as Google Instant may have long-lasting effects and may even be a total game-changer in regards to SEO and
online marketing.

At least that was my first gut reaction, but calmer heads do prevail after
the initial shock of this warp speed search wore off. For me, it is all about
the numbers – traffic numbers, subscriptions, page impression numbers, click-thru
numbers and of course, the most vital of all – sales numbers.

Throughout yesterday and today, I kept monitoring those numbers as if my livelihood
depended upon it, which it does. Thankfully, what I saw and am seeing does not
cause me to be alarmed – it’s business as usual. There is not much difference,
actually my subscription, traffic and sales numbers are up slightly since Google Instant
has gone live.

Of course, Google Live is only available in some countries yet so the full impact
can’t really be judged, but first impressions have me a little relieved. From
those first impressions, I don’t believe Google Instant will drastically change
SEO or even online marketing.

Sitepronews has a very good discussion of this question on their site, it might
be worth your while to get second opinions on this issue.

Does Google Instant Mark The End of SEO?


There are even some people saying it will kill SEO, which is totally ridiculous
in my opinion, any webmaster can still optimize his site/content to rank at the
top of Google. How and at what speed Google chooses to display those top listings
doesn’t really stop the flow of targeted traffic to your site – it actually speeds
up that flow of traffic.

Which can be very good news for those who have those top rankings in Google,
your listings will instantly appear, even before the searcher has finished
typing your targeted keyword phrase. More power to Google and to you!

Some observers are saying Google is displaying too many top brands in their
results – or they are favoring the top brands. I have seen this happen in many
of my own keyword phrases but to be fair, these top brands have not completely
dominated Google’s listings. If they did, I and a lot of other small-time
online marketers would have been driven out of business years ago.

Google seems to have found a balance or perhaps they’re just displaying
the true rankings which come to them from their many different ranking
systems and countless rules… stranger things have happened. These brand
names are becoming more important in Google, but in the back of my mind,
I am figuring this is because large multi-national companies are finally
seeing the true benefits of SEO and are putting more of their resources
into getting those top spots in Google.

As for Google Instant, it will benefit sites and marketers who have
those top listings in Google. It will display their listings much faster
and bring those visitors much quicker. Or at least those are my first impressions
but it will take days, even weeks before the full ramifications of Google
Instant will have on web surfers and how they do their searching.

I am such there will have to minor tweaking to your SEO and some adjustments
to your online marketing, but for now it seems like business as usual and
it’s all keywords on deck, or rather at the top of Google.

To read more on my first impressions of Google Instant go here:


Google Instant Search – Faster Than The Speed Of Type




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

Did you find the above information helpful? If so, why not
help spread the word – recommend this content by using
the social bookmark sites below. The SEO Gods will Thank You!