E-commerce is a cut throat business. You have to arm yourself with the proper know-how and the tools to make your site a cut above the rest. Each day, more and more sites are clambering to optimize their rankings in websites and if you lose your guard, you may just get trampled on and be left in the abyss filled with so many failed e-commerce sites.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is a term widely used today by many e-commerce sites. For the past few years and the next ten years or so, search engines have been and will continue to be the most widely used internet tool to find the sites that they need to go to or the product or information they need.
Most people that use search engines use only the ten top search results in the first page. Making it to the first page, more so to the top three, is a barometer of a site's success in search engine optimization. There is a higher probability of being clicked on when you rank high, again, especially in the top 3. The more traffic for your site, the more business you rake in.
But, it is essential to grab a hold of that spot or make your ranking better. Each day is a new day for all e-commerce sites to make them selves rank higher using search engine optimization. It is imperative to make your site better and better everyday and then make efforts to keep those rankings.
So just what is search engine optimization and do you have to use it? The answer to why you have to use it is an easy one. You need search engine optimization to be number one, or to make your site income generating.
There are benefits to getting ranked well in the search engines. Only 10-20% of the traffic that makes it to your site will purchase something. Obviously, the more traffic the better! If you get a hundred hits or more a day, you'll get a good steady stream of sales. If you get only ten to twenty hits a day, you'll only get one or two sales, if any at all.
So once again, what is search engine optimization? Search engine optimization is utilizing tools and methods in making your site top ranking in the results of search engines.
Getting yourself on the first page and better yet in the top half of the page will ensure that your site will generate public awareness of your site's existence and subsequently generate more traffic, traffic that could lead to potential income and business.
Search engine optimization requires a lot of work to be fully realized. Getting your site best situated to get ranked well is what search engine optimization is all about. The many factors include getting lots of information about the keyword phrases that are popular in regards to your site's niche or theme.
You may also need to rewrite your site's contents so that get the right keyword phrases in your site without making it too commercial but light and informative. There are certain rules and guidelines to be followed with making your site's content applicable and conducive to search engine optimization.
You will also need to collaborate with many other sites so that you could get links, get involved in Social Media, and the like. The more inbound and outbound traffic of a site is one of the components search engines uses to rank them.
You can visit other areas of our site for more information. How To Market Website
Tips, guidelines and methods for search engine optimization are available.
We also offer classes and one on one coaching for your business in addition to our SEO services where we make your site search engine friendly.
The more knowledge and information you can gain the better. This will all help you get those high rankings. It will require a little time and effort on your part but the benefits will be astounding.
We offer search engine optimization as one of our services. Learn Web Site Marketing
There are many sites that help with keyword research. There are also some content writers that have lots of experience in making good keyword laden content for your sites that are also good quality.
Act now and see the benefits garnered with search engine optimization. All of these will result in better traffic and more business for your site and company.
Visit Web Site Marketing Skills today for a FREE Competitive Analysis.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Using Ecovers For Internet Marketing Endeavors Improve Your Conversions
The trouble with digital merchandises is that, well, they're digital. They're ethereal. They're non-existent physically. They do not possess any physical structure.
As such, they do not have any aspect that will help prospective buyers weigh their value. Not like an actual book for instance, where you can look at the cover or scan the back flap to know what it's all about, an eBook won't have such luxuries.
This is the explanation of why eCovers – electronically manufactured graphics that represent apparently real covers or boxes for online products – are very important for online entrepreneurs. Ecovers give that sense of tangibility that online products seriously require. This is important because this sense of tangibility offers for buyers the impression that they will be purchasing a thing that they can really own, a thing that they can really be theirs. Without this sense of tangibility, online products will be a difficult sell surely.
One more basis for the sheer importance of eCovers for eCommerce today is that these graphics provide buyers something that they can utilize as barometers for the value of the products they are considering to purchase.
For this reason, online advertisers should strive for top quality, expertly made eCovers rather than taking risks on cheaper but less winning selections. Even if persons feel that manuscripts shouldn't be judged by their casings, they are still considered by the same because casings are the primary things that people get to see. With digital products, casings are all that buyers are able to see, thus, casings take on a whole new layer of importance.
A poorly designed, poorly prepared eCover will dishearten your buyers. They'd sense that the actual product that such an eCover epitomizes is only as poorly designed and poorly finished.
On the other hand, a good appearing eCover will certainly sell a product of, for instance, lesser quality work. The eCover solely will be able to condition the prospect's minds that the product it represents is only as carefully arranged and a gracefully made venture.
If you're in the trade of selling digital products, eCovers should be one of your primary investments. Don't attempt to hunt for shortcuts. Don't try to find the cheapest deal. Instead, attempt to search for the fairest deal, that is, the coolest looking eCover for an entirely acceptable price.
Get more internet marketing tips Arkansas
As such, they do not have any aspect that will help prospective buyers weigh their value. Not like an actual book for instance, where you can look at the cover or scan the back flap to know what it's all about, an eBook won't have such luxuries.
This is the explanation of why eCovers – electronically manufactured graphics that represent apparently real covers or boxes for online products – are very important for online entrepreneurs. Ecovers give that sense of tangibility that online products seriously require. This is important because this sense of tangibility offers for buyers the impression that they will be purchasing a thing that they can really own, a thing that they can really be theirs. Without this sense of tangibility, online products will be a difficult sell surely.
One more basis for the sheer importance of eCovers for eCommerce today is that these graphics provide buyers something that they can utilize as barometers for the value of the products they are considering to purchase.
For this reason, online advertisers should strive for top quality, expertly made eCovers rather than taking risks on cheaper but less winning selections. Even if persons feel that manuscripts shouldn't be judged by their casings, they are still considered by the same because casings are the primary things that people get to see. With digital products, casings are all that buyers are able to see, thus, casings take on a whole new layer of importance.
A poorly designed, poorly prepared eCover will dishearten your buyers. They'd sense that the actual product that such an eCover epitomizes is only as poorly designed and poorly finished.
On the other hand, a good appearing eCover will certainly sell a product of, for instance, lesser quality work. The eCover solely will be able to condition the prospect's minds that the product it represents is only as carefully arranged and a gracefully made venture.
If you're in the trade of selling digital products, eCovers should be one of your primary investments. Don't attempt to hunt for shortcuts. Don't try to find the cheapest deal. Instead, attempt to search for the fairest deal, that is, the coolest looking eCover for an entirely acceptable price.
Get more internet marketing tips Arkansas
Monday, June 8, 2009
Using Technorati For Internet Marketing
Technorati is a great way to boost your site higher in the search engines and snag some traffic from Technorati itself. If you haven't ever checked it out you really should take some time and see what it's all about. This service is an index/bookmarking site which focuses on blogs. So if you blog (which you really should be doing) you can claim your blog on Technorati. This will allow you to create a profile, and add links to each of your blogs. If you want to see mine as an example you can click on my Technorati Profile to check it out.
Technorati rates and ranks a blog based on how many blogs link to your blog. So to gain a better ranking, the following two important things need to be considered:
1.Having more than one link from a single blog to yours will not make much difference. You need to participate in guest posts and post comments on different blogs. Your link should be among the links within regular posts.
2. Only links created within the last 180 days are counted. You cannot rest on your laurels or your ranking will start to sink.
Technorati classifies its blog postings by assigning tags to each one. For instance, all posts related to the keyword phrase 'attention' can be viewed at technorati.com/tags/attention. Technorati has its own special language code for tagging posts. If you have WordPress, several plug-ins that create Technorati tags are available. However, you probably shouldn't display the tags right on your website, since it offers the reader a chance to become distracted and wander away from your site. Technorati's content comes from your RSS feed, so it's really only imperative that the tags are found there. Try AutoMeta for a quality WordPress plug-in.
If there is a two-word tag such as, 'attention age', one will not have to list all of the permutations. These posts will be listed by Technorati under 'attention age', 'attentionage', 'attention', and 'age', automatically.
In addition to any tags that you explicitly add to your pots, Technorati will also use the categories you post was associated with as tags.
You must alert Technorati once you have posted comments on a blog. To do this you have to ping Technorati, unless you are employing a service such as Ping-o-matic which does it for you. If you have to do it yourself, put rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping among the sites your blogging software contacts. When using WordPress, this is accomplished by entering the information into Options > Writing > Update Services.
Technorati also serves as a social network bookmarking site with a whole lot more included in the package. List your blog sites here and get your authority rating. The biggest draw that I see with this social bookmarking site, is the tab in the upper right hand corner called "Blogger Central". Find out what's percolating in blogs today, the top tags or keywords, the rising links of the day, top blogs, and top favorited blogs by members at Technorati. From Blogger central you can access the Technorati tools, plug ins, widgets, and applications. The top most one hundred blogs run from an authority given by Technorati of 27,000 to 2,500, this is an attainable goal when focused. The widgets to place on your blog or site are a top searches widget, top tags widget, and link count widget, which displays the number of links to your site, in real time, updated live for all your site visitors. With the Technorati widgets chart, enter any term to see how many blogs have used that term in the past week to the past year.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
SEO Tips Internet Marketers Can Use To Improve Their Sites
Last time I posted about onpage seo and how internet marketers can apply some simple strategies to improve their rankings in the search engines and make their sites more user friendly for their visitors. Want some seo tips?
Navigation
Studies have been done to track the eye movements of people on the internet. They discovered many things about folks which I won't go into here, but in terms of seo, they did discover a few things we should pay attention to in our internet businesses.
The part of our eye that sees with great clarity and focus is rather small, really about the size of your thumb held out at arms length towards your computer screen. (Really!) The rest of what our eyes see is somewhat blurry. So, we should consider putting the price for our products very close to the "buy now" button so people can find it easier.
For the same reason our navigation links should not have more than 7 links without a break for our eyes. We tend to give up if we have to work too hard at finding our way around a site. So, break your categories up into groups not more than about 7 long.
Links
We haven't talked too much about linking yet on this blog, but we will; I promise. :-) But for the moment, in terms of on page seo, links here refer to links on your site pointing either to other pages on your site or to other sites.
We try so hard to get folks to our site, it grieves us to consider putting links on our site to other sites - but that's just what we need to do. Google likes to see us participating in the internet community. So, here's a tip: look for links to sites that aren't competitive. Government agencies and education sites, associations or other such organizations are great because, they are high PR sites generally, but aren't competitive. You don't have to have a lot of these links, just some.
Additionally, when we can't get around putting a link to a site that is competitive we can use nofollow tags to keep the spiders from leaving our pages, even if our visitors do.
Architecture and Site Design
As you build your pages ask yourself a very important question - what purpose does this page serve? What is your goal with the page? What one action could your visitor take from that page that you intend for them to take? The ultimate point of the page? If you don't have one, they won't get it. It's that simple. Your visitors need to be led through the process. They don't want to think. They already came. They are already interested. Sure they might back out, but that's the risk we always take in business and marketing, right? Take them by the hand and tell them the ultimate point. Lead them to the action you want them to take and then spell it out for them. Make sure they understand it. This is called a "call to action" in marketing. And they expect it. If they are confused in any way they will simply back out. So, what does that mean in terms of seo, architecture and site design?
Simplify every page to be about one thing. One focus. One point. They can like it or not. Stay or leave, but at least they won't be confused. Make THE POINT be THE POINT.
Additionally, in the same vein I want to hit on what is called "selling the click." On page SEO involves writing meta tags (title, keywords and description tags). The title tag is what shows up in the search results that you click on. The description, at least in Google, is what shows up as the little blurb on the search results page under the text that you click. You want that text to be inticing them to click. It needs to be intriguing, or funny, or thought provoking or something that stands out. We are marketing after all. We are competing on the search engine results page with all the other listings. How can we stand out. Sell the click. Get them to click you. There is an art to this - but you need to learn if you are going to be a successful small business. Internet marketing is marketing - not just building a site and waiting for folks to come by from us like a lemonade stand.
This is true on your pages too. Above I discussed narrowing the focus of your pages to be concerned with one and only one main point, one action you want them to take. Sell that click too.
Happy Marketing.
Private coaching and consulting for internet marketing is available. Ask me how.
Navigation
Studies have been done to track the eye movements of people on the internet. They discovered many things about folks which I won't go into here, but in terms of seo, they did discover a few things we should pay attention to in our internet businesses.
The part of our eye that sees with great clarity and focus is rather small, really about the size of your thumb held out at arms length towards your computer screen. (Really!) The rest of what our eyes see is somewhat blurry. So, we should consider putting the price for our products very close to the "buy now" button so people can find it easier.
For the same reason our navigation links should not have more than 7 links without a break for our eyes. We tend to give up if we have to work too hard at finding our way around a site. So, break your categories up into groups not more than about 7 long.
Links
We haven't talked too much about linking yet on this blog, but we will; I promise. :-) But for the moment, in terms of on page seo, links here refer to links on your site pointing either to other pages on your site or to other sites.
We try so hard to get folks to our site, it grieves us to consider putting links on our site to other sites - but that's just what we need to do. Google likes to see us participating in the internet community. So, here's a tip: look for links to sites that aren't competitive. Government agencies and education sites, associations or other such organizations are great because, they are high PR sites generally, but aren't competitive. You don't have to have a lot of these links, just some.
Additionally, when we can't get around putting a link to a site that is competitive we can use nofollow tags to keep the spiders from leaving our pages, even if our visitors do.
Architecture and Site Design
As you build your pages ask yourself a very important question - what purpose does this page serve? What is your goal with the page? What one action could your visitor take from that page that you intend for them to take? The ultimate point of the page? If you don't have one, they won't get it. It's that simple. Your visitors need to be led through the process. They don't want to think. They already came. They are already interested. Sure they might back out, but that's the risk we always take in business and marketing, right? Take them by the hand and tell them the ultimate point. Lead them to the action you want them to take and then spell it out for them. Make sure they understand it. This is called a "call to action" in marketing. And they expect it. If they are confused in any way they will simply back out. So, what does that mean in terms of seo, architecture and site design?
Simplify every page to be about one thing. One focus. One point. They can like it or not. Stay or leave, but at least they won't be confused. Make THE POINT be THE POINT.
Additionally, in the same vein I want to hit on what is called "selling the click." On page SEO involves writing meta tags (title, keywords and description tags). The title tag is what shows up in the search results that you click on. The description, at least in Google, is what shows up as the little blurb on the search results page under the text that you click. You want that text to be inticing them to click. It needs to be intriguing, or funny, or thought provoking or something that stands out. We are marketing after all. We are competing on the search engine results page with all the other listings. How can we stand out. Sell the click. Get them to click you. There is an art to this - but you need to learn if you are going to be a successful small business. Internet marketing is marketing - not just building a site and waiting for folks to come by from us like a lemonade stand.
This is true on your pages too. Above I discussed narrowing the focus of your pages to be concerned with one and only one main point, one action you want them to take. Sell that click too.
Happy Marketing.
Private coaching and consulting for internet marketing is available. Ask me how.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Arkansas Internet Marketing | On Page SEO
Successful internet marketing has many facets. Some are things we can control from our websites, while others are more or less out of our control, though we can influence them greatly. On page seo is the former, allowing us to hone in on areas that need improvement at our site. We can always stand to improve things. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying we should forever be revamping our site and never get on to more important things like making money. In fact, I've written about this very topic before on this blog, stating that Arkansas internet marketers lack focus in terms of building businesses. They far too often get bogged down with color choices and the like.
But, once we have a working business, we would be foolish to stop paying attention, stop gathering or evaluating statistics, stop testing and stop improving our site. After all, if' I'm making money successfully online, don't I want to try and make more? I do!
If you do too, here are some things you should pay attention to on your site that are straight up on page seo:
Happy marketing!
Arkansas internet marketing consulting and private coaching is available.
But, once we have a working business, we would be foolish to stop paying attention, stop gathering or evaluating statistics, stop testing and stop improving our site. After all, if' I'm making money successfully online, don't I want to try and make more? I do!
If you do too, here are some things you should pay attention to on your site that are straight up on page seo:
- Title Tags are a must
- Keywords can't hurt
- Descriptions are a must
- Link architecture
- Use your keywords in your copy
- Anchor text
- Alt Tags
- Image optimization
- Don't use java for links that matter or flash
- Use nofollow on links that don't matter to save link juice
- Don't use duplicate content
- Find out what that really means!
Happy marketing!
Arkansas internet marketing consulting and private coaching is available.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Arkansas SEO
I heard Jeff Johnson say this recently, and it's true. It will also probably turn a few heads and drop a few jaws - SEO is sexy...
Really it is - it's the sizzle to internet marketing, but it isn't the steak. And that was his point and mine. Search engine optimization is probably the smallest part of true marketing online. Sometimes we are just like teenagers running hither and yon after the latest gadget or gizmo for our website, when what really matters is are we getting first sufficient numbers of people to our site and are they buyers. In other words, bottom line - are we making any money. And if we are, can we make more?
But, all things having their place, this will be a post about seo itelf because Arkansas small businesses need to know about seo in order to succeed online.
For those who don't know, search engine optimization (seo) is comprised by the strategies we use on our actual website pages to be all that we can be for the search engines. Why? So they will give us some spider lovin'! Search engines send out small little computer programs called spiders (or robots or just bots) to scour the internet for new and interesting sites. Their job is to follow links on pages, copy all the information from web pages that it's been told to gather and to get it indexed in a database. Then, when common folks like you and me "google" something, we get the results of their hard labor in the forms of clickable links to pages that google "found" when we searched their database. We call it "googling" and we do it a lot!
When we focus on seo we are looking for the best way to position ourself so that the spiders not only know what they find on our site and index it correctly, but pick us when someone searches. That's how we get found on the internet and hopefully engage in meaningful business transactions.
Arkansas internet SEO services are something we provide. If instead of being "serviced" you prefer to do things yourself, we also offer private coaching, consulting and training.
Really it is - it's the sizzle to internet marketing, but it isn't the steak. And that was his point and mine. Search engine optimization is probably the smallest part of true marketing online. Sometimes we are just like teenagers running hither and yon after the latest gadget or gizmo for our website, when what really matters is are we getting first sufficient numbers of people to our site and are they buyers. In other words, bottom line - are we making any money. And if we are, can we make more?
But, all things having their place, this will be a post about seo itelf because Arkansas small businesses need to know about seo in order to succeed online.
For those who don't know, search engine optimization (seo) is comprised by the strategies we use on our actual website pages to be all that we can be for the search engines. Why? So they will give us some spider lovin'! Search engines send out small little computer programs called spiders (or robots or just bots) to scour the internet for new and interesting sites. Their job is to follow links on pages, copy all the information from web pages that it's been told to gather and to get it indexed in a database. Then, when common folks like you and me "google" something, we get the results of their hard labor in the forms of clickable links to pages that google "found" when we searched their database. We call it "googling" and we do it a lot!
When we focus on seo we are looking for the best way to position ourself so that the spiders not only know what they find on our site and index it correctly, but pick us when someone searches. That's how we get found on the internet and hopefully engage in meaningful business transactions.
Arkansas internet SEO services are something we provide. If instead of being "serviced" you prefer to do things yourself, we also offer private coaching, consulting and training.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Arkansas Internet Businesses Need Focus
Business on the internet takes many forms. Some you might have thought of or run across and many I suspect you haven’t. Additionally, new ideas are formed every day. The internet ebbs and flows and grows at an enormous rate.
The internet is, among other things, a place, or the place people go to find out things. We’ve all heard the phrase “google it.” Google is a search engine, one of many, but by far the largest. What is a search engine? It’s essentially a large database. And when we go to Google and type in some words we are “querying” the database – essentially, asking a question, just like we used to do with the magic eight ball – Will I be successful in business? Yes, No, Maybe, highly unlikely, likely or whatever.
The magic eight ball only had a few possible answers. That was all that was in its database.
Google has a vast database and is not one dimensional – meaning it can answer with more complex answers than single syllables or words.
For us to be successful on the internet we have to understand what this whole “googling” process is about. When you google you are asking a question. Some say “white wedding shoes” and some say, “shoes wedding”. Some say, “where can I buy wedding shoes?” But they are all asking the same question and it’s google’s job to answer their question. This involves a very complex algorythym where google evaluates the question and responds with the closest matches.
We know what we are doing when we query google, but often I think business owners miss this point when engineering their websites. They tend to think in terms of making things pretty – just like they do in a brick and mortar store. And we also tend to think that loud and flashy gets us some milage. This might be true on an aisle competing against lots of other widgets, but on the internet what we are really competing against is how we come off in the search engine results pages.
This is a very important point. If you want to get your site up and your business going, quit choosing colors for your site and making high end graphics and start focusing on google. Let me show you why I say google instead of search engines. There are other search engines. But out of them all google gets the majority of all searches. Do well in google first. Then if you want to shift your attention to other market shares to dominate them, great. But the name of the game for Arkansas internet businesses is dominating google.
The internet is, among other things, a place, or the place people go to find out things. We’ve all heard the phrase “google it.” Google is a search engine, one of many, but by far the largest. What is a search engine? It’s essentially a large database. And when we go to Google and type in some words we are “querying” the database – essentially, asking a question, just like we used to do with the magic eight ball – Will I be successful in business? Yes, No, Maybe, highly unlikely, likely or whatever.
The magic eight ball only had a few possible answers. That was all that was in its database.
Google has a vast database and is not one dimensional – meaning it can answer with more complex answers than single syllables or words.
For us to be successful on the internet we have to understand what this whole “googling” process is about. When you google you are asking a question. Some say “white wedding shoes” and some say, “shoes wedding”. Some say, “where can I buy wedding shoes?” But they are all asking the same question and it’s google’s job to answer their question. This involves a very complex algorythym where google evaluates the question and responds with the closest matches.
We know what we are doing when we query google, but often I think business owners miss this point when engineering their websites. They tend to think in terms of making things pretty – just like they do in a brick and mortar store. And we also tend to think that loud and flashy gets us some milage. This might be true on an aisle competing against lots of other widgets, but on the internet what we are really competing against is how we come off in the search engine results pages.
This is a very important point. If you want to get your site up and your business going, quit choosing colors for your site and making high end graphics and start focusing on google. Let me show you why I say google instead of search engines. There are other search engines. But out of them all google gets the majority of all searches. Do well in google first. Then if you want to shift your attention to other market shares to dominate them, great. But the name of the game for Arkansas internet businesses is dominating google.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Arkansas Business Models |Online Auctions And Affiliate Marketing
Online auctions are certainly a viable business model many Arkansas business owners might want to pursue. This includes selling on Ebay and other sorts of auction sites. For some this model is all they sell. For others these auction sites serve to supplement their brick and mortar stores or to move product they are unable to move locally.
There are many advantages to this sort of business as it allows you to put your product before a larger customer base. Additionally, Ebay especially, has thousands and thousands of visitors on a regular basis able to search within its pages for your products. This narrows the playing field from competing against all businesses on the internet to only competing against other Ebay sellers.
Many may not know that you can add Ebay stores to your offering and suggest other products to your customers. For those who don't have their own websites, this can open up many more opportunites they may not be able to use otherwise without a website of their own.
Ebay can also be used for market research if you know what you're doing. If you haven't ever been on Ebay, you owe it to yourself to take a peek.
Affiliate Marketing As Another Business Model
In a previous post I mentioned affiliate marketing as a business model, but wanted to discuss this a bit more here. Affiliate marketing can be done in various ways and in varying degrees. Almost any site can benefit from banner advertisments to supplement their website's income. Without having to hire an sales team you can do this yourself through affiliate marketing.
Some affiliate sites you can check out include:
To the success of Internet Marketing in Arkansas
There are many advantages to this sort of business as it allows you to put your product before a larger customer base. Additionally, Ebay especially, has thousands and thousands of visitors on a regular basis able to search within its pages for your products. This narrows the playing field from competing against all businesses on the internet to only competing against other Ebay sellers.
Many may not know that you can add Ebay stores to your offering and suggest other products to your customers. For those who don't have their own websites, this can open up many more opportunites they may not be able to use otherwise without a website of their own.
Ebay can also be used for market research if you know what you're doing. If you haven't ever been on Ebay, you owe it to yourself to take a peek.
Affiliate Marketing As Another Business Model
In a previous post I mentioned affiliate marketing as a business model, but wanted to discuss this a bit more here. Affiliate marketing can be done in various ways and in varying degrees. Almost any site can benefit from banner advertisments to supplement their website's income. Without having to hire an sales team you can do this yourself through affiliate marketing.
Some affiliate sites you can check out include:
- Commission Junction
- Golden Cann
- Share A Sale
To the success of Internet Marketing in Arkansas
Friday, May 8, 2009
5 Business Models For Internet Marketers In Arkansas
Yesterday I focused your attention on determining an actual business model for your online business. Many assume that doing business on the internet is like doing business in a more traditional "brick and mortar" store, but that just isn't true. There are many factors which make this sort of assumption detrimental to your success online.
First it's important to note that marketing in general has changed. Those who get this are restructuring their business to continue playing. Those who don't understand this or underestimate it's impact will be taking their marbles home, mumbling under their breath. I know, you are probably thinking that I am bound to write such things because I am in this line of work - but the truth is as plain as the nose on your face. Look around. The internet has changed everything. It's a new playing field altogether. Those who get on board, like those innovative thinkers when both radio and tv hit the scene, will position themselves for long term success in this media. Those who are stodgy and well-seated in their old-foggy thrones, will be ousted.
So how is marketing different? Well, quite simply put, we are marketing to a new breed of customers. They are not content to sit on the sidelines and be marketed to by those that be with their wide eyes and opened mouths, ready at a moments notice to run out and buy. We wish they were - and in many respects they used to be.
The world was a different place this time last century. Wide-eyed wonder led the gullible masses to buy into whatever was touted, hook, line and sinker.
Today, in contrast, our customers question what we tell them and publicly challenge our claims. They demand more value for their money and their time - no more crappy, plastic, decoder rings for them! They believed marketers before, and now they are disillusioned. They feel gypped. They want the good stuff. They've become accustomed to it for one. And for another, there are countless other merchants, and for that matter markets, clamoring for their dollars. They are empowered. A role-reversal has taken place. They have become critical consumers.
We MUST consider this in any marketing or business venture we pursue, be it online or offline.
And then, we must simply put, give them what they want. We must provide good, no, great, customer service. We must be responsive to their requests. We must offer them choices. We must provide real value.
We'll discuss this more in coming posts concerning social marketing, but for now I want to turn our attention to a sampling of business models for internet marketers in Arkansas to consider.
1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Drop Shipping
3. Product Provider
4. Service Provider
5. Adsense Marketer
There are others, but for now, for getting started, these are the ones I want to discuss first. All of these involve various factors and skills which can be arranged in different sequences to help your business profit. We'll talk about these as well on this blog. For now, let me simply define these five internet business models so you can begin to evaluate your business.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is promoting products or services for someone else and making commissions.
Drop Shipping
In this case you get people to your site and when they buy you transfer that sell to another company where they store the products. Essentially you are selling someone else's products and marking it up. Your profit is the difference between what you sold the product for and what it cost you.
Product Provider
Product providers are more like what people typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of a brick and mortar store which sells goods.
Service Provider
Service providers are again, what you would typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of your service, generating leads. However, the internet opens up all sorts of new services that can be provided. This is where new business opportunities lie.
Adsense Marketer
This sort of marketer marketer creates websites, and fills them with content so that others will come and click on ads. Every click of those ads makes that marketer money.
Next time we'll discuss online auctions as a business model and get more in depth about affiliate marketing.
First it's important to note that marketing in general has changed. Those who get this are restructuring their business to continue playing. Those who don't understand this or underestimate it's impact will be taking their marbles home, mumbling under their breath. I know, you are probably thinking that I am bound to write such things because I am in this line of work - but the truth is as plain as the nose on your face. Look around. The internet has changed everything. It's a new playing field altogether. Those who get on board, like those innovative thinkers when both radio and tv hit the scene, will position themselves for long term success in this media. Those who are stodgy and well-seated in their old-foggy thrones, will be ousted.
So how is marketing different? Well, quite simply put, we are marketing to a new breed of customers. They are not content to sit on the sidelines and be marketed to by those that be with their wide eyes and opened mouths, ready at a moments notice to run out and buy. We wish they were - and in many respects they used to be.
The world was a different place this time last century. Wide-eyed wonder led the gullible masses to buy into whatever was touted, hook, line and sinker.
Today, in contrast, our customers question what we tell them and publicly challenge our claims. They demand more value for their money and their time - no more crappy, plastic, decoder rings for them! They believed marketers before, and now they are disillusioned. They feel gypped. They want the good stuff. They've become accustomed to it for one. And for another, there are countless other merchants, and for that matter markets, clamoring for their dollars. They are empowered. A role-reversal has taken place. They have become critical consumers.
We MUST consider this in any marketing or business venture we pursue, be it online or offline.
And then, we must simply put, give them what they want. We must provide good, no, great, customer service. We must be responsive to their requests. We must offer them choices. We must provide real value.
We'll discuss this more in coming posts concerning social marketing, but for now I want to turn our attention to a sampling of business models for internet marketers in Arkansas to consider.
1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Drop Shipping
3. Product Provider
4. Service Provider
5. Adsense Marketer
There are others, but for now, for getting started, these are the ones I want to discuss first. All of these involve various factors and skills which can be arranged in different sequences to help your business profit. We'll talk about these as well on this blog. For now, let me simply define these five internet business models so you can begin to evaluate your business.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is promoting products or services for someone else and making commissions.
Drop Shipping
In this case you get people to your site and when they buy you transfer that sell to another company where they store the products. Essentially you are selling someone else's products and marking it up. Your profit is the difference between what you sold the product for and what it cost you.
Product Provider
Product providers are more like what people typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of a brick and mortar store which sells goods.
Service Provider
Service providers are again, what you would typically think of when you say you have a website - an online version of your service, generating leads. However, the internet opens up all sorts of new services that can be provided. This is where new business opportunities lie.
Adsense Marketer
This sort of marketer marketer creates websites, and fills them with content so that others will come and click on ads. Every click of those ads makes that marketer money.
Next time we'll discuss online auctions as a business model and get more in depth about affiliate marketing.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Internet Marketing In Arkansas - The First Things You Should Know
Internet marketing is a very, very broad term. There are so many different business models it makes the head swim. Typically there are two groups of people: those who are already on the internet and those who want to be. More specifically there are those who have a clue as to what they want to sell or accomplish by being online and those who simply think that's the direction to head - no product, no service, no "nothing."
The neat thing about the internet is that both groups have viable options for being in business on the internet. The only real difference is that they will have to start from different places. One must first evaluate what he wants to do and the other needs to evaluate what he wants to do with what he has.
This video clip might be slightly offensive - it's from Southpark and they aren't always acceptable faire - but it does prove a point I want to make. Click here to view the video.
Many businesses, when it comes to the internet are greatly lacking in the "phase 2" department. They haven't figured out just how the internet works and how to make it turn a profit for them. This is true for those who have been on the internet for awhile and for those who are just thinking of getting into it.
I would encourage both groups to start with this fundamental step. It will ultimately determine your success on the internet and your own satisfaction of being in business. Internet marketing can be fun and rewarding or it can be a real drag - all depending on your business plan. More on this next time.
The neat thing about the internet is that both groups have viable options for being in business on the internet. The only real difference is that they will have to start from different places. One must first evaluate what he wants to do and the other needs to evaluate what he wants to do with what he has.
This video clip might be slightly offensive - it's from Southpark and they aren't always acceptable faire - but it does prove a point I want to make. Click here to view the video.
Many businesses, when it comes to the internet are greatly lacking in the "phase 2" department. They haven't figured out just how the internet works and how to make it turn a profit for them. This is true for those who have been on the internet for awhile and for those who are just thinking of getting into it.
I would encourage both groups to start with this fundamental step. It will ultimately determine your success on the internet and your own satisfaction of being in business. Internet marketing can be fun and rewarding or it can be a real drag - all depending on your business plan. More on this next time.
Internet Marketing Arkansas Welcomes You
I wanted first to welcome everyone to this blog focused on the ins and outs of internet marketing in Arkansas. First let me introduce myself. My name is Carrie Gibson, and I actually live in Arkansas! I've been here for more than 10 years as a transplanted Texan by way of Montana. There are lots of other marketers aiming their sites at Arkansas businesses, hoping you will confer with them for your internet marketing consulting needs. But I've always been a firm believer in local businesses promoting each other, and hiring each other. Certainly I would love to consult for your business - I am in this to make money - but I also know there are other Arkansas based internet marketing consultants that also do fine jobs. My point being - lets keep business in Arkansas when we can and boost our economy.
In fact, that's the very point of this blog. Our economy is forcing people out of their jobs and to look for non-traditional means of supporting their families, paying bills and getting by.
Many small businesses are floundering. Many wonder if the internet is the yellow brick road. And unfortunately, many have already embarked on that journey only to discover that internet marketing is harder than they thought.
I've watched internet marketing grow for many years now, and I can tell you that one thing is a constant in this business and that is that it changes constantly! There was a time when you could throw up a website, submit to a few directories and maybe toss in a few meta tags. The mentality was that if you "build it they will come."
Unfortunately many still have this belief and soon discover that their dreams of wealth and ease just don't materialize. Others have given up hope altogether, walking away sadly shaking their heads.
To make matters worse many companies have taken advantage of those small and local businesses that attempt to get their businesses online. They have charged exorbitant amounts of money and many have paid it because they were at the mercy of these unscrupulous companies. The end result is that those who have made efforts and taken steps to have businesses online have quite frankly been ripped off and gotten nothing in return.
I understand your frustration. Isn't it enough that they charged us an arm and a leg for their services, you ask? But to get nothing for those efforts is devastating for some small businesses. I want you to know that you don't have to take that lying down. Let me show you how to redeem your site and efforts. Let me take the fear and guesswork out of this whole mysterious process called Internet Marketing.
Me and my team are well equipped to provide a myriad of services Arkansas businesses are in need of. If you find yourself in need of the following, please call or email us and we will arrange a meeting.
In fact, that's the very point of this blog. Our economy is forcing people out of their jobs and to look for non-traditional means of supporting their families, paying bills and getting by.
Many small businesses are floundering. Many wonder if the internet is the yellow brick road. And unfortunately, many have already embarked on that journey only to discover that internet marketing is harder than they thought.
I've watched internet marketing grow for many years now, and I can tell you that one thing is a constant in this business and that is that it changes constantly! There was a time when you could throw up a website, submit to a few directories and maybe toss in a few meta tags. The mentality was that if you "build it they will come."
Unfortunately many still have this belief and soon discover that their dreams of wealth and ease just don't materialize. Others have given up hope altogether, walking away sadly shaking their heads.
To make matters worse many companies have taken advantage of those small and local businesses that attempt to get their businesses online. They have charged exorbitant amounts of money and many have paid it because they were at the mercy of these unscrupulous companies. The end result is that those who have made efforts and taken steps to have businesses online have quite frankly been ripped off and gotten nothing in return.
I understand your frustration. Isn't it enough that they charged us an arm and a leg for their services, you ask? But to get nothing for those efforts is devastating for some small businesses. I want you to know that you don't have to take that lying down. Let me show you how to redeem your site and efforts. Let me take the fear and guesswork out of this whole mysterious process called Internet Marketing.
Me and my team are well equipped to provide a myriad of services Arkansas businesses are in need of. If you find yourself in need of the following, please call or email us and we will arrange a meeting.
- Web design
- SEO (search engine optimization)
- Email marketing
- Banner advertising
- Link Campaign
- Article marketing/writing
- Copywriting
- Consulting
- Coaching
- Web Development
- Social marketing
- Bookmarking services
- Public Speaking
- Seminars
- Training
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