SiteProNews

I’m a HUGE stumble fan. Both as a user and a marketer. As a user I get treated to new and interesting websites every day - that I would never have found without Stumbleupon. As a marketer, it never ceases to amaze me how much traffic Stumble can drive. Just when you think that a page has received all the stumble traffic it’s going to get…whoosh… another wave hits. Sometimes even a few weeks after the initial submit.

I recently found that in addition to being cool for the above reasons, Stumble has a fantastic third use… cheap fast Market Research. I know, if you have ever done market research before I’m sure you’re shocked that I just used cheap and fast in the same sentence.

I came upon this discovery by accident. A client had just launched a new website and they wanted us to drive traffic to it. SEO for the long term and PPC, Social Media, online PR, in the short term.

Keep in mind, this was (is) a really snazzy site. The client (who wishes to remain anonymous), invested a huge chunk of dough into the site and it looked WAY COOL. The whole team was REALLY excited to be a part of such a cool project.

We put a lot of time into planning for the site launch and did our usual stuff, reaching out to online influencers, setting up paid search campaigns, etc. Except our tactics (which are usually pretty successful) didn’t pan out this time. We drove a moderate amount of traffic to the site but it didn’t take off like other efforts had. This was a bit of a puzzle.

Stumble helped us to figure it out. We stumbled the site and got enough Stumbleupon traffic to make the problem abundantly evident. This really cool, hugely aesthetic site was getting a number of thumbs down!!!

Looking at the site analytics for the stumble traffic we saw that these visitors were spending a lot of time on the home page (an average of 2 min 23 seconds) and had a very low bounce rate - 26%. We couldn’t discount the experience of this traffic as being low quality, these visitors were clearly engaged and interested. So why weren’t they converting? (in this case a conversion was going to a specific page and filling out a brief form).

Based on the Stumbleupon metrics, we hypothesized that although the site looked really cool, it wasn’t very user friendly. Keep in mind that Stumbleupon traffic comes to the site not knowing beforehand, what it’s all about. They arrive at the site knowing that it is related to their selected interests, and that others found the site intriguing. Period. No other cues such as where they came from, text links, keywords searched, etc.

Clearly in this case, the stumble traffic was confused. There were too few cues on the homepage as to what the site was about. To make matters worse, there was no navigation on the homepage just an enter here button. The button was below the fold so most people didn’t see it. The homepage was really interactive so they had fun playing with it initially, but in the end they got frustrated and left.

Based on our Stumbleupon hypothesis, some pretty direct Stumbleupon comments, we recommended a number of changes designed to improve the usability of the site. Grudgingly(they were afraid it would take away from the cool factor), the client moved the Enter Here button, they added an informative title, and made it a lot easier to go in and look around.
Immediately after the changes were implemented the site metrics went up (considerably).

These were all learning’s that we could have achieved through a focus group even before the site was launched. But in reality, where budget is limited and the project is usually behind schedule, who has the time or the money to do so?

Stumbleupon provided the critical feedback that the client needed. We just had to listen.

Author:  Jennifer Osborne writer and marketer for Search Engine People.

Submitting to directories is a great way to build links and increase your search engine rankings. In semi-competitive industries it can produce great results. If you add article creation and social media marketing into the link building equation then you can achieve great results for any industry.

Free or paid directories?

When choosing directories going for the paid ones can be better, mainly because the links seem to last a lot longer. Many of the free directories seem to disappear or delete links after a year or so. However, there are a few free directories out there that should always be used - directories that have stood the test of time.

Niche or general directories?

Submitting to a combination of both niche and general directories is usually a good idea.

For most industries there are a variety of niche directories out there - the best way to find them is through a search engine. Do a search on Google, MSN or Yahoo for directories in your niche area - those that come up in the first few pages of results are usually the best ones to use.

With general directories it’s better to go for those that are more established. The older a directory is, the better.

PageRank - does it still matter?

Because directories are generally quite large, they need a certain amount of PageRank to get all of their pages indexed properly. However a high PageRank isn’t the be-all and end-all. Google’s recent crackdown on directories1 has made visible PageRank even more irrelevant when it comes to choosing directories. There are directories out there that have no PageRank whatsoever that can offer value.

If a directory is ranking well in the search engines then you can rest assured that it has enough PageRank. If you’re unsure then check how many links it has via Yahoo! Site Explorer 2 or another link popularity checker.

Anchor text

It’s always best to get the main search phrases that you are targeting in the links to your site. However this isn’t always possible and unfortunately many of the best directories won’t let you do this. Sometimes you can get around this problem by slipping in a search phrase at the end of your company name.

Before submitting have a good look around a directory and get a feel for what you can and can’t get away with. Some directory owners will let you use a search phrase on its own, whereas others are very strict and will only use your business/website name. In between you have those where you might just be able to slip a search phrase in.

Doing your homework comes in handy - if you try to use a search phrase on its own and they change it to your business/website name then it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to get them to change it to your website name with a search phrase at the end. If you’d submitted it like that in the first place you may have got away with it.

Always try to get one of your search phrases in and vary the anchor text as much as possible - this will appear more natural to the search engines.

Varying your description

Many directories will provide you with your own page about your business. If you have the same description on every page across different directory websites then many of these will be seen as duplicate content by the search engines and your links will get devalued.

To avoid this, write a unique and substantial description for every single directory (200+ characters works best). Make sure the descriptions accurately mirror your products and services and that they read well.

Deep linking

Many directories allow you to add extra links directly to internal pages of your website. You should take turns in linking to different pages of your website using different variations of the phrases you’re targeting on each page. Using the same anchor text to link to the same page over and over again will appear unnatural to the search engines and this could work against you.

How many directories should you submit to?

There’s no fixed number of directories that you should get listed in. Work out a 12 month directory submission budget for each site and then do so many each week or month for the full duration.

When you’re building links to your site via directories or any other method, you should do it over time. Submitting to 100 directories in a week and then forgetting about it won’t be as effective as spreading the 100 directory submissions over a 3 month period.

The top 10 directories

Finally, here’s a list of the top free and paid general directories to get you started.
5 of the best free directories include:

• Open Directory Project
• World Site Index
• Domaining.in
• Web World
• Search Sight

5 of the best paid directories include:

• Yahoo! Directory
• Best of the Web
• Business.com
• Aviva
• Ezilon

Author:  David Eaves has been working in the search engine optimisation13 industry for the last 5 years. More of his articles can be found at his SEO blog.

Almost all the businesses today accept credit cards. If your business doesn’t then its high time it began accepting debit and credit cards, as they are being increasingly used by customers to make purchases on account of the convenience factor.

The credit card industry has revolutionized the way people make their payments and are constantly coming out with new innovations like cash-back bonuses, mileage credits, and numerous others to make them more acceptable for customers. Small, online business owners are circumspect about processing sale on a credit card, because they are unsure about choosing the right merchant processor.

Given below are a few tips that would help you select the right merchant processor. So without further ado here they are:

Your Business Bank can be a Good Option

Your search for a good merchant processor can end with the bank you are doing business with. However, not all banks offer merchant services to start-ups or new businesses. The standard practice of most banks is to avoid offering merchant processor services to a business that has been in operation for less than a year.

However, if you can convince the bank, you can’t choose a safer merchant processor than where you do your business banking.

Peer Referrals

Choose a merchant processor that your peers might refer to you. A peer might have been using the services of particular merchant processor company for a significant period of time, and hence can give you his feedback and enable you to make the correct choice.

The Transaction Fee and Percentage

You will find that there is not a single transaction fee and percentage across all banks. The transaction fee and percentage for credit card purchases as well as debit card purchases differ from bank to bank. Do extensive research on the specific rates offered by each bank pertinent to specific cards like MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express etc.

At times various businesses come together through a trade association to negotiate rates with a merchant processor. Herein, the processor might just charge less, as compared to the existing market rates. Explore this opportunity to see if you can get some benefits

The Independent Sales Organizations

Try not to choose those merchant processors who act as an agent for an independent sales organization (ISO). Pick an ISO who works with major banks. You won’t go wrong there. Your local chamber of commerce might be able to help you out in this regard or the local board of trade.

The Primary Bank

Choose a merchant processor who is associated with a big-time primary bank. This ensures good services and timely payments to your checking account, which is an absolutely must for any business.

Track-record and Clientele

Find out how long your merchant processor has been in business. This should not be your only parameter of selection, but it does give you a good indication of what you can expect from the merchant processor. Moreover, it will be infinitely easier to work with a well-established merchant processor.

You must also try to get some idea about the clients who have formed an association with a particular merchant processor. The more the clients the better it will be. More importantly if the processors have some big clients up their sleeves, then the better for you.

Contract Length

Most banks would ask you to sign a 3 year contract. If this is the case, then select the services of a bank that gives you good rates with respect to the time frame. Always try and choose the bank that offers you advantageous rates if it asks for a long term contract.

Manual Processing of Cards

Choose a merchant processor who gives you an option to manually process the cards. This makes for a great convenience if you have a power cut.

Customer Support

Your merchant processor must be known for its superior brand of customer support. The hours of operation must be commensurate with the hours of functioning of your business. You also might want to get in touch with your merchant processor at odd hours at times, in case of problems. Choose somebody by taking into account all these aspects.

We hope these pointers would enable you to choose a merchant processor who you can have a successful working association with. Study all your options thoroughly before making your choice.

Author:  If you are selling products on the internet then check out Frank Kern’s Mass Control marketing system. Also, visit our Make Money Online Project.

A podcast is a collection of digital media distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players (such as iPods) and personal computers. Believe it or not, you can make a successful internet business out of podcasting. In order to do so, your podcast has to be innovative and informative in order to rise above the competition. You may also be able to get sponsorship for your podcast.

One of the newest forms of internet business is podcasting. Podcasting for profit involves making and distributing podcasts in order to generate revenue. Podcast profits can be made through actually selling the podcast, but they are more likely to be generated through donations, sponsorship and networking.

It is possible to make money through podcasts, but you need to think about how it will generate revenue. Podcasts that cost money to download usually only do well if they contain information that is popular, relevant, and insightful. Podcasts that people have to pay for face serious competition from all the free podcasts available. This doesn’t mean that podcasting isn’t a good way to make money; you just usually need to find other ways of generating revenue besides just selling the podcast.

One popular way of making money through podcasts is by providing a way of allowing people to make donations. Although many may not be willing to pay for a podcast, they may be willing to make a donation in order to keep your podcast alive. In order to receive money from donations, you will need to provide a link on your website where people can easily make a donation. Paypal is a reputable service that offers a donation button you can put on your site.

People are not going to donate money to a service that does not provide a quality podcast. In order to make money from donations, you will need to provide a podcast that people think is worth contributing to. Donations are a great way to generate revenue for newer podcasts that have not yet built up a steady listening base.

Commercial sponsorship is another good way for your podcast to generate revenue. It is not unknown for sponsors to approach podcasters that have a large base of listeners, but usually you have to approach the sponsors. Before approaching companies to try and persuade them to sponsor your podcast, you should have a good idea of the type of sponsors you want and the type of sponsors that would benefit from sponsoring your podcast. You should also have accrued a good listening base and show a good understanding of the business.

You can also profit from your podcast through the revenue generated by your website. Your podcast can direct people to your website, which will have its own ways of generating revenue. In order to generate revenue through the website, it is essential to have a quality website that provides pertinent and engaging information.

The information on the website should tie in with the subject of the podcast and provide information about it. A blog is one way to keep people coming back to your website on a frequent basis, in order to see any new updates. A newsletter can also direct people to specific items on the website and inform them of any new happenings regarding the podcast.

Another good way to get the word out about your podcast and attract listeners is to create an Apple iTunes account and submit your podcast to the iTunes directory. This is a very simple process that will allow a large number of people to find and listen to your podcast.

You don’t even have to be listed in the Apple iTunes directory to make money from your podcast, as there are other podcast directories that can direct people to your podcast. Your website alone may be enough to gain listeners to the podcast, but the iTunes directory will net you more listeners and subscribers, and is worth considering if you really want to make money podcasting.

Podcast profits don’t just happen, they need to be planned. You can’t create a podcast and expect the profits to just start rolling in. If you want to profit from your podcast, you need to spend some time thinking about how it will generate revenue. Proper planning and marketing strategy will provide a positive image of your podcast that people will want to experience. As a result, they will pay to watch it and you will profit from your internet business ideas!

Author:  For more information on Podcasting and creating a successful internet business, visit http://TheInternetBusinessAuthority.com

To know why Adsense is essential for your content sites is to know first how this works. The concept is really simple, if you think about it. The publisher or the webmaster inserts a java script into a certain website. Each time the page is accessed, the java script will pull advertisements from the Adsense program. The ads that are targeted should therefore be related to the content that is contained on the web page serving the ad. If a visitor clicks on an advertisement, the webmaster serving the ad earns a portion of the money that the advertiser is paying the search engine for the click.

The search engine is the one handling all the tracking and payments, providing an easy way for webmasters to display content-sensitive and targeted ads without having the hassle to solicit advertisers, collect funds, monitor the clicks and statistics which could be a time-consuming task in itself. It seems that there is never a shortage of advertisers in the program from which the search engine pulls the Adsense ads. Also webmasters are less concerned by the lack of information search engines are providing and are more focused in making cash from these search engines.

Adsense has come a long way

The first reason why Adsense is essential for content sites is because it already has come a long way in understanding the needs of publishers and webmasters. Together with its continuous progression is the appearance of more advanced system that allows full ad customization. Webmasters are given the chance to choose from many different types of text ad formats to better complement their website and fit their webpage layout.

The different formatting enables the site owners the possibility of more click through from visitors who may or may not be aware of what they are clicking on. It can also appeal to the people visiting thus make them take that next step of looking up what it is all about. This way the people behind the Adsense will get their content read and making profit in the process.

Tracking Your Adsense

The second reason is the ability of the Adsense publishers to track not only how their sites are progressing but also the earnings based on the webmaster-defined channels. The recent improvements in the search engines gives webmasters the capability to monitor how their ads are performing using customizable reports that has the capacity to detail page impressions, clicks and click-through rates. Webmasters and publishers can now track specific ad formats, colors and pages within a website. Trends are also easily spotted.

With the real-time reporting at hand, the effectiveness of the changes made will be assessed quickly. There would be time to sort out the contents that people are making the most clicks on. The ever-changing demands would be met while generating cash for the webmasters and publishers. The more flexible tools are also allowing webmasters to group web pages by URL, domain, ad type or category, which will provide them some accurate insight on which pages, ads and domains are performing best.

Advertising Benefits With Adsense

The last and final reason is that the advertisers have realized the benefits associated having their ads served on targeted websites. Thus increasing the possibility that a prospective web surfer will have an interest in their product and services. All because of the content and its constant maintenance. As opposed to those who are no using Adsense in their sites, they are given the option of having other people do their content for them, giving them the benefit of having successful and money-generating web sites.

Adsense is all about targeted content, the more targeted your content is, the more target the search engines’ ads will be. There are some web masters and publishers who are focused more on their site contents and how best to maintain them rather than the cash that the ads will generate for them. This is the part where the effectiveness is working its best.

There was a time when people were not yet aware of the money to be achieved from advertisements. The cash generated only came into existence when the webmasters and publishers realized how they can make Adsense be that generator. In those days, the content were the most important factors that is taken quite seriously. It still is. With the allure of money, of course.

Author:  Anne Ahira Marketing Guru of My 1st Internet Guru. Anne offers a plethora of inside marketing information and step by step guides to make your online ventures more successful.

Moving your web site into another language involves many steps and many choices. Getting this process right is critical, and this article deals with each aspect of the process from translation of the site to marketing the site on the search engines used by your target customers.

Translating Your Web Site

Much time, effort and money goes into web site localization. A professional web site localization project can involve:

• Finding good translators (or a good agency)
• Choosing the correct target language ‘flavors’ for your target markets (e.g. European Spanish, Latin American Spanish etc.)
• Protection of HTML and other code
• Localization of graphics
• Text extraction from program-driven areas of the site
• Change detection for frequently changing web sites
• On going localization of changed pages (without retranslation of the whole page)

Simply translating the site, regardless of how professionally this is done, does not guarantee that your site will be seen by the global audience you expect.

In the same way that search engines should be at the forefront of everything you do on the English site, this same ethos must be used on the translated versions of your site.

Ideally, the planning for global search marketing should start before the site is first localized, but if not it is important to know what steps can be taken to rectify the situation.

This article describes the process of bringing visitors to your multilingual web site. Typical Multilingual Search Engine Optimization

Most Global organizations have a search-engine-optimized web site that they then localize, ignoring the optimization of the localized sites.

Most webmasters are not employed for their linguistic skill and therefore the localization of the site is a painful and intimidating process. Following this process, entering the further unknown area of search engine optimization or multilingual pay per click management is ignored or actively avoided.

There are two common misconceptions around web site marketing for multilingual web sites:

1. Optimize the English site then translate it well and it will be optimized in-language.

Multilingual search engine optimization is often ignored because of the belief that if the English site is optimized for search engines, the language sites will be too. This is not the case.

2. For PPC, simply translate the ad copy and keywords.

Imagine a set of English keywords for a site selling a glass replacement service for cars. The marketing specialist or PPC executive would use their knowledge of the industry and the language to expand out a set of keywords that a user might type in to a search engine. They might come up with terms such as ‘vehicle glass replacement’, ‘car windscreen fixing’, ‘windshield repair’ etc. For this simple service there are a multitude of ways of describing the window, the vehicle and the replacement service that spawn a large number of keyword combinations. A good translator would take each one and translate to the most common, most sensible alternative in their language. Unfortunately, this will lead to a reduction in keywords. Windscreen and windshield may translate to the same common term in French. Replacement and repair may translate to the common term used in French for glass replacement. This is not what is required.

If a site is simply translated with no regard for in country search engines, it will support an English language searcher arriving at the site and then switching to their desired language. However, it will not readily support a user finding your site in their language.

It is these new customers finding your site on foreign search engines that will bring the most incremental business from the localized site. How to Localize a Site and Remain Search Engine Friendly

Fortunately, there are some simple steps that can be taken to ensure the site remains searchable in language. However, similar to your English site, in order to maximize the return on investment from the localized sites, outside help may be required. Simple steps

1. Find a quality localization company.

Ensure you ask for examples of web sites that they have localized before and have your in country people (if you have them) validate the translations on the reference sites.

2. Get your page-by-page keyword glossary translated and approved FIRST.

Much effort went into the generation of keywords for each page of the English site. Your English pages are rich with these keywords. Put the same effort into the translation of these keywords. This should be done first, before any localization of the pages begins. These translations should be approved by your in-country marketing representatives if you have them, or be double-checked by your translation company (using specialist marketing translators) if not.

3. Ensure the site is professionally localized.

The site must be well formed (no broken HTML or other code), be translated well, and must not contain broken links (links to pages that have not been migrated to the language site and therefore throw an error). Quality localization requires a quality localization company using specialist tools to protect page code, and to check it once the localization is complete.

4. When translating the web site, use the keyword glossary ELECTRONICALLY.

Do not leave it to chance. Your translation company should be using the translated keyword lists in electronic glossaries so the translators are automatically prompted with the approved language version of the keyword whenever they are translating an English equivalent.

Following these steps will ensure that the site gets the basics right and can be effectively indexed on the correct keywords by the engines. However, to ensure you are getting the correct prominence on the search engines, you need to read on. Advanced Multilingual Search Marketing

If you want to perform in your foreign markets, and fully capitalize on you localization investment, you need to consider the following:

1. Domain

Geolocating your site in Google’s eyes involves more than changing the language. Changing the language does not guarantee that your site will appear in local searches. You should consider the domain. Some companies build a .com website, with folders or sub domains for several languages (IBM) whereas others build local versions of the site using the top level domain of each country (Nokia). The first option can be cheaper and easier to implement because it means that you can use one content management system for all content on one server. However the top level domain gives Google additional information that will provide weight in the search results.

2. IP Address

Google maps the IP address to the country and when looking for relevance in search results, will score locally hosted domains higher than non-locally hosted. In other words, it is better to host the French version of your site in France. This can be awkward and expensive, so you need to consider whether you are able to beat your competition without this. It is not the only factor that Google considers so do not think that this is essential.

3. Webmaster Tools

It is now also possible to select the geographic location using Google’s Webmaster Tools. But for now only full sites can be geolocated, not individual folders, although that is promised for the near future.

4. Links

In the same way as you have build vast numbers of links to your English site, the language version is a rich and often untapped source of links. Local links from local domains in the local language are important. You may need outside help for this, and again, the question is what you need to do to beat your competition. As with English SEO, links are a major part of success.

5. Engine-Specific Optimization

This involves the identification of important engines by country for your target market. Google is not necessarily the dominant player in all countries. In China, for example, at the time of writing, you won’t find Google in the top ten sites. An engine called Baidu is by far the most used site. In order to identify, and then optimize and monitor for these engines you will require support from external specialists.

6. Pay Per Click (PPC) in each locale

PPC is the fastest method to achieving search engine prominence in any country. Professional multilingual PPC allows you to quickly succeed in a foreign market, but is also a fantastic keyword targeting method so you can discover the most powerful keywords in your target language. Running a PPC campaign may also not require the full localization of the web site which can be an expensive exercise. It is often effective to localize only a landing page. However, ensure your landing pages are culturally optimized because they are critical to gather conversions.

Conclusion

We hope this article has shown that there are some basic steps that can be taken during the localization process that will start the search engine optimization process on the right track. These basic steps will fall easily into place if your localization company know the details of search engine optimization. Make sure you test them out.

Author:  Dave McEvoy writes for Search Laboratory who are Adword experts with years of experience in Multilingual ppc management. For more information please come and visit our site.

“My target market is everybody.” Is this statement true for your business? If so, how is that working for you? My guess would be that it’s not working at all. I shudder when a client tells me that their target market is everyone. When you target everyone, it’s too hard to focus on anyone and you attract no one.

One of the most terrifying decisions an online business owner makes is the decision to refine and define their target market. Why? Generally because they’re scared of excluding people. However, the more focused you are in your marketing efforts and the better you understand and can define your target market, the easier your marketing becomes. Really! And, what’s even more astonishing is that you’ll soon begin to hear, “Well, I know you only work with and have seen how successful they have been in working with you, but I’m . Will you work with me, too, and help me succeed?”

What’s the easiest way to uncover the characteristics of your target market? Conduct informational interviews with those who belong to that target market. Despite the fact that most informational interviews are used by people seeking a job in a particular market, you can apply this concept to help you create a full description of your target market. If you have no idea who that might be, interview some of your favorite clients or friends/colleagues that you think would make an ideal client for you. Go through your contact database and find prospects who meet your description and request to talk to them about their challenges.

You can set up 30-minute interviews over coffee or over the phone with people who fit your ideal client profile and ask them a series of questions about things you want to know more about that will give you insight into their daily lives. Or, join in and participate in their online discussion lists, forums. or blogs and research the kinds of questions being posted. Find someone else who provides a different offering to the same target market and ask to send out a short survey to that person’s contacts and to find out more about them as a group.

Here are the questions you can ask in your informational interview or survey. Some of these questions may not apply to your target market, depending on whether you’re a business-to-business company or a business-to-consumer company:

1. Demographics.
Are they male or female? What age group? What socio-economic or ethnic group do they belong? What is their religious preference? What levels of education have they completed? What is their marital status? Do they have children?

2. Psychographics.
What are their lifestyle preferences? What kind of hobbies do they have? How do they spend their free time? Do they tend to be conservative or liberal in their lifestyle and political beliefs? Are they generally introverted or extroverted?

3. Financial.
How much do they make in a year? Can they easily afford your product or service? On what do they regularly spend money?

4. Industry.
What types of occupations do they hold? Are they part of a particular industry or profession? To what groups and associations (real and virtual, personal and professional) do they belong? Is there a list of them that might exist somewhere?

5. Values and Beliefs.
What are their beliefs? What values do they hold dear? What is important to them in their life and work?

6. Location.
Where do they hang out in real time — at church, the local coffee shop, the hardware store, civic groups or professional association meetings? What about online in discussion groups, blogs, forums, online networking sites? Do they attend conferences or trade shows regularly? Can you open the yellow pages of your phone book and find several listings that would encompass your target market?

7. Information Gathering.
What magazines, newspapers, email newsletters, blogs, and professional trade publications do they read? What television programs do they regularly watch? What kind of movies do they see? What kind of online videos do they view?

8. Connections.
With whom do they do business on a regular basis? Where do they network online and offline? Who are their “natural referral partners”, or other businesses who cater to the same target market but offer a different service? Whom do they trust and respect?

9. Communication.
How do they prefer to interact — in person, by email, by webconferencing? Are there buzzwords or industry-specific terms that they use frequently? What gets their attention?

10. Problems and Solutions.
What are the key issues/problems/concerns keeping them awake at night? Are they in enough pain that they’re willing to pay you to solve their problem? Where are they seeking assistance to help solve the problem? What kinds of products and services might they purchase to help solve this problem — books, magazines, coaching, consulting, etc.?

Once you’ve completed several interviews, then compile the information you have received and create a profile of your target market. Based on the info in this profile, then answer these three questions:

1. Are there enough of them to make them viable as a group?
2. Would I enjoy working with this target market?
3. Do you offer ready solutions that would help this target market solve their problems?

If the answers to those questions are all “yes”, have this profile available to you as you plan your marketing strategy, write your website copy, create information products, write articles, blog, or compose your email newsletter. When you fully understand your target market, you are able to streamline and focus your marketing, and you’ll wonder why you ever waited this long to define your target market!

Author:  Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.OnlineBizU.com. Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com.

Mythology is in essences a story that sounds like it could be true, but is not! Even today we have myths in different aspects of business including SEO. Ever wonder what the biggest SEO myths are? I have taken the most prevalent myths that seem to be constantly resurfacing and examined them for you. This is a must read for anyone looking to hire an Search engine optimisation firm or someone looking to do SEO for themselves.

Myth # 1: All Meta Tags Are Of Equal Importance

Some Meta tags are useful while others are not. I have stated this many times. Search engines are relying more and more about what is on the website than what the tags are telling them. The description tag is used by some (but not all) search engines. The same goes for the keyword tag. Keyword tags are used more by spammers and people using software to find you as a link partner than the search engines. In my opinion, the only tags you should concentrate your efforts on are the robot tag and the description tags.

Myth # 2: You Should Submit Your Site to Search Engines Weekly or Monthly

Honestly, I never submit any site more than 1 time and sometimes I don’t even do that. If you submit your site once, you’re good. The engines will come back on their own. You can sometimes speed up the process of getting your site indexed by linking it to a high traffic or high PR site. The search engines will find the URL to your site and index it automatically.

Myth # 3: SEO is Too Expensive

Actually, SEO is probably the most cost effective form of online marketing. Organic SEO is cheaper to set up and maintain than a PPC campaign or banner advertising. With PPC and banner advertising, you pay for clicks or impressions. With SEO, all clicks are Free. You simply pay for the set up and monitoring of your site’s pages.

Myth # 4: PPC Is More Effective Than Natural SEO

In the short term…true. In the long term…false. Why, you ask? Organic SEO is preferred by searchers over 5 to 1 to PPC. People trust organic searches to return relevant results. People also know that the ads to the right of the page are sponsored ads. They have long ago figured out that anyone can bid on any term they want, as many often do, without even a hint of relevance. So, long term SEO structuring can indeed be more effective than PPC, especially when considering the preferences of search traffïc. A top search rankings may take some time to get, but once you are there (and provided you can maintain it), you will get better results than from a PPC ad.

Myth # 5: Hiring an SEO Specialist “In House” is Cheaper

The problem with hiring someone in house is that they are paid hourly or by salary. Most SEO firms charge per item or project. It doesn’t matter how long it takes us, you pay a one tíme charge. When you hire a firm, it’s like having a team of SEO experts on your payroll. Paying a flat rate saves you monëy and speeds up the time it takes to complete a job. Additionally, most SEO firms have specialists who write, submit, redesign sites, post pages, etc… Hiring one person who can do all these things competently is highly unlikely.

Myth # 6: I Can Only Optimize My Homepage for Key Terms

You can and should optimize every page on your site. Each page should have its own key terms, with no more than three phrases per page (preferably one).

Myth # 7: All I Need to do is Write Content with the correct Keyword Density and My Site Will Rank Well

Wrong…especially if you want to rank on Google. You will need off-site SEO as well as on-site SEO. Keyword density may work on MSN (for now), but it will take more than that to rank well for all search engines.

Myth # 8: I Shouldn’t Aim for the Most Competitive Keywords and Phrases

If the keywords you are competing for are very competitive, should you optimize your site for them? Of Course! I would optimize for some high, medium and low competitive key terms. Cover all your bases. The worst case is that you won’t rank well for the high competitive key terms and that’s ok. You can always work to improve them. Don’t shy away from top key terms just because they are competitive. You may nevër know how close you could rank for them unless you try.

Myth # 9: Only Work With Companies That Give You A Guarantee

Guarantees would be nice if they were worth the paper they are printed on. In fact, most guarantees from SEO firms have the same stipulation in them. This stipulation usually states that as long as they get one of your key phrases to the top of any major search engines, they have fulfilled their end of the agreement. This is irrelevant to the competition of the term. In other words…it’s easy to be number one for terms no one is competing for. Don’t be deceived by high rankings listed on SEO sites as they can be misleading.

Myth # 10: SEO Requires a 1 Year Commitment on My Part

It certainly shouldn’t. Don’t lock yourself into a year contract with any company unless you already have an established, favourable business relationship. SEO, in most cases, should be performed on a month to month basis with a mutual understanding of the objectives and relative timetable. Often, both the long and short term maintenance contracts that many firms insist on including with each job are unnecessary. As an example…If you have a new site optimized, especially right after an update, you may not see results for three months. Why pay for maintenance in the interim time?

Additionally, you may not be happy with the results of an SEO firm or even the level of service. A long term contract may only ensure that you receive a full year of bad service. So, don’t lock yourself in with a year contract, at least until you are comfortable with whom you are dealing with.

Hopefully, I put a few common SEO myths to rest.

Author:  Andy MacDonald owns and runs his own website design company called Swift Media UK which also incorporates logo design & reliable web hosting. Also checkout our SEO Blog which is updated regularly with posts to help you achieve a top search engine ranking.

Most articles about doing business online give you a number of tips for success. Certainly you can learn a lot from these articles and many of the tips are useful and important. Right now I will not confuse you with many things to do or remember, rather let’s focus on one point that can make or break your effort to make money online.

In my opinion, the most important aspect of doing well online is to have a professional looking website. 

If you are a door to door salesman or a sales person who meets clients face to face, then your appearance and your manner of presentation is a most important factor in determining your ability to sell. When you are trying to sell online, no one knows what you look like or what you are wearing and or what you sound like (unless you include video on your site). For the most part, you will first be judged by what your site looks like.

Most web visitors only spend 30 seconds or less on a web page. In that 30 seconds they judge whether there is information that will be useful to them and they also judge whether this is a serious offer coming from a trustworthy source.

You may ask how can they determine all this in 30 seconds? They will scan the headlines and headers and see what the site is offering and by looking at the design and layout they will form an initial opinion on the trustworthiness of the site. If the site looks like it was designed by your nephew who just learned how to put up a website, then the first impression will not be good.

So, to make a long story short, don’t skimp on design. Get it done by a professional. If you have to pay for this, consider it money well spent because you will get this money back and much more when people visit your website and get the feeling that they are dealing with someone who is a professional. They will go on to buy your products or services, or sign up for your mailing list.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on web design. It is also possible to buy a template and add your content. But even if you are working from a template or using a blog or content management system that utilizes templates, it is still good to take the help of a professional.  For example you can have your main banner or logo designed by a designer or you can have an artist or designer tweak your template or content management system so that it looks good.

You may also be wondering, “Once I have a nice design, how am I going to get traffic to my site?”  This of course is the next step, but there is one thing that should be remembered: having a good looking site will actually help you to build traffic. 

Here is how a good design can help with your traffic building. One of the most important factors in building traffic is achieving high rankings in search engines.  Your ranking will depend on many factors, but one of the most important is the number of incoming links to your website from other websites. These incoming links are viewed by Google and other search engines as “votes” for your site. If you have a smart looking, professional site, then there is more chance that your site will gain entry to directories which are edited by human beings (as opposed to the robotic programs which gather data for the search engines).  A placement in a directory such as www.dmoz.org can really boost a site’s ranking in the other search engines.

In addition, if your site has good content and a good appearance it is highly likely that people who are building lists and directories of important sites in a particular field will choose your site for their list and mention you as a good resource.  If you have a garden supply business, and a snazzy-looking green site then there is a good chance that other people will list it as a resource even without you knowing it.  In fact these are the best kinds of links, the links that you get without asking, the links that you get because people look at your site and say, “that is really a great site.” Good design will help you to get more of this type of links.

There are indeed many other things that you have to know about doing business online, but if you neglect this first point of starting with a great design, then you will not be able to reap the benefits of all your other knowledge. So, whatever you do online, take the time and effort and expense of making sure that your website’s design shows that “you mean business.”

Author:  Donald Nelson is a search engine optimization specialist and you can find more of his articles at his website: http://www.a1-optimization.com . He is also the editor and publisher of the A1-Article Directory ( http://www.a1-articledirectory.com ), which contains thousands of articles on online business, website promotion and many other related subjects.

In part one of Increase Conversion’s by Decreasing Shopping Cart Abandonment, we shown you the first 10 top tips to increasing your conversion rates. In part 2, we conclude with our final 10 tips, and a conclusion. Read on for more top tips…

11. Give the visitors the option to call.

If visitors have a problem during the checkout or just feel uncomfortable using their credit card online, give them a phone number to call. Use a separate telephone number that is different from the one you use for the rest of your site. this will help you track, evaluate & understand shoppers’ needs and behaviors. While you are at it, give them a fax-order form so they can complete their order by fax if they prefer.

12. Make it always about your new customer.

Make the focus of the checkout process easier for your new visitor with whom you do not yet have a relationship with, than for your registered customer. It is much harder to acquire a new customer than to keep selling to loyal customers. Registered customer’s will find a way to sign in (if they don’t already have a cookie), but don’t make the registration and log-in a barrier in the way of the new visitors finding their way to check out.

13. Add third-party reinforcement messages.

Verisign, BBB or logos of credit cards have either greatly boosted conversion rates, or kept them neutral. in other words, they never hurt. HackerSafe certification seems to be helping clients all across the board, especially in sites with larger average order sizes. They claim a 15.7% average increase in orders - directly attributable to earning the Hacker Safe certification.

14. Present coupon codes carefully.

Be careful how you handle these - you don’t want to decrease your conversion rate. You might want to think carefully about where you present this option and how you label it. Coupons should add to the experience, not create doubt for those may not be shopping with a coupon.

15. Deal with pricing issues head-on.

If you sell name brand products and your store is price competitive or truly provides better value, why not try a “Lower Price Match” guarantee?

16. GTC: Get the cash.

Offer more payment options and add other ways to collect the cash. You can offer visitors the option to pay by cheque, PayPal or any other means you can to get the cash.

17. Offer point-of-action reassurance.

Check how often information critical to your customers buying decision gets buried in tiny type at the bottom of the page or in some place where it is not immediately visible when the need to know is foremost in the customers mind. If you walk into a store, its fairly easy to find out product warranty information. One can read the box at hand or chat with a salesperson.
Online, give your customer this same option at the POA where he’d figuratively be examining that box. Link right there to product warranties, your company’s specific policies, testimonials, even optional extended service plans. Right there! Maybe you take them to the information or perhaps give it to the shopper in a pop-up.
At the exact point when your customer has to start filling in a form with personal information, reassure the customer that privacy is sacred to you. At the point the customer might be curious about your company’s shipping costs, make them concretely available. Just when the customer is wondering whether or not it is possible to return the item if it doesn’t suit, make it clear that you have a no-questions-asked returns policy. Make the best use of your assurances at the right time and place.

18. Track your mistakes.

Develop a system that keeps you notified of errors during your checkout process. One client noticed a portion of their visitors had cookies turned off. He developed a cookie-less checkout option and his conversion rate and sales jumped.

19. Save it for them.

We know that customers often leave a shopping cart with items in it, but they do return sometimes. Don’t be overly concerned if visitors leave items behind. Just plan on doing your best to give them a reason and reminder to return and complete the sale. You may have the ability to save the cart for them or email them that they left items in their cart and can complete their order when they are ready. This can be done online at your website or through the telephone with interactive voice response (IVR). Remember, if they’ve gotten to the shopping cart, they are most likely considering the purchase.

20. When all else fails, survey.

Try an exit survey (think of it as an objectionator) if people abandon your checkout. Try offering them an incentive to complete your survey or even save their cart. They might just tell you why they didn’t complete their order.
These twenty tips can help you reduce your shopping cart abandonment. Of course, every site is different and has its own environment and issues. Don’t overly obsess about abandonment rates, since many people simply use the shopping cart as a placeholder for considering purchases of interest to them. These tips help you focus on those whose intent it is to check out and purchase, but may have questions, doubts or obstacles holding them back. Some of these tips will result in dramatic improvements and others might not do much. the only way to find out is to test each.

Author:  Andy MacDonald owns and runs his own website design company called Swift Media UK which also incorporates logo design & reliable web hosting. Also checkout our SEO Blog which is updated regularly with posts to help you achieve a top search engine ranking.