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SiteProNews Blogs
New Rules for E-commerce – – A SPN Exclusive Article Part 4
By Victor Arcuri in Featured
When the Internet was conceived, it was developed as an ‘information highway.’ It has evolved into an e-commerce solution that is a mandatory component for every business. However, the Rules of E-commerce have changed.
In this article we introduce the new rules and how they impact Web Hosting Companies.
• In Part 1, we discussed how the new rules impact consumers.
• In Part 2, we discussed how the new rules impact online merchants.
• In Part 3, we discussed how the new rules impact shopping cart software developers.
• In Part 5 we will discuss how the new rules impact smart phone application developers.
• In Part 6 we will discuss how the new rules impact smart phone banking applications.
How the PPOS Operates
The new PPOS is not a storage device, but rather a payment application. None of the data entered on the application is saved or stored within the application. All saved and stored data resides in a cloud computing service, which is usually owned and operated by the bank or the company that issued the credit cards.
Consumers concerned about identity theft need to know that the new digital wallets equipped with a PPOS are guaranteed to protect your identity. The safest place to store your credit card details is with the bank or institution that issues your credit card. The second safest place to store your profile and card data is in one of the cloud computing services designed specifically for that purpose. After all, they already have this information.
When the PPOS is initially launched, you are presented with data collection forms to create your profile and enter your card details. The submit function uploads the profile to the gateway server that encrypts the data, returns an unlock key, and then stores the encrypted file with the appropriate cloud. The returned unlock key is stored within the PPOS, along with a description of the card, but not the card details. For example, the stored description might read Capital One MC Platinum.
Web Hosting Developers
It is estimated that less than 40 per cent of merchants who accept credit cards have an e-commerce enabled website. The new rules for e-commerce mean there will no longer be a requirement for these merchants to purchase SSL Certificates, pay for PCI compliance, or install extra security to protect stored data. There is an extensive list of cost savings.
When merchants learn of these new rules, the reductions in cost, discount rates, incidents of chargebacks, and the lowered incidents of fraud, they will want to enable e-commerce on existing sites and launch new or first time websites.
As the PPOS gains acceptance, there will be a heavy demand from merchants for specific smartphone applications that allow merchants more detailed communications with the consumer. Interactive smartphone applications will become the norm, attracting merchants to launch or upgrade their e-commerce websites.
Businesses offering services related to web hosting will now have an opportunity to be an exclusive supplier of new services, which will help build their businesses.
We are inviting web hosting businesses to partner with us in the promotion of our services to their clients. As a reseller they will earn a minimum of $20 per merchant per month. In addition, we will provide full administration services.
If you want to learn more about our reseller program, click Resellers.
Other Requirements
As the PPOS gains acceptance, there will be a heavy demand from merchants for specific smartphone applications, which will allow merchants more detailed communication with the consumer. Interactive smartphone applications will become the norm.
The same XML file can then be tied to smartphone applications specific to the needs of the merchant. We believe the shopping cart suppliers will be the ideal developers of these new applications, and as such we have a separate API that may be built into these new applications.
Income Opportunities
A limited number of web hosting companies and developers are being invited to participate as part of the launch of these new services. It has been estimated that, during 2012, only 35% of existing e-merchants will convert their shopping cart applications to accept online payments via the PPOS. However, this represents over 100,000 web sites.
Summary
The digital wallet will protect the cardholder’s identity and will provide a new and convenient way to make purchases, both online and on multiple hardware platforms.
The PPOS will be a welcome solution for merchants who wish to save costs on card-not-present sales, chargebacks and fraud attempts. With its ease of implementation for merchants and the inherent acceptance by consumers, merchants will benefit by using the PPOS.
Victor Arcuri is a Canadian businessman who, for greater than 10 years, has operated CQRPAY, Inc., a secure gateway for credit card processing for Internet-based merchants. Our independent gateway service is unique in that it is the only application that connects to every merchant account provider and every bank in Canada and the USA.
Our platform enables merchants to use the service regardless of any affiliation they may enjoy with a merchant account provider, bank, POS device supplier or shopping cart software developer.
We invite your questions by phone 403-234-0844 or e-mail.
For more information visit: CQRp@y.com.
New Rules for E-commerce – A SPN Exclusive Article Part 3
By Victor Arcuri in Featured
When the Internet was conceived, it was developed as an ‘information highway.’ It has evolved into an e-commerce solution that is a mandatory component for every business. However, the Rules of E-commerce have changed.
In this article we introduce the new rules and how they impact shopping cart developers.
• In Part 1, we discussed how the new rules impact consumers.
• In Part 2 we discussed how the new rules impact online merchants.
• In Part 4 we will discuss how the new rules impact smart phone application developers.
• In Part 5 we will discuss how the new rules impact smart phone application developers.
• In Part 6 we will discuss how the new rules impact smart phone banking applications.
How the PPOS Operates
The new PPOS is not a storage device, but rather a payment application. None of the data entered on the application is saved or stored within the application. All saved and stored data resides in a cloud computing service, which is usually owned and operated by the bank or the company that issued the credit cards.
Consumers concerned about identity theft need to know that the new digital wallets equipped with a PPOS are guaranteed to protect your identity. The safest place to store your credit card details is with the bank or institution that issues your credit card. The second safest place to store your profile and card data is in one of the cloud computing services designed specifically for that purpose. After all, they already have this information.
When the PPOS is initially launched, you are presented with data collection forms to create your profile and enter your card details. The submit function uploads the profile to the gateway server that encrypts the data, returns an unlock key, and then stores the encrypted file with the appropriate cloud. The returned unlock key is stored within the PPOS, along with a description of the card, but not the card details. For example, the stored description might read Capital One MC Platinum.
Shopping Cart Developers
The introduction of this new technology means that shopping cart developers will need to revise their applications. The new model of shopping carts provides merchants with an enhanced level of security. We have developed a complete set of API’s to satisfy all vendors. In summary, here is an overview of how the PPOS processes online purchases.
When the consumer selects the CQRpay button:
1. The shopping cart software generates and uploads to the processing gateway a file containing the merchant identification as well as the invoice details.
2. The shopping cart software receives confirmation from the gateway that the transaction was received, displays a transaction number, and then closes the invoice.
At this point the merchant has an open unpaid invoice with no knowledge of the consumer’s identity.
3. The consumer then opens the PPOS and retrieves the transaction number.
4. The PPOS displays the identity of the merchant, the invoice number and the invoice details as well as a number of payment options.
5. The consumer selects the payment option and processes the payment.
Once the transaction is processed:
6. The PPOS will display the authorization number and save a record of the transaction.
7. The gateway then sends the authorization to the merchant to complete the transaction.
8. The merchant then sends an e-mail confirmation to the consumer.
The same file, passed to the transaction processor, can also be read by smartphone applications specific to the needs of the merchant. The invoice file passed to the consumer at the time of purchase can include a variety of additional information, including the ability to alert the consumer of up coming events, specials, coupon offers, etc.
If you would like a copy of the developer’s API for shopping carts, click Cart Developers.
Other Requirements
As the PPOS gains acceptance, there will be a heavy demand from merchants for specific smartphone applications, which will allow merchants more detailed communication with the consumer. Interactive smartphone applications will become the norm.
The same file can then be tied to smartphone applications specific to the needs of the merchant. We believe the shopping cart suppliers will be the ideal developers of these new applications, and as such we have a separate API that may be built into these new applications.
Income Opportunities
Once we launch our PPOS application, shopping cart developers who install our API will have about a one year window of exclusivity before their competitors launch a competitive product.
Summary
The digital wallet will protect the cardholder’s identity and will provide a new and convenient way to make purchases, both online and on multiple hardware platforms.
The PPOS digital wallet will be a welcome solution for merchants who wish to save costs on card-not-present sales, chargebacks and fraud attempts. With its ease of implementation for merchants and the inherent acceptance by consumers, merchants will benefit by using CQRPay.
The CQRPay PPOS digital wallet will become the distinct leader and will set the standard in digital wallet technology by meeting the security needs of cardholders, merchants, and card issuers.
Victor Arcuri is a Canadian businessman who, for greater than 10 years, has operated CQRPAY, Inc., a secure gateway for credit card processing for Internet-based merchants. Our independent gateway service is unique in that it is the only application that connects to every merchant account provider and every bank in Canada and the USA.
Our platform enables merchants to use the service regardless of any affiliation they may enjoy with a merchant account provider, bank, POS device supplier or shopping cart software developer.
We invite your questions by phone 403-234-0844 or e-mail.
For more information visit: CQRp@y.com.
Affiliate Marketing is E-commerce At Its Best
By Jeff Schuman in Featured
There are many ways to make money online. Ecommerce is one. E-commerce is a great word. It means products bought and sold on the Internet.
I used to be an outside sales rep in the wholesale end of things. I got paid to get products from the manufacturer to the retailer. I was one of the top reps in the country and was paid very well.
Today you can actually make more money as an affiliate marketer than I did as a sales rep. You can get paid to sell other people’s stuff and you do not even need to leave your home.
100% of your business can be conducted strictly online. To me affiliate marketing really is e-commerce at its best.
The reason this is true is because the affiliate marketer can impact the sale. All affiliate marketers have the same opportunity to sell products online.
The difference lies in how you go about doing it. There are many proven strategies for selling products with the affiliate marketing business model. If you do it right you really can make money with affiliate programs and products.
1. Email marketing. This works well when the affiliate marketer is promoting products to a list of people who have requested information via email.
This could be done to your own email list which is the best way to do it. You can also purchase solo ads to other email marketers lists. This is a good way to get started if you do not have a list of your own, or if you want to reach people outside of your own email list.
2. Product reviews. This strategy works well because the Internet can be kind of impersonal.
People come online looking for information to problems they have. Product reviews work well because you can write about a specific affiliate product and give your opinion on it.
This strategy works the best way and you have actually purchased the product. Then you can truthfully write a review based on your own experience.
The best reviews are written to include both the positive and negative of the product. Nobody expects everything to be 100% perfect. You will actually sell more products online when you present a few negatives as well as an overall positive viewpoint.
3. Your own website or blog. As an affiliate marketer you are given a website to promote. Every affiliate is promoting the same website which is not the best way to go about doing it.
Putting your own personal stamp on a blog or website will really increase the amount of affiliate sales you make. It’s also an excellent way to build your email list for future affiliate sales.
These are a few tips on affiliate marketing. It truly is e-commerce at its best and as a business model will only continue to grow in the coming years.
If you enjoyed this article by Jeff Schuman please visit his take paid surveys website today. Join JV With Jeff for free and receive tips on how to make money online without any experience or website of your own. http://www.Team-Schuman.com
3 SEO Tidbits Every Ecommerce Site Should Know – A SPN Exclusive Article
By Chris Warren in Featured
Ecommerce webmasters face unique problems when trying to optimize their sites for SEO. The standard logic behind listing products on the web is often in conflict with current SEO best practices. To make it even worse, it is generally much harder to change the structure of a site that has hundreds or thousands of categories and product pages even when it is clear a change could provide a great benefit. Due to this unique nature, ecommerce sites have different priorities as compared to other SEO campaigns.
Pay It Forward
A common situation in ecommerce is that a site owner learns that their site is in violation of some SEO logic and wants to solve the problem immediately. A few examples would be poorly written or generated title tags, long URLs and messy site structure.
Most ecommerce owners will likely have run into at least one of these issues and figuring out how to proceed from that point on is critical. If your URLs are too long you cannot simply shorten them, 301 redirect the old pages and hope for the best. That might result in a significant loss in link juice that outweighs the benefit you receive from shorter URLs. It is important to realize that you cannot transform your site overnight so create a plan of attack with an understanding that you do not want to undercut your current traffic.
The best plan in this example would be to have shorter URLs on newly created pages and test out redirecting a small sample of pages to see if there is a potential benefit. It is critical to remember that your competitors are in the same boat as they do not have perfectly optimized sites either. Think about how to use your discovery to create an advantage in the future. If you are already ranking and getting organic traffic this means you are in contention so executing a forward moving plan can result in sizable advantages.
Get It Indexed
It might seem obvious that indexing your content is important, but for large ecommerce sites this should be one of your primary concerns. Ecommerce sites often struggle to get links pointing at their product pages, so ranking these pages for less competitive longtail keywords is an essential source of highly targeted traffic. Take a look at your Google Webmaster Tools account under the sitemaps section (assuming you have submitted sitemaps!), and see the ratio of URLs you have submitted to the URLs showing up in Google’s web index. I highly recommend having separate sitemaps for different sections of your site as this will reveal more information than a single sitemap if one section is underperforming. In doing so you will have a basis to compare against which will aid in identifying the causes of the indexation problems.
Another critical aspect of getting pages indexed is to understand that not every page on your website is created equal. Google typically will index by crawling the pages with the most link juice and navigate outwards via links from that page. In most cases this is going to be the homepage so the pages you choose to link from there should be your most important. A common mistake for a large ecommerce site is to link to just the main categories or to be linking to too many pages. You want to use your homepage’s link juice to highlight the best pages on your site and this often may not be your main categories.
Furthermore, the closer a page is to a well linked page on your site the better the chance it gets indexed and ranks well. This means you will want to be linking those pages from your homepage and be cognizant of how your site structure prioritizes your pages in Google’s eyes.
Site Wide Improvements
As mentioned earlier the difficulty in managing SEO for an ecommerce site is often caused by the breadth of the categories and products already on the site. However, this can actually be a strength when you are able to make a small improvement that will have a site wide effect. Increasing your site’s overall rankings by 5% could increase your traffic exponentially higher than 5% because of the mechanics of how people click on search engine results pages (higher results get the majority of clicks). Things like improving your site’s loading time or getting some extra backlinks are massive opportunities for ecommerce sites to receive an across the board boost to their rankings. As Google moves towards supporting strong brands, the benefits of this kind of improvement cannot be understated. A trusted site will often rank competitive words simply on the strength of their domain and these branding benefits will likely be even greater in the future.
While ecommerce sites do present uncommon challenges when embarking on an SEO campaign, understanding the nuances is an area where large opportunities still exist. Because SEO for ecommerce has an added degree of complexity, it is a great barrier to help you differentiate from your competition making it all the more worthwhile.
Chris Warren is a web content specialist for www.batteriesinaflash.com an ecommerce store for batteries, chargers, solar panels and accessories. Follow him on twitter @BIAFgreen.
Easy Shopping Cart Software
By Greg Newell in Featured
All on-line fortunes choose a great idea yet not all good ideas deliver fortunes. So…don’t believe simply because you’re on the internet you’ll generate millions. Should you wish to venture into e-commerce on the web, realize that your income will probably be the result of working hard, extensive research, consistent vigilance, and determination.
The chance that your internet site goes viral is about as good as you whipping Jordon in the game of horse. It could happen, however is not likely.
That said, this information is basically to direct you in the right direction to be able to sell anything on the web beyond simply going to eBay and selling there. These are some of the factors you need to know to setup a store.
Easy Shopping Cart Software
For anybody who is not a online enthusiast, creating or having an individual build your own e-commerce website is both expensive and also for most applications completely unneeded. Easy to use ecommerce software is crucial if you’re planning to maintain your personal web store. Look for on-line shopping cart apps and you will be in a position to sidestep the whole notion of building and publishing your own on-line store. You just use the online applications to development your shop and add your products.
You may also discover the advantage of promotional tools that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. So main point here: opt for an web-based pre-built shopping cart solution. Beyond the basic specifications, try to look for these features: variants, inventory, SSL encryption security. Should they be provided, chances are you won’t have to worry as much about the basics being included.
VARIANTS
Some basic issues you ought to think about include the capability to include variants (sizes, colors etc). This is probably the most overlooked requirement. If you offer t-shirts for example, you most likely don’t want to have to create a new item for every color and size combination. A decent shopping cart application will let you create variants for a single product. Not everyone requires variants but if it’s a feature, its typically included. Just make sure it’s included.
INVENTORY
You also want to have the capability to monitor inventory. For those who have a shopping cart with variants, you’ll need the inventory to keep track of the individual variants too. That is because you might need to know, by way of example, just how many yellow, large shirts you have left.
In the event you do not have that tracked good enough and an individual purchases one, what happens if you don’t have it? It’s a little bit more of a headache that you will not need to cope with.
SITE SECURITY
Nearly all of the simple shopping cart systems allow for anyone to set up a PayPal purchase. One step-up from this is if you want to perform the transaction on-site. However, you cannot have individuals entering VISA or Mastercard information on your website lacking file encryption. A good number of new e-commerce owners have difficulty with this specific requirement. Look for a shopping cart software system that has it included! You can find quite a few carts which don’t charge extra for SSL encryption technology.
This is simply a brief list of main features to think about but ones that we’ve found most neglected when making the selection on which to go with. Generally if you have satisfied this basic set of guidelines, the various other characteristics an individual have to have will be included. Do your research nevertheless and do not think you have to accomplish this by yourself. Quite a few online ecommerce owners will talk to you and give you advice….Don’t Hesitate !!
Business Web Generation will guide you each and every step of the way relative to your ecommerce needs. Use our easy shopping cart solutions and very simple internet based website creator for your next undertaking. Visit www.businesswebgeneration.com and www.buildawebshop.com for more information.
The Opportunity of Web eCommerce – Fact or Fiction?
By Joel Sussman in Featured
If you own a bricks-and-mortar retail store, a distributorship, or a manufacturing facility, imagine the potential for increased sales if you offered your products to a global marketplace by simply setting up a website with your catalog on it. After installing an ecommerce shopping cart system and the ability to process payments online, some aspiring Internet moguls just sit back and wait for the orders to start flying in. The idea of suddenly having access to hundreds of millions of credit card wielding customers can certainly be intoxicating, but the reality of ecommerce success is that it’s not nearly that easy!
Maybe there’s some glamour associated with being a “renegade entrepreneur”, adopting a take-no-prisoners mentality and making up the rules as you go along. In some cases, being unconventional and aggressive can certainly help an online store stand out in the crowded Internet marketplace, but skipping steps and ignoring proven business principles is a guaranteed recipe for failure.
So if selling stuff on the Web represents a huge opportunity, but most people fail at it, then what does one have to do join the ranks of the successful “webpreneur”? While there are always risks inherent in starting any business, beginning your journey with an up-to-date “roadmap” (or virtual GPS) can help assure that you won’t get lost, miss an ‘exit’, or fail to reach your destination on your way to ecommerce success.
Imagine this scenario (and it happens all the time): An awesome-looking web site with marketable products and competitive prices goes online, but makes no sales or performs far below expectations. What happened? Well, there’s a veritable checklist of possibilities that could explain abysmal sales figures, but it often boils down to two things: a lack of attention to search engine optimization (SEO) and sales conversion factors.
The Essence of SEO and Online Sales Conversion Tactics
In a nutshell, search engine optimization means that steps have been taken to demonstrate to Google, Yahoo, and Bing that a web site is highly relevant for certain keywords, and that it deserves a top-10 ranking when searches are performed for those keywords. What a sizable portion of ecommerce website owners do not realize is that if their web site isn’t among the first dozen or so listings on the search engine results pages, then, for all intents and purposes, their web site is invisible to thousands of prospective customers.
To put things in perspective, millions of web pages are competing with each other for a top-10 Google ranking for most common keyword searches. So, to stand a chance of gaining any visibility in Google (the dominant search engine), an ecommerce site has to contain keyword combinations for which customers are actually searching. Not only that, but the phrases have to be strategically placed on the web page, and, ideally, the most important keyword phrase should be in the domain name and in links to your site from other web sites (that’s where it gets a bit tricky). Once all that has been accomplished, then your ecommerce web site is geared up to begin competing on a level playing field with other similar web sites trying to be found by customers on the Internet.
Another common ecommerce blunder is failing to make the most of sales conversion opportunities on a website, which can include everything from including trust-building factors and a hassle-free checkout process to offering easy site navigation features and plenty of clear “calls to action” — which refers to what you want the customer to do before leaving your web site (such as, call your toll-free number, leave their email address, or order a product). A good ‘rule of thumb’ in ecommerce, which also applies to do business off-line, is that “a confused customer is a lost customer”. So to maximize the sales conversion potential of your ecommerce online store, instill your visitors with a sense of trust, a clear path to placing an order or getting more information, and an incentive to take action now.
Joel Sussman is a web content writer for Mountain Media, a website development company in upstate New York that provides ecommerce design, website hosting, and other ecommerce solutions for online merchants. Visit their site for a free email course entitled “7-Days to Successful eCommerce”.
How Does Your Website Make Me Feel?
By Philippa Gamse in Featured
When people think about the Internet, they think about technology. When people hear that I am a Website strategy expert, they see me as a “techy type”.
But for me, the most intriguing aspect of your online business isn’t about the technology. It’s about human connections, and how you can create these in a virtual environment.
It’s commonly understood that “people buy emotionally, not intellectually.” Even when people think they’re making a rational decision, powerful subconscious factors come into play. To sell effectively, we’re told to anticipate our customers’ needs, to demonstrate that we “feel their pain”, and to respond to clues in their body language and tone of voice.
Top 3 Problems with Directories
By admin in Featured
Directories have existed since the early days of the Internet, even before Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web. Originally, search directories and word-of-mouth were the only ways to learn about new websites. Google changed that! Today, search directories are used to build links into websites. But, by default, search directories have three major problems.
Problem #1: The Moving Target
Search directories use one of several methods to display their inventory. The following list is a short representation of how the inventory is presented to visitors and search engine spiders.
First In First Out (FIFO) – as the name describes listings are displayed in the order in which they are submitted. This method is good for the early listings. As more listings are added to the category, the number of pages in the category increases. This decreases the value of the category to both the owner and the company desiring to submit its site.
Last In First Out (LIFO) – as the name describes listings are displayed with the first submissions appearing last. This method is good for the later listings, but who wants to be first when they’re going to show up last? As with FIFO, the number of pages in the category increases.
Alpha-Numeric – company names or keywords receive the earliest listings. As new listings are approved those listings could easily move one’s listing to oblivion.
Votes – unlike government election, presenting the inventory based upon votes is extremely biased and ballot stuffing can occur. As others come in, submit themselves, and add their votes one’s listing can easily fall to other pages.
Page Rank (PR) Values – Page Rank values adjust based upon numerous factors and an algorithm controlled solely by Google. One’s PR value could be a five today and tomorrow it could be a three. On the other hand, one’s PR value could increase. However, as PR values fluctuate so do the positions of the listings.
Problem #2: Rel=NoFollow
Over the years, search engine optimization (SEO) consultants have suggested using the online yellow pages to build quality links into one’s website. This thought was based upon the idea that online yellow pages were authority sites. Whether that still holds true today is debatable.
What isn’t debatable is the online yellow pages use rel=nofollow to tell the search engines to not count the links for search engine placements. With prices ranging from $100 to $300 per month, the expense of getting a link from the online yellow pages is really worth paying. One may determine that a listing in the online yellow pages will result in leads coming to one’s business.
Other directories use the rel=nofollow, as well.
How do the search engines use rel=nofollow? According to WikiPedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_follow), Google ignores the link and therefore the link does not count in the search placement algorithm or in determining PR values. Yahoo follows the link, but does not use it to determine search placements. Bing provides no indication if it follows link with the rel=nofollow attribute, however it does not use the link in determining relevancy.
Problem #3: Limited Marketing Capabilities
Most search directories provide a link to one’s website. Some search directories list one’s link in multiple categories. Still even, some directories allow deep linking (links to internal pages).
Top search engine optimization (SEO) consultants suggest that one should build a natural inbound link profile to one’s website. The natural inbound link profile uses more links to internal web pages than to the homepage. Additionally, the anchor text for the inbound links should be relevant to the linked page.
Search directories by nature allow only links to the homepage. Since the homepage cannot be relevant for every search term available to one’s business, making all inbound links point at the homepage is not plausible. Even if it were, leading your customers to one’s homepage and making them search one’s website for the product or service they want is not user-friendly.
Therefore, traditional search directories provide little or no real value beyond increasing PR values. For this reason, search engines like Google hold little or no regard for search directories.
In Conclusion
The top three problems of search directories do not destroy the ultimate value of search directories. The importance of choosing the right search directory from which to acquire an inbound link cannot be overstated. One should carefully review the search directory before submitting and ensure the directory provides quality links, not just a link.
Lee Roberts, owner of CommerceRegistry.com, a SEO friendly directory and Oklahoma SEO friendly business directory. http://www.CommerceRegistry.com/ and http://www.ShopOklahomaOnline.com/ provide dedicated marketing pages that advertisers can optimize for search engine placement with multiple inbound links to one’s website.
5 Factors That Influence Buying Decisions Online
By Allen Taylor in Featured
People who purchase products online aren’t much different than people who purchase off line. They may be a little more cautious with how they spend their money, due to security and privacy reasons, but for the most part they care about the same things, foremost among them being value. The following five factors that influence buying decisions are important considerations if you expect to close the sale on your website.
Factors That Influence Buying Decisions
Online consumers today are more sophisticated than they were ten years ago, or even five years ago. They’re not afraid to make a purchase online, but they will go out of their way to make sure they get value and are very concerned about privacy and security. If you expect to close the sale on your website then you need to consider the following five factors BEFORE you ever ask for the sale:
- Security
- Privacy
- Value
- Approach
- Emotion
Customers Buy From Secure Websites
Online consumers are very concerned about security. They’re also educated. They have read up on cyber security and you should too. If you cannot convince your site visitors that your site is completely secure and that their financial information will be handled with care, they will go leave your site and go somewhere else. Security is one of the most important concerns for online consumers, especially today.
The Growing Concern Over Privacy
In addition to security, online consumers are concerned about privacy. They will guard their e-mail addresses and other personal information with great care. If you want to build trust for your brand then you should start with assurances. Make sure that you put your website visitors’ minds at ease with constant reassurances that their private information will not be sold or shared with third parties.
Regard for privacy online has been growing for the past couple of years. Some European countries have sued Google over privacy issues and Yahoo! announced last December that it will not store search information on searchers beyond 90 days. Privacy is important to online consumers. Having a well thought out and clear privacy policy on your website will go a long way to building trust and confidence in your business.
What Do You Offer Of Value?
Many consumers would still rather drive to pick up an item for purchase instead of making that purchase online for less money. In order to convince online consumers that purchasing your product online is safer and better for them, you’ve got to go out of your way to establish value in their minds.
Even then, providing a local retail outlet where consumers can order online and pick up their items later is a viable business model and could be the way to go for many online retailers. Still, value is in the forefront of consumers’ minds. In order to get them to purchase online you’ve got to ensure that you offer loads of value.
What Is Your Approach?
How you approach online consumers determines to a great degree how you build trust. I still see veteran Internet marketers make the mistake of talking down to their customers or making basic assumptions about behavior to that lead to dismissal or rune behavior. Just because a person has not made a purchase in the past does not mean that she won’t make a purchase in the future. But how you treat a consumer with your content may determine whether they do business with you at all – now or next year. Check your approach and ensure that you meet the emotional needs of your readers before you ask for the sale.
What About Emotion?
People buy for emotional reasons and defend their purchases logically. If you want to close the sale online then you’ve got to make the most basic emotional appeals and meet a real need in the minds of your readers. You have to connect with them on a gut level. Sometimes that takes more than one touch point. Pre-sales is just as important as closing the sale and savvy Internet marketers are learning how to set the stage for the sale down the road by spending a large amount of their time on pre-sales communication that builds trust and confidence.
Conclusion
Different people buy for different reasons, but at the heart of every consumer action is emotion. If people trust you they will buy from you. If you fail to earn their trust then it doesn’t matter how well you do everything else. These five factors all contribute to whether or not a consumer trusts you enough to exchange their hard-earned money for your product or service.
Allen Taylor is CEO/Operations Manager of Blog Content Provider and writes Taylor’s Internet Marketing Blog. He has managed more than 100 commercial blogs with his team of ghostwriters since 2006.
Proven Insider Tips To Get More Web Visitors Quickly And Easily
By James Gladwin in Featured
Believe me, in spite of the current financial turmoil, there has never been a better time to generate an online income stream! And yet it seems that so many budding Internet marketers are finding it hard to break through VNB – the “Visitor Numbers Barrier.” When I started, I thought there was some magic elixir or secret technique that would transform my visitor numbers! If only I could find THE ONE successful method!
Well, this article is to let you know that while there may be hundreds of ways to get visitors to your website – I’ve selected some of the techniques that work best for me.
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