Tag Archive 'web marketing'

Jul 21 2009

BEWARE the Dangers of Social Networking Sites

Published by admin under Internet Marketing

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BEWARE the Dangers of Social Networking Sites!

With the increase in the popularity of social networking websites they seem to have become an integral part of our lives. There are so many different reasons we find these sites important. Firstly, it allows a person to be in contact with their friends and family at anytime, anywhere. Secondly, they have quite an entertainment value, as it enables people share pictures, comments, music, and videos. Lastly, it is also presents new ways for businesses to connect with potential customers. You may find these sites interesting and interactive, but there are so many hidden dangers of social networking sites that you need to keep in mind as well.
In this article you will learn about the different dangers of social networking sites.
The first thing that you must know, before registering to any social networking website, is that most of them are public profiles. Therefore, all your pictures, videos and music files can be easily viewed and stored locally by various, even users in different countries. Although most of the social networking websites provide you the authority to choose the people with whom you share your profile, these sites do not grant you total authority, and you may be at risk because your information can be misused.
What is social networking?
Social networking websites are a great way of finding long lost friends, creating new friendships, and enhancing existing ones. You will also receive friend requests from people whom you don’t know. Therefore, it is advisable that you befriend only those people whom you know you can trust. If you accept the friend request of people who are unknown to you they can save your information and unfairly use it against you. Therefore, if you want to stay away from this danger in social networking, this is important that you are aware of this.
Is social networking good or bad?
Is social networking good or bad? This is a question that has to be answered thoughtfully. Although there are many dangers in social networking sites, there is also an advantage to being able to connect with your friends, family members, and possible customers and peers in your field. Not only can you chat with the people living anywhere in the world, it is cheaper than other forms of communication. The question you really need to ask yourself is, “how comfortable am I with cyber experience.” Experts around the world still debate this, and it really is a more subjective question that you must answer for yourself. It is just important to be aware that social networking sites make you visible to everyone, and it is possible that your reputation may be affected if you are not careful regarding the information you place in cyber space.
Should social networking sites be banned?
If the above question is answered as yes, then it many people around the world would be upset at not being able to connect with the ones they love and with whom they work. With identities being stolen and pictures being used inappropriately, many of these sites have increased the level and reliability of the protection they offer their members.
If the answer to the above question is “no,” it is up to the user on the site to ensure that his or her information is protected. Members can easily block unwanted visitors to their profile and can also restrict their profiles to be viewed privately, rather than allowing the general public to have access to the content on their pages.
Did you check the security offered by the social networking site of your choice —- BEFORE you created an account with them?
Not all social networking websites provide the same levels of security. Some of them can be more open and liable to allow obscenity to the general public. Therefore, before creating any account on just any social networking website, it is important that you learn how the site works and how they distribute the information you place in their site.
There are few pointers that can help you differentiate between a “good” and “bad” social networking website. The most effective way to decide if the site you have chosen provides the security you want, is to find out if the site allows you to lock your personal data and information. If they will not allow this, and they insist that your information is to be viewed by everyone who visits your profile then, this should be a warning sign! These types of sites can be very risky and on these sites, you might be more likely to risk your reputation, should your information be stolen by another person.
Before you join a social networking site, it is important that you read the terms and conditions and the privacy policy of the website so that you have information about the distribution of the content that you keep in your profile. It is long and tedious to read through all of this, but remember that it is a binding legal document. There are several social networking websites that may keep your information as well as your pictures. They automatically become the property of that site, even if you delete it from your profile, or delete your profile altogether. Therefore, when you are deleting your information or removing any personal photographs from your profile you must make sure that it is in their policy that it is also removed from the history/records of the networking website.

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Jul 21 2009

Social Networking Site Information for the Newbie

Published by admin under Internet Marketing

Do you know  how to SAVE you a thousand dollars on your electric bill a year ?

The Secret to Going Green and Saving Money!    

Do you know maximize your conversion ratio ? How to save thousands dollars on ad a year ? How to stand out in the competitors and make more sales

 
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Social Networking Site Information for the Newbie!
What is social networking? According to the definition on Wikipedia, A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share common interests and activities, and for those interested in exploring the interests and activities of others.
Social networking is also referred to as ‘online social networking’ and ‘socialnetworking’.
List of top social networking sites or social networking websites according to Alexa:
facebook
Currently, this is the largest social networking site for people connecting with friends and others.

myspace
myspace is the same platform as facebook, and is commonly referred to as “a place for friends.” myspace was the largest social networking site before facebook.

blogger
blogger is a social networking site to share your thoughts with the world. This site is a good place for professionals in many fields to share and market their knowledge and ideas.

Twitter
Twitter is also a social networking site with a ‘microblogging’ service. This site is good for business and social networking as well as marketing. It is also good for individuals to gather more information about companies that interest them and to find job opportunities from various employers.

friendster
friendster is a global social networking site emphasizing genuine friendships and the discovery of new people through friends.

linkedin
linkedin is a professional social networking site to find connections with friends and likeminded individuals, and to recommended job candidates, industry experts, and business partners. This site is a great place for professionals to perform social networking as well as marketing their skills, talents, and services.
digg
Technology focused Social Networking Site where the stories are chosen by community members. This is a good business-marketing site.
ning
Let you discover and create new social networking for your interests and passions.

StumbleUpon
Help you discover the web sites based on your interests, learn what you like, and brings you more. This is a good business-marketing site.

Below is a list of the cool, niche, or new social networking sites:
BallHype
This site is a sports lovers’ dream! Here you can socially network with those that love sports as much as you do!
motortopia
This is the car enthusiast’s social networking site to talk shop, sell and buy cars, and to blog about their car obsessions!

Shelfari
Shelfari is a book lovers’ social networking site where like-minded readers can exchange reviews and information on books that interest them!

ravelry
This is a social networking site for those who love to knit, crochet, design, spin, and dye fabrics. The site allows these enthusiasts to keep track of their yarn, tools, patterns, and projects.

acobay
This one is pretty cool and unique. It is a new social networking site for consumer exploration with new goods and services in the market place. It allows members to share and network about these goods and services.

mydogspace
This site is for all those that love their pooches! This dog lovers’ social networking site allows members to share dog photos, blog, and discuss dog breeding related information.
PureVolume
PureVolume has been widely recognized as a premier social music site, where members can interact and download the music they love and connect with others that have similar interests.
Threadless
A collection of cool t-shirts that are submitted and rated by members and the general public. One of the first really successful sites that harness the power of community for commercial purposes.
last.fm
An internet radio and music community website and social music platform. Uses a recommendation system known as “Audioscrobbler”, to build a detailed profile of each user’s musical taste. It can connect you to other people who like what you like - and recommend songs from their music collections and yours too.

Using social networking to help your business:
Hundreds of billions people in the global community are using social networking websites. These sites are a simple way to make many great connections for business opportunities, to seek employment, or to create connections with others for pleasure. Because top sites like facebook and mypace have so many members, connecting with other business owners, potential employers and consumers is made even easier.
Today, instead of just relying on “word of mouth” more businesses are relying heavily on utilizing online business approaches, such as social networking sites and blogs. Utilizing these types of sites to help make decisions in this highly technological age is a very savvy move for the small business owner.
Social networking is different from normal advertising and marketing. Instead of selling products, these social media sites must be utilized to establish brands. Business branding will establish a strong platform for your small business and enable you to sell your products more easily. You should use the network search tools to search people and businesses sharing your niche of products and services. When you search for or accept invitations to join networking groups on the site, make sure that you connect to experts who already have an established network or have demonstrated a wide knowledge base in your business area.
Social networking sites, like twitter, Facebook, and myspace can also be beneficial to professionals, in that they keep customers informed of what is going on with businesses they are interested in, such as new products, services, and sales promotions!
Top social networking sites such MySpace, FaceBook, and StumbleUpon are all good platforms for your ad campaigns. Your niche in social networking sites are also effective for advertising as well.
How social networking can help you succeed in finding employment
More and more, employers are turning to the medium that hundreds of thousands of people nationwide are using social networking sites. By doing so, they are seeking new employees in a setting that gives them the flexibility they are looking for while at the same time, exposing themselves to potential employees they might have not been able to find otherwise.
Social networking sites can also be your secret weapon in marketing yourself to potential employers when making that new career move. Having a well-written blog and utilizing social networking sites are a good idea to highlight your best traits, establish your area of expertise, and showcase why you are the best new hire for a potential company.
it’s not what you know, it’s WHOM you know to find you a job! Top sites like linkedin, twitter, facebook, and mypace are a social networking dream that makes networking more fun, easier, and more productive! linkedin is an exclusive social networking website that is especially for job seekers. Most of the recruiters tune into the website to look for employees.
Social networking websites such as Twitter are good for job seekers to get the inside information on companies that may be more difficult to find elsewhere. You can also use twitterjobsearch to find employment opportunities on twitter.

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Jul 18 2009

The Secrets to Money Making and Internet Marketing Program Q&A

Published by admin under Q & A

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The Secrets to Money Making and Internet Marketing in Just a Few Weeks

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May 19 2009

Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Myths

Published by admin under Internet Marketing

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This purpose of this article is to answer the small business owner’s basic questions about SEO in non-technical terms. Please focus on building an informative website and then engaging in all the online and offline marketing with SEO in mind, not just to improve your ranking.

What’s is SEO?

Site-Based Optimization or On-Page Optimization.

Site optimization processes will help search engines understand which search terms are relevant to your service or product. You want to have a user friendly and informative website to persuade potential customers to do business with you.

Off-Site Optimization or Off-Page Optimization.

This includes the important link building process. Relevant examples of this are press releases, article distribution, social networking, directory listings, blogging, forum postings, and link exchanges.

The SEO will enable you to increase your site ranking and visibility to customers. By gaining targeted traffic (i.e., visitors who actually search for your services and products), you increase your chances of gaining more customers and sales.

The top ranking may draw more visitors, but may it may not create more sales, especially for service oriented business. The true goal is on-line marketing. The SEO is part of the online marketing. it’s not the other way around.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Social Media Marketing (SMM)

The SEO is a method used in SEM, and SMM is part of SEM, which in turn is part of Internet Marketing. I can’t emphasize enough how important Internet marketing is to your business! Take advantage of the web, but don’t put the cart before horse by starting the SEO without a solid marketing plan!

Don’t Let SEM Scare You!

Before the advent of the internet, newspapers, magazines, the yellow pages, mail, phone, fax, in person networking, referrals, and television were the ways to promote your business. The SEM is just a different way to market your company. In today’s time, if you add Internet marketing, in addition to those traditional methods you will reach millions more potential customers.

Provide Value, Customer Service and Increase Your Exposure and Creditability.

If you focus on your goals to increase sales by providing valuable information and products, and provide excellent customer service, you will also increase your exposure and credibility as well. In doing so, you demonstrate to your client base that you are dedicated and sincere helping them and in meeting their needs. Customers only do business with people they trust. Today, instead of just “word of mouth” people utilize online approaches such as social networking media sites and blogs. Utilizing these to make decisions in this technological age is a savvy move for the small business owners.

6 Myths About SEO

1. SEO is Too Expensive.

The successful business will pursue all avenues of income in this changing world. The growth power shown by Google is a prime example. Define your goals and set your budget. SEO is an investment just like any other marketing campaign. Test the result of SEO, find the provider that is right for you and your company and it will pay for itself in no time!

2. SEO is MAGIC: I’ll Dramatically Increase My Sales by Ranking High on the Search Results Page.

Yes, being first on the results page, may result in more hits to your site, but if you don’t build your credibility and provide excellent customer service, your sales may not increase. This is especially true for service-oriented businesses. People like to do business with someone they like and trust. One way to build that trust is creating a blog. Blogs are an effective way to connect to your potential customers and gain their trust by establishing your expertise and displaying your helpfulness and expertise.

3. SEO is Just a Trick to Improve Search Ranking.

Some people believe that a SEO is just one of ways to trick search engines in order to get higher ranking. This is not true. For instance, how do you decide what news to read? You check the title, read a brief description or tag line, and then decide if the information is interesting enough for you to keep reading. This process is similar when a search engine like Google indexes your site title, meta, and h1 tags.

4. I Will Have Overnight Results

OK, that is not going to happen, and do not fool yourself into thinking traffic to your site is going to increase dramatically by the next day. Big search engines will not index your site right away. Yes, there are ways to boost your site into the short-term traffic, but your goals are generating sales and establishing a long term relationships with clients, not just bring in spectators.

5. Link it Up!

More links leading to your site may not be as productive as you think. You want to create more related links, not just random links. Focus on your goals - bring more potential clients and opportunities to your site with your online network and build the links, not another way around.

6. A Great Service Plan is Submitting to 1000 Sites:

Some SEO service providers promise to submit your site to thousands of directories, promise large increases of visitors, and use that claim to justify charging you large amounts of money. but in the end, the majority of these directories are useless.

Numbers are not the only things count. Are they doing the valued add tasks? Your goal is increase sales, not hire a worker for your production line.

One last thing; do not listen to rumors. Do business with the service provider that exhibits honesty and integrity. Do not just choose the provider that provides bigger numbers and long task lists. Check with a few providers, compare them, test them with a small budget project to see if they are right for you.

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May 14 2009

An Overview of SEO, SEM, and Website Design

Published by admin under Internet Marketing

Do you know  how to SAVE you a thousand dollars on your electric bill a year ?

The Secret to Going Green and Saving Money!    

Do you know maximize your conversion ratio ? How to save thousands dollars on ad a year ? How to stand out in the competitors and make more sales

 
Do you know how to write a WINNING Resume and ACE your Job Interview ? How to get pre-qualified for your Job ? How to find a Job in quantum speed ?  
 

Marketing Trends: Internet marketing has been proven successful in increasing profits. With professionals help, a website can be developed at an affordable rate quickly.

General tips for your website:
• Have fast-loading Home and Landing pages
• Establish an easily navigated web site, especially for order processing, cross referencing sales, up sales, and functionality review
• Form a competitive price and sales structure
• Focus on the benefits of the website, not the features
• Provide a good pre- and post- sales support
• Develop “Pay-Per-Click Campaigns”
• Optimize search engines
• Establish your creditability through your site
• Develop an opt-in email system to capture emails and build your network
• Set up affiliate and cross promotion programs
• Implement “Linking Campaigns”
• Gather statistics and analyze them to correct areas costing you money
• Explore additional marketing opportunities.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has two parts:
(1) On-page optimization and (2) Off-page optimization.

 Each web page except your homepage should be focused on only topic. The strategy is to use the keywords for that page in the title tag, description metatag, headline or subheadings, and in the body of the text.

 Develop an “Opt-In System” in your blog, corporate home page, landing page, or sales page and offer free bonuses in exchange for subscribers’ emails or referrals. Incorporate an “Upsell,” “Downsell,” or a “Tell-A-Friend” web page following your sales page.

 Links are a recommendation for a site that is relevant and worth visiting; start by submitting your site to various directories. Provide relevant content on your site that is worth linking to, and write articles that others would want to host on their sites, each with a link back to yours. It is recommended that you utilize blogs, press releases, affiliate links, and link exchange programs. Finally, actively participate in social and professional groups since these will help you build your reputation, exposure, and creditability.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Search Campaigns: PPC campaigns are a great way to boost your website traffic and maximize profits. Set up “Split-Testing” to optimize your PPC ads and refine and optimize the click-through rate This will help you achieve higher placement at a lower cost.

Newsletters, Blogs, and Social Networks: The tools will help you gain and retain your clients by becoming their advisor. They inform your clients about the latest trends, sales, promotions, new products, special offers, and promote business.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM):
Your business on the internet is not automatic. Internet marketing is an additional marketing strategy to reach more clients and increase sales, but this takes work.

On top of what we have discussed, it is recommended that you also do the following:

 In addition to everything you can do in traditional ways, you also need to do these things on the internet as well. Instead of just listing your company in the yellow pages, you should submit your site to search engines, directories, and industry sites on web. You should also launch ad campaigns using banner and classified ads, and start web affiliate and cross promotion programs.

 Write professional articles, issue newsletters, and list your products with shopping comparison and auction sites.

 Increase your credentials by participating with creditable rating services.

 Develop systematic and automatic methods to grow your business. Promote your business in as many ways as possible, including traditional strategies. Improve the efficiency of your site, always be genuine, and serve as a trusted adviser to your clients in order to gain their trust. In addition, it is your responsibility to ethically and responsibly advise them on all of the products and services they need.

Remember! Your potential clients only spend a few seconds on your website before they jump to your competitors’ websites. Clients need to immediately know the benefits and incentives to buy from you now. Your web pages need to be concise and right to the point. In addition, videos are a great way to showcase your products.

Your Responsibility:
Remember that you are your internet business.

Search engines are not mind readers: Search engines are simply computer programs that connect potential clients to your site. It is your responsibility to provide correct keywords on your website in order for search engines to bring targeted clients to your site.

Do your research: Don’t assume that the keywords you use are what your clients will use in their searches. Research the terms and key phrases that are most used to reach your competitors sites

Learn how others do it: Review high ranking websites and ads on high traffic websites, newspapers, and magazines.

Get involved: Network with the people in your industry to stay abreast of new trends and to truly understand what might be in high demand at any given time.

Write appropriate and well thought out content: The more time you spend researching key phrases and writing thoughtful content, the more people will be attracted to your site through searches.

Establish your credibility: Write researched and relevant articles and solicit testimonials from your current clients. Become affiliated with other credible websites and participate in third party service rating programs.

Businesses don’t fail, but people fail businesses.
Be competitive! Expand your products and improve your services by analyzing shopping behaviors and feedback from your clients. You don’t want to miss the chance to serve your clients better with up-selling and cross-selling opportunities.

The most important thing is to have a plan and commit to it to guarantee success.

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May 14 2009

What Mistakes To Avoid When Starting Your Own Business!

Published by admin under Internet Marketing

Do you know  how to SAVE you a thousand dollars on your electric bill a year ?

The Secret to Going Green and Saving Money!    

Do you know maximize your conversion ratio ? How to save thousands dollars on ad a year ? How to stand out in the competitors and make more sales

 
Do you know how to write a WINNING Resume and ACE your Job Interview ? How to get pre-qualified for your Job ? How to find a Job in quantum speed ?  
 

These little mistakes can cause you years of time and tens of thousands of dollars when you start a business! You may have heard this advice before, and I know you are smart, but these points tend to be forgotten or overlooked! Please keep this advice in mind!

1. Don’t start a business with available friends, you need qualified partners, and don’t follow the money, follow your passion!

For a profitable business, you need qualified partners with the skills and experience needed for your business. If you follow your passion, you will be able to serve your clients and money will soon follow!

2. Don’t put the cart before horse by starting a business without a plan.

You’ll end up spending twice as much time to correct the issues. Develop a simple and easy plan to follow!

3. Don’t try to do it all without an assistant and proper tools, time is money!

If you attempt to do everything, alone you will lose hundreds! You will be far behind schedule, stressed out and the worst of all, you will feel incompetent. Hire qualified assistants to help your work. Be your company’s leader, focus on strategies, and establish a good work process. There are proper, reliable, and good featured tools are available for free or with little investment that will payoff in the long run!

4. Don’t listen to your unqualified friends, hire qualified advisors.

It will take up far more time and money to correct the problems from non-professionals. Always seek help from only mentors and trusted advisors. At the very least, read best selling books in the fields to get the information!

5. Don’t buy a service or product without a guarantee or referral from a trusted source.

Don’t spend money on an ad without a test drive. Many products and services offer a 100% money-back guarantee. Ask for and check references for the products you buy, and be frugal when it comes to spending money. Always test out vendors with small budgets, and short- or no- term contracts.

6. Don’t be too bold or impatient!
Be reserved with your money, be bold in your actions, and wait patiently for each result. Patiently try all possibilities.

7. Don’t jump ahead! Finished what you have started prior to moving onto the next step. Always look for efficiency and complete all the steps involved in a work assignment. Little things left undone, can and will come back to bite you, causing far more time and money. Don’t be a perfectionist, either. Define your long-term goals and try to eliminate, automate, and delegate to be cost-effective.

8. Be genuine, but stick to your price.
Don’t make exceptions for friends and family, and don’t try to attract clients with just offering the cheapest price. You are selling your clients the whole package, not just products or services. Be the leader in your area, and become their trusted advisors and be genuine in helping them to succeed in their business!

9. This the most important one! Never underestimate the power of good online and offline marketing strategies and credibility.
You will not win new business simply with more skilled staffs and better pricing, you need to have better credibility and marketing strategy too!

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