Now more then ever profitable opportunities exist to promote your local business on the Internet. Through search engine optimization, pay per click advertising, email marketing and local listings, you can connect with a willing audience. Your customers are turning to the Internet to find local products and services. If your competitors have an online presence and you don't, guess who gets to take home the prize
Even if you do not have a web site you can still promote your local business online. For example, you can list you business and contact information with the local search engines of Yahoo and Google. For more detail go to:www.tube-pros-espects.com. It takes an hour at the most to get a free listing on the two most popular search engines. Your listing will include an interactive map that can direct customer’s right to your front door.
And don't overlook regional and industry specific directories. Many accept free listings, or charge a nominal fee. Once again, for most a web site is not a prerequisite.
If you do have a web site, than you need to promote your local business through Pay Per Click on both Google and Yahoo. With Pay Per Advertising you bid on keyword terms that your potential customers would use in a search. For more help visit to: www.internet-marketing-online-goldmine.com .An example is "Tacoma Wedding Photographer." The cost per click depends on how competitive the term is. You only pay if a prospect clicks on your text ad and goes to your site. This is referred to as performance advertising, where you only pay if the ad performs.
The appeal of PPC is you can get it going within an hour. You set the budget, you determine what keywords are relevant, and you determine your price per click. You can also turn it on or off in an instance. The general consensus is that PPC generates a higher return on your investment over traditional offline advertising.
For those that like a challenge there is search engine optimization. SEO is the ability to optimize your web site for high search ranking. If you can optimize your site properly, you can benefit from an endless stream of free, targeted search engine traffic. It takes time and effort, but the results can take your business to a whole new level.
Another tremendous marketing tool is email. For virtually nothing you can communicate with both prospects and your existing customers. Email is an excellent method to convert prospects to customers. It can also significantly increase the lifetime value of your existing customers by simply alerting them to upcoming sales and promotions.
Knowing the power of email communication, I find it hard to believe how few use it to promote their local business. Now listen up, start collecting your customer's email addresses today. I can guarantee they will respond favorably to joining your list. We all like to be informed on bargains and special offers.
The future of your local business will depend on the Internet. It is estimated 25% of searches online are local in nature. The Internet is the perfect resource for finding local products and services, which is why your customers are searching online. Now is the time to get your business positioned to reap the rewards?
By Rajoo
08 December 2008
Know About Internet Marketing Advertising?
Given my present understanding of my ubiquitous lack of understanding of the world in general, I ca not help but smile just a bit when I think about my beliefs when I was around 15 years old. I was in 10th grade at the time and good god did I ever have it all figured out. On a pretty consistent basis I would use words like “ignorance, short sighted and unaware” when talking to my mother; and I guess probably most other people that had the misfortune of chatting with me.
As you can probably guess, it turned out that I really didn t know everything. Well, here I am a full grown adult and, fortunately, I am much, much wiser; I currently know that I don t know anything. And, if I ever start to forget that, I am thankfully reminded on a consistent basis how little I really know.
This just happened about 10 minutes ago, in fact. I thought that I had the internet marketing and advertising thing pegged. I was thinking about all those annoying pop ups and all the other advertising that frustrates me , on the up side this irritating new field of advertising has given rise to an unprecedented number of new jobs, for the people that are able to create all the software that shields the rest of us from the internet advertising. So, anyways I had my mind made up that people could be divided up into two camps—the good and the bad. To know more about it logon to but, much like the Haitian Revolution, things have much more complexity than just black and white.
Let’s get back to the topic at hand. I sort of saw the internet marketers as a group that found their financial success wherever it happened to be and without consideration as to what was necessary in order to achieve it. Don t get me wrong, I don t think they are killing puppies or anything.
But, I do think that there is a certain pride that can come from contributing something positive to the greater community and those that choose to directly and consciously work in means that are in direct conflict with that are not on the good side.logon to. But, I just was informed about a little thing that is throwing a wrench in my good vs. evil dissection of the world. It is the business that does networking for the internet advertisers and marketers. Now, it seems like the companies that are behind all the banner ads and the like are on the short end of the stick from these internet advertisers for the internet advertisers, the victim of uncouth internet practices.
This changes everything for me. I am not simply talking about internet advertising, but the multi-layered complexities that are a spider web of friends and foes and who is crossing who and back stabbing who, while helping who else. Hmm, I have a lot to think about, but for sure I understand that I definitely don t know anything.
By Bimla
As you can probably guess, it turned out that I really didn t know everything. Well, here I am a full grown adult and, fortunately, I am much, much wiser; I currently know that I don t know anything. And, if I ever start to forget that, I am thankfully reminded on a consistent basis how little I really know.
This just happened about 10 minutes ago, in fact. I thought that I had the internet marketing and advertising thing pegged. I was thinking about all those annoying pop ups and all the other advertising that frustrates me , on the up side this irritating new field of advertising has given rise to an unprecedented number of new jobs, for the people that are able to create all the software that shields the rest of us from the internet advertising. So, anyways I had my mind made up that people could be divided up into two camps—the good and the bad. To know more about it logon to but, much like the Haitian Revolution, things have much more complexity than just black and white.
Let’s get back to the topic at hand. I sort of saw the internet marketers as a group that found their financial success wherever it happened to be and without consideration as to what was necessary in order to achieve it. Don t get me wrong, I don t think they are killing puppies or anything.
But, I do think that there is a certain pride that can come from contributing something positive to the greater community and those that choose to directly and consciously work in means that are in direct conflict with that are not on the good side.logon to. But, I just was informed about a little thing that is throwing a wrench in my good vs. evil dissection of the world. It is the business that does networking for the internet advertisers and marketers. Now, it seems like the companies that are behind all the banner ads and the like are on the short end of the stick from these internet advertisers for the internet advertisers, the victim of uncouth internet practices.
This changes everything for me. I am not simply talking about internet advertising, but the multi-layered complexities that are a spider web of friends and foes and who is crossing who and back stabbing who, while helping who else. Hmm, I have a lot to think about, but for sure I understand that I definitely don t know anything.
By Bimla
07 December 2008
Search Engine Optimization for Bloggers
To get the needed targeted traffic in search engines such as Google, you need your blog, and your post to prominently show in the top ten search engine results. Using proper search engine optimization methods will determine your rank on the search engine results page (SERP). Every keyword or key phrase should be used in the titles and first paragraph of the post to be able to get high ranking.
Keywords are what the search engine look for in your title tag and the content of your post when someone type it in the search engine. When you search on a particular phrase, the title or the content of the web page with the exact phrase you have searched for will be the first to be shown on search engine results.
Since Google has tweaked its algorithms on title tags, it now requires that your page/posts should have relevancy to your title in a particular keyword your picked. It simply means that your title has a particular keyword that is being search and some of it is also found in your posts.
Get a lot of one way links, since link-exchange and reciprocal links are losing their effectively, and these links will only clutter your blog template. Google looks at reciprocal links with a frown. But having one-way links pointed to your blog are the best way to get page rank they said but I said since page rank does not contribute much in the search engine ranking, links to your posts from other sites with a particular keyword. It means that many sites links to your blog with a particular keyword your blog page located on your title post and on the body post itself your blog page will show higher on search engine results.
Let us say your blog post is about "fuji digital cameras", and there are thousand of links pointing to your page from the anchor text (fuji digital cameras). Your page will be put on the top list of the search engine when someone look for the term. But don't jump on creating links like this yet. A search engine will look at the thousand of links going to a blog especially if it's coming from a high ranking site.
Links should come from variety of locations (let us say forums with different ip address, social networking sites that are not owned by just one owner. Do not overuse the keyword or same anchor text in your link building effort. Just one keyword pointing to your blog post will trigger search engine suspicion.
Getting back link is easy but requires a lot of effort. You can manually submit your own created articles or rehash content from private label articles to article directories. Look for forums that allow user signature. Use the title of your blog and it's link in your signature box. Be active in forums and post or reply to posts. Read the rules however in posting so that you will not get banned.
Minor methods, but highly popular is leaving comments on other blogs. You can use as your username as your blog title in posting comments. However, you should be posting comments that are fitted on the posts or else your comments will be considered spam by the blog owner.
By Michael Warren
Keywords are what the search engine look for in your title tag and the content of your post when someone type it in the search engine. When you search on a particular phrase, the title or the content of the web page with the exact phrase you have searched for will be the first to be shown on search engine results.
Since Google has tweaked its algorithms on title tags, it now requires that your page/posts should have relevancy to your title in a particular keyword your picked. It simply means that your title has a particular keyword that is being search and some of it is also found in your posts.
Get a lot of one way links, since link-exchange and reciprocal links are losing their effectively, and these links will only clutter your blog template. Google looks at reciprocal links with a frown. But having one-way links pointed to your blog are the best way to get page rank they said but I said since page rank does not contribute much in the search engine ranking, links to your posts from other sites with a particular keyword. It means that many sites links to your blog with a particular keyword your blog page located on your title post and on the body post itself your blog page will show higher on search engine results.
Let us say your blog post is about "fuji digital cameras", and there are thousand of links pointing to your page from the anchor text (fuji digital cameras). Your page will be put on the top list of the search engine when someone look for the term. But don't jump on creating links like this yet. A search engine will look at the thousand of links going to a blog especially if it's coming from a high ranking site.
Links should come from variety of locations (let us say forums with different ip address, social networking sites that are not owned by just one owner. Do not overuse the keyword or same anchor text in your link building effort. Just one keyword pointing to your blog post will trigger search engine suspicion.
Getting back link is easy but requires a lot of effort. You can manually submit your own created articles or rehash content from private label articles to article directories. Look for forums that allow user signature. Use the title of your blog and it's link in your signature box. Be active in forums and post or reply to posts. Read the rules however in posting so that you will not get banned.
Minor methods, but highly popular is leaving comments on other blogs. You can use as your username as your blog title in posting comments. However, you should be posting comments that are fitted on the posts or else your comments will be considered spam by the blog owner.
By Michael Warren
Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide
Of course, the Google document does not tell you how your website can be listed on Google's first result page. It is more a checklist of things that you shouldn't do if you want Google to index your web pages.
If you avoid the following things, it will be easier for Google to index your web pages:
1. Things that you should not do in your web page titles
- Do not use web page titles that have no relation to the content on the page.
- Do not use general web page titles such as "Untitled" or "New Page".
- Do not use the same title for more than one web page.
- Do not use very long titles that do not help your users.
- Do not stuff unnecessary keywords in your title tag.
2. Things that you should not do in your meta tags
- Do not use meta description tags that have no relation to the web page content.
- Do not use general descriptions such as "My web page" or "About kittens".
- Do not use only keywords in the description.
- Do not copy the entire content of the web page in the meta description tag.
- Do not use the same description tag on more than one web page.
3. Things that you should not do with your URLs
- Do not use lengthy URLs with unnecessary parameters and session IDs.
- Do not overuse keywords in your URL (kittens-cute-kittens-all-about-kittens.htm).
- Do not use too many sub directories (../here/there/down/2/buried/deep/down/content.htm).
- Do not use directory names that have no relation to the web page content.
4. Things that you should not do with your website navigation
- Do not show the same content with different domains or sub-domains.
- Do not mix www. and non-www. versions of your URLs in your internal links.
- Do not use capitalization in your URLs.
- Do not link every page of your website to every other page of your website.
- Do not over-segment your web page content. Users should be able to access any content with a few clicks.
- Do not base your entire navigation on drop-down menus or images.
5. Things that you should not do with broken links
- Do not use broken links on your web page.
- Do not block search engines from indexing your 404 not found pages.
- Do not use non-descriptive 404 not found pages. Better use 404 web pages that help your website visitors to find the correct page on your website.
- Do not use a 404 not found web page design that is not consistent with the rest of your website.
6. Things that you should not do with your web page content
- Do not use text with many spelling and grammar errors on your pages.
- Do not embed text in images because search engines cannot read it.
- Do not write text about varying topics on a single page without paragraphs, sub-headings or layout separation.
- Do not copy content from other web pages that has no extra value to your website visitors.
The SEO tips above won't help you to get high rankings on Google. They only make sure that Google indexes your web pages correctly. If you want to get top rankings on Google, go to Gary's website now at Internet Marketing Tips.
Gary's website tips makes sure that your website gets the best possible rankings on Google and all other major search engines.
By Gary Neame
To be or not to Be—what it Takes to Become a Successful SEO Writer?
I have spent many years in content writing, SEO writing and creating eBooks on a variety of subjects—that’s why I can say it affirmatively! SEO writing has become the need of the hour if you want to stay in business.
As a human being (with a mix of technical expertise as well as managerial skills), “To Be Or Not To Be” is the question that has always teased me in the past. Not just in the past …but even as of today! If we trace back the history then we will find that this famous line was first used by the legend William Shakespeare in Hamlet's Act III. Since then it has been used by many writers…may be I am the first SEO writer who is using it! But, I have a reason for it. Please keep reading to understand why?
First thing first, so let’s see who can be termed as a true SEO writer. In the simplest words, as per best of my knowledge and conscience, an SEO writer can be anybody (like you and me) who knows what he is writing and why, and eventually does writing, either for self or for others! So that means they aren’t aliens (no pun intended, of course!).
In other words we can say that an SEO writer is the one who understands the importance of keywords/keyphrases and can write the entire content carefully and articulately woven around those keywords that best fit their business category. An SEO writer actually optimizes the entire site content using various search engine optimization strategies in an attempt to achieve a desirable ranking in search engines.
But, it can be easier said than done, as there is no quick fix or permanent solution to understand different search engine optimization strategies or techniques. Every search engine, by and large, has its own different techniques and complex algorithms. And, by the time you are conversant with some particular techniques or strategies, you will find that they have been changed very quickly. Moreover, there is no written guarantee about their results and virtually there is no fixed time period as well to get the results.
So, now a hundred dollar question comes, what exactly we should do for better search engine optimization? Now take a deep breath and relax, as you are going to explore a few secrets for better search engine optimization.
First of all, you need to bear in your mind that the role of an SEO writer in not just to satisfy the search engines but human visitors as well. So a good SEO writer is the one who knows how to please search engines as well as human visitors, and the one who firmly believes that there is no short cut to success. The entire content should be written in such as way that it uses all the search terms or keywords as natural as possible (remember, it shouldn’t be maximization but optimization). So that means, if you don’t know how to use those particular keywords or keyphrases optimally (to satisfy search engines as well as human visitors) you are “out-of-focus” immediately. The websites that use particular keywords or search terms over and over are sure to be penalized by both, search engines and visitors. Can you afford it?…I know no body can afford it for sure!
You need to master and hone your copywriting skills, as high-quality and unique content is real king. It should be clear, crispy, attention grabbing and unduplicated that is free from plagiarism. In the mad race of SEO content, always avoid content that is nothing but search engine Spam. However, if you don’t have the staff or budget to generate unique, original and never seen content every month, then try some professional copywriter and SEO expert. You can’t be Jack-of-all-trades, so for the tasks that you can’t do comfortably and skillfully, there is always potential that you could outsource them to providers who specialize in the specific areas. But always be wary about their capabilities and skills unless you have actually tried them.
So when it comes become an SEO writer, you will be required to write a lot of good quality content. I know that cannot be done quickly. It may take months, years or sometimes a lifetime to become a good copywriter. It needs good command over your language, passion for writing and a lot of imagination and creativity. To become a successful SEO writer, never fall for short cuts as they are for short periods only. If you want to become an icon in your field, you need to follow a few golden principles, such as:
Write to please your readers and show utmost respect for their time and efforts. Never do overstuffing with keywords, as overstuffing can’t make your pages rank higher. Think twice before writing even a single sentence. Never use jargons and technical words that may go over the heads of common visitors. Remember, being an expert SEO writer doesn't necessarily mean that you totally get trapped in the SEO stuff and complex algorithms; instead write clear, crispy, concise and to the point. Otherwise, at the end of the day you will find that though you have generated traffic but not visitors who bring business to your website.
Last but not the least; remember “experiment” is the key here, but instead of putting others into fire, it is better to get your fingers burnt to experiment and put others into a safe place to help reach them where they want to be, safely and comfortably. So, if you want to become a true SEO writer, you need to experiment with your own stuff. You need to take the initiative to learn about the importance of various keywords (primary, secondary and tertiary), the required density and placement rules, the nature of the search engines. Get ready to do a thorough research to find the most suitable keywords based upon number of hits at various search engines when people look for particular information on various search engines. Some very good resources are the paid versions of Wordtracker, KeywordDiscovery or Overture.
As an SEO writer, you should learn, unlearn and then relearn different techniques with your own websites to gain practice and experience in search engine optimization. Read from others in the similar field, participate in discussions forums and blogs; and once you are familiar with these techniques then apply and test them on your own website. I think this is the best way to understand the search engines and different techniques, inside out.
By Rakesh SharmaInternet Marketing Success With Ebooks
Ebooks have become a very general commodity on the Internet. You can now download Ebooks from lots of different websites and you can even visit an Ebook store to find these information products. Ebooks are hot sellers because today's computer savvy generation spends a great deal of time reading Ebooks for learning and enjoyment purposes. Some in the book industry have even begun to predict that Ebooks may make traditional printed books obsolete within the next 20 years.
Sound intimidating? It's actually not. Ebooks are usually shorter and easier to create than the traditional book. They are also much less expensive to produce. You can create an entire Ebook store for only a fraction of the price that it would cost you to publish and print one traditional printed book. For more details go to www.tube-traffic.com .To write an Ebook, all you need is an exclusive information product, a target audience, and a computer. Ebooks can be created on a multitude of programs and simply turned into a reader friendly PDF document. If you don't know how to do this, there are many different tutorials that can be viewed on the web free of charge. These tutorials offer step by step instructions to guide you through the entire process.
Once you have written several Ebooks on different or similar topics, you can create an Ebook store. Those who visit your site will appreciate the different Ebook options and the instant ability to download Ebooks containing the information they want and need. Plus, with shipping costs on the rise, free downloads are a budget-friendly commodity. Studies have shown that online shoppers are more likely to buy something if they do not have to pay shipping costs.
Almost everybody has some sort of knowledge that can help others, which is why anyone can create an Ebook. The key is to come up with an in demand topic that uses your special knowledge. Once you have thought up a topic, you can develop an outline or a writing plan to guide you through the process of writing Ebooks.
If you need inspiration or help organizing your thoughts into Ebooks, you may want to consider investing in a guide that teaches you how to market your knowledge. A good guide to try is Make Your Knowledge Sell.
If you have a topic that you are passionate about, the best-selling Make Your Knowledge Sell Ebook is the perfect place to start. This Ebook can explain you how to develop your unique knowledge into an online business. You will also learn how to target a customer base, create a website from the ground up, and make your business be successful. For more information logon to www.free-ad-sytem.com .If you have the knowledge, but are concerned with your ability to write Ebooks and express your ideas, there are also tools on the market that can help fine-tune your writing skills. One example is the Make Your Words Sell Ebook. Just about every aspect of copywriting is covered in this comprehensive guide, which includes information that you will not find in any other marketing book. No matter what kind of products you sell, you will learn how to sell more by using the right words.
Ebooks are the future of publishing. With a small amount of knowledge and a large amount of determination, you can give your customers the ability to download Ebooks that you created. And who knows, you may even make more money than you ever imagined by owning and marketing your own Ebook store.
By Dr. Zakir
Sound intimidating? It's actually not. Ebooks are usually shorter and easier to create than the traditional book. They are also much less expensive to produce. You can create an entire Ebook store for only a fraction of the price that it would cost you to publish and print one traditional printed book. For more details go to www.tube-traffic.com .To write an Ebook, all you need is an exclusive information product, a target audience, and a computer. Ebooks can be created on a multitude of programs and simply turned into a reader friendly PDF document. If you don't know how to do this, there are many different tutorials that can be viewed on the web free of charge. These tutorials offer step by step instructions to guide you through the entire process.
Once you have written several Ebooks on different or similar topics, you can create an Ebook store. Those who visit your site will appreciate the different Ebook options and the instant ability to download Ebooks containing the information they want and need. Plus, with shipping costs on the rise, free downloads are a budget-friendly commodity. Studies have shown that online shoppers are more likely to buy something if they do not have to pay shipping costs.
Almost everybody has some sort of knowledge that can help others, which is why anyone can create an Ebook. The key is to come up with an in demand topic that uses your special knowledge. Once you have thought up a topic, you can develop an outline or a writing plan to guide you through the process of writing Ebooks.
If you need inspiration or help organizing your thoughts into Ebooks, you may want to consider investing in a guide that teaches you how to market your knowledge. A good guide to try is Make Your Knowledge Sell.
If you have a topic that you are passionate about, the best-selling Make Your Knowledge Sell Ebook is the perfect place to start. This Ebook can explain you how to develop your unique knowledge into an online business. You will also learn how to target a customer base, create a website from the ground up, and make your business be successful. For more information logon to www.free-ad-sytem.com .If you have the knowledge, but are concerned with your ability to write Ebooks and express your ideas, there are also tools on the market that can help fine-tune your writing skills. One example is the Make Your Words Sell Ebook. Just about every aspect of copywriting is covered in this comprehensive guide, which includes information that you will not find in any other marketing book. No matter what kind of products you sell, you will learn how to sell more by using the right words.
Ebooks are the future of publishing. With a small amount of knowledge and a large amount of determination, you can give your customers the ability to download Ebooks that you created. And who knows, you may even make more money than you ever imagined by owning and marketing your own Ebook store.
By Dr. Zakir
Don't Let Economy's Downturn to Get You Out of Business
t's no secret that the United States, and most of the rest of the world, are involved in perhaps the worst--and certainly broadest--economic crisis the world has ever seen. In the United States, the disaster is being hailed as the worst in 100 years, or since the Great Depression. Between Main Street and Wall Street, everyone is feeling the crunch, and businesses both large and small are having to reorganize and cut down on expenses.
Large corporations often have more choices of ways to fight themselves out of a crisis than small businesses, or start-ups do. Larger entities can lop off a few hundred workers, issue more stock, sell off some assets, and a number of other options to add capital or lower expenditures to successfully navigate troubled economic waters.
During troubled times, advertising and marketing departments often find themselves near the chopping block, especially companies which use email marketing, PPC, and other forms of internet marketing. Large companies with the resources to advertise across all media, and with advertising budgets of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to spend, can trim the fat by 10-15% and keep right on rolling. But smaller companies? Should they cut back on their advertising as well? The answer is a resounding no!
Small businesses which rely on the internet as their prime source of advertising must adapt to the new economic landscape, for sure, but drastically cutting advertising expenditures is a sure recipe for disaster. What is called for during these times is evolution, efficiency, and intelligence. While you don't have to be an expert in online marketing, you should know enough to be able to make your campaigns more effective. And if you don't know this, then now is a good time to learn! So with that in mind, let's look at a few tips to help small businesses get quality traffic without breaking the bank.
1. Never buy traffic or sign-ups. This is one of the cheapest ways to get traffic to a blog or website, but just having hits does not mean more sales. Much of this type of traffic is unqualified, meaning that the hits are likely from people who have no interest in your product, so why would they buy from you? The best conversions come from interested customers who have at least some general desire for what you are selling.
2. Save by buying separate SEO services. While it may seem that one person should be able to multitask several different online campaigns, hiring out SEO to a professional will assure that this important task is done the right way. In addition, a large portion of the SEO process, once completed, will never have to be redone, and so, will pay dividends for a long time to come.
3. Experiment. Now is the best time to innovate and try new ideas. Like you, others are searching for bargains and different strategies during these times as well. If you have lower cost products, maybe now is the time to start pushing those, rather than the more costly ones. Consider packaging your items in different combinations, or offering something for free with a purchase.
4. Don't outsource important communications tasks. If you are targeting the US market, do not outsource your writing and customer support to non-native speakers. Although it may be cheaper to outsource to non-native speakers, the quality of communication is almost always lower. During these times, customers should be valued more than ever, and every effort should be made to make them feel comfortable with their purchase and with the quality of your service. Also, there are surely lots of native writers and speakers looking for work, so in that regard, it should be easy to find talent.
5. Do outsource simple, yet time-consuming tasks. Things like social bookmarking, link building, forums, and blog commenting can be outsourced, and should be. These tasks take up lots of time, and keep you from doing more important things to grow the business. Having someone to cheaply do these tasks is an efficient way of outsourcing without jeopardizing the quality of the company.
The recession is here but that doesn't mean that your company can't still be profitable. Times like these require small business owners to be more intelligent than the rest, and by increasing efficiency and making good management decisions, your small business can not only survive, but can also thrive.
By Elena Konkina
Large corporations often have more choices of ways to fight themselves out of a crisis than small businesses, or start-ups do. Larger entities can lop off a few hundred workers, issue more stock, sell off some assets, and a number of other options to add capital or lower expenditures to successfully navigate troubled economic waters.
During troubled times, advertising and marketing departments often find themselves near the chopping block, especially companies which use email marketing, PPC, and other forms of internet marketing. Large companies with the resources to advertise across all media, and with advertising budgets of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to spend, can trim the fat by 10-15% and keep right on rolling. But smaller companies? Should they cut back on their advertising as well? The answer is a resounding no!
Small businesses which rely on the internet as their prime source of advertising must adapt to the new economic landscape, for sure, but drastically cutting advertising expenditures is a sure recipe for disaster. What is called for during these times is evolution, efficiency, and intelligence. While you don't have to be an expert in online marketing, you should know enough to be able to make your campaigns more effective. And if you don't know this, then now is a good time to learn! So with that in mind, let's look at a few tips to help small businesses get quality traffic without breaking the bank.
1. Never buy traffic or sign-ups. This is one of the cheapest ways to get traffic to a blog or website, but just having hits does not mean more sales. Much of this type of traffic is unqualified, meaning that the hits are likely from people who have no interest in your product, so why would they buy from you? The best conversions come from interested customers who have at least some general desire for what you are selling.
2. Save by buying separate SEO services. While it may seem that one person should be able to multitask several different online campaigns, hiring out SEO to a professional will assure that this important task is done the right way. In addition, a large portion of the SEO process, once completed, will never have to be redone, and so, will pay dividends for a long time to come.
3. Experiment. Now is the best time to innovate and try new ideas. Like you, others are searching for bargains and different strategies during these times as well. If you have lower cost products, maybe now is the time to start pushing those, rather than the more costly ones. Consider packaging your items in different combinations, or offering something for free with a purchase.
4. Don't outsource important communications tasks. If you are targeting the US market, do not outsource your writing and customer support to non-native speakers. Although it may be cheaper to outsource to non-native speakers, the quality of communication is almost always lower. During these times, customers should be valued more than ever, and every effort should be made to make them feel comfortable with their purchase and with the quality of your service. Also, there are surely lots of native writers and speakers looking for work, so in that regard, it should be easy to find talent.
5. Do outsource simple, yet time-consuming tasks. Things like social bookmarking, link building, forums, and blog commenting can be outsourced, and should be. These tasks take up lots of time, and keep you from doing more important things to grow the business. Having someone to cheaply do these tasks is an efficient way of outsourcing without jeopardizing the quality of the company.
The recession is here but that doesn't mean that your company can't still be profitable. Times like these require small business owners to be more intelligent than the rest, and by increasing efficiency and making good management decisions, your small business can not only survive, but can also thrive.
By Elena Konkina
3 Ways (part 2) to Improve Search Engine Rankings
Continuing on from Part 1, here's Part 2 of '3 Ways To Improve Search Engine Rankings'. I follow a straightforward 3-Stage Approach to getting ranked high in the search engines. Here, in Part 2, is my second Stage...
Stage 2. Get Your Website Seen:
If you goal is to get high up the search engine rankings (and it should be!) then you need to get the search services to 'see you'. This sounds an obvious statement but few people really think it through that much. In a nutshell, and avoiding all the techie jargon, search engines really want to find you, or more specifically your website. When someone types in a 'search query' they are looking for some information. If your website is relevant to what the person searching is looking for (we'll talk about this later), then the search engines really want to link your website to the searcher, which they do with the search results the search engine reveals.
The key then, knowing the search engines really want to find your website, is to set up your website in such a way as to make it be easily found by the search engines. The way you do this is to adopt some basic, but very important 'optimisation' tricks on your website - what is termed 'on-page optimisation'.
The interesting thing is, even though it's really important to do what I'm about to share with you, the on-page optimisation' methods only really are about 15% of what contributes towards your search results ranking. The 85% of where you figure in search results is dependant on the 'off-page optimisation' which I'll cover in stage 3. Even though 'on page optimisation' only makes up for 15% towards how you get ranked, it is still crucial to carry out these basic but key steps:
a) Ensure your keyword(s) appear in your pages 'Title tag' of the header code of your website (if you're not sure what this is, ask someone to show you who does know - it's that important). This is vital because it is one of the key things that search engines are looking for - matching the words the searcher types into their search (the keywords) with the title of a website, which in turn should be relevant to the search query. You can take this a stage further by adding in a description in the 'meta description tag' again incorporating your keywords, and then the 'meta keywords tag' which simply includes all your keywords, comma separated.
The search engines don't put so much relevancy these days on the description or keyword tags, but they're worth doing either way, but it's vital you include your keywords in the Title tag.
b) Make the webpage you are pointing the keyword towards relevant to that keyword. In other words don't have a keyword like 'dog training tips' and then have a webpage all about horses, cats, dogs and loads of other animals with little specific relevancy to dogs or dog training - make sure the webpage is relevant to your keyword.
c) Build into your website a simple Sitemap. Understand that the way search engines search the web is they look for (crawl) words and phrases in all the code of your website - they don't understand pretty pictures, graphics, flash animations, etc - all they want to find is words and phrases relevant to want the searcher is looking for. So make it easy for the search engines to look over your website looking for those vital words and phrases. One way to do this and make it easier for the search engines to find the info they want is by incorporating a simply site map within your website. Again, if this doesn't make sense to you, ask your webmaster about it.
By Steve Mitchell
Stage 2. Get Your Website Seen:
If you goal is to get high up the search engine rankings (and it should be!) then you need to get the search services to 'see you'. This sounds an obvious statement but few people really think it through that much. In a nutshell, and avoiding all the techie jargon, search engines really want to find you, or more specifically your website. When someone types in a 'search query' they are looking for some information. If your website is relevant to what the person searching is looking for (we'll talk about this later), then the search engines really want to link your website to the searcher, which they do with the search results the search engine reveals.
The key then, knowing the search engines really want to find your website, is to set up your website in such a way as to make it be easily found by the search engines. The way you do this is to adopt some basic, but very important 'optimisation' tricks on your website - what is termed 'on-page optimisation'.
The interesting thing is, even though it's really important to do what I'm about to share with you, the on-page optimisation' methods only really are about 15% of what contributes towards your search results ranking. The 85% of where you figure in search results is dependant on the 'off-page optimisation' which I'll cover in stage 3. Even though 'on page optimisation' only makes up for 15% towards how you get ranked, it is still crucial to carry out these basic but key steps:
a) Ensure your keyword(s) appear in your pages 'Title tag' of the header code of your website (if you're not sure what this is, ask someone to show you who does know - it's that important). This is vital because it is one of the key things that search engines are looking for - matching the words the searcher types into their search (the keywords) with the title of a website, which in turn should be relevant to the search query. You can take this a stage further by adding in a description in the 'meta description tag' again incorporating your keywords, and then the 'meta keywords tag' which simply includes all your keywords, comma separated.
The search engines don't put so much relevancy these days on the description or keyword tags, but they're worth doing either way, but it's vital you include your keywords in the Title tag.
b) Make the webpage you are pointing the keyword towards relevant to that keyword. In other words don't have a keyword like 'dog training tips' and then have a webpage all about horses, cats, dogs and loads of other animals with little specific relevancy to dogs or dog training - make sure the webpage is relevant to your keyword.
c) Build into your website a simple Sitemap. Understand that the way search engines search the web is they look for (crawl) words and phrases in all the code of your website - they don't understand pretty pictures, graphics, flash animations, etc - all they want to find is words and phrases relevant to want the searcher is looking for. So make it easy for the search engines to look over your website looking for those vital words and phrases. One way to do this and make it easier for the search engines to find the info they want is by incorporating a simply site map within your website. Again, if this doesn't make sense to you, ask your webmaster about it.
By Steve Mitchell
3 Ways (part 1) to Improve Search Engine Rankings
There's lots of talk about ways to improve search engine rankings, and it's clearly a very emotive subject with many people amongst the so-called 'internet SEO (search engine optimisation) experts' fraternity, all of whom often have differing opinions about what gets a website 'ranked'.
From someone who has had all (yes all) his websites ranked on page one in the Top 5 search results for the Top 3 keywords I have targeted (and these are competitive, high traffic keywords), let me share with you now my thoughts on how to get highly ranked and get your websites listed amongst the top 10 search results for your keywords.
I have a simple 3-Stage Approach to getting ranked high. Here, in Part 1, is my first Stage...
Stage 1. Pick The Right Keyword Phrases:
Firstly I ensure I target keywords that have traffic. What I mean by that is it amazes me how many people think it's all about being placed high up the page by being "highly ranked", with no regard for the actual amount of traffic a keyword gets! What's even more staggering are these 'SEO expersts' that offer their services, usually at exorbitant rates, with promises like "we'll get you appearing in the Top 10 Results on 100 pages" when they don't have any idea what keywords are being identified by you as their client.
Let me be really clear on this - anyone can have a Number 1 position for a keyword! ...anyone - just type in a keyword phrase, say with 4 or 5 words in it (this is a 'longtail keyword'), and it is likely to have very little competition that you could dominate the Top Number 1 spot for that search. But what you have to ask yourself is how many people are actually typing in that 5 or 6-word phrase? Probably no-one I suspect. So here's the thing - yep, it is pretty easy to get highly ranked, like Top 5, for many keywords, but the first thing you need to do is identify if there are a whole bunch of people looking for that keyword, because if there isn't, then getting ranked at even Number 1 spot isn't going to make any difference to your business sales, because even at Number 1, if no-one is searching for that keyword phrase and searching for it, then there's no-one that will ever see you at Number 1.
So, before anything - before you 'optimise' your website (I'll discuss this in Part 2); before you look to get ranked high in the search results; before you do anything, make sure that you are clear on the keywords you are going to target actually have traffic, by which I mean there are lots and lots of people typing in that keyword phrase into a search service looking to find you. Get your keywords right first! ...and make sure they are keywords people are using in their searches - in lots of searches!
By Steve Mitchell
From someone who has had all (yes all) his websites ranked on page one in the Top 5 search results for the Top 3 keywords I have targeted (and these are competitive, high traffic keywords), let me share with you now my thoughts on how to get highly ranked and get your websites listed amongst the top 10 search results for your keywords.
I have a simple 3-Stage Approach to getting ranked high. Here, in Part 1, is my first Stage...
Stage 1. Pick The Right Keyword Phrases:
Firstly I ensure I target keywords that have traffic. What I mean by that is it amazes me how many people think it's all about being placed high up the page by being "highly ranked", with no regard for the actual amount of traffic a keyword gets! What's even more staggering are these 'SEO expersts' that offer their services, usually at exorbitant rates, with promises like "we'll get you appearing in the Top 10 Results on 100 pages" when they don't have any idea what keywords are being identified by you as their client.
Let me be really clear on this - anyone can have a Number 1 position for a keyword! ...anyone - just type in a keyword phrase, say with 4 or 5 words in it (this is a 'longtail keyword'), and it is likely to have very little competition that you could dominate the Top Number 1 spot for that search. But what you have to ask yourself is how many people are actually typing in that 5 or 6-word phrase? Probably no-one I suspect. So here's the thing - yep, it is pretty easy to get highly ranked, like Top 5, for many keywords, but the first thing you need to do is identify if there are a whole bunch of people looking for that keyword, because if there isn't, then getting ranked at even Number 1 spot isn't going to make any difference to your business sales, because even at Number 1, if no-one is searching for that keyword phrase and searching for it, then there's no-one that will ever see you at Number 1.
So, before anything - before you 'optimise' your website (I'll discuss this in Part 2); before you look to get ranked high in the search results; before you do anything, make sure that you are clear on the keywords you are going to target actually have traffic, by which I mean there are lots and lots of people typing in that keyword phrase into a search service looking to find you. Get your keywords right first! ...and make sure they are keywords people are using in their searches - in lots of searches!
By Steve Mitchell
01 December 2008
Search Optimization Rockstars
If you were a struggling musician, how cool would it be if some of the real Rock Stars would put on a seminar where they would give you instruction and advice on how you can be successful? Well in the Search Engine Optimazion industry, this kind of stuff actually does happen.
Some of the real Rock Stars of the Search Engine Optimization industry just had a seminar in Seattle.
What does an SEO Rock Star constitute? In Search Optimization, a Rock Star would be anyone that has not only had success in getting their clients noticed but they have also been so good at it that they cause Search Engines to take notice and in some cases change.
People like, Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz.org, Stephan Spencer of netconcepts.com, Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land, Will Critchlow and Duncan Morris of distilled.co.uk, Nick Gerner a Search Researcher for SEOmoz, Sarah Bird legal advisor for SEO's, Jeff Pollard Chief Technology Officer for SEOmoz, and more.
Who was listening? Search Engine Optimizers from Hawaii, to Japan. I actually didn't even run into anyone attending from the northwest until the after party on the last night. What value could be gained from listening to those that have had success in Search Engine Optimization? In the early days of flight, The Wright Brothers weren't the only ones working on a flying machine. Many others were working on the same challenges but they were keeping their secrets to themselves. But once sustained powered flight was achieved advances in the industry were happening almost faster than they could be published.
The internet, even though it hasn't been around that long, has already changed the world we live in. Search Engines are what the masses use to give the internet a useful order. The Search Engine that gets used the most commands staggering sums in advertising dollars annually. But that position of top Search Engine is only as good as how relevant the searchers find the results it puts forth. Are searchers fickle? If they weren't Yahoo would still be king of the search world.
What makes the Search Engines struggle to keep those results pure is the fear that some other engine will do a better job and cut into their market share. SEO's are symbiotic with the Search Engines. Being a good SEO is really being a specialized business marketing consultant. An SEO takes the information about your product or service and helps you get noticed by your prospective customers on the Search Engines.
Why would someone that knows how to do SEO need to go to a conference? Two reasons really. First, because Search Engines are continuously changing to keep their results as pure and relevant as possible, there is constant change or adjustments that need to be made by SEO's to keep their client websites high in the search results. Getting together and essentially comparing notes on the things they have observed about the Search Engines is the best possible way to stay current.
Secondly, to meet others in the industry. Because there are at present only twenty-four hours in any given day, and there are millions of websites that need to be found in their respective markets, no one person or agency is going to be able to serve that need alone. Not every organization is going to serve every level of business need. If you are a Fortune Five Hundred company in a competitive industry, you may need hundreds of man hours per month to accomplish high ranking and online reputation management. But not every business serves the global market or has a million dollar budget available.
Networking with other people in the SEO industry gives us to compare notes and a chance to serve more business on more levels. Some SEO's specialize in serving certain vertical markets. Having a background in specific areas can be helpful in understanding unique needs of an individual company or a geographically limited market.
As long as Search Engines continue to change, SEO's will need to continue to educate themselves and update their techniques. A hearty thanks to leaders in the industry that take the time to share their experience and knowledge.
By Jeff Sligger
Some of the real Rock Stars of the Search Engine Optimization industry just had a seminar in Seattle.
What does an SEO Rock Star constitute? In Search Optimization, a Rock Star would be anyone that has not only had success in getting their clients noticed but they have also been so good at it that they cause Search Engines to take notice and in some cases change.
People like, Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz.org, Stephan Spencer of netconcepts.com, Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land, Will Critchlow and Duncan Morris of distilled.co.uk, Nick Gerner a Search Researcher for SEOmoz, Sarah Bird legal advisor for SEO's, Jeff Pollard Chief Technology Officer for SEOmoz, and more.
Who was listening? Search Engine Optimizers from Hawaii, to Japan. I actually didn't even run into anyone attending from the northwest until the after party on the last night. What value could be gained from listening to those that have had success in Search Engine Optimization? In the early days of flight, The Wright Brothers weren't the only ones working on a flying machine. Many others were working on the same challenges but they were keeping their secrets to themselves. But once sustained powered flight was achieved advances in the industry were happening almost faster than they could be published.
The internet, even though it hasn't been around that long, has already changed the world we live in. Search Engines are what the masses use to give the internet a useful order. The Search Engine that gets used the most commands staggering sums in advertising dollars annually. But that position of top Search Engine is only as good as how relevant the searchers find the results it puts forth. Are searchers fickle? If they weren't Yahoo would still be king of the search world.
What makes the Search Engines struggle to keep those results pure is the fear that some other engine will do a better job and cut into their market share. SEO's are symbiotic with the Search Engines. Being a good SEO is really being a specialized business marketing consultant. An SEO takes the information about your product or service and helps you get noticed by your prospective customers on the Search Engines.
Why would someone that knows how to do SEO need to go to a conference? Two reasons really. First, because Search Engines are continuously changing to keep their results as pure and relevant as possible, there is constant change or adjustments that need to be made by SEO's to keep their client websites high in the search results. Getting together and essentially comparing notes on the things they have observed about the Search Engines is the best possible way to stay current.
Secondly, to meet others in the industry. Because there are at present only twenty-four hours in any given day, and there are millions of websites that need to be found in their respective markets, no one person or agency is going to be able to serve that need alone. Not every organization is going to serve every level of business need. If you are a Fortune Five Hundred company in a competitive industry, you may need hundreds of man hours per month to accomplish high ranking and online reputation management. But not every business serves the global market or has a million dollar budget available.
Networking with other people in the SEO industry gives us to compare notes and a chance to serve more business on more levels. Some SEO's specialize in serving certain vertical markets. Having a background in specific areas can be helpful in understanding unique needs of an individual company or a geographically limited market.
As long as Search Engines continue to change, SEO's will need to continue to educate themselves and update their techniques. A hearty thanks to leaders in the industry that take the time to share their experience and knowledge.
By Jeff Sligger
Social Networking: Danger - Warning for Teens
Are you the parent of a teenager? If so, there is a good chance that you are wondering about their safety online, as you should be. Although the internet has changed for the better, that change has made it easier for people to access the internet and pretend to be someone that they are not, someone who you would likely not want socializing with your child. For that reason, you are advised to take the proper action needed to protect your child when they are online, especially when they use online social networking websites.
Online social networking websites? What are they? If you are not an internet user yourself, you may be completely unaware of social networking websites, what they are, and how they operate. The first step in protecting your teen is to familiarize yourself with them. Social networking websites are known as online communities that aim to connect internet users with each other. Unfortunately, these social networks have become the stomping grounds for many online predators and who are they after? Teenagers and chances are your teen may be one of them.
When it comes to protecting your child, your first thought may be to prohibit the use of online networking websites. Of course, you can do this if you want to. You are the parent, you can do anything that you want; however, there is really no need to. Despite the fact that danger exists, social networking sites are relatively safe, even for teenagers. However, to be safe and stay safe, your teenager needs to know what to avoid and who to be on the lookout for. Essentially, this means that they best way to protect your child from online predators is to educate them on the danger that is out there.
One of the first things that you may want to discuss with your child is who they are talking with online. Although they may not want to give you an answer, you need to emphasize the importance of knowing who they are talking to. Since social networks work to connect individuals who do not physically know each other it may seem impossible, but it can be done. Your child should fully read and try to understand the content of their friend’s online profiles. This will enable them to watch out for inconsistent stories or any inaccurate information. Tell your teen that if they learn that someone is being untruthful they need to end the conversation right away.
In addition to who your teen is taking to, it is also important to learn what they are talking about. As with who they are talking to, your teenager may not want to give you a straight answer. Even if you are unable to get an answer out of them it is important to let them know what is appropriate and what is not. Be sure they know that it is best to completely avoid individuals who like to speak of sex, drugs, and other illegal activities. Although they may enjoy having a number of online friends, there are plenty of other individuals, especially teenagers, who would more than willing to have pleasant and harmless conversations with them.
Perhaps, the most important thing to discuss with your teenager about social networking sites is arranging physical meetings. Let them know that these meeting are unacceptable. There have been numerous reports, over the past few years, of teenagers being lured away from their home in hopes of meeting a new friend, who they thought was their age. Unfortunately, many of these online friends turn out to be older and, in many cases, sexual predators. In the event that your teenager wants to meet an online friend and you feel that they would with or without your permission, you may want to offer to go with them. Of course, it is advised that you use caution and all meet in a public place.
By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, your child should still be able to use social network sites, but use them safely. In addition to the above mentioned safety concerns and precautionary measures, you may have your own. Whether you do or not, it is important that you keep your child aware of the dangers that lurk online, awareness is the key.
By Nicholas Tan
Online social networking websites? What are they? If you are not an internet user yourself, you may be completely unaware of social networking websites, what they are, and how they operate. The first step in protecting your teen is to familiarize yourself with them. Social networking websites are known as online communities that aim to connect internet users with each other. Unfortunately, these social networks have become the stomping grounds for many online predators and who are they after? Teenagers and chances are your teen may be one of them.
When it comes to protecting your child, your first thought may be to prohibit the use of online networking websites. Of course, you can do this if you want to. You are the parent, you can do anything that you want; however, there is really no need to. Despite the fact that danger exists, social networking sites are relatively safe, even for teenagers. However, to be safe and stay safe, your teenager needs to know what to avoid and who to be on the lookout for. Essentially, this means that they best way to protect your child from online predators is to educate them on the danger that is out there.
One of the first things that you may want to discuss with your child is who they are talking with online. Although they may not want to give you an answer, you need to emphasize the importance of knowing who they are talking to. Since social networks work to connect individuals who do not physically know each other it may seem impossible, but it can be done. Your child should fully read and try to understand the content of their friend’s online profiles. This will enable them to watch out for inconsistent stories or any inaccurate information. Tell your teen that if they learn that someone is being untruthful they need to end the conversation right away.
In addition to who your teen is taking to, it is also important to learn what they are talking about. As with who they are talking to, your teenager may not want to give you a straight answer. Even if you are unable to get an answer out of them it is important to let them know what is appropriate and what is not. Be sure they know that it is best to completely avoid individuals who like to speak of sex, drugs, and other illegal activities. Although they may enjoy having a number of online friends, there are plenty of other individuals, especially teenagers, who would more than willing to have pleasant and harmless conversations with them.
Perhaps, the most important thing to discuss with your teenager about social networking sites is arranging physical meetings. Let them know that these meeting are unacceptable. There have been numerous reports, over the past few years, of teenagers being lured away from their home in hopes of meeting a new friend, who they thought was their age. Unfortunately, many of these online friends turn out to be older and, in many cases, sexual predators. In the event that your teenager wants to meet an online friend and you feel that they would with or without your permission, you may want to offer to go with them. Of course, it is advised that you use caution and all meet in a public place.
By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, your child should still be able to use social network sites, but use them safely. In addition to the above mentioned safety concerns and precautionary measures, you may have your own. Whether you do or not, it is important that you keep your child aware of the dangers that lurk online, awareness is the key.
By Nicholas Tan
Social Networking: Making the Most Out of Social Networking Websites
Do you belong to an online social networking website? With their recent rise in popularity there is a good chance that you do. However, it is one thing to be a community member and another to actually participate in online discussions, as well as the many other network features. That is why it is advised that you learn how to make the most out of your social networking experience.
Many internet users already think that they know everything that they need to know about their social networking community. Unfortunately, not everyone does. In fact, you can find numerous posts online of people ranting or stating that they wished that their social networking website, such as Yahoo! 360, MySpace, Orkut, FriendWise, or FriendFinder, has a particular service and feature. Too many times, those posters did not look before they started speaking because, as it turns out, many social networking websites have what people want, just everyone doesn’t know about it.
The first step, in making the most out of your social networking experience, is to familiarize yourself to the online community or communities that you belong to. This can easily be done by closely examining the website. There are too many internet users who are focused on meeting new friends that they get started right away. While it is nice to start meeting new people right away, it is also nice to know what your social networking site has to offer. This can only be done by closely examining the website. Whether you take one hour or one day examining the website, you will likely be pleased with your decision to do it.
When examining the website of the online community that you belong to, it is advised that you examine the terms of use agreement. This agreement often outlines what you can and cannot do online. Despite the fact that a large number of online networking sites, such as MySpace, have little rules, there are other websites that have them. These rules and restrictions may limit the content that you can have on your site, as well as your pictures, videos, and other media. Many websites, including social networking websites, will terminate your membership if you are found violating these agreements. By reading all of the rules and restrictions of the social networking website you belong to, you should be able to ensure that you can continue to use and enjoy the site.
One of the many benefits to fully examining the social network you belong to is that you could be alerted to network benefits, features, or services that you were previously unaware of. In addition to giving you your own profile page and allowing you to invite other internet users into your network, there are a number of other things that you can do with online social networking websites. A large number of websites have created features and sections that include horoscopes, quizzes, polls, instant massaging, chat rooms, and much more. However, before you make use of these member benefits, you must know that they exist.
If you are interested in making new online friends, it is likely that you have already joined an online social networking community. Whether you are interested in joining more or you are a first time user, you will to carefully choose your networks. By researching each social networking website online, you should easily be able to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of each. And, since most social networking websites are free to use, there are no risks associated with giving the network a try. If you happen to come across a website that requires a paid membership and you would like to try it, you are advised to lookout for free membership plans or free trail periods. They may be able to help you determine whether or not the social networking website that you are interested in joining is worth the cost.
As you can easily see, there are a number of different ways to go about making the most out of your social networking experience. The control is in your hands. It is your decision as to whether or not you want to spend a small amount of time researching your network and everything that it has to offer. However, it is important to note that not doing so may literally mean that you are missing out on all of the fun.
By Nicholas Tan
Many internet users already think that they know everything that they need to know about their social networking community. Unfortunately, not everyone does. In fact, you can find numerous posts online of people ranting or stating that they wished that their social networking website, such as Yahoo! 360, MySpace, Orkut, FriendWise, or FriendFinder, has a particular service and feature. Too many times, those posters did not look before they started speaking because, as it turns out, many social networking websites have what people want, just everyone doesn’t know about it.
The first step, in making the most out of your social networking experience, is to familiarize yourself to the online community or communities that you belong to. This can easily be done by closely examining the website. There are too many internet users who are focused on meeting new friends that they get started right away. While it is nice to start meeting new people right away, it is also nice to know what your social networking site has to offer. This can only be done by closely examining the website. Whether you take one hour or one day examining the website, you will likely be pleased with your decision to do it.
When examining the website of the online community that you belong to, it is advised that you examine the terms of use agreement. This agreement often outlines what you can and cannot do online. Despite the fact that a large number of online networking sites, such as MySpace, have little rules, there are other websites that have them. These rules and restrictions may limit the content that you can have on your site, as well as your pictures, videos, and other media. Many websites, including social networking websites, will terminate your membership if you are found violating these agreements. By reading all of the rules and restrictions of the social networking website you belong to, you should be able to ensure that you can continue to use and enjoy the site.
One of the many benefits to fully examining the social network you belong to is that you could be alerted to network benefits, features, or services that you were previously unaware of. In addition to giving you your own profile page and allowing you to invite other internet users into your network, there are a number of other things that you can do with online social networking websites. A large number of websites have created features and sections that include horoscopes, quizzes, polls, instant massaging, chat rooms, and much more. However, before you make use of these member benefits, you must know that they exist.
If you are interested in making new online friends, it is likely that you have already joined an online social networking community. Whether you are interested in joining more or you are a first time user, you will to carefully choose your networks. By researching each social networking website online, you should easily be able to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of each. And, since most social networking websites are free to use, there are no risks associated with giving the network a try. If you happen to come across a website that requires a paid membership and you would like to try it, you are advised to lookout for free membership plans or free trail periods. They may be able to help you determine whether or not the social networking website that you are interested in joining is worth the cost.
As you can easily see, there are a number of different ways to go about making the most out of your social networking experience. The control is in your hands. It is your decision as to whether or not you want to spend a small amount of time researching your network and everything that it has to offer. However, it is important to note that not doing so may literally mean that you are missing out on all of the fun.
By Nicholas Tan
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