Internet Marketing Tips

In a world of too many options and too little time, our obvious choice is to just ignore the ordinary stuff. Marketing guru Seth Godin spells out why, when it comes to getting our attention, bad or bizarre ideas are more successful than boring ones.

How to Choose a Niche Market – So you want to make money with Internet Marketing? Well, good for you. But before you start making money, and before you even start to make a product that will make you money, you need to choose a niche. And here’s how to choose a niche.

A niche is a group of people who all have the same interest in something. The key is to tap into what these people need and want and create a product (or a service) in the niche that people will buy. But that’s often easier said than done.

The first step you want to take when choosing a niche is to go to an online bookstore or to the local bookstore in your neighborhood. Take a look at the Dummies books and the Idiot’s guides. These are books that are written because people are interested in the topic. So you can look through these books and find out what topics are popular.

Then you want to choose a niche that interests you. This is very important. You definitely have to have an interest in the niche. Otherwise, you probably won’t finish a product within the niche, and if you do then your dislike for the topic will probably show through. This will result in a bad product.

Notice that you don’t have to know a lot about the niche. This is a common misconception. Too many Internet Marketers wrongly believe that they have to know a lot about a niche in order to make a product. This isn’t true. You simply have to have an interest in the niche so that you are willing to learn what you need to learn in order to create a great product.

Once you have a niche that you want to go into, then you can go to Google and search that niche to see how much competition you’ll have. However, no matter how much competition there might be, there is always room for one more site and one more product. You just have to make sure that you have a unique selling point (USP) and a great product. In fact, going into a competitive niche is better than going into a niche that no one cares about.

And that’s how to choose a niche. Start by looking at Dummies books and Idiot’s guides, choose a niche that interests you, and then check to see how much competition there is. If you follow these three simple steps then you will choose the perfect niche for you.

Click the link on the right to learn more about making money via Niche Marketing

When looking at ways to drive visitors to your website, you need to consider the benefits of traffic vs. targeted traffic. Targeted traffic importance cannot be overlooked, as every businessperson knows that a qualified lead is a sale looking for a place to happen. However, when it comes to Internet marketing, even traffic that is not targeted can be beneficial.

Targeted traffic consists of website visitors who are very likely to have a specific need for the product or service that you offer. If your company specializes in selling banana pudding cookbooks, and a person ends up on your website as a direct result of typing banana pudding cookbook into a search engine, that person represents highly targeted website traffic.

If someone who does a web search on banana pudding cookbooks ends up on your website that is promoting your banana pudding cookbook, it is very likely that that person will choose to purchase your product. Since you are in business to sell your product, of course you recognize the benefit of such targeted traffic.

However, Internet marketing isn’t that simple. In order for the person seeking a banana pudding cookbook to find your website via his or her favorite search engine, your website has to be indexed by the search engine. Search engines don’t immediately recognize new websites.

One of the major factors in determining whether or not your website will be indexed by search engines is the quantity of traffic the website gets. This is where general traffic becomes very important. The more traffic your website gets, targeted or not, the faster it will become recognized by search engines and move up in the results pages.

If someone who is allergic to both bananas and pudding visits your website, that person is not likely to ever buy your cookbook. However, that person can still benefit your websites sales in the long run, because their visit to your website increases the traffic count of your website.

Everyone who visits your website isn’t going to become a paying customer. However, every person who visits your website will increase the traffic statistics for your website. Even the website visitor who is allergic to everything you have to offer can contribute to increasing the ranking of your website. The higher your website is ranked, the more likely it is that you will be able to generate the targeted traffic that will result in increased revenues.

There are many different tools and techniques for generating website traffic, many of which are free. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the only traffic that is worth generating is targeted traffic. The more traffic you drive to your website, the easier it is going to be for that targeted customer who is ready to buy to find you at the right time!

Sometimes it is helpful to look at traffic vs. targeted traffic in terms of the fairy tale analogy of kissing frogs before you find the handsome prince or beautiful princess of your dreams. Don’t forget that all traffic helps your Internet marketing efforts in some way when looking at traffic vs. targeted traffic, both overall traffic and targeted traffic importance can’t be overlooked.

It’s not all about making the sale, it’s about how good you become converting that sale with traffic. Which is option suits best my market?

Did you know you can make almost 60 dollars a month with writing that would take you less than an hour a day to do? It may not seem like much but that extra money is dinner and a movies or a video game, music, anything and it won’t take you long to make it at all.

Make Extra Money By Writing

So what do you do? You get paid to go blogging. There are large companies and organizations that will pay you to blog for them. Especially if you know how to write to their audience or in the niche. This is easier than it sounds. Still don’t believe me, well lets think about this, did Obama really write in his blog everyday? Probably not, lots of organizations want their customers to stay connected but do not have the capacity to hire a full time blogger. So they look to outsource their blog entries.

So how much can you make? Maybe not a lot but even 25c an entry can add up. If you post four times a day, which is easier than you think, then you are at a dollar a day. If you can get double that then you’re making two dollars a day. It doesn’t take long to write blog entries either. Find a couple blogs to write for so you are always on the busy side.

Over the long run, you can start to charge more per entry. You should have the visible experience and you should be able to attract visitors easily so your entries will become more valuable. Soon you could make one to two dollars an entry. It is not huge but if it only takes you an hour a day what harm could it do? It is extra money that you can use for anything.

There are more ways to make money writing, other than just bogs, but this was example and all of them have varying degrees of payment. Just go out there and try it out. You might be surprised by what you find. If you are having trouble finding anything, try typing in “paid x” and you should be able to find a couple places right off the bat.

If you are more advantageous, you might want to write some articles and sell them as Private Label Rights (PLR).
You can click here to learn more about private label articles
To have an idea on how you can make money with PLR articles, do check out some PLR membership sites that others have created.

Affiliate Payrise – How To Create Content That Leads To Sales
By Jimmy D. Brown of “Affiliate Payrise”

…………………….

If you look at the average site for any given affiliate, you’ll likely find a boring, tasteless smorgasbord of prefab content that was created more for search engines to read than it was for real people to read.

While that make aid in rankings, is it really going to do any good once someone sees the site listed and makes a visit?

Probably not.

What every affiliate needs to learn is simple -

** CONTENT IS KING ***

It’s content that leads to sales, not a strategically designed website that search engines temporarily find meets their ranking criteria.

So, let’s talk about that.

There must be a reason why some content is very good and some content is very bad; why some information is so enthralling that you can’t stop reading while other
information is the cure for a sleepless night; why some words cause you to frantically take notes and some words cause you to take a break.

There must be a reason.

There is.

And that reason is this – Quality writers approach content creation as a craft.

To be sure, some writers are just naturally gifted. They swing words like Tiger Woods swings a 5-iron. They can spot a good paragraph like Warren Buffet spots good
investments. They write like Tom Hanks acts. Even though they practice their art form, it comes easy to them.

Then, there are those that swing words like Jimmy D. Brown swings a 5-iron. Paragraphs are like Black Tuesday. Their writing is the equivalent of the acting in a kindergarten cantata … and they aren’t nearly as cute and lovable as those 5 year olds. Content creation is a struggle.

The good news is this: by focusing on two key components all writers can create the kind of content that generates interest and demand.

Whether you’re writing ezine articles or paid products or anything in between, there are two components that you need to develop in writing your content.

Before I explain how to weave both of these components into your content, let me first explain the reality of why these components are necessary in the first place.

People read for two basic reasons -

1. They want to be ENTERTAINED. Many people read because they enjoy a good story. They settle into their favorite chair and John Grisham whisks them off to the courtroom for a legal adventure or Sue Grafton captivates their mind in a “whodunit” or Nicholas Sparks unlocks the emotions with a love story. Or, maybe they head to the bathroom with a copy of National Enquirer to read about a three-headed alien who’s been dating Lindsay Lohan, whatever, they read to be entertained.

2. They want to be EDUCATED. There are other times when people read because they want to learn something. That drain beneath the kitchen sink is leaking again; a dormant website needs traffic; mom is coming to her house for Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a do-it-yourselfer looking to improve his home or an internet marketing looking to drive visitors to her site or a young wife looking to impress her mom with a mouth-watering turkey, people read to be educated.

So, those are the two basic reasons why people read.

There will now be a test. Close your books. Put away your notes. No talking or looking at anyone else’s paper.

What are the two reasons why people read? (No peeking!)

If you said “to be entertained” and “to be educated” then you get to continue. If you said anything else, it’s time for an XBox 360 break or a stiff cup of java or whatever it is you do to get your mind in gear.

People read to be entertained and/or educated. And when it comes to the art of sharing information as a part of your business, including BOTH parts are important.

Listen to me carefully. This is the “ultimate” mastery of your craft -

To teach readers something desirable to them in a way that they find enjoyable.

That’s the goal. Put a great big bull’s eye right there. And fire away.

So, let’s talk about some specific practices for each of these two components. How can you make your content entertaining? How can you make it educational?

Content Component #1: Entertain. There are many, many ways to make your writing a form of entertainment. Briefly, let me point you towards 6 methods of engaging your reader and making the consumption of your content an enjoyable experience for her…

* Analogies. A great way to keep your content flowing is to use a few analogies. That is, you compare one item to another item. Sure, I could have said earlier “writing is easier for some than others”. But, with just a few extra words I instead said, “They swing words like Tiger Woods swings a 5-iron. They can spot a good paragraph like Warren Buffet spots good investments. They write like Tom Hanks acts. Even though they practice their art form, it comes easy to them.” Honestly, which is a better read?

* Humor. A little chuckle goes a long way when it comes to the enjoyment factor of reading. Most everyone likes to laugh. (My apologies to those of you who don’t enjoy laughing. You may skip this and go immediately to the section marked “Don’t Have A Sense Of Humor”). Earlier, I built upon the analogy of Tiger Woods by comedically adding, “They swing words like Jimmy D. Brown swings a 5-iron.” By affording them the opportunity, you naturally make the reading experience more enjoyable. Does this mean you should make every attempt to be Jay Leno? Of course not. It just means when you have a chance to say something in a funny way do it. Don’t use too much humor and stay away from offensive humor, but by all means insert light-hearted fun when applicable.

* Acronyms. Another idea is to organize your content by using an “acronym”. I’ve used many in the past: “How To Keep Affiliates A.C.T.I.V.E. In Your Program”, “How To S.E.T.U.P. A Web Site” and “How To I.M.P.R.O.V.E. Your Writing” are just a few. In these instances, the words “Active”, “Setup” and “Improve” were used to reveal the various parts of the content. Not only do people love them (I’ve always gotten great feedback), but it also allows you to have something original that is uniquely yours.

* Storytelling. In a recent paid report I wrote, I opened with a story about me selling Grit newspaper back in the early 1980’s and I tied it into the fact that this was an early form of the modern affiliate program model. A good story always engages the reader. Especially when it is relevant to the point being made. Keep them short (don’t launch into the great American novel – this isn’t Hemingway for crying out loud!) and lively and they’ll only enhance your writing.

* Editorials. Opinions are like noses … everyone has one. So, why not share yours? To be sure, you may want to steer clear of any controversies that might damage your reputation and business, but don’t be afraid to get personal when you write. Many times I’ve mentioned my faith in Jesus Christ in my content. I’ve jumped up on my soapbox and preached about using integrity in your business dealings. I’ve gave my thoughts on a variety of issues that were relevant to what I was writing. And, you know what, it always gets the reader more involved in the process of consuming information. Either they agree or disagree (sometimes strongly) with what I’m saying, but they continue reading because editorials are interesting. Share your thoughts.

* Revelations. A simple way to get someone reading deeper into your content is to make a statement of something you’ll be sharing later int he content. It’s so easy to do. If you read back to something I wrote earlier in this article, you’d find this statement: “Before I explain how to weave both of these components into your content, let me first explain the reality of why these components are necessary in the first place.” Do you see how that works? I set the table for what I’d be revealing shortly. I whet your appetite. Consciously or (more likely) subconsciously, you got the point that something desirable was coming later in the article. This isn’t a new concept. Think about every newscast you’ve ever watched: “Coming up later in the hour, we’ll show you how…” and “Up next we’ll share…” Building interest breeds enjoyment — especially when you deliver the goods later in the content. So, those are just a few ways you can “entertain” your readers
and make the consumption of your content an enjoyable experience.

But, what about the other component? How do you “educate” them?
Let’s take a look.

Content Component #2: Educate. Certainly writers of all shapes and sizes know that the essence of “educating” a reader is to explain the subject matter in a way that can be clearly understood. That’s a given, right?

And certainly there are many ways to do this effectively. There isn’t a standardized formula that all content must adhere to in order to get it right. However, I do believe that there are three basic parts that should be included in virtually every piece of content written as far as those involved in selling information.

* Action Steps . If someone is intent on learning a process, they want to know the necessary steps involved in completing it. For example: If I want to learn how bake a cake, I don’t want a list of ingredients with the instructions “Mix these together”. I want a detailed, chronological list of what to do, step-by-step. Certainly, not all content is a “tutorial” (The very lesson you’re reading isn’t in step-by-step format) but, when applicable, always explain things in chronological,
reasonable steps. Preferably, in 9 steps or less to avoid the appearance that the process is too difficult to be accomplished.

* Brainstorming. Two of your favorite words as a writer should be, “For example”. The missing element of most information products and associated content that I’ve read is the use of “examples” and “ideas”. Most people present some information and then leave it to the reader to figure out how to apply that information for their own use. That’s usually not a good thing. Instead, it’s important to provide as many different examples, case studies, ideas, etc. as possible to give the reader a good idea of how to accomplish what you’re suggesting.

For example (Hmmm, bet ya didn’t see that coming, huh?): I could have simply said, “You need to entertain your readers” and “You need to educate your readers” and left it at that. Instead, I’ve been giving examples and ideas for doing each of these things. More than just information, readers crave application. They want to see the content in action; they want to see how they can use it themselves.

* Tips. Everything you write should have tips included. Everything. Tips come in many shapes and sizes: keys, tactics, techniques, ways, methods, options. As many of these as you can include in your writing, the better. All it takes is for one good idea that you’ve shared to satisfy the reader. If you share 10 ways to do XYZ and number 7 clicks with the reader, they’ll love you. It doesn’t matter what else you write in the content, they are happy because they learned something useful. Tips are the information publisher’s best friend. A veteran might read your material and already know 99% of what you’ve written, but that one tip on page 47 just floored them and they are esctatic. Share as many different tips as you can. Your readers will thank you later. Well, the grateful ones will.

So, there you have it, the two key components of your content. Don’t forget the goal with these:
To teach readers something desirable to them in a way that they find enjoyable.

When you begin to build THAT kind of content into your websites and blogs, you’ll have a site that will do more than impress the search engines, it will impress those who arrive at your site and take a look around.

Never forget this truth: search engines don’t buy what you’re selling. People do.

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliate Payrise“, teaching you a whopping 27 ways to increase your affiliate commissions!
Tired of “tiny” commission checks? Grab your copy today at… Affiliate Payrise

…………………….

If you are interested how you can make money with list building, you will be interested in Jimmy D. Brown’s List PROFIT System, a Step-By-Step List Building Guide on How To Build And Profit From Your Own Opt-In List