Web Marketing Today

3 Ways to Monetize Your Weekend Website

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:19:58 PST

In this final part in a 4-part series, Nick Usborne outlines three ways to earn money from your weekend website. He focuses on income sources from (1) contextual advertising, (2) affiliate programs, and (3) selling information products.

Using Social Media to Create Links to Your Site - Stephan Spencer (8:10)

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:00:08 PST

In this video interview, SEO expert Stephan Spencer explains how producing viral social media can produce interest from bloggers and journalists, who create links to your site. These links result in higher rankings in the search engines that ultimately bring targeted traffic to your site.

Writing For Higher Conversions (Part 1)

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:34:47 PST

In this article, conversion specialist Tim Ash explains the basics of writing in order to improve conversions. In this first part of a two-part series he encourages writing in an inverted pyramid style, since visitors tend to read little and skim, as well as clear headlines, one-idea paragraphs, and short pages.

3 Secrets to Web Marketing Success with Lorrie Thomas (4:58)

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:05:03 PST

In this video interview, local marketing expert Lorrie Thomas provides a helpful overview of the Web marketing process: credibility, usability, and visibility. She discusses how each element effects your overall marketing, and what to look for to improve in each of these areas.

Don't Neglect E-mail Marketing - Jim Sterne (7:50)

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:10:54 PST

In this video interview, e-mail and metrics guru Jim Sterne explains that e-mail is the first social medium and the effective workhorse of business. He recommends: (1) Be responsive -- reply to e-mails promptly. (2) Be human -- respond on a personal note. (3) Segment your clients by behavior to increase revenues.

Social Media Marketing for Small Business

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:37:47 PST

Social Media -- Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and the like -- can serve small businesses in three ways. They help small businesses sell through (1) communication, (2) collaboration, and (3) entertainment. Lorrie Thomas explains how the process works in this article.

Tips on Marketing During an Economic Downturn - Mike Grehan (7:42)

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:07:25 PST

In this video interview, Mike Grehan explains that in times of economic downturn, smart marketers do more marketing, not less, taking advantage of lower prices and greater visibility. They also determine user intent in order to offer content appropriate to the buying stage indicated by search terms used.

Plan Your Navigation with SEO from the Start

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:17:37 PST

SEO expert Ross Dunn explains how to design your site navigation system to get higher search engine rankings. These strategies include using text menus, doing careful keyword research, optimizing menus for your keywords, and strategic cross-linking to maximize rankings.

Building Your Brand. Part 2: How to Write a Brand Positioning Statement

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:40:54 PST

In this article Dan Wilson explains just how to write the brand positioning statement that is crucial to developing a clear and compelling brand. You describe your customers, define yourself in terms of the competition, explain your greatest benefit, and then put it all together in a simple sentence. Simple but very powerful for your business's future.

The Winning Edge in Online Sales with Bryan Eisenberg (4:23)

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:51:58 PST

In this video interview, conversion expert Bryan Eisenberg explains how nimble, quick-to-execute small businesses can gain an advantage -- the winning edge -- over larger businesses that are slower to make needed improvements.

Innovative Uses for Twitter for Small Business - Avinash Kaushik (8:28)

Tue, 26 May 2009 23:01:05 PST

In this video interview Avinash Kaushik discusses various uses that small businesses have found for Twitter. He recommends three analytics tools: Retweetist.com, Tweet-Rank.de, and TR.IM.

How to Optimize Content Themes on a Large Site using Content Silos

Tue, 26 May 2009 12:45:04 PST

Dr. Wilson explains in simple terms how to focus "link juice" or PageRank within your website on desired landing pages, in order to boost their ranking into the top 5 or 10 for their keywords. This involves the powerful search engine optimization (SEO) art of "content siloing.

Useful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Small Businesses - Avinash Kaushik (9:47)

Tue, 19 May 2009 20:19:00 PST

In this video interview, Analytics expert Avinash Kaushik outlines various types of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for small businesses -- especially looking at where people come from, what content is being consumed, and measuring outcomes.

Does Your Business Need a Facebook Presence?

Tue, 19 May 2009 14:22:00 PST

In this article, social media specialist Amanda Watlington explains how small businesses should assess whether they need a Facebook presence for their business. She emphasizes the importance of social media etiquette, and separating your businesses from your social sphere online.

Review: The Twitter Book

Tue, 19 May 2009 10:50:40 PST

Dr. Wilson reviews a colorful, easily-accessible book on Twitter. Clear, presentation, with a good section at the end on business uses. Recommended.

Low Cost User Testing with UserTesting.com - Darrell Benatar (9:39)

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:13:20 PST

In this video interview, UserTesting.com founder Darrell Benatar explains how his web-based user testing tool enables businesses to test users remotely, with results in as little as an hour.

How to Create Powerful Content for Your Weekend Website

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:20:15 PST

In this article Nick Usborne explains how to create a website plan for your weekend website with the home page, secondary sectional pages, and third level article pages. Then do keyword research to optimize each page topic and page title. Finally, write useful informative content that will help your readers.

Review: Selling Online 2.0

Tue, 12 May 2009 14:57:29 PST

The subtitle to Selling Online 2.0 says it all: "Migrating from eBay to Amazon, craigslist, and Your Own E-Commerce Website." The book provides a thorough understanding of the issues, pros, and cons, especially for current eBay sellers. Reviewed by Dr. Ralph Wilson

Translating Titles and Meta Descriptions for International Search - Glenn Alsup (5:30)

Tue, 05 May 2009 21:52:49 PST

Glenn Alsup explains that you can get even English webpages indexed in foreign language search engines if you'll translate and localize the titles and meta descriptions.

Local Businesses Can Profit from PPC Advertising

Tue, 05 May 2009 11:13:28 PST

In this article local marketing expert Lorrie Thomas explains three ways to use Google PPC AdWords text ads in a targetted fashion to reach customers for local businesses.

Creating Your Site's Own Unique Voice and Feel

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:56:53 PST

Unless your site stands out from the rest, visitors won't return, won't remember you. Dr. Wilson explains how a unique "voice" and ambience or look and feel are necessary, and why cookie-cutter template sites can't challenge the competition.

Review: Always Be Testing

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:58:23 PST

Dr. Wilson reviews Always Be Testing by Bryan Eisenberg and John Quarto-vonTivadar. For those trying to figure out how to test and what to test in order to improve their online business, this is the book to start with.

Website Redesign

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:04:53 PST

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson of Web Marketing Today and his son Dan Wilson of MarketDifference Communications Group are teaming up to offer their web redesign services to select companies. Since they began working together designing sites in 1995, Dr. Wilson has become one of the leading experts in the field of web marketing, and Dan has designed sites and developed online brands for literally hundreds of small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between. Now you can get their combined expertise focused on making your next site a success.

Review: Marketing with Video Report (MarketingSherpa)

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:38:37 PST

This report is comprehensive, covering video marketing online, on TV, and on mobile devices. Though it suffers from data overload, it is the only book in this rapidly emerging field that provides such a broad overview.

Best Practice Principles for Website Usability - Glenn Alsup (6:32)

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:56:07 PST

In this video interview, Glenn Alsup outlines some underlying usability best practice principles: common sense, familiarity, navigation, simplicity, response time, and feedback.

Google Insights Tool Provides PPC AdWords Power

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:12:43 PST

Paid Search expert Christine Churchill describes the power of Google Insights for Search -- an amazingly powerful tool for marketers. It can show cyclical trends, regional difference in keyword usage, changes in user behavior over time, identify new marketing opportunities, and help you discover new PPC keywords.

Get Rich Slow

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:33:53 PST

Preview of a great article on low-cost Internet start-ups in Time Magazine -- "Get Rich Slow," by Josh Quittner. Recommended!

Which Is Better -- an E-zine or a Blog?

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:24:14 PST

In this article Dr. Wilson explores the strengths of newsletter and website articles and compares them with the strengths of blogs and blog software. He concludes that each has its place. He's using both!

Navigation. Part 2. How to Design Effective Information Architecture

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:51:51 PST

Usability expert Todd Follansbee continues his series on improving your website navigation. Here he explores the discipline of Information Architecture -- organizing and labeling your site so customers will take the desired action, such as purchase your products or services. He explains how to develop a Product Information Set and then test its effectiveness through direct user testing and monitoring customer e-mails and calls.

Building Your Brand. Part 1: Defining Your Business Purpose

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:35:10 PST

Branding expert looks at the foundation of a strong brand -- a clear, coherent business purpose statement. In this article he explains how to write one and how it differs from a USP. He offers four guidelines to help you write a better, more useful purpose statement.

How Do You Measure Success with SEO? - with Alan K'necht (9:19)

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:27:31 PST

SEO expert Alan K'necht explains how to set up Google Analytics so that you can determine which search terms or keywords are driving conversions on your site. That way you can prioritize SEO for these keywords and make increased profits.

Review: How to Viral Market

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:57:23 PST

Viral marketing is (fairly) easy to define, but very difficult to accomplish successfully. Dr. Wilson reviews MarketingSherpa's How to Viral Market toolkit, the best book he has read on the nuts and bolts of developing a successful viral marketing campaign. Strongly recommended for serious marketers.

Navigation. Part 1. How to Design a Good Nav Bar

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:32:35 PST

Usability expert Todd Follansbee offers definitive guidelines on what constitutes a good nav bar. Unfortunately, most nav bars don't make the cut. In this major article Follansbee outlines four important guidelines, explains why each is important, and provides implementation notes.

Using Banner Ads to Promote Your Website

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:37:09 PST

Are banner ads dead? Don't count them out yet -- but be wise. This popular article gives you an overview of banner ad terminology, important metrics, the formula for determining banner ad cost per sale, and lower cost approaches than the traditional CPM pricing. Recently updated.

Why Good Navigation Is Essential to Your Site's Success

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:52:24 PST

Todd Follansbee reports Forrester Research results: 50% of potential sales are lost because users can't find the information they want. 40% of users don't return to a problem site. Only about 3% of sites pass Forrester's usability guidelines. This begins a series that will outline how to improve site navigation.

3 Key Steps in Choosing a Profitable Niche Topic for Your Weekend Website

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:27:43 PST

In the second in a series on profitable weekend websites, Nick Usborne describes how to select a topic. If you're interested in your topic -- even passionate about it -- you'll have the energy to write the many webpages on the topic that will be required. The final element is finding a sub-niche that isn't too competitive.

How to Use Social Media to Boost Your Site Rankings - Bill Hartzer (7:47)

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:57:46 PST

Bill Hartzer explains how to use social media to get your website notice with higher rankings. He explains how to set up your 'brand' (username) and profile on various sites, then subscribe them to an RSS feed that updates them with links to articles.

How to Boost Your Local Business with Free Online PR

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:47:11 PST

Lorrie Thomas explains how to generate online PR and better rankings for your business or organization. She recommends (1) adding a news section to your website, (2) writing your own press releases with keyword-rich titles, and (3) sending these news releases to local online news sites and event calendars.

How to Find and Attract Top Performing Affiliates - Dixon Jones (8:14)

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:01:00 PST

Dixon Jones explains how to find and then recruit top affiliates by getting involved in the affiliate scene, tracking competitor backlinks to find their affiliates, and building relationships with sites on top for your keyphrase.

Great Title and Description Tags Will Make Your Rankings Soar

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:17:16 PST

Ross Dunn explains a simple formula you can use to construct title and description tags based on the keywords you hope to rank for on a particular webpage.