I am constantly asked the following question:
“What should I put on my content sites?”
Of course they are asking about my traffic generation strategy where I recommend creating content sites and pushing the traffic to a product site.
Here are some possibilities to put on your content site:
1. A Resource Directory
Resource directories used to be a great form of content. Yahoo actually got it’s start as a resource directory. They are now the #2 most visited site on the entire Internet. The search engine ranking data (http://www.RankingFactors.com) shows that outbound links are still a positive ranking correlation factor (even though so-called SEO “experts” moan about PR leak and other such nonsense). One problem with resource directories is the level that they have been abused lately with all of the Adsense scraper sites. There are literally hundreds of thousands of useless resource directories out there now that have been created with automation.
2. Articles
Articles are my very favorite form of content for content sites. They are perhaps the purest form of content. If you think about it, a blog post can almost always also be considered an article. In fact, you may see this very blog post appear as a syndicated article soon via Artemis Pro. If you want only your own articles on your content site, a blog is a great content management system. If you want to allow others to submit articles (and this is VERY POWERFUL!), then stay tuned. I will be releasing a product very soon that makes this very easy.
3. Product Reviews
A product review is really just a kind of article; isn’t it? Normally I recommend using content sites for driving traffic to your own sites. Product reviews can be a double-whammy though. You can use them as legitimate examples of pure content on your content site (to get visitors and push them to your product sites) AND you can also include affiliate links in the product review and make some direct income.
4. Surveys
It is difficult to get a survey to match up with the Ranking Factors data, but these are a very nice way to have your users add some content to your site.
5. Forums
Forums are also very difficult to get aligned with the Ranking Factors data. They are also notorious for advertising blind spots. The visitors really focus on the forum and will largely ignore your attempts to distract them to your product site. Still, they are a great way to get a large number of visitors generating content for you. That concept of getting your visitors to generate your content is important.
6. Blogs
I haven’t tried this, but I have seen it done. The idea is much like forums, but you are providing hosting for other people’s blogs in return for your ad being on their blog.
7. Downloads
If your market has anything to do with software, a download area can draw a lot of visitors. There are other markets that are also well-suited to downloads. The most common types other than software are covered in the next three types of content.
8. Pictures
Do you have a travel site you are trying to promote? How about a dating site? Or a photography site? These are obvious types of sites where a picture content site can help drive traffic. What about your topic? Are pictures something that will draw your type of visitors?
9. Videos
Videos are quickly becoming mainstream on the Internet. Although you will need to pay for quite a bit more bandwidth when offering videos, this type of content can match up with almost any topic of site.
10. Audios
Some sites can really benefit from audios. They will take less bandwidth than videos, but only makes sense for some topics of sites.
There are probably hundreds of types of content that I haven’t covered, but that should get you started. Remember that the point of the content sites is to provide traffic that you can distract to your product sites. That means:

1. The content needs to be quality content that actually provides value to the universe. You don’t want people arriving at your product site feeling that they have been tricked by some junk page generator.

2. You don’t need some huge variety of content. A site with 5 interesting articles about the topic of your product is just fine. A site with 500 interesting articles is even better. Don’t somehow convince yourself that 5 articles isn’t “enough”… that somehow you “need” a forum, a blog, and a picture download area. You don’t. Any single form of content in any quantity is just fine.

3. A form of content that allows your visitors to generate more content is most powerful. That way you don’t have to do the work to get the traffic… your visitors do. It also adds interactivity and a feeling of being a part of that site for your visitors which will help retain repeat visitors and increase word-of-mouth traffic. I highly recommend that you focus on some type of content that is provided primarily by your users (although you may have to “seed” it yourself).

OK; I hope that answers the question about what to put on content sites. Go get to work generating some serious traffic to your product pages from your new content sites now.

About The Author: James D. Brausch posts daily Internet marketing how-to information to his blog at: http://www.JamesBrausch.com
Source:www.webmasterinfoandcontent.com

When marketing your small business website online, you will need to be proactive and tenacious to be successful.
Of course, as with anything else, mistakes will happen here and there so be ready for that. But the positive news is that mistakes are just the way that we learn in life. You can read all of the home-based business ezines and self-improvement books you can get your hands on but you still have to do your due diligence. It is vital that you keep this in mind as you will certainly make at least a few mistakes while learning to promote your home business venture online. It is all too easy to end up scatterbrained with all of the options that are out there. Overhyped claims are very common on the web so be ready for the fact that some of the things you attempt just won't work out the way you had planned. But who knows, it could be the right choice for another home business.


Marketing your home-based business is likely to be expensive, so you will want to have as much current information as you possibly can. Knowledge (or information) is power. Be aware that banner advertising, while once king of the internet marketing game, is not nearly as effective as it was in the 90's. What was at one time a great idea now gets perhaps less tha one in one hundred click through rate, according to some estimates I have read. After talking to other individuals and based on my own experience I can basically validate that claim. Text links advertising tends to produce better and is quite often preferable. Make certain that the link sales copy. Pay per click enginis strong. Pay per click advertising can also be tricky, but at least you will be advertising without risking that you are doing it in the wrong place.
You really need to keep a close eye on it and be prepared to tweak your advertisement sometimes to maximise results. And sadly, click fraud is something to beware of. Put some effort into lower cost advertisements which more are proven such as networking and referrals, for example. Writing articles is a winner as webmasters always require up to date content and you get a byline at the bottom of your article whenever it is used! Search engines are often free yet take time to optimize for. It can also take a while to show up in the results. I strongly recommend submitting your site to the niche directories as they are usually free of charge and can bring targeted customers to your site as well.


Another great method is advertising in newsletters. Newsletters are kinda like the magazines of the world wide web. They are topic-specific and read by those interested in that particular area. Thus newsletter readers are potential customers so advertising in them is virtually guaranteed to get some kind of results.

Because most home businesses are on a strict marketing budget, posting articles is ideal as it is one of the cheapest methods around for building link polularity and get targeted traffic.

If you are running a home business business you are an expert knowledge in some area, and the whole wide world is your arena so there will be plenty of sites, weblogs and newsletters that will be interested in your articles, so get going.

Postcards are an offline method for promoting your website too. After all, you may send any quantity of postcards by First Class Mail in the United States for just twenty-three cents a piece. The only thing is that your postcards must be at least 3 1/2 x 5 inches but no larger than 4 1/4 x 6 inches. Research has shown that more people will glance at a postcard than open the more expensive letter.

About the Author:
Aaron Wilmont is a Home Business writer and researcher. More information at http://www.home-business-match.com and also http://www.aaronsfreebies.com

Article Source: http://article.yeeheey.com

1. Don't bury your subscriber form, place it on your home page and or at every page and make it VERY easy to find.

2. Add a one-liner to the byline section of your online published articles. For example: "You can subscribe to [name]'s free e-newsletter by visiting [URL]."

3. Give people an additional incentive to subscribe. Give them a free ebook or ecourse that has valuable content on a topic that will attract the exact type of ideal clients/customers for you.

4. During network events, ask if you can sign them up for your newsletter. Then manually add them when you return from the function with a double opt-in feature. Explain the opt-in feature when you ask them to subscribe. This gives them a way out if they were just being polite. Keep asking and don't stop. Practice a simple two or three-liner to explain the frequency and purpose of your e-newsletter.

5. Contact any trade organization or associations you belong to or memberships that have your target market. Ask for their member list. Members usually get this free, they may charge you if you aren't.

6. After you have the organization's or association's member list, send a direct mail letter, and offer a free subscription and other free offers you have that will help them get acquainted with you, the type of services you provide, and the benefits of working with someone such as yourself. You can educate them through free ecourses that were created from your e-newsletter articles.

7. Recommend your client's company's newsletter in your e-newsletter. Ask them for a reciprocal recommendation. Both of you win with new subscribers.

8. Write reviews or provide feedback to other newsletters (electronic or printed) you read and enjoy. Many times your comments will get posted in a future issue, along with a link to your site.

9. One of the top ways to attract people is by giving them various ways to interact with you at your web site. Use questionnaires, contests, giveaways, games, or ask for post survey questions and post the statistical responses. Send out a special e-mail announcement when the results of the
questionnaire, survey, contest is posted on your web site. The Sales Lead Report, http://www.imninc.com/macmcintosh, adds a survey with each issue, then uses the information in its PR campaign with phenomenal success.

10. Offer a different writing style. One that is warm, comforting, as if you are talking to a friend on the phone. Write conversationally with a personal tone. Add I's, me and you.

11. Always encourage your readers to forward a copy of your e-newsletter to friends, colleagues, and co-workers. You can even write a "forwarding e-mail paragraph" at the beginning so it is even easier for them to forward.

12. If you do speaking engagements or sales presentations, use one of the first few slides or last slide to invite them to subscribe to your e-newsletter. Don't turn off the screen so it is displayed after you are finished speaking, if possible.

13. At speaking engagements, pass around a clipboard with a manual way they can register for your e-newsletter. Start passing the board around before you begin speaking. Place a small different piece of paper with a short letter from you to them explaining the topics, frequency, and objectives of the e-newsletter as well as the opt-in option.

14. Send out a press release regularly to the organizations you belong to about what's been going on in your e-newsletter. I began mine by sending out a short press release whenever an article was published. When I began getting published 10 and 20 times a month, that no longer seemed practical. Thus, I moved over to a once-a-month press release with a list of where the articles were published. Add a press release section to your web site and post them there as well -- at least the last six releases.

15. Find sites that give out awards for e-newsletters and keep applying until you receive one. When you do, send out a special announcement to your list as well as post it in a few issues of the e-newsletter and rewrite your bio paragraph at the end of your articles.

16. Don't add people on your list without asking for permission first. Always offer an opt-in/out option. Give them a personal greeting if you are responding to a particular networking group or other particular groups. Some web hosts only need one s*p*a*m complaint before they shut your e-newsletter down. And it isn't worth the problems caused by not respecting this.

17. KISS your subscriber form. Meaning, "keep it short and simple." Ask for their e-mail and first name only. You can even simplify it more by just asking for their e-mail address.

18. Set up a section for past issues of your e-newsletters. I recommend just listing their main topic or the name of the article and not by date. People don't like to read things that they consider "old" easily. If you create pdf files for past issues, remember that it does save space but it also doesn't allow you to use unique meta page tags so that they show up in the search engines.

19. Add your e-newsletter bio line to all your e-mail signatures.

20. Send out your e-newsletter articles as content for reprinting into other media.

21. Offer targeted subscribers a special report when they refer your e-newsletter to three or more colleagues. Add a price to the special report to give a perception of added value. A special report is 3-10 pages on a very focused topic.

22. Offer your readers high-value content for them to read. Content they can't find easily or ever somewhere else on the Internet and they will keep coming back. This is the new wave for 2004. Subscriptions to e-newsletters are going down because content is too general.

About the Author: Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

Source: www.webmaster info and content.com

   Part of being an effective marketer is being an effective time manager. The little time suckers in our workday can collectively add up to a LOT of time taken away from our core functions and billable work. One of the biggest time drainer is our In-Box.

Tame your e-mail beast by mastering the art of email management. This will reduce your stress, streamline your workflow, and improve your efficiency. Here are some strategies you can implement:

1. Avoid Constant Interruptions: Turn off your auto send/receive or set it to a reasonable timeframe, like every hour or two. Some people find they are most productive at certain times of the day - like early morning. If this is true for you, regularly block out that chunk time and DON'T check your e-mails until afterwards. You will be amazed at what a huge difference this one change will make in your workday.

2. Respond with Brevity: If possible, reply with an action-oriented 1-2 line response. Always keep your messages under 10 sentences. Communicate your main point in the first sentence or two. Then delete or file the email, and get back to work!

3. Use Proper Grammar: Do NOT bypass standard grammar and punctuation. Create a well-written message. It will save your recipient time, as well.

4. Break Up Topics: Use separate paragraphs or bulleted lists when possible to save time for your reader. Get in the habit of doing this and people will tend to respond in kind. It saves time when you can scan lists quickly.

5. Use the Subject Line: Make sure you are very descriptive in the subject line. Or, use the subject line for the entire message: Meet 10:00, 5/30 Ok? You can establish agreements within your office to use codes in the subject line like NT for No Text and NRN for No Reply Needed.

6. Don’t Break for E-zines: If you are like me, you get a lot of professional e-zines. These are interesting and important for our continuing education. However, they can also serve as easy distractions from the task at hand. Instead of taking the time to read each one as it is received, stick them all in a folder labeled “Ezines” and reserve time each day or even each week to read them all at once.

ACTION ITEM: This week, take 3 steps toward taming your e-mail monster! Ideas: Talk to your office and set up agreements with internal e-mails. Create e-mail folders that will help you organize your inbox. Reset your auto email send/receive.

I hope this gives you some great ideas to reduce inbox clutter and streamline your communications. I’m not a natural organizer, but the more I create new time management habits, the more I find time for creativity and my core business strategies.

Work smarter, not harder!

---------------------------------------------------- Wendy Maynard, the Marketing Maven, publishes REMARKABLE MARKETING, a weekly ezine for business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. If you're ready to skyrocket your sales, easily attract customers, and have more fun, get your FREE TIPS now at http://www.gomarketingmaven.com

When you're ready to launch your web site and you're trying to select a good domain name, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration.

Select a Domain Name that Reflects Your Web Site

Above all else, your domain name should reflect what your web site is all about. For example, if your web site is about grooming a dog, you certainly wouldn't want to select a domain name like 'mybusinessname.com,' as this would have nothing to do with your web site's focus. You would want to select a domain name that tells the world what your web site is all about -- something like 'doggrooming.com.'

Select a Domain Name that Contains Your Web Site's Keywords

Another consideration of great importance are your keywords. Try to select a domain name that contains your most relevant keyword phrase, as some Search Engines place relevancy on them. A keyword phrase is two or more words that best describe your web page. If your web page is focusing on grooming a dog, your best keyword phrase will be "dog grooming."

Select a Domain Name that will be Easily Remembered

With millions of web sites accessible on the Internet, it is also very important to select a domain name that will be easily remembered. As in the 'doggrooming.com' example above, 'doggrooming.com' is very easily remembered, contains the most relevant keyword phrase and describes the web site in explicit detail. It is the 'perfect' domain name for this particular web site.

Select the Best Domain Extension

Another consideration of importance is the domain name extension. Although there are many new domain extensions available, dotcom is still the best choice. When typing in a web address, Internet users automatically want to type in a .com extension, as this is the extension that has been embedded into our brains from the start.

Avoid Using Numbers in Your Domain Name

Although you may be tempted to do so, avoid using numbers within your domain name. Including a number within your domain name can cause problems, as when you tell someone your web address, you will continually have to tell them it's a number and not the word. For example, if you selected a domain name like number1host.com, if you were to tell someone your web address, they may try to type it as 'numberonehost.com' instead of 'number1host.com.' This type of domain name would cause confusion.

Avoid using Dashes and Underscores in Your Domain Name

Although many people do it, don't make the same mistake I made when I first started out. Avoid using dashes, underscores or any other characters within your domain name that may cause confusion. When I registered my domain name, Web-Source.net, I actually wanted websource.com; however, it had already been registered. So, I settled for Web-Source.net. Now, when I tell someone my domain name, I have to say it like this: web dash source dot net.

Don't get me wrong, www.Web-Source.net is now a high traffic web site, but I can only imagine how much traffic I've lost over the years due to my domain name. I have received many emails over the years from visitors who had a hard time finding my site. They said they couldn't remember the domain name and kept wanting to type in websource.com.

Sponsor Message

Avoid using Abbreviations within Your Domain Name

Although well-known companies, such as IBM, can get away with using abbreviations within their domain name, most companies can't. As a rule, try to avoid using abbreviations or anything that will be difficult for your visitors to remember. Not only will this cause confusion, but it can also cause your potential visitors to make spelling mistakes when trying to type in your web address.

Avoid using Long Domain Names

Although you may now register long domain names, it's really not a good idea. I learned this lesson the hard way. I registered 'www.workfromhomebusinessguide.com' and the sad thing is ... I can't remember the domain name half the time. How can I expect my potential visitors to remember it? Try to keep your domain name as short as possible. The longer the domain name the harder it is to remember and the more apt your potential visitors are to make a typo when typing it into their browser.

Ensure Your Domain Name is Not a Trademark Infringement

Prior to registering a domain name, you may want to consider searching the Trademark Electronic Search System, http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm to ensure your potential domain name isn't infringing on any trademarks.

Please don't take this point lightly, as trademark infringement could cost you your entire business. It is your responsibility to ensure that your potential domain name doesn't infringe on any registered trademarks, as the trademark laws that apply in the hard copy world also apply on the Internet. Any company that registers a trademark has the right to protect their trademark and has the right to notify you that your domain name is infringing upon their trademark.

When you're ready to begin, create a list of a dozen or more potential domain names, as chances are, your first choice will already be taken. With any luck, one of the domain names on your list will be available. Take your time and select a quality domain name that will grow with your business. It will be well-worth your time and effort in the long run.

------- You have permission to publish this article electronically (within your ezine, web site, ebook or blog) or in print, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.

You can find additional articles here: http://www.web-source.net/free_articles.htm

About the Author:

Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery. http://www.webdesignmastery.com Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for your complimentary subscription to Etips and receive a copy of Shelley's acclaimed ebooks, "Killer Internet Marketing Strategies" and "Work from Home: A Complete Guide..." http://www.web-source.net

Distribution Source: webmaster info and content

A carpenter has his saw and hammer. A writer has his pen and ink. A doctor has her medical instruments and medicine. An accountant has his calculator. A mechanic has his wrenches. What of the salesperson? What are the available tools for salespeople?

Salespersons exist in almost every industry, for without the sales channel, there is no reason to manufacture or produce anything. We salespeople produce the results that drive every other function in every company. Although the function of each salesperson is the same, that is to match customer needs to products and services and close each sale, the manner in which we operate varies depending upon the industry we serve. Realtors, bankers, industrial reps, retailers and others have a variety of practices that they have found to be effective. There are sales tools commonly available to all of them to utilize.

Superior salespeople are always interested in maximizing their time and effectiveness in front of the customer. Superior salespersons will develop tools and systems that will aid them in their time management and sales effectiveness. Average salespersons tend to meander, wandering to the next call without any real purpose. They appear busy, but their inconsistent results leave a great deal to be desired. They are often disorganized, keeping poor records and avoid using tools to their advantage.

What are some of the tools and systems of effective, superior salespeople? We will discuss a few tools of the trade that are used successfully by me and others with great success.

• Your Sales Plan: You cannot hit a target that you cannot see, so why would you step out of your door without a plan? Many average and less-than-average salespeople do every day, and then wonder why their sales are flat. A sales plan is a primary tool, indispensable to the superior salesperson. An effective sales plan is, in reality, an extension of goal setting. You can develop your plan using a word processor, but a spreadsheet allows much greater flexibility and practicality. Take time to identify your target markets and target customers. Learn as much as possible about each. Identify your competitors. Honestly assess your company's strengths and weaknesses in light of the marketplace and competition. Develop your strategy. Take action and regularly gauge your progress and adjust your plan.

• C.R.M.: Customer resource management has been a tool in development for a number of years. There are a number of products available depending upon company structure and needs. Among these are ACT, Goldmine, Outlook, etc. Choose one that meets your needs and start using it. Keep accurate and updated records. The best time to make new entries is every day. If you get behind, you may decide that the catch-up task is insurmountable and quit altogether. Don't do it. Superior salespeople keep their contact manager updated with several backups. Once your data is entered, you can merge data with sales letters, print labels, develop email campaigns, and so much more.

• Laptop / PDA: Your carefully manicured data and customer records are of little value to you in the field if you do not have it with you when you need it. In addition to customer records, I keep all price sheets, quote forms, catalogs, brochures and more on my laptop, available for my use at any time. My equipment features built-in wireless networking capability so that I can log onto the internet or send and receive emails from an increasing number of hot-spots in most areas. These devices are no longer simple name and address managers, but rather your mobile office and window to the world!

• Flash Drive: A flash drive is a small electronic device housing a memory chip for the purpose of storing data in a manner similar to that of a hard drive on your computer. The price of high capacity flash drives for your key chain has fallen to levels affordable by almost anyone. My 1 GB flash drive was just $59 at Sam's wholesale club! I also use one on my desk computer in place of a floppy or backup tape drive to save backups and conveniently trade data with my laptop. It is impractical to carry into a customers' office all of the catalogs or literature that you may require for the visit, but located on my keychain flash drive is every catalog and brochure that our company uses, just waiting to be placed in my customers' USB port for easy transfer directly to his computer. Easy indeed! As common as these devices are, my customers continue to be impressed when I pull out my flash drive.

• Mobile Phone: Almost every man, woman and child carries a phone these days. My only comment is to select a model that has the features you need to meet the demands of your job. Do you need email capability, a camera or other features?

• Web Presence: Promote your company's web site to each customer. Get them involved in what your company is all about. If your company does not yet have a web site, consider establishing your own web page to promote you. It's easy and very inexpensive to do, and will prove quite cost effective.

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list of tools available to salespersons, but these represent important and essential elements contributing to the success of superior salespeople. Do you want to be average? Do you want to continue to meander? If your desire is to continuously improve and employ every asset at your disposal to become a superior salesperson, enjoying superior sales and income, then do as the superior salesperson does. Become an expert in the use of tools of the sales trade and get busy.

---------------------------------------------------- Daniel Sitter is the author of the popular, award-winning e-book, Learning For Profit. Designed for busy people, his new book teaches simple, step-by-step accelerated learning skills, demonstrating exactly how to learn anything faster than ever before. Learning For Profit is currently available at the author’s web site http://www.learningforprofit.com and from numerous online book merchants. Mr. Sitter, having expertise in sales, marketing and personal development, is a frequent contributor to several publications.
Distribution Source: webmaster info and content

Catalogs WebmasterBooks

Back to Top

---

Copyright © 2006 www.webmasterinfoandcontent.com All rights reserved

Seagate Hosting  Paypal  Low Prices on Over 300,000 Textbooks at Walmart.com