Online for Success

Newsgroups Can Boost Your Traffic featured newsgroup portals and services >>> Newsgroups have been a part of the internet since a time near its inception. With the web a medium initially dedicated to the unobstructed sharing of information, these open, topical discussion areas became a consistent and popular form of exchange. As the popularity of the internet grew, so did the number of news and discussion groups. Today, there are literally thousands of individual groups, moderated by those dedicated to a specific topic, intended to provide a place for continued sharing on a subject of interest. With the general increase in popularity experienced by the internet, newsgroup populations also began to soar. With this growth came the need for rules intended to govern newsgroup users everywhere, maintaining an efficient, respectful, and information oriented environment, not overun by abusive individuals, or marketing crazed online business operators. One of the primary rules established by most newsgroup areas is the refusal to accept purely commercial postings. This does not leave the business operator out in the cold in these areas. It simply defines your role as a contributor first, business operator second. In most newsgroup areas, a signature file denoting your business name and/or location is considered appropriate, as long as the intent of the message posting is to respond to, or generate conversation on a topic related to the newsgroup’s overall purpose. Utilizing these areas of topical sharing can provide a means for you to establish yourself as an expert within your field of specialization. If done correctly, and within the parameters set by the newgroup founders and/or moderators, this tool can serve to bring substantial increases in site awareness and visitation. There are innumerable newsgroup locations across the web. Discussion groups today can incorporate site based posting of commentary, or email exchange lists focused on a topic of interest. Finding the most popular, heavily trafficked groups within specific areas of interest can take some investigation. In the end, spending the time to locate, then effectively participate in these groups will prove to be a worthwhile effort. The newsgroup portals listed below should be of assistance in beginning your research in this area. Usenet.com Google Groups Yahoo Groups Topica.com   Related Subjects: Internet Marketing - Pay Per Click Engines Web Site Promotion Through Partnerships     back to top

Keyword Advertising for Web Site Promotion featured pay per click search engines >>> As the demand for targeted and effective advertising venues continues to grow, so does the ability of service providers to institute ads directed at very specific markets. Keyword bidding is commonly related to the growing pay per click, or pay per placement search engines, but there exist marketing opportunities that allow for the placement of ads, text based or otherwise, that are sourced only during specific keyword queries. The value inherent in these advertising options is strongly dependant upon your ability to correctly target, and communicate with your market. One provider of such a service is Google Adwords. Achieving a listing is very similar in nature to pay per click based keyword bidding, with the exception that the end result is a text based ad to the right of the usual search results relative. Payment for services is based upon the positioning of your ad, which is dependant upon the number of advertisers who have chosen to associate with that keyword. Google will even generate an estimate of costs associated with specific keywords, based upon previous search volumes for that term. As in all ad based marketing efforts, the copy of your advertisement can play a strong role in its overall click through rate, and thus its effectiveness in promoting your property. Take the time to carefully develop your ad, and be willing to experiment with different ads to allow for some response rate comparisons. To access some of the available keyword based advertising services, simply click on a link below to begin your research: Google Adwords   Related Subjects: Internet Marketing - Link Exchanges for Popularity Online’s Pay Per Click Directory     back to top

Banner Advertising and Exchange featured banner exchanges and networks >>> In recent years, banner advertising has experienced a plunge in popularity. The reasons for this shift in advertising interest was simple - banner advertising was not delivering on its initial promise to draw hoards of traffic, and the costs then associated did not reflect the true value of the medium. This is not to say that banner advertising has gone the way of the dinosaur. Certainly, there are other means that have proven to be more effective, with higher pricing that reflects that value, but banner advertising continues to offer an opportunity to introduce and brand your product within your target market. It’s ongoing prevalence in the marketplace is a clear indicator of its potential. The key to the creation of a successful and reasonable campaign is to ensure that the expenditure involved reflects the actual bottom line impact the advertising will have. When reviewing a potential banner ad campaign, be it through an advertising network, or within a site complimentary to your line, take care to assess the package thoroughly, breaking down costs to an expected price per delivered visitor. This can be accomplished by utilizing a conversion rate from impressions to visits of about .5%. Some campaigns can deliver returns as high as 1%, but in assessment of a marketing expense, it always pays to play it safe. Once you have determined an approximate cost per visitor, compare that cost to achieving traffic through pay per click search engines, based on the current bids for keywords relevant to your product and/or service. If you find value in the offer, take care to develop a banner that draws the attention of your market, as design can make the difference between a profitable campaign, and yet another wasted expediture. Banner exchanges offer an additional opportunity for the internet business owner to create awareness, at no cost. These common systems vary in their offering, but generally guarantee the site owner willing to place the banners of other operators on their site a ratio of 1:2, or one of your banners shown elsewhere in exchange for deliverying two impressions at your property. Though a cost efficient manner of generating some exposure, banner exchanges have their negative side as well. Many systems have insufficient controls, which can result in direct competitors actually gaining exposure on your site. As well, there is a sense among those experienced with internet business that users of an exchange program are "small time", which can later impact your ability to negotiate effective partnership agreements. As a means of introducing you to this medium, Online has gathered samples of banner related programs for your review. Click on a link below to explore further: Banner Advertising Networks Sponsorships.net Microsoft AdStore ValueClick.com AdOutlet.com Banner Exchange Programs Bpath Banner Exchange BannerAddict.com LinkBuddies.com Microsoft Banner Network Don’t forget to explore additional niche market site sponsorship opportunities listed by property genre, in our Site Sponsorship Directory. Click below to view some of the opportunities available in this growing medium, or consider submitting your site’s advertising opportunity for the consideration of our visitors.   Related Subjects: Online’s web site sponsorship directory Content sharing as a means of promotion     top of banner advertising page

Submitting to Award Sites featured award submission sites >>> Since the dawn of the popular internet, and the growth of interest in being online, there have been those who have dedicated their time and efforts to the review of new web based properties. These critics have in turn garnered the respect and interest of web travellers everywhere, folks practically begging for information on the freshest new properties. Submitting your newly developed internet wonder can be rewarding in more ways then one. Firstly, there is the infinite satisfaction of being recognized for the serious efforts applied in the preparation of your web project. Secondly, there exists the potential for traffic… Award sites that have been in operation for some time can deliver the selected "site of the day" thousands of visitors in a very short period of time. Their online, and email publications are in demand, and those in receipt of the information waste no time in visiting the newest web commodity. Some sites offer no cost submission, while others may charge a range of fees depending on time of review. As in many pay per service internet areas, payment does not promise the featuring of your site, merely its review. When considering such a submission, it does the business owner good to keep in mind that all things are not what they seem. Many internet based award sites are merely intended to draw you, and your site visitors to their site, via visual awards that must be placed at your property in order for you to be considered. The traffic given in return is often minimal, and not worthy of the additional download time on your site relative to the added graphics. The award sites below are considered some of the premium honors available on the internet today. If you feel confident in your site’s leading edge appeal, consider a submission, and good luck with your review! Yahoo Internet Life Surfers Choice - 15% off Cool Site of the Day Yahoo Pick of the Week USA Today Hot Sites The Webby Award   Related Subjects: Establish an affiliate program Banner advertising and exchange     top of website aware directory page

Submit Your Site to Search Engines & Directories featured submission software and services >>> A critical stage in the potential success of any internet business is the submission process. This step should never be undertaken until your site is at its best, complete in every sense, and optimized to attract the best search engine rankings, and directory listings. Once you are comfortable with your state of readiness, there are still a couple of choices that need to be made relative to self-submission, or utilization of a service dedicated to that craft. Keep in mind throughout the process that although many services boast the ability to submit your site to 1000’s of sites, the top rated portals are where the majority of your potential traffic will be found. Ensuring selection of a reliable submission service that carefully manages the delivery of your site information to the top portals, within their guidelines for submission should be your priority. Site submission can be broken into a few specific categories: Directory Submission Directories such as Yahoo and the Open Directory Project require manual submission to a category chosen by the submitter. For tips on how to prepare your site, and your submission, to achieve the highest rankings possible, visit Online’s guide here. Once prepared, the following links will guide you to these premiere sites. Find your category of interest, then choose the submit button at that location. Yahoo is the premiere directory site, offering thousands of potential visitors to the entrepreneur who gains a top quality search listing. Submission to business, or ecommerce categories now requires a payment, which does not guarantee inclusion, simply an efficient review time. Looksmart is a completely pay for service directory, categorized much like Yahoo. Looksmart listings feed into many of the most popular portal sites on the web, such as MSN, Excite, Alta Vista, and CNN. Open Directory Project is an entirely voluteer based directory, whose results feed into portals such as AOL, Google, Netscape, and more. There is no cost to submit to the ODP, and placement within this property can play a substantial role in traffic generation once your site is listed, and picked up by the major portals. Search Engine Submission The following sites are considered the premiere spider-based engines of the day. Submission to them can be accomplished either manually, or through the assistance of a software package, or service. Many of these properties maintain a directory area fed by one of the above portals, as well as a true spider based search engine. To ensure your property is in a state of complete readiness prior to beginning the submission process, visit Online’s guide to site ranking preparation here, then submit using the links below. Google.com Excite.com AltaVista.com Inktomi/MSN Web Pages Hotbot.com Lycos.com Fast - AlltheWeb.com NBCi.com Niche & Geographical Submissions The final area of value in submission of your recently completed internet ecommerce property is the use of niche and geographical listings. There are innumerable country and market based directories around the world that will accept free listings from relevant sites. These listing may not generate a substantial amount of traffic, but can add significantly to your overall link popularity ratings, thus impacting placement of your listing on the largest portal search engines. Research your market area, and apply some time toward this line of submission to maximize overall potential. Submission Software and Services The following software and services offer the advantage of either a relatively automated process of submission to the most popular search engines, to an entirely outsourced and hands off solution that frees up the site operator’s time for additional research, customer service, or marketing efforts. Some of the most popular of these products are listed below for your review. Premiere Submission Software Solutions Webposition Gold TopDog Submitta Submit Wolf Premiere Submission Service Providers Verica Submission Services APlusSubmit.com RegisterStore.com TopRankPosition.net   Related Subjects: Preparing your site for submission to directory based engines Preparing your site for submission to spider based engines     top of search engine submission tools

Creating a Search Engine Friendly Site site optimization services and softwares >>> You’ve given thought to your idea for some time. In the end, you’ve chosen to act upon your dreams, and began the planning process for development of your own online business presence. You have researched potential products, established your domain name, and arranged for, or completed construction of your virtual property. The site includes every feature your potential customers are looking for, is laid out in an efficient and focused manner, and is sure to convert lookers into the all-important buyer. Every conceivable aspect of design, construction, and consumer research is complete, and you are finally ready to launch your creation. Or are you? With the hard work, and financial investment relative to the building, and establishment of a quality internet property, ensuring its overall popularity on the search engines is key. Without proper planning relative to achieving quality search listings, the launch of any new enterprise can turn into an anticlimactic affair. Search engines continue to provide a potential wealth of traffic to the online entrepreneur of today - traffic that can make or break the newly launched ecommerce site. Preparing your site to deliver a top ranking search result for specific, targeted keyword(s) is imperative to a lower cost of operation, and a stronger business model. There are a number of varieties of search engines out there today, each requiring a different approach in achieving a meaningful ranking. The three most common today are: True Search Engines These database sites scour the internet based upon both submitted recommendations, and links to new sites found through existing ones, adding properties that meet preset requirements, and categorizing them for future use. The largest example of this type of search engine is Google, the largest internet database anywhere. Directory Based Search Engines These portals attempt to provide greater usability and site quality to their visitors by manually reviewing every site submission before including the property in the search results seen by their users. Yahoo is the largest current example of a directory based search engine, with thousands of manually reviewed sites. Many directory operators now charge a fee for submission, to cover the expense associated with the manual review process. Pay Per Placement Search Engines These providers have taken a previously frustrating site owner experience, and turned it into a hugely successful enterprise. With the growth of the internet market, submission turnaround time was becoming increasingly slow, a strong negative to the site owner requiring traffic today, not six months from today. The pay per clicks delivered the ability for the newcomer to the market to immediately achieve top ranking on some of the internet’s most travelled sites, through successful keyword bidding. The most popular of these services is GoTo.com, whose top bidded listings are given priority placement on many of the large scale portals, including AOL, MSN, and AltaVista. Achieving a popular, traffic generating listing within both the true and directory based engines is no simple task. The rules applied either mathematically, or manually in the case of the directories, are complex, and consistently changing. The constant shifts in requirements are applied regularly in an attempt to better filter out abusers of the system, whose sites offer little in the way of true content or quality. This reality has made the required effort on the part of the honest operator far greater than ever before. Utilizing tools to measure your site’s potential for success within these different environments is an imperative to assuring that you are both successfully listed, and achieving strong search result based traffic numbers as quickly as possible. With the increased demand for this type of specific and carefully measured targeting within one’s site design, there has been a signficant increase in the number of service offerings in this area. The nature of these offerings vary from operations that charge a monthly fee to manage your site’s search engine preparation, and monthly submission, with guaranteed results for specific keywords, to softwares that analyze your site construction based upon the same algorhythyms utilized by the engines themselves to assess overall potential. In the end, the product you select will depend largely upon the ability of your target market’s search potential to deliver large volumes of traffic if proper placement is achieved. If, however, your market is so niche that you feel the number of searches relative to be too low to justify the expense associated, you may choose to prepare your site on your own, utilizing some of the tools offered by Online for Success. This approach can be far more efficient, and effective, for the internet business owner who wishes to establish their listings within a non-competetive market, or one who simply cannot afford the costs associated with pay for service offerings. Would you like to use this article on your site, or have it emailed to you?   Related Subjects: Preparing your site for directory submission - Yahoo! Preparing your site for spider based search engine submission Site optimization software & services - more than just keywords     top of search engine help page

Promotional Merchandise for Web Site Promotion featured promotional merchandise providers >>> Do you enjoy receiving free stuff? Do you believe that the lure of a free tshirt, golf ball, or a baseball cap is sufficient enough to draw you to a newly launched web property? Are you impressed when you place an order with a new online business, and discover that a bonus promotional item has been included with your shipment? Of course you are. The lure of the freebie is strong with virtually all consumers, as is attested to by the sheer number of sites focused entirely on this area, and with a great deal of popularity as a result. The level of customer satisfaction achieved when a free add-on is incorporated into a shipped order is also impressive - even if that free item happens to include your organization’s logo. The use of promotional merchandise for the branding and marketing of business is far from new territory. The process has been a means of doing business for many years. In the internet marketplace, where the art of etching one’s web address into the minds of its market is such an imperative, the applications are obvious. Customized promotional items come in all shapes and sizes, with product applicable to virtually every organizational budget. Choosing an article that will appeal to your market depends heavily upon the nature of that market - the more targeted your selection, the more appeal within your buying group, the more interest, and return on investment you can hope to reap. Using promotional materials within your overall branding strategy can take any number of forms at your property. Give away a free mug with every order; hold a monthly drawing for tshirts within your mailing list subscriber group; give away golf balls as a reward for completion of an on-site data collection survey, etc, etc. If you consider listing your offer with some of the more popular freebie sites on the internet, beware. These sites can generate a substantial amount of traffic to your property via an interest in a free item, but the traffic is far from deeply targeted, and may or may not be of value to your bottom line. In order to ensure maximum benefit from your investment, target your offer to client acquisition, and customer reward incentives. This can do far more to enhance profitability, and ensure online success. Promotional Merchandise Providers CafePress.com Branders.com WebDecal.com I-Magnetics.com VistaPrint.com     Related Subjects: Internet Marketing - Submit to Shopping Portals Internet Marketing - Submit to Award Sites     top of promotional merchandise page

Content as a Promotional Tool featured content distribution providers >>> A primary goal in the development of a successful web property is the inclusion of high quality content of value to your organization’s target market. The assembly of such content can be a significant endeavor, requiring in depth research, writing, review, and editing of the information to be presented to your visitor’s critical eye. Once the process of developing your site’s content is complete, and the information is placed on your server for consideration by both your potential clientelle, and the almighty search engine spiders, many newcomers to the industry presume themselves to be getting maximum value from their efforts. This is, in fact, not the case. The market for usable content on the web is growing as quickly as the internet itself. Many site operators, heavily focused on either the development side of the business, or the customer satisfaction and retention end, have little time to devote to the continued creation of articles and information. Though they may lack the means, they do not fail to understand the value of presenting fresh material to their visitors on a regular basis. Doing so can have a significant impact on the ability of any site to generate a high level of repeat traffic, a mainstay of any internet operation. With this key to success so clearly ingrained in the minds of webmasters everywhere, the world of content sharing presents itself, hoping to fill the need for on-site information, without any of the time restrictions that self-development can entail. Content sharing can take many forms on the internet. Often, deals are struck between complementary projects to share articles, media, or even software based add-ons, in exchange for mention of the provider’s site address, or a reciprocal provision of some sort. Other available options include the submission of your site’s content to newsfeed based organizations who will distribute topical headlines to interested parties across the internet. Included in those articles are direct links back to your project, as a sort of payment for services by the newsfeed operator. A third potential, one of growing popularity, is the provision of articles to complementary newsletters, who will again feature your site link in exchange for the sharing of your article with their readers. Utilizing services that provide a means to share your content, thus promoting awareness of your web based project, can be an excellent means of establishing your company within the minds of potential clients, and industry leaders across your market. When developing your property’s content management and sharing strategies, keep your goals in mind. Though there exist many large organizations focused on presenting your content to the world, it is often true that the most lucrative of sharing arrangements are those made directly between complimentary properties, both focused on the provision of customer value, and the creation of future growth. Online has assembled some examples of the larger content sharing organizations, for your review: Moreover.com IdeaMarketers.com EzineArticles.com Suite101.com   Related Subjects: Online’s ezine advertising directory Internet marketing strategy - Email marketing     top of internet content sharing page