The 7 Secrets of Internet Marketing

Businesses are spending more and more of their marketing dollars on Internet marketing. And while some aspects of Internet marketing are the same as traditional marketing, others are not. Here are seven things you need to know for your Internet marketing to be successful.

Many marketers have been shifting their marketing budgets to the web over the past few years. Marketing online allows you to target specific audiences and easily track return on investment, commonly referred to as ROI. Unlike traditional marketing methods, results of Internet marketing campaigns are almost immediate. This allows you to better evaluate what elements of your campaign are producing results and which are not. When buying online media, you must be willing to shift your marketing dollars to the online methods that produce a positive return.

To be successful at Internet marketing, you must understand the essential secrets of Internet marketing. These secrets can allow you to achieve success by finding the right audience, communicating your message properly, and leading consumers down the path to purchase. These secrets include:

1. Website Directory Listings. Before you begin any marketing campaign, make sure that the website you're promoting has been listed in the common directories such as DMOZ, Yahoo!, and Google. Even if you're using a marketing page off of the root directory of your website, be sure that the primary site is listed. This ensures that prospects can continue to find your marketing pages long after you've launched your campaign.

2. Generating Traffic. In order to realize a return on your investment, you need to generate traffic to your marketing pages. There are a number of ways to do so online. Some of the most popular include Google AdSense, Overture, and Looksmart. Other methods include affiliate programs and targeted website advertising. Research other websites that have the audience you're looking for and negotiate favorable ad rates for your online marketing campaign.

3. Marketing Pages. Don't lead prospective purchasers to a generic website. If you do, potential buyers won't know what to do next. The easier you make if for prospects to take advantage of your offer, the better. Whenever creating a marketing campaign online, provide a specific page for leading purchasers to your product or service or a billboard that showcases the offer. Take the guess work out of making a purchase and more consumers will buy.

4. Testimonials. Customer testimonials are the most powerful way to sell your product or service. When consumers hear from those who have purchased and used your product or service, they gain a certain level of trust and comfort in what you have to offer. Solicit testimonials after each purchase and use those that are the most convincing to prospective purchasers.

5. Create a Compelling Offer. Be sure to offer something that no one else is currently offering. If your offer is similar to your competitors or is not very interesting, consumers have no reason to learn more. Of course providing something for FREE is often a great way to entice potential customers. Maybe it's a 3-day free trial or a free evaluation of some kind. Be creative, try something new, and measure the response.

6. Developing Trust. Before anyone will buy from you, your website or company needs to be seen as reputable. This means that consumers can purchase from you and not worry about the safety of their credit card information, personal information, or anything else being exchanged. A good method for developing trust is to purchase and display safety and reliability icons such as BBB Online, Trust-e, and VeriSign.

7. Provide a Guarantee. Nothing makes a consumer more comfortable with a purchase than offering a guarantee. Perhaps you can offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee or a money back guarantee. A guarantee is a great way ease the risk of making a purchase. If your competitors are offering a guarantee, you want yours to be equal or better.

Internet marketing is an incredibly powerful medium for segmenting your prospects and delivering targeted advertising. Online, you can easily measure you return on investment and refine your marketing campaign over time to improve results.

If you are a local business you can benefit from Internet marketing as well. Look for local directories to list your business or service. Or, you can supplement your local advertising with product marketing pages on your website. Internet marketing is more than just placing ads online, it's using the web to communicate the value of your products and services.

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Hashtag Hijacks - New York Police Department Faces Hashtag Embarrassment

The NYPD recently tweeted requests for local New Yorkers to post photos of themselves with members of the police force, using the hashtag #myNYPD. Predictably though, the news feed promptly filled with images and videos of questionable police practice and brutality in what has become a true failure of a marketing campaign, leaving a lot to be answered for by the men in blue. 

Source: thehigherlearning.com

The unfortunate hashtag hijacking has inspired people around the US to tweet photos of other police departments abusing citizens. Twitter users have shown images of brutality from the LAPD and Chicago forces, whilst European countries join the growing enthusiasm in highlighting malpractice. 

Occupy Wall Street tweeted ‘Free Massages from the #NYPD. What does YOUR Police Department offer?’ accompanied with an image showing officers holding a man, shouting, with his arms pinned behind his back against a car. 

According to the New York Daily News over 70,000 people had taken to Twitter criticising the NYPD, with #myNYPD overtaking #HappyEarthDay as the top trending hashtag. 

Source: nbc.com

Hashtags, when used positively, can be a really useful way of tracking the current and popular interest of people and to see what is being talked about. Twitter has long supported clickable hashtags, with Facebook users also deploying the technique for debates, discussion and fun. Clicking on a hashtag takes users to see what other people have said about the same topic, encouraging interaction and activity. Advertisers saw a great opportunity to build brand awareness and receive feedback from their consumers. The key to a successful hashtag however, is understanding your audience and how they are going to use said hashtag.

Twitter has become a place where activists and protestors are influencing politics and power structures all over the world. The NYPD Twitter campaign was well-intentioned, but crucially not well-researched.

Using social media listening tools like Viralheat and Social Mention, which provide a sentiment analysis of mentions across various sites, would have been a good place to start. Your typical Twitter user (young urban males) may not have been the best place to find positive attitudes and responses to New York’s police department. 

Source: niceone.ie

Stubbornly (or in the interests of free speech), the NYPD Commissioner said the campaign will continue despite the negative feedback. So far, the NYPD have retweeted only a handful of photos of people with members of the police department. It’s safe to say the campaign was a social media and public relations failure.

The lesson here is that social media can be a powerful tool - but just because you create a hashtag doesn’t mean you own it. 

The NYPD’s social media fail was reminiscent of another recent Twitter debacle.  Here's some other memorable mishaps:  

#WhyImVotingUKIP – Twitter users went to town on the controversial political party recently, quipping, with reference to Farage’s claims that he was 'tired out' when he said he wouldn’t want to live next door to Romanians, that they were voting ‘because, like the leader @Nigel_Farage, I get a bit racist when I’m tired too’. 

In 2012, McDonald's created the #McDstories hashtag, asking customers to share their favorite McDonald's memories. The campaign was pulled after just two hours as it descended into food-horror stories about fingernails, insects and food poisoning. 

Then there was of course the infamous #susanalbumparty disaster. No more needs to be said on that.

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5 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur in Your Career

Starting and running a new business isn’t for everyone—but regardless of your career, there’s something to be said for the “entrepreneurial spirit.”

A little entrepreneurial zeal can give you a distinct advantage in your professional life, whether or not you think you’d ever strike out on our own. So how do you train your corporate mind to think more like a business owner? Try these five easy ways.

1. Get Passionate

Entrepreneurs tend to be immensely passionate about their work—and in the long-term, this is the key to career success and fulfillment in any field. So, if you’re spending most of the day dreaming about how you’d rather be doing something else, think about how you might be able to “pivot” your career. (Need help deciding if you’re on the right track? Answer these 15 questions to know for sure.)

Look for ways you can take what you have and put it to better use doing something else. Could you translate your position to another industry? Transition to another department in your company where your experience could be put to use? If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, don’t feel stuck. Instead, think about how you can apply your skills elsewhere.

2. Be Bothered by Inefficiency

Do you find you or your colleagues sitting around waiting for responses in order to move forward or entrenched in certain work processes that are too slow? Entrepreneurs don’t have a high tolerance for inefficiency—and because they don’t have corporate red tape to cut through, they can fix these types of problems quickly.

While you might not be able to do so at quite the same pace, think about the inefficiencies in your organization and consider whether there are places you could implement solutions (or at least recommend improvements). It’s a golden opportunity to create long-term value and to shine in your company.

3. Take on More Risk

You’ve likely heard the phrase, “more risk, more reward.” One thing that sets many entrepreneurs apart from the average professional is their appetite for risk. No, putting yourself out there isn’t easy—but a business owner knows that you have to give it a shot (or, many shots), and that you’ll scoop up bigger rewards when those risks pay off.

At work, start small by pitching new ideas or volunteering to take on a challenge or two that’s outside of your comfort zone. The potential payout—gaining new skills, getting a nod of approval from the CEO, or even landing a promotion—can be huge.

4. Brainstorm More

Constant innovation is crucial to a business’ long-term success, so entrepreneurs have to take time to let their minds loose and brainstorm new ideas. If you’re not used to getting those creative juices flowing, try setting aside some time to try out a few brainstorming exercises.

And, remember to have fun doing it! I love this quote from fellow entrepreneur Virgilia Singh:

Even the most complex form of innovation starts with a simple act: play. More companies are instituting sketching and white boards in their offices to encourage brainstorming, also known as the act of playing around with ideas.”

Schedule some time each week to really brainstorm about something that’s been on your mind. See what you come up with.

5. Don’t Limit Your Dreams

To me, the most important aspect of the entrepreneurial spirit is its boundlessness. Many people are conditioned, as they go through school and into the workforce, to be realistic and practical—but, what’s wrong with dreaming big? You’ll have to work for it, but, believe me, it’s worth it.

 

So, think like an entrepreneur, and go dream big for your career!

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Starting An Online Business: 4 Things To Keep In Mind

When you start an online business if you make use of the Internet in as many ways as possible you can make it much easier on yourself. Here we discuss four important things to keep in mind when you start an online home business.

1. Choose your products carefully. A lot of people have trouble deciding on what products to choose to sell in their business.

This is the reason why many Internet marketers nowadays have now turned their focus to niche marketing. This includes using affiliate products in as many ways as possible in their business.

This means that you are able to then focus on a specific niche as opposed to a broad theme. A popular idea is to find something you're interested in or have a passion for or use a product that you currently have purchased, that you could build your business around.

Obviously you will be looking for something you can make money with. To this end if you decide to go into affiliate marketing then be sure to look for products that pay high commissions, so that you are well compensated for your time.

2. Internet marketing education is really important. If you spent time on this in the beginning can save yourself a lot of time in the future. Also it can save you a lot of money that you may waste trying things that will not work.

To learn about Internet marketing you can join discussion forums such as the Warrior Forum. Another popular option is to join a membership site where you can get personal attention from full-time Internet marketers.

You can also purchase a training course and there are many of those available online. Hiring a business coach is something you may want to consider and view the money it will cost you as though you were going to college to become educated in Internet marketing.

3. It is important to get your own domain name and host your own site when you first start out. This gives you full control of your business and enables you to grow your business however you want in the future.

Having control is a very important issue for building a successful online home business. This is because if you use replicated websites provided by some business models such as affiliate marketing or network marketing, you will not be able to customize those sites. You need to have your own website that you can add content to as well as add or delete products whenever the need arises.

4. Be sure to stick to the 90/10 rule. This means that you should spend 90% of your time promoting your new business. The other 10% of your time should be spent on making changes to your site, locating new products to sell, etc.

If you are not spending the majority of your time getting website traffic You stand a good chance of failing in your online business if you do not spend the majority of your time generating traffic to your website. When you start an online business this may be the most important thing to keep in mind.

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Ten tips for small businesses using Facebook

We worked closely with our partnered small business owners to develop an overall social strategy, write and produce content for posts, and manage responses to customers on their Facebook Pages. Here are the top 10 tips for others looking to market themselves on social networks:

1. Get to know Facebook. Our small business owners knew that Facebook had the potential to drive their business but were challenged by limited time and knowledge. The key to understanding Facebook is to participate. First step set up a business Page. Then, check out what some of your favourite brands are doing on the platform.

2. Establish your online voice. Your Facebook Page should reflect your strengths. Posts should be written in a friendly and informative manner. People can post comments on the Page which will be visible to everyone who visits. The way a business interacts with people can increase engagement and reach, as posts/replies may be shared by the customers to their friends.

3. Image is everything. Posts with pictures drive approximately 50 per cent more engagement through Likes, Comment and Shares. For Mahaya Health Services, we found that pictures with food or mindful scenes worked best. One of our posts of a crisp fall moon received over 1,000 Likes and was shared more than 70 times. This sharing increased the reach of Mahaya’s Page and attracted new customers. Always make sure you have the legal rights to share the image though!

4. Be timely. We found that posting once a day, after 6pm, was the right pace for our owners’ Pages. The key is to stay relevant, be aware of current events, and don’t forget seasonality. A post for Mahaya on the subject of Halloween was one of our greatest successes. Posted as an alternative to a sugar-overload, our Halloween banana ghosts received over 4,500 Likes and was shared almost 2,000 times. Henry’s Fish and Chips posted a Movember themed picture and received over 300 Likes, while still remaining true to Henry’s key objectives of driving in-store traffic.

5. Create a content calendar. A calendar can help identify seasonal opportunities. Halloween, Movember were key calendar moments for our small business partners. And for Henry’s Fish and Chips even the hockey schedule was relevant! Keep track of what you post and how it performs as this will help define future efforts.

6. Media drives results. We used media in two ways: as a constant ‘always-on’ Like acquisition strategy; and as a way to amplify posts that had high engagement. By paying to show our best posts to more consumers, we increased our reach, recruited new Likes and encouraged sharing.

7. Leverage targeting. Facebook media allows you to target ads to specific demographics, locations and stated preferences. We were able to leverage targeting for Henry’s by focusing on customers living near the restaurant. Not only would they be more likely to visit, it was also likely they’d be aware of the restaurant’s 30 year heritage.

8. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Today’s customer relies on the Internet for information and customer service. The Z4 Zaka team responded quickly to inquiries about their unique gift items. This increased engagement demonstrated the value of being able to expand beyond their local Toronto store. Z4Zaka now operates an Etsy storefront to satisfy customers who are further afield.

9. Track your results, refine your strategy. We measured each post for engagements such as Likes, Comments and Shares. We looked at total impressions and reach as well as our effective costs for media. By tracking everything and looking at it regularly, we were able to refine our targeting and spending to ensure we delivered on objectives. We also focused on the core business objectives – filling a restaurant, selling gifts and attracting health services customers.

10. Embrace digital platforms. Consumers are becoming increasingly fluent with digital platforms. Our owners discovered new ways to engage with their customers, sell their goods, and spread the wellness message. Our advice – participate and learn to drive your business results.

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Aweber Tutorial #1 - Basic Set Up of Your First Auto Responder

Just to show you how easy it is

Social Media Marketing Explained

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A simple but very important overview

LinkedIn to Let Users Bedazzle their Profile Pages

Among social media outlets, LinkedIn (LNKD) is one of the more straightforward: a respectable photo, a flattering but brief work bio, and perhaps some quirky personal interests. A little dull maybe, but that’s about all a recruiter needs to know about you.

That’s about to change: This week, LinkedIn announced that users will soon have more design license over their profile pages, with the option of adding  stock images (some pencils, a laptop, or flowers, for example) or a custom backdrop—similar to what’s already available on Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR). The banner background is available only to premium subscribers now but will be rolling out to all users in a few months.

I’ve added an image of a jacaranda tree to my profile (right).

STORY: Facebook Succeeds Because Deep Down, We're All Stalkers

The background is a small and subtle change, but it does reflect a willingness to use design to engage users at LinkedIn, which has thus far kept the profile pages corporately uniform. “It’s a natural next step for users to own their professional real estate,” says LinkedIn spokeswoman Kenly Walker. “It’s an opportunity for people to be more unique.”

Before you start stressing out about hunting down the perfect uniquely-personal-but-still-professional-enough photo, consider that recruiters might not really care too much. Those in creative industries might value candidates with a little more flair, but “more recruiters are concerned with your background and professional experience,” says Derek McKechnie, managing partner at recruiting firm Lucas Group. If you really want to declare your love of wine—or your dog, or live-action role playing—just include it as a bullet in your interests section, he adds. It shouldn’t be the first thing a recruiter learns about you through a splashy background banner.

With the new features, LinkedIn is doing more than encouraging users to put their most design-y foot forward. It is also eager to keep its users invested and engaged. Facebook, Google, and Twitter are increasingly being used as professional and job-hunting services; Zappos recently announced that it was launching its own social network for aspiring employees. “Personalization is the Holy Grail,” said Dipchand (Deep) Nishar, LinkedIn’s senior vice president of products and user experience. Get a user to spend time making his profile just so, and he’s more likely to come back again—and again.

STORY: UnGoogle Me: The Case for Scrubbing Search Results

The company declined to comment on whether users will eventually be able to control other aspects of their profile design, such as font and layout. If you want to do that, for now you’ll still need an old-fashioned resume.

STORY: The Case for Scrubbing Search Results

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NEWS: Facebook introduces Audience Network

Facebook has launched a new mobile ad feature, Audience Network.

Audience Network allows businesses to extend the reach of Facebook campaigns onto third-party mobile apps, while allowing brands to monetise their apps.

The new tool aims to earn businesses money from in-app advertising. 

The social network offers apps high-quality ads in a range of formats, including banners, pages or customisable native units. Plus, it ensures advertisers reach their target audience by using the social network’s one million strong advertiser base. 

  

Image via Facebook

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NEWS: Twitter introduces ‘mute’ feature

Twitter has launched a new ‘mute’ feature allowing users to mute accounts they are following.

The social network believes this will allow users more control over the content they view on their news feed and improve customer experience.

Paul Rosania, product manager at Twitter, said in a blog post: 'In the same way you can turn on device notifications so you never miss a tweet from your favourite users, you can now mute users you’d like to hear from less. Muting a user on Twitter means their tweets and retweets will no longer be visible in your home timeline, and you will no longer receive push or SMS notifications from that user.

'The muted user will still be able to fave, reply to, and retweet your Tweets; you just won’t see any of that activity in your timeline. The muted user will not know that you’ve muted them, and of course you can unmute at any time.'

The social site plans to roll out the feature to all accounts in the next two weeks. 

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Jim Rohn Setting Goals Part 1

Tell me what you think...............