Linking for Fun and Profit – Site
Linking for Fun and Profit
Steve Pronger
Well actually, linking isnt fun at all. In fact, its quite tedious. Seeking, responding to requests and adding links takes time and effort. But, if youre not actively building links the RIGHT way you are going to be left behind. In other words, your site will be "Lost in Cyberspace". The plain fact is Google, and to a lesser extent, other important search engines, reward sites with links from relevant and important pages.
If you want your site to deliver lots of targeted search engine traffic and who doesnt there are two equally important factors:
1 lots of keyword-rich, search engine friendly content
2 lots of relevant, incoming links from the RIGHT sources
For real success you need to cover BOTH of these strategies. Dont concentrate on one and not the other.
So, how do you go about building your links Its not rocket science, but as I said, it does take time and effort. From my own experiences, heres what you should do:
1 Download and install the Google Toolbar:
http://toolbar.google.com/
This will show you the PageRank of the page you are viewing. PageRank is a measure, rated from 1 to 10, of the "importance" that Google gives to that page. There has been a lot written about PageRank. You dont need to become obsessed with it but it IS an important consideration when determining WHO to link to. A link from a PR-5 page is worth FAR more than a PR-0 page.
2 Establish a resource or links directory for your site. This lets potential link partners see that you are willing to exchange links. You should make it clear on your links pages what your linking policy is i.e. under what conditions you will agree to exchange links.
3 Your aim should be to build a resource directory that is relevent to your business. Dont try to build a mini Yahoo with umpteen different categories. Keep your directory focussed on your site theme. When you first start out you will be inclined to link to anybody in exchange for a link FROM anybody. This is a mistake. Be patient and choose your link partners carefully.
4 Before requesting a link from another site, add that site to your directory. Contact the webmaster and tell them you added their link because you believe their site would be of interest to your visitors and so it should. Give the url where your link is located and ask for a return link, along with instructions on how you would like your link worded. NEVER demand by saying things like "if you do not link to us we will remove your link".
5 If you have not received a reply after 2 - 3 weeks send a polite follow up. Again, dont demand. No one is under any obligation to link to you. If you do not receive a reply to your second request it means that the webmaster does not want to link to you, or they are simply too busy to respond. In that case, leave it and move on. I receive dozens of link requests a day. Sometimes it takes me many weeks to get around to responding. Youll go mad worrying about links that have not been reciprocated. Your time is better spent.
6 When you receive a link request visit the site and check that it meets with your requirements as set down on your link pages. Is it a quality site with good content or just a "link farm" If it doesnt meet your requirements dont link to it.
The webmaster SHOULD have already linked to your site but be prepared to overlook that breech of linking protocol if its from a good quality, high PR site.
7 Beware of webmasters who add your site to their "directory" which turns out to nothing but a link farm i.e. has no useful content, just a bunch of links, and asks you to link to an entirely different site, one that HAS good content. These webmasters are playing you for a sucker. The benefit is all theirs.
8 As I said in point #1, links from high PR pages are worth more than links from low or no PR pages. Seek out high PR linking partners but keep in mind it is the PR of the actual page your link is on that matters, NOT the PR of the home page. In other words if the home page PR is 5, but the page your link is on is several layers deep in the directory, it will probably have a PR of 0 and be of little benefit to you. Check the PR of the actual page your link is on, or is going to be on, before agreeing to exchange links.
Each page on your links directory should be no more than one click away from your home page, and your linking partners site should be the same. If your link is placed on a page which looks something like this - directory/category/subcategory/subcategory with your link - you will derive NO value from that link.
9 Be prepared to negotiate your links. Savvy webmasters understand the value of links from high PR pages. If you add a link to a PR-0 page on your site dont expect your link partner to put your link on a PR-6 page, and your link partner shouldnt expect the same from you. Exchange value for like value.
When you first start out your site may not have any PR due to a lack of incoming links. This reduces your bargaining power. However, you can overcome this by getting your site listed in as many large business directories as possible. Some of these you will have to pay, such as Yahoo and Microsofts Business Directory, but many others are free. Youll find a good list here:
http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php
10 Be specific about how you want your link partner to link to you. It is MOST important that the link to you contain your targeted keywords in the anchor linked text. When I ask for a link to my site I dont want the link title to be:
Steve Pronger Web Business Solutions
Instead, I ask for:
Create Website | Small Business Website Designer
or whichever keywords I am targeting at the time. A search for those keywords at Google will illustrate my point!
11 And finally, here is an excellent resource to help you find quality link partners. Its called Value Exchange, and will put you in contact with like-minded webmasters:
http://www.stevepronger.com/value_exchange.htm
About The Author
Steve Pronger is a website designer and affiliate marketer helping small businesses succeed on the Web. Visit his Web Business Solutions site at http://www.stevepronger.com
The Many Ways To Profit From O.P.P.s Multiple Cash Streams – Real Estate
The Many Ways To Profit From O.P.P.s Multiple Cash Streams
Sue and Chuck DeFiore
In a previous article we introduced you to the concept of O.P.P., or Other Peoples Property.
In that article we asked you what you would do if you found a business that:
could generate multiple streams of income
would work in any area of the country
could be worked both locally and nationally
could be worked both on and off the web
would allow you to build your long term net worth
and, can be started either in your spare time or part time
What we are talking about is a wonderful business that allows you to generate immediate cash flow and also build your long term net worth.
So, what is this wonderful business. Lease Purchasing.
Lease Purchasing is a specialized niche in the field of Creative Real Estate, which allows you to control property without the trouble of ownership; and profit from this. Lease Purchasing affords wonderful benefits and opportunities to sellers, buyers, investors and those who would like to operate a home-based business. Lease Purchasing allows you to control property without ownership and this has benefits for all.
Lease Purchasing provides you with a variety of ways to make money. Some of them are:
You make money with the assignment fee. The assignment fee is the money you receive from selling a contract you have on a property. This will vary depending on the strategy you use.
You can also make money on cash flow. Cash flow is the difference between what the tenant/buyer pays you and the obligation you have on a property. You can also negotiate with the seller for a percentage of the positive cash flow, even if you are using one of the strategies in which you do not remain in the deal.
You can receive money at closing. When the tenant/buyer exercises the option to purchase the property, and if the deal is structured in this way, you can receive money at the closing.
You can create your own, high quality notes, which will give you a very nice monthly income.
You can flip a contract or sell a pure option to another investor and receive money in this manner.
You can consult with buyers and sellers. Sometimes the seller just doesnt want you in the deal or a buyer wants to do it themselves. In these cases you can consult with buyers and sellers and show them how to do it. You charge a consulting fee to help buyers and sellers with the lease purchasing their property.
Every year, thousands of people get started building their fortunes in Real Estate. It is well documented that Real Estate is the worlds greatest wealth builder.
The niche of Lease Purchasing grants you the ability to reach your financial freedom, with O.P.P., Other Peoples Property. All it takes is the desire to succeed, some time investment on your part and some specialized knowledge.
As you can see, Lease Purchasing comes very close to being the Perfect Home-Based Business. A realistic first year income is $50,000 to $75,000 for someone working full time. You can add $20,000 to $30,000 to your present income on a part time basis.
Dont you think you owe it to yourself to explore the potential of O.P.P.
What are you waiting for
Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2000
About The Author
Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, its like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com
coaches@homebusinesssolutions.com
10 Tips To Build, Manage And Profit From An E-Commerce Website – Web Hosting
10 Tips To Build, Manage And Profit From An E-Commerce Website
Vinai Prakash
Just because youve built your e-commerce website doesnt mean the customers will begin to come. You need to bring in the visitors, showcase your products, convince them to buy, and bring them back yet again to make any significant gains.
The customers need to be wooed by the unique customer experience that will bring them back, and have them sing your praise to their friends, spreading your name. This may seem like a tall order, but isnt. Listed here are the top ten tips to build, manage and profit from your e-commerce website. Follow them and see the benefits for yourself.
1. Organize your Catalog around Product Categories
Many sites either provide a long list of products or lump them behind a search button, making it difficult to find them. Arrange your products into logical categories and subcategories, but do not overdo it. Research says it that most people get overwhelmed with more than 7 categories. The customer must be able to easily search any product without help.
Your product should have a clear and high-quality picture, short and detailed specifications. If necessary add video or pictures of different view points top angle, side view along with the product specification.
2. Provide Multiple Payment Options
Keep all kinds of payment options available to your customers. Not everyone feels comfortable buying through a credit card, or has one. Allow for debit cards, fax, telephone, snail mail, paper and electronic cheques. And sign-up for fraud checking facility, without which you could easily end up losing entire days sales within minutes. Provide a currency converter if you offer products or payment in other currencies.
Including a telephone number for customer support on the order is a must. It gives the buyers some extra feelings of security that they can always talk to a live person if anything goes wrong in the buying process.
3. List out Clearly Outlined Policies
Privacy:
Make your privacy policy public. Keep it in a prominent place, and link it to the home, products and checkout pages, so that customers who are vary of providing personal and credit card details feel comforted. Tell them if you plan to share their email address with others, or plan to send in promotional mail or newsletters.
Further, allow them to unsubscribe or opt-out of such email if they think so. Never sell the customers personal particulars unless they have agreed, as this is a sure way to lose credibility doubly fast.
Security:
If you plan to collect sensitive information from your customers, you should use security systems like SSL Secure Socket Layer. This guarantees that the data provided by your customer will not fall into the hand of a malicious hacker while transferring from his computer to the web server.
This also will reassure your customers that you are truly concerned about the security of their personal information.
Terms and Conditions:
Write clearly and prominently all the sales and after sales support terms so as to avoid confusion. The internet is worldwide, and your customer can come from any country. List your shipping and handling costs upfront, and be ready to ship anywhere on the Earth. Publish your returns policy, support hours, and even the approximate time taken to deliver the goods.
Send a confirmation note thanking the customer, and listing all the products, prices and key terms of the purchase in an email. Keep the customer updated of the order status at all times by email or by providing a link in your shopping page where they can check the status of their order anytime.
4. Build a Newsletter Around Your Products
To snag new customers and keep the old ones remembering you vividly, seriously plan to launch a newsletter, and send it to all prospects and customers on a regular basis. Apart from the credibility of being a serious player in the market, you dazzle them with your commitment by releasing the newsletter on fixed days - like 15th of every month, or every Monday.
You can also show your expertise in your field by writing regular, in-depth articles, covering the latest trends in the industry, and reviews of new products. Your customers, distributors, and partners will start to eagerly await your newsletter. Sprinkle your promotions and products in between the contents of the newsletter, and be ready to receive an increase in web traffic and order bookings every time you send out the newsletter.
5. Let Customers Gift Your Products
Allow people to gift your products to their friends and loved ones. Provide free gift wrapping, a personalized message or a free gift for the purchaser. Allow them to create Wish Lists that they may use to buy later.
These small things do matter and act as freebies that your competitor may not have. Although these are fast becoming standard feature, make sure you dont end up with the dumb ones who havent figured this simple technique out yet.
6. Promote your Site Every Day
Strong marketing is the most important aspect of having a successful website. The best of sites wont make money if people dont come in hordes. Launch promotions, and get the word to everyone possible within your target audience.
You can do promotions using direct mail to your existing customer, in your newsletter, and fliers. All the methods of traditional marketing apply here. Dont leave any technique untried. Remember the old adage - Market, market, market.
7. Measure Results and Reorganize
Measure the results you are getting from each promotion religiously, and note what works and what doesnt. Experiment. Study. Fine tune. This is the only way to know how effective your campaigns and promotions are.
You can also bring in some external people to visit your site and give you sincere feedback about each page on your site. The more critical they are, the more changes you will make, and eventually it will benefit you and your customers.
Keep making changes and test what works and what doesnt on a continuous basis. What works today may not work tomorrow.
8. Keep a Simple yet Effective Web Design
There is intense competition on the web. Make a compelling website that showcases your USP unique selling proposition and brings the customer back to your site. Differentiate from the rest by using your imagination to make your site standout from the rest. A cool, cathy, easy to remember name could definitely help.
Make a simple site, with plain HTML, and a consistent look and feel on all pages. Use an easy to read font, at least a 10 size font, preferably 11. Do not load with graphics and huge pictures on every page, which may slow down your page.
Although this advice is becoming old fashioned as most people are moving to broadband, it is still a good practice, as you dont want to lose the customers who use a low speed modem.
Flexibility and ease of use are far more important than flashy graphics or cool Java applets. The objective is to keep the customer looking at the products, and not keep them waiting or lose them by slow loading graphics or effects.
Keep the catalog simple, and with a consistent design with links to Home, Checkout page, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Customer Profile pages handy and at the same, consistent place on each page. Make it easy to browse the store and mark products for later purchase.
9. Make the Login Process a Breeze
The less clicks needed to order, the better. Amazon patented their One-Click method that minimized the clicks, making the checkout process simpler and easier. Try to make the registration or login process minimal, and only keep the most relevant fields mandatory.
I was disgusted by the lengthy logon process which forced me to enter my middle name, date of birth, and mothers maiden name for just registering for an online taxi booking service. I left it mid way, and went to another taxi operators site, which registered me within a minute. A simple thing can result in a costly mistake that loses the customer forever.
10. Reduce Popup Messages
Too many popups distract and disgust the customer. Especially after the visitor closes your website window, if you start to popup other windows with more promotions, it leaves a feeling of being chased. It is also the signature of most of the adult sites, so steer away from such insensitive practices.
Show your professionalism and respect the customers privacy and time. It will help to build your image as a serious and professional site and enhance your credibility.
11. Use a Reliable Hosting Service
Use a service that is good, reliable, and can provide you with customer support at all hours. Web hosting is getting very cheap but it is better to pay a little more and get a fast and reliable web hosting. Nothing loses a customer faster than a slow site or a site that is down frequently. Compare a few hosting services, and ask around before signing up for one. You wont regret it.
Copyright 2004 Vinai Prakash. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
Vinai is a successful e-commerce consultant who has been providing sage advice to small and medium businesses in building, managing and profiting from e-commerce websites for the past 6 years. He is a sought after author & speaker on Internet Marketing and E-Business. Vinai can be contacted at vinai@intellisoft.com.sg for speaking engagements, as well as for consultancy engagements & advice on profiting from e-commerce.