Finding a promising web hosting company for your internet based business is an essential piece to the puzzle. This is the company that has control of your server space, web services and file maintenance, so you want to make sure you are protected. Here are 5 things to look for in a promising web host.
1. Reliability
There is nothing more important than reliability when it comes to selecting a web hosting company. There are a number of thi
Following are five ways that can help increase your rankings in the search engines and gain much needed exposure.
Traffic Exchanges
These are exceptional tools when used right. It can be used with great success when dealing with MLM, affiliate marketing and home based business opportunities.
One of the best ways to use traffic exchanges is to create your own separate landing page for the product or opportunity you’re promoting. Always try to stand out from the crowd by using something other than what all the other affiliates are using. You can build your own landing pages for free here: http://www.yoursqueezepage.com/?ref=5161
Then by simply enticing other surfers with some free information and using an autoresponder to capture their name and email address you can quickly build your own opt-in list of interested prospects. Getresponse.com is a good option, and has a paid and free option.
Write a Newsletter
While this may seem time consuming, it really doesn’t have to be. There are hundreds of article directories floating around with articles written by experts in almost every field. Infogoround is a very good one.
Simply use them within the guidelines prescribed by the directory and author, add a few lines from yourself as an introduction and throw in an ad and you’ve got yourself a newsletter.
Write and Submit Your Own Articles
As the previous point shows, there are many hundreds of article directories out there and literally thousands of web sites, ezines and newsletter publishers looking for new and unique content every day. In Isnare.com you can submit 5 articles to thousands of directories for $10.
By writing your own articles and including a link back to your site you’re not only branding yourself as an expert but also creating valuable back links to your site. This is a huge factor when it comes to search engine rankings which bring the best free traffic.
Online Communities and Forums
By joining online forums you can also gain back links to your site by posting comments and using a sig file with your links in it.
Beware though that most forums frown on blatant advertising. You have to attempt to add something of worth with your posts or you may get banned. Adlandpro is one of the best online communities to promote your business. You can join here: http://www.startyourownbusinessonline.com/adlandpro.htm
Exchange Links
This may actually be the most difficult tactic. You must find sites that are in the same niche as yours but not necessarily in direct competition.
You also have to find sites that already have a good ranking in the search engines for this to be effective.
Always approach any site owner with grace and dignity. Be tactful and courteous. Remember, you attract more flies with honey than vinegar.
Use all five of these tactics on a regular basis and you’ll surely see a climb in traffic and search engine ranking.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is extremely important for any internet company but also important for web sites from brick and mortar businesses. SEO is important to bring the right targeted audience to your website. There are many myths about SEO, some are true, some were valid a few years ago, and many have no basis.
Myth 1: Multiple Domains
One SEO tactic involves etting up multiple domain names to bring more traffic to your business. This can be helpful, but often is not. Not only would this be expensive (yearly fees for domain name and maintenance) but would be very time consuming to maintain all the websites.
Myth 2: Search Engine Submission
Resubmitting your information every few weeks is not necessary, but could even reduce your priority ranking. Once your website is in the database of the search engines, there is no need to update your information.
Myth 3: Meta Tags
Another myth is that meta tags increase visitors. These might have been true five – ten years ago years ago, but current search engines do not place priority with the inclusion or absence of meta tags on a website. One important thing to remember is that the search engines do use the meta description tags when displaying your site in the SERPS. So while the meta tags may not affect your rankings, well written meta tags can increase the number of searchers who visit your site.
Myth 4: SEO Is Too Costly
Other myths include the value of SEO. They feel SEO experts are a costly, unnecessary expense. Marketing efforts are very costly. Direct mail, banner ads, radio or TV ad time, print advertisement, e-mails lists and trade fairs can all be more expense than SEO. Some companies believe an in house SEO effort can be as effective as an SEO company. This is a myth too, and SEO is a function that should be outsourced to ensure the company is aware of the latest trends. Traffic on you your website can be increased drastically by a SEO professional.
Myth 5: SEO Doesn’t Matter
The other major myth is that when people are looking for a specific company, they type in the website url. Since the exact name of the website is rarely known, many people (estimated at close to 90%) save time by using a search engine to quickly and easily locate a website. For example, even for major websites like http://Msn.com or http://Amazon.com, people use a search engine to locate the website instead of going directly to the site. SEO is important so that your business may be found on the search engines.
Have you been reading about link building but don’t know where to start? Are you an experienced SEO specialist using the same methods you always used? Read on to find out how new linking rules will affect the future of your website.
One way links work for search positioning. There’s no doubt about it. But, have you considered that what works today may not work in the future?
One exciting aspect about search engines is that nobody really knows everything. That leaves room for webmasters who are willing to research, test, and put into practice the best search engine optimization techniques.
These five rules for one way linking can help steer you in the right direction.
Rule #1: You have to be proactive. Google considers a high quality link something you have to earn. You earn these links by partnering with sites. In order for a partnership to work, you have to develop a relationship. I think more webmasters are open to establishing vital community relationships. It takes trust and a lot of patience for these relationships builds. Focus on what you can do for someone else.
Rule #2: Keep an open mind. High PageRank still lingers in most webmasters’ minds. But, by concentrating on high PageRank sites, we miss out on other linking opportunites. Most of us understand that PageRank doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why it’s important to seek out lower PR, high quality sites. The advantage is that these webmasters are more open to establishing partnerships.
Rule #3: Site age is a big factor. I’ve put together my owning ranking system for evaluating a site’s link “worthiness”. One big factor is site age. Any site that has been around since the late 1990s is going to have a higher “score”. These sites have weathered search engine updates, bad economies, and bad press. All else being equal, I tend to lean towards site age as the determining factor for a potential link partner.
Rule #4: Stop worrying about what you can’t contol. I get questions all the time from people wanting to know if they can re-design their sites, or link to other sites, or change hosting companies. They want to know if these activities will ruin their search engine rankings. My response is always the same: do what’s best for you and your customers. Don’t NOT do something because you’re worried it will ruin your SEO work. If you have a solid customer base, your search engine rankings won’t be as crucial. The viral aspect of the web is extremely underestimated. Search traffic is only one source of traffic.
Rule #5: Can you be trusted?. Having a solid client list, establishing relationships with other webmasters, provding great customer service. These activites are all based on trust. Can you be trusted to follow through? If you are trustworthy, your link building will be trustworthy. If you’re in it for the short term, like all spammers, then you can’t be trusted.
The web is wide open for those webmasters who are willing to develop relationships for the long run. In the future, one way links will be graded on trust. So, you need to ask yourself, am I trustworthy? It’s give and take. Are you willing to give before you can take?
Something truly dramatic has happened over the past couple of decades. The world has made a transition from the industrial age to the information age, and the income rules that used to apply a few decades ago have now been blown apart.
Possibly the biggest myth in personal wealth creation today is that you should focus on one thing for your income. We are all trained into believing that in order to be successful you need to train in a chosen profession. Then get a “good job” within that industry and slog your way up the corporate ladder. In other words we are all programmed to compete and succeed at the rat race by our parents, the school system and our peers. The simple truth however is that very few people gain either happiness or financial stability by using this cruel, tired old formula. And whichever way you look at it, the problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still just a rat.
If you wish to gain happiness and financial independence then you need to find new income sources and this insiders report will help you do just that. I am not advising that you rush to work tomorrow, throw hot coffee at your boss’s face while quitting to start up new ventures – everything takes time. But you should certainly consider using a wide number of different methods to provide income streams for you. Do not fall into the trap of depending on one source of income for your livelihood. Look around and you will discover that there are hundreds of different and very feasible ways of making money. The key is to educate yourself and then take action.
So what are the five income streams that you can set-up immediately to earn a constant stream of income? We’ll look at these one by one:
(1) Arbitrage – Do you know that the internet age has resulted in thousands of online bookmakers all competing for your money? Now if you are not a gambling man do not worry because arbitrage is an investment concept that can be used to derive a guaranteed 5% to 20%+ profit within a few hours with no possible chance of losing your original cash. How is this possible? Well online bookmakers often have huge differences in opinion on the same sporting events – this creates some incredible anomalies in the way that certain sporting events are priced between different bookmakers. This is great news for us because everyday these anomalies allow us to invest money on all sides of a sporting event so that no matter who wins/loses/draws we can walk away with a risk free and guaranteed profit. These arbitrage opportunities are present many hundreds of times each week and the beautiful part is that you can find them in as little as five minutes per day once you know how. This is one of the least known and used income sources around and one that you should certainly set-up and profit from.
(2) Recycling Cell Phones For Profits – Last year over 100 million cell phones were replaced. Only a tiny fraction of those were recycled. Many end up tossed away at the bottom of peoples attics, or are simply thrown away. Did you know that each old cell phone is worth up to $70 (although on average this is closer to the $20 mark)? Cell phones are a multi-billion dollar business and that trend is growing on a global level – governments are beginning to offer incentives for those who are willing to recycle their phones and recycling companies are now setting up and offering a decent level of cash per phone that they receive. As an individual there are some very powerful ways of collecting hundreds of phones per week and selling these on for some monster profits. The start up costs are practically zero and this is a business you can operate from home.
(3) Importing Goods From India And China – If you want a very solid, profitable and enjoyable work-from-home business then this is it. Some of the most popular goods cost a fraction of the cost that they are available for in UK/USA/Europe – for example I regularly have access to top quality items from India that cost me 95% less per item than in the UK. One of the best things about importing for profits is that once you setup a product and find a supplier, you have secured an income stream that lasts, often, for years into the future. There are literally MILLIONS of products that can be imported profitably into your home country – finding suppliers is not very difficult and you can boost your income further by selling them on auction sites such as ebay. There are also other benefits when you operate an import/export business from home – you can write off travel expenses against profits and the set-up costs are actually very low. Get involved today.
(4) Reselling Works In The Public Domain – Have you heard of the public domain? Maybe. Did you know that there are literally millions of books, videos, plays, courses, music and more that exist within the public domain that you can legally take, brand as your own and sell to keep 100% of the profits? Did you know that there are online sites that actually GIVE you text documents of public domain works – you just download the document and you’re ready to repackage it into your own product. Not a lot of people know that Walt Disney created the Disney empire out of a story that he found on the public domain – it is simply a treasure trove of cash waiting to be discovered.
(5) Ebay – I know it is hardly “unknown” but it really had to be mentioned – If you have not ventured into this incredible opportunity, you really ought to. Receiving over 1.5 billion page views a month and 9000 new customers everyday, ebay is a seller’s dream. No matter what you wish to sell, there is a buyer waiting for you on ebay. There are powersellers who are making $100,000 and more per year with ebay – and if they can do it the simple fact is so can you. Simple, addictive and fun you should setup your ebay income stream today.
So there you have it – five instant income streams that you can setup today to earn an immediate online income with little or no capital. Now that you know about them the next (and most important) step is to actually start (something that sadly 95% of the readers statistically will not do). Remember, that once you set-up a new income stream it will derive cash for you years (if not decades) into the future. Don’t be lazy – get started today!
What’s a Feed?
Feeds are a way of sharing content. When you make material from your web site, like articles and blogs, available for publishing on other sites, you have to provide them with a code that lets them post those things. There are different kinds of code — XML, RSS, Atom, etc. — but essentially, they’re all just different ways of accessing a feed.
According to Internet expert Sydney Johnston, of http://Auction-Genius-Course.com, “The great thing about a feed is everybody wins.” The article writer gains exposure, the reader learns about something valuable or interesting, and the online seller gets an endless source of pertinent content for their web site.
What Can a Feed Do for My Online Business?
Feeds are useful in a number of different ways:
• They Eliminate Spam Filters.
They’re 100% opt-in, so readers can subscribe and unsubscribe at will. Feeds are delivered directly to your subscribers, so you don’t have to contend with filters knocking you out of your customers’ inboxes.
• They Provide Free Content.
One of the best ways to differentiate your site is with quality content. Supply readers with interesting material; educate them on topics relating to the product you’re selling. If you sell preschool toys, you may not want to study child development and write numerous articles on the subject — so find someone else who’s already done that and make their feed available to your customers. The constantly updating, applicable subject matter gives your visitors a reason to come back again and again.
• They Can Improve Your Search Engine Rankings.
In the past, search engines were unable to read feeds, but software is now available to translate them into live links the engines can see (check out http://CyberWS.com). Search engines love fresh, dynamic content, so feeds are ideal. They provide relevant information that updates automatically. Not only do your customers get the facts they’re looking for, but the search engines like your site and give it better positioning.
• For Affiliate Marketers, They’re an Alternative to Banners.
You not only give your customer valuable knowledge, but if they click through and purchase something, you get credit. And unlike with banners, you don’t look like you’re putting up junk ads or spam.
• They Can Increase Your Traffic.
Anything you write, you should make available as a feed. When other sites pick it up, it’s free advertising for you. All their traffic is able to click through the feed to your site, so you gain new potential customers you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Feeds on any subject are easy to find. There’s a whole collection of search engines created just for feeds, like http://Plazoo.com and http://Feedster.com. Says Johnston, “The future of the Internet for entrepreneurs is feeds. If people don’t master them, they’re going to get left behind. Period.”
Affiliate link hijacking is a big problem, some people will change your affiliate URL to their own before purchasing a product so they themselves get paid the commission giving them a discounted product.
This problem is far worse if you are promoting to the affiliate marketers crowd as they can spot an affiliate link from 100 yards away! They will just replace your affiliate ID with their own and “hijack” your commissions.
Some people just simp
So you have finally planned to invade the magical world of Internet. All captions ready, all information gathered, all details penned down. What next?
Your next important step is finding the Web Host for your site, The Right One..
A web host is a service provider that places your web site on a computer that is connected to Internet. This then gives people who surf Internet a way to access your website.
Finding the best host for your company’s Web site is one of the most important steps when taking your business online. Not only will your host be responsible for placing your company’s site on the Internet; it will also be responsible for keeping it there and being available to potential customers.
Now, let us take a look at the steps to be followed when choosing the right web host:
1. Create an online plan for your site. What you are going to sell, number of items, methods of payment and the features of your site. Then determine the possibilities for your site’s expansion over the next six months, the next year and the next five years. Look into these factors before short-listing your probable host.
Disk Space/Storage refers to the amount of space given by a web-hosting plan for your web site’s pages, images, and any additional files. Take this into consideration when determining the total number of files you will be using for your website and their sizes. If you are planning on creating a website with a lot of video or audio files, you will need a lot of disk space. Check whether your host can meet this requirement.
Programming Languages such as ASP, PHP, Perl/CGI, JSP and ColdFusion are used to create a lot of popular scripts (software) to help your website function. Make sure your web host supports the language used by you. Also, if you are planning on selling services or products from your website, make sure the web hosting plan you choose offers some type of ecommerce solution.
2. Now that you have checked out all your requirements, pick your top five responses. Surprisingly, many of the hosts you submit a request for a proposal to won’t respond by your set deadline. Ignore them and look at the responses you receive and pick the five best.
3. Ask for references. Take your short list of hosts and ask them for the names of some of their clients — then pick up the phone and see what the host’s clients have to say. Be sure to inquire how good the host is at making the site available online.
4. Test their customer service. Pick up the phone and call customer support at 2 a.m. Drop customer support an e-mail to see how fast they respond to you. Do what it takes to feel comfortable with your service provider before you enter into any type of business relationship.
Choosing the right Web host is easier if you approach it the way you would approach any other major purchase for your business. It can mean the difference between success and failure for your online venture.
There are so many opportunities on the internet offering to set people up in their own home based internet business that it can be difficult to separate the real, legitimate opportunities from the ones that only want your money. Knowing what to look for hidden within the offers can mean the difference between finding a legitimate business to operate and ending up helping someone else make money while losing your own.
With most fraudulent offers for in internet business there are four red flags that need to be thoroughly investigated before signing up to work for the website. Understand that not all of the companies that make these claims are out to take your money, but these are four things that many less than honest companies have in common:
1. Large upfront investment
2. The chance to make big money with little work
3. Do not clearly state what you will be selling
4. Lack of available contact information
While it is not uncommon for business to want a fee to become a representative for their business, you have to consider the amount demanded from you before you can start selling their product or service. You should also have a clear picture of what you will get in return for your investment. It is common for the term training to be listed, but many times the training consists of links to other sites where you are expected to learn about the company’s business model.
The training may also focus on how to recruit others into the business, offering to pay a “bounty” for bringing in new people. A company that focuses on bringing in more people instead of selling the product may be on the border of being illegal.
Anyone who has ever been involved in a business knows it takes work. One of the most common pitches is the promise of a big payday without having to work more than an hour or two a day…or even a week. There is no such thing as a free lunch and those who try to convince you otherwise and not being totally honest. That disclaimer about income may not a representative of the potential earnings, should beg the question about why even bother to list it.
If you have been reading an online based business opportunity for several minutes and have no idea about the product or service you are being asked to sell, it could be an indication of a scam. Many keep it a secret until you have spent your money and find out there is no way you can sell this to others with a clear conscious. Know what the product is, and how much it will cost, before considering the offer any further.
Look for contact information. If the only means of contacting the company is through an email address, it could be they don’t plan to be around long enough to answer any questions or complaints. Money back guarantees are also only about as good as the contact information. Email addresses and post office boxes are not good contacts.
Using a web site template right out of the box is a very common mistake new web designer’s make. One of the cool things about the web is that it’s so visual. Using a web site design template can save any new web developer a lot of time and effort. But like any tool, you can get into trouble if you don’t pay attention.
Color combinations, layout, and graphics are the key design elements in any web site template. Each web site should be designed around the subject matter, ease of use, and accomplish any special goals or end result. A lot of new web site designers get lost in the visual effects, which can have negative effects on user friendliness and search engine optimization.
If you look at some of the most popular web sites, the common element is simplicity and ease of navigation. There are few dancing bears, flash intros, or exploding special effects. And almost everyone has text navigation for the most part. They may have some very well designed graphics, and a few design elements but keep it simple for the user.
User friendliness and easy navigation should adhere to the two-click rule. This is a simple rule that implies any user should be able to find what they want on any given web site in two clicks. With the short attention span and impatient attitude of most surfers, you need to give them what they want fast. You normally only have about 5 seconds to grab their attention.
I use templates a lot to save time and effort on a new design. Some I’ve developed myself, some I’ve bought that give me at least a 70% solution. They may have some graphics that go with my subject matter and/or some colors and layout that suit my purpose for the web site. But they also may be missing some key elements.
Most web site templates have great visual effects and good color combinations. But many lack several important elements for both users and our friends the search engines. Here’s a list of common mistakes I see all the time when a web designer uses a web site template.
1. Navigation – Menu issues
2. No Sitemap
3. Ignoring the fold position
4. No H1 or H2 designated headline and sub headlines
Graphic, pull down, popup or other methods of displaying menus can look good but sometimes confuse the user and are invisible to the search engine bots. These are two good reasons to use a text menu somewhere that show all necessary navigation links.
Sitemaps are important for the same reason as above. Both users and search engines can see a snapshot of everything on your web site and get to it quickly. This improves your chances to get indexed quickly and gives the user that two click ability.
The fold position is where the bottom of the monitor breaks off the view of the page. All important information should be displayed above that line if at all possible. Don’t make the user scroll if it’s not necessary. Any navigation, special links, attention getters, or critical information should always display above the fold line.
H1 and H2 designate important info to the search engine bot. A common good search engine optimization is to put your keywords in the first headline that the user sees. Of course the headline should also induce the reader to continue to read the web page.
It’s pretty easy to fix all these issues during the initial design stage. Even though I’ve created 100’s of web sites I still use a checklist. The devils in the details and everything you can do to make it easy for the user and the search engines, the more successful your web site will be.
A web site template can be a big time saver but you need to insure that the end result has all the necessary features both users and the search engines. Make your web site both user and search engine friendly by making these small changes or additions.
