When Twitter Isn’t Appropriate

By Jason Falls in Featured

We’re at a point in the evolution of the information age, the age of self-publishing, Web 2.0 or whatever we want to label where we are in our increasingly wired world, that, if we do not establish some parameters of behavior, we’ll lose it all. This notion struck me as I read an article by Maryclarie Dale of the Associated Press called, “Tweets Unwanted Twist At Trial.”

The article told the story of Eric Wuest, a juror in a Philadelphia trial who tweeted that the verdict in a high-profile criminal case was forthcoming. While he did not disclose information about the verdict, or the trial for that matter, he violated the normal judicial instructions to not disclose or discuss the trial at hand with anyone. Wuest didn’t get in trouble, other than to be given a stern talking to by the judge in the case, but he did something we as an on-line community need to understand and take a stand against.

Social media is not a special place on the Internet where rules and rights are blurred. Sure, U.S. and International law are far behind in providing fair protection and policing of the web. If a server is in Switzerland, did you post that libelous statement in Switzerland or in the comfort of your Silicon Valley office? Yes, there will forever be trolls and turds, black hat sneaks and cyber criminals who continually maneuver through the system, committing crimes and finding loopholes. But for the rest of us, the fair majority, we need to exercise a little bit of common sense.

Twitter is not a forum where free speech can run rampant. Neither is Facebook or any other social forum, on-line or off. Eric Wuest probably minded his P’s and Q’s when chatting it up with friends at a Friday night cocktail hour. Why would he assume he didn’t have to on Twitter where everyone and their brother can see what he wrote?

I harken back to the key hang-up most people have with understanding social media or the Internet word. It’s not about the tools and the technology. It’s about a mechanism of communications. You aren’t allowed to communicate sensitive information about a trial if you’re a juror, or proprietary information about your companies business if you’re an employee. So why would you do it online? The rules still apply, even if the law is unclear about which ones apply where.

The first rule I give company employees when teaching them how to be representatives of their employer in their respective online spaces is, “Don’t be stupid.” Sure, I borrowed it from Flickr or Microsoft or some other list of guidelines, but it’s appropriate. Apply a different filter if you must: “When in doubt, don’t.”

Our interconnected world is reaching into unprecedented omnipresence. The thoughts and notions of random people are now being broadcast around the world in lightning speed. For most people, few will notice. But the fact that it’s there changes the impact and measure of one person’s opinions or experiences. It’s permanent. It’s indexed. It’s searchable. If it’s inappropriate or even illegal, you’ve shot yourself in the foot.

Eric Wuest probably should have been held in contempt of court. It would have sent a stronger message to all of us who love social media tools so. Mind your P’s and Q’s folks. If you don’t there will be repercussions. No matter how personal your space on these networks is, we can see it. It doesn’t just belong to you.

Jason Falls is the director of social media for Doe-Anderson, a brand-building agency in Louisville, Ky., specializing in building brand enthusiasts. A public relations professional by trade and writer by craft, Falls is co-founder of the Social Media Club Louisville. This blog is his own, contains his opinions and observations and does not necessarily reflect those of Doe-Anderson or its clients. For more email him at jason-at-jasonfalls.com.

When Twitter Isn’t Appropriate

Finding SEO Metrics That Matter

Most companies track rankings, traffic, backlinks, conversions, sales, repeat visitors, etc. While those metrics are important, do they honestly reflect your business’s marketing opportunities?

In this video, Mike McDonald interviews Seth Besmertnik of Conductor who shares some important information regarding metrics. He explains that businesses need to look at their overall marketing opportunities in order to understand which metrics they should focus their efforts on.

According to Seth, many businesses are investing a lot of time and money in areas that are not bringing in a great deal of return. He recommends looking at all your keywords, search volumes, potential click-thru-rates, your site’s conversion rates, and your potential average sale price if you’re a retailer. As you examine these metrics closely, your overall marketing opportunity should become apparent.

Seth emphasizes the significance of sharing all the data with the entire company. Successful SEO efforts require involvement from all members of the company. Also, use your data in every way possible. For example, Seth suggests using your paid search data to help with your organic search efforts.

Ultimately, companies need to be able to foresee their full potential, which sometimes requires looking from the outside in.

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Finding SEO Metrics That Matter

Making your Web Page Sell

By Mario Carini in Web Design

With today’s technology, selling has taken a new meaning. The door-to-door salesman is a thing of the past. Though the method of selling a product or service may be different, the basic rules are still the same and need to be reflected on your web site.

The Internet makes it possible to sell your product worldwide, but it lacks the personal touch that a face-to-face meeting could do. Your site has to work a lot harder if you hope to convince a viewer to buy your product.

A flashy website won’t always lead to lots of sales. Unless you have something positive and informative, most viewers will move on.

In order to keep your customer at your site, you need to entice the reader to read every sentence until he reaches the end of the page and wants to order. Your first page is the most important part of your website.

So what should your first page of your site contain? Preparing a website means doing more than throwing up a flashy page. There is to be some kind of organization to the site. A professional site is easy to navigate. If you are selling something of value get a professional to design a site for you. Consider yourself as a teacher educating your customer about your product and service.

It should show your product clearly. Your customer wants to see product not clever graphics or advertisements that have nothing to do with what he’s looking for. The customer wants to see what you have on that first page, not on page 20. Customers buy solutions, not the products or services.

A simple presentation. Your site can’t be cluttered up with banners, text ads and graphics. White space is important. Links should be clearly placed. The door-to-door salesman of the past sold only one item, whether that item was a hair brush, cosmetics or a vacuum cleaner. Keep your site simple, direct and easy to understand.

Persuasion. Your product or service should provide a solution to the customer. It should demonstrate to the customer that he is better off with your product than he would be if he just saved his money. Position your site as the low-risk provider of your product and service. The customer always looks for the lowest price for whatever he wants to buy. Persuasion addressees the customer’s fear of making the wrong decision when buying your item. This should come across in your web page. Overcoming the customer’s fear means placing a money-back guarantee if he isn’t satisfied.

Establishing trust online isn’t easy to do, but the one way of getting around this problem is to make yourself available. That means posting your email address, phone number and even your address as necessary. It’s a good way to establish a good relationship with a faceless customer. Remember that trust does not end after the first sale is made. Your are not just selling a product, you are working for your customer. That after-sales service should make up a part of your first page. Offer incentives that keep him from forgetting you and coming back to buy from you again and again.

Provide some incentives. You want your customer to buy from you and not surf over to the competition. You should offer up some kind of freebie or offer up a special discount if he responds immediately.

Take the time to design your front page. It’s the first thing people see before they make the decision to view the rest of your site. Your front page is like the outside of your home. If it isn’t attractive, no one will want to know what the inside looks like.

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Mario Carini is a freelance writer who has had many of his articles published at Helium, Suite 101, eHow, Constant Content and his blog at Word Press. For more info on his work send an email to: MrMaGca@gmail.com Among his interests are running an affiliate business where you can both buy and sell your own products. You can find more about this at: http://www.tripleclicks,com/71130/go

Tips for Accumulating More Twitter Followers

By SEO Sapien in Featured

Increasing your Twitter following allows you to drive traffic to your website(s), build your online presence, and network with people from around the world. So how do you get more Twitter followers? Some may argue that it requires posting good tweets at a particular frequency or following good tweet etiquette while others say that it all boils down to driving traffic to your Twitter page and following people so they in turn follow you. Let’s explore those two arguments.

What We Can Gather From the Most Popular Twitter Users

If you go to twitterholic.com, you can see the users with the most number of Twitter followers. If you have a quick glance over the list, you’ll see that most of these users are already famous in real life, whether because they have a successful business or because they are a celebrity. It’s not like they built their Twitter profiles from the ground up and accumulated so many Twitter followers because they write good tweets. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re doomed not to gain a good following just because you’re not famous.

The Way You Use Twitter Has Little Importance

If you are worried that the frequency of your tweeting or the quality of your tweeting is what primarily affects the number of followers you get, quit obsessing. You must treat your Twitter account just as you would any one of your other websites. The key to success is driving traffic to your site. In the big picture, obsessing about your tweeting habits is really not going to make a difference. The idea is to maximize your visibility just as you would on your own blog. To come up with marketing strategies for getting more people to go to your Twitter page and follow you, think of some incentives for why those people would want to follow you.

Strategies for Increasing Your Twitter Following

Make your Twitter profile follow you wherever you go. Make sure you add a link to your Twitter page at the end of emails and forum signatures. Put links to your Twitter page on your other social media profiles. If you have an online business or application, consider using Twitter for tech/customer support. Try setting up a contest or giveaway on your Twitter page. You can also create a free tool and advertise it on your Twitter page. One of the exceptions to the rule of not worrying about tweeting etiquette is using tweets to link to articles of interest to your followers. This helps you build a following.

One of the most effective strategies for increasing your Twitter following is following other Twitter users. When you follow new users, those users usually follow you right back. The downside to this tactic is that if you start following many people in a short time on Twitter, you risk being labeled a spammer. So if you are looking to build a long-term strategy and a legitimate Twitter profile, you’ll probably want to follow people gradually. One way you can do it is start following a bunch of people to get them to follow you in return, and then cut down the number of people you follow to make your profile look legitimate. The problem with following too many people is that you are overloaded with tweets and it can be difficult to actually keep up with anyone.

In conclusion, there are two ways to approach Twitter when building your following. You can use it to get immediate traffic to your websites or you can use it to network and converse with your followers to build rapport. How you decide to build your following and use Twitter depends on the end goal you’d like to achieve. If you follow these simple methods though, you’re bound to increase your followers, no matter what your motive may be.

About the Author: SEO Sapien is a SEO Company. We offer affordable and guaranteed search engine optimization services. You can visit our site at http://www.seosapien.com for more information and SEO Prices.

A New Definition for SEO: SEO = RESULTS!

By Jeff Quipp in SE Optimization

The Problem With Current Definitions:
The reality is, most people and companies define it differently. Some define it as modifying in-page elements only. Others expand on that and define it as including off-page elements and services such as link building. I’ll argue its this lack of clarity and consistency that is helping to give our industry a bad name, as it enables companies or individuals to point their fingers at others and say “you’re not getting business from organic search because someone else did not do their job … its not me!”. Companies then get caught in the finger pointing confusion, frustrated with the entire experience, and begin look at the entire industry through tainted glasses.
At the same time, its hilarious really. Time and time again I listen to many in the industry try to define SEO. Inevitably, they always try to define SEO as a set of activities, practices or tasks. To me, this shows tremendous fault in both their logic and their company business models. After all, who really cares about the tasks that you engage in, if they do not produce RESULTS! Is there no expectation? I draw an analogy to employees who want paid for their time, when in that time they produce absolutely nothing. Purchasing a trampoline that won’t bounce. Buying a new car that won’t move, a pen that won’t write, a shoe with no sole. You get the point. Isn’t defining SEO as a set of tasks or activities really just a means of transferring responsibility and blame to someone else when the desired results are not achieved.

SEO is …
There I said it … my definition of SEO is about getting the desired results from organic search. Organic Search is the medium, just as are newspapers, radio, television. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) however is the process of getting the desired results from organic search using whatever tactics you feel comfortable using … so long as you achieve the desired results! Merely improving results is insufficient, as it still does not necessarily mean generating any real results … instead it has to be the achievement of the desired results.

I know this type of definition is a great departure from how all other marketing media are defined (eg. newspaper advertising, radio, television, etc.), but we’re not like any other media? Also, in this new information age economy, its time we started to define marketing by success and results, rather than by tactics and tasks. Clients do not care what goes into an effort … only what results. Products already do this … when you buy a product typically, you buy it knowing what it will do ie. what the result will be.

So, for those of you who argue SEO is about in-page elements only, ask yourself this question; does your client think he’s investing in your time, or does he expect something more like results? Keep in mind of course that results need not be defined as ‘rankings’, and that we as SEOs can never absolutely guarantee anything. We can set expectations though ie. desired results. And I’ll bet he’s investing to get those desired results!

Conclusion:
In summary, to those of you who define SEO as anything other than the achievement of desired results … stop pointing fingers. You know the old saying … while there’s one finger pointing at someone else, 3 are pointing right back at you!

Recession Keyword Tool

Google Speaks Out On Recession Keyword Tool and New AdWords Interface

WebProNews has emphasized the importance of keyword research many times. In order to reiterate its power and to share some new offerings from Google, we interviewed Frederick Vallaeys, the AdWords Evangelist for Google.

In this video from SES NY, Frederick first discusses a new tool called the Search-based Keyword Tool. Frederick calls it the recession tool because “it allows you to do more with less.” Specifically, the tool looks at Google’s organic data and determines new advertising opportunities for your AdWords campaigns.

The tool gives you the keyword and the destination url for the keyword. Using that data, you can apply it to your ad groups based on your landing pages and then add it into your accounts. From there, you can monetize the keywords that weren’t performing to their full potential.

This Search-based Keyword Tool is the first time Google has used its organic data in this way. Because there is so much data, you will be able to find missed opportunities. The tool also helps long tail efforts.

In addition, Frederick highlighted the new interface for AdWords. He is quick to point out that “there’s nothing changing on the backend.” There will be no changes in the way the ads run or in the pricing structure.

According to the site, the new interface “makes campaign management faster, clearer, and more intuitive.” As Frederick explains, the new interface was needed as a result of the evolving Web.

For information on both announcements, visit Inside AdWords.

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Advertising Based on Factual User Data

When Facebook launched its advertising platform back in 2007, the company received a lot of criticism from users primarily regarding Beacon. Nearly a year and a half later, users have grown accustomed to the ads and webmasters and site owners are taking advantage of the tremendous opportunities. Tim Kendall, the Director of Monetization at Facebook, walks us through Facebook’s advertising system in this video from SES NY.

According to Tim, site owners and webmasters want to know how advertising on Facebook compares to the paid search campaigns they are used to doing. He says Facebook’s self- service advertising product is similar to paid search because it is based on a cost-per-click standard.

The primary difference between paid search and Facebook advertising is that paid search is centered on the user’s behavior and Facebook ads are based upon the data and preferences that users submit to Facebook. Tim says:

“We [Facebook] think that a Facebook ad is a way to reach customers before they search.”

In the above video, Tim demonstrates how to create an ad campaign for “tents” on Facebook. Before beginning the demo, Tim gives an example that 138,000 people in the United States search for tents in exact match queries on Google. This would mean that retailers selling tents have a predetermined allotment of 138,000 opportunities to sell their product. On Facebook however, those retailers can target millions of users who have shared an interest in hobbies such as hiking and camping, which could produce potential customers.

As Tim illustrates above, creating an ad on Facebook is a simple process that consists of a title, an optional image, and the text body. After the ad is complete, identify the target audience by selecting keywords from users interests (e.g., hiking, backpacking.) Facebook also displays an approximate reach based upon the number of people that included hiking as an interest on their profile. Once the target is selected, provide a bid according to standard cost-per-click (CPC) practices. The auction works just as any other online auction works.

Facebook believes it can provide a target market that is more direct than most other ad platforms. Also, the company believes that by offering this “demand generation solution” it will increase the number of searches.

Tim says that the product has exceeded its expectations and that some people are even getting better ROI on Facebook than they were getting with paid search. He said Facebook will continue to improve and develop their tool according to advertiser’s wants and needs. For more information on Facebook Advertising, visit www.facebook.com/advertising.

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Online Video Mysteries Revealed

Why is video so hot right now? According to Greg Jarboe of SEO-PR, the reason people are creating videos right now is because so many other people are as well. It is simply a chain reaction.

In this video from SES NY, Greg discusses several topics and questions regarding video. Monetization is a hot topic surrounding video since many people struggle with it. On the positive side, initial startup costs are feasible for most users and are only going to get better. Remember the Blendtec campaign? They started with $50 dollars and produced 5 videos, which gave them a 700 percent increase in revenue.

Video can be done on a small budget, but ongoing video campaigns can become expensive. Greg says that each video needs to have its own marketing objective and also be monetized individually. He goes on to say that “every video doesn’t have to go viral to be a success.” Whether or not your business meets your objective is the factor that determines success.

Marketing video is another hot area of interest right now. According to Greg, marketers have to realize that video marketing doesn’t follow traditional marketing standards. He also says marketers need to understand video segmentation. The whole world is not your audience. Businesses do not need to attract a mass audience to meet their goals. Instead, they need to determine who their target market is, and then act accordingly.

Advertising and video have had their fair share of differences from the beginning of the online video boom. Greg says the ad’s placement isn’t the challenging issue. However, the relevancy of the ad’s placement is what really matters. Video advertising will get easier and better and Greg indicates that that time is not too far down the road.

All this information and more is featured in Greg Jarboe’s upcoming book, YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day that is set to be published in August.

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Guarantee Conversions on Your Landing Pages

Given the economic environment we are all living in, businesses cannot afford to not have their landing pages convert. In this video from SES NYC, Tim Ash gives two distinct ways to ensure that they will convert.

1. Apply best practices to it
2. Ask your audience

One of the biggest problems Tim sees when analyzing landing pages is a problem with clutter. The business needs to have a clear call to action. Allow the customer to focus on their current transaction and don’t confuse them with too many options. Consider basic usability tips when applying your best practices.

Businesses have to keep up with the current trends and know what their audience wants. It is vitally important to get involved and communicate with the audience. If you give your audience what they want, you will have better results, which translates into more revenue.

On the topic of tools, Tim gives 2 recommendations. The first is Google Website Optimizer. This is a free tool that Google offers which allows users to conduct both A/B split testing and multivariate testing. Tim says it is a very powerful tool that is effective for both beginners and advanced users.

The second tool that Tim recommends is OnDialog. Tim prefaced this solution in an interview with us at PubCon South. OnDialog provides landing page creation software that puts the marketer in control. Tim’s company, SiteTuners has partnered with OnDialog and incorporated its tuning engine technology into their software. The tool allows more tests in parallel and bases data on actual results.

In the above video, Tim indicated that an official announcement regarding OnDialog may take place at SES, so be sure to stay tuned to WPN for an update.

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Brainstorm Your Way into an Effective Keyword List

Mark Jackson is the President/CEO of VIZION Interactive and while WebProNews was in Austin for PubCon, we had the chance to chat with him about building a keyword list and how big brands are beginning to embrace SEO. We all know that building an effective keyword list for your business is essential because those keywords are going to bring people to your site and ultimately bring you business.

Even though people are aware of the importance of building a keyword list, Mark says they tend to leave out one of the first and very important steps to the process, which is brainstorming. In this video, Mark suggests that businesses brainstorm to build a strong foundation of keywords.

He suggests involving the public relations department, customer service department, and even customers in the brainstorming process. Taking these steps can help get your creative juices flowing and can sometimes bring words to the surface that you might have overlooked.

Mark says:

“Many people will get focused primarily on the head of search, and if you want to look at the head of search, then you need to know who you are today; and then find who you might want to be when you grow up.”

Let competitive analysis be your road map. It is important for businesses to be aware of their competitors and the keywords and phrases that are driving people. Using that information, develop a strategy that is ideal for your business.

Lastly, Mark discusses how big brands are embracing SEO and what it means for small businesses and marketers. Mark indicates that smaller players can still hold their own against the big guys if they maintain authoritative sites that have quality content, valuable links, and creative tactics for visitor engagement.

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Maximize Your Online Marketing Campaign to Its Full Potential

At PubCon South, Richard Zwicky of Enquisite gave an interesting history of analysis in the worlds of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. In this video, Richard discusses the differences in each and what companies can do to take full advantage of all their opportunities.

Richard recalls that in the 1.0 world, the application was the central focus. Users were forced to adapt their work flow to match that application. In the 2.0 world, the application was modified to fit the user’s work flow and needs.

The world of 3.0 is about getting the data to turn into actions and knowing what to expect from data in order to act upon it. In his presentation, Richard listed the following predictions about Web 3.0:

- How we collect data might change
- Channels to reach customers will change
- How we use the data will change (static and dynamic creation, reputation management, social media, etc.)
- What we try to accomplish with the data won’t change (branding/sale)
- How we define value will evolve

Richard emphasizes the importance of acting on your data and realizing its potential. Enquisite now has a product in beta called Enquisite Campaign that looks at your potential and helps you understand it. The product tells you how much value you’re getting from your existing campaign and also allows you to see other opportunities that you should be utilizing. According to Enquisite’s site, those opportunities are:

- The opportunity potential of each keyword
- The keywords with the highest potential in the portfolio
- The best suited keyword candidates for optimization in the portfolio
- Keywords that are driving traffic to the site, but not being targeted
- Keywords not currently driving traffic to site, but with significant potential value.

For more information on Enquisite Campaign, check out their site.

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Speed Up Your Landing Page Testing

Tim Ash always shares the latest landing page optimization news with us, and he didn’t leave us out when he made a big announcement at PubCon South. In this video, Tim reveals a partnership that will make a marketer’s job a lot easier.

SiteTuners.com is partnering with OnDialog in an effort to break down many barriers marketers face. OnDialog offers landing page creation software, which gives marketers complete control. Entirely on their own, marketers can “design, develop, and deploy” landing pages directly from their desktop. The landing pages are then available for immediate use.

SiteTuners has incorporated its very powerful and fully automated tuning engine technology into OnDialog’s software to produce even better results. Marketers can include images, headlines, and remove and update their landing pages. It eliminates any barriers with IT since marketers manage it on their own.

Tim says the product will be in Beta within the next couple of weeks and we can expect a full announcement in a month or so. Stay tuned to WebProNews this week because Mike McDonald will be interviewing Tim at SES New York and we may have an update to the announcement.

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Headlines That Will Knock Your Socks Off!

Do you struggle to come up with witty and clever headlines? I think everyone does except Copy Blogger Founder Brian Clark. In this video, Brian shares some valuable information in regards to writing headlines.

First of all, do you understand how important your headlines actually are? If your content is part of your marketing strategy than your headline had better be good. If it’s not good enough to get people to keep reading, then you are missing out on links, social bookmarking, and sales.

Brian says that people obsess too much about the placement of keywords. While they are important especially for the search engines, what they are “wrapped up in” is more important. Your phrasing ultimately determines how much attention you get which therefore, determines your links, sales, etc.

According to Brian, the headline should be viewed as a “promise.” He says that you are essentially promising the readers that your content is valuable enough for them to invest their time and attention to what you have to say.

The headline has to be compelling, but that doesn’t mean it has to be controversial to prove that it is compelling. Brian actually says the method of being controversial is overused and in order to be truly effective, suggests going beyond being controversial and experiment with other techniques.

As far as length goes, Brian says to make your headline “as long as necessary.” It’s better to have a longer title to encourage the reader to keep reading than to make it too brief and reduce interest. Brian recommends having a headline of 8-10 words as a good rule of thumb to follow.

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What’s Happening with Social Media and Businesses?

Chris Brogan and Lee Odden have been teased about their striking resemblance to each other, so WebProNews decided to feed to the humor and interviewed them together. Both Lee and Chris are a lot of fun, and they are also very knowledgeable in the Internet marketing industry.

In this video from PubCon South, the two discuss social media and where it fits into marketing. Chris says that we are seeing more and more larger companies embracing social media. There are also many people using social sites because they think they can “get rich quick.” As companies determine how to effectively use social media, Chris predicts the number of “get rich quick” people will rapidly decline.

Lee agrees with Chris’s outlook and points out that companies are now discovering exactly where they are getting the most return and capitalizing in those areas. He says social media has now become a natural part of marketing.

There are however, risks involved in social marketing if companies don’t have a solid plan in place when they start their social efforts. Lee’s company, TopRank Marketing, suggests that companies construct a social media road map, which requires them to identify their audience, behaviors, and specific objectives.

After these factors are determined, companies can decide on what their social strategy is, whether it be blogging or social networks. From there, companies need to choose what tools they are going to use and decide how they will track their success. When measuring progress, Lee says it is important to measure goals in actual conversions and not simply by the number of friends or followers the company acquires.

Chris follows up on that point by explaining the importance of putting the “physical connector” back into social media. The overall marketing plan should contain traditional marketing tactics, which includes a physical side, as well as Internet marketing strategies and social media.

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Getting Your Affiliate Marketing Program Noticed

Since Missy Ward is the Co-founder of the Affiliate Summit conference series, we thought she would be a great candidate to get affiliate marketing advice from. As evidenced in this video, Missy offers up some compelling suggestions regarding affiliate marketing.

While there are many rewards to affiliate marketing, there are also a few risks that people don’t always consider. Risks can include fraud, brand damage, and even legal issues. Missy says the rewards far outweigh the risks. A few of the rewards she points out are low start up and customer acquisition costs, driven sales force, and a channel to search marketing strategies.

Now that you know that there are both risks and rewards, you’re ready to continue with your affiliate program. But how do you get noticed? Missy says she gets asked that question all the time. In her session at PubCon South, she gave the following answers to this question:

- Provide tutorials
- Get to know your affiliates
- Get social - Blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Share metrics
- Attend and organize affiliate marketing events
- Speak and get published
- Establish relationships with journalists and bloggers
- Get listed in affiliate directories
- Advertise to recruit affiliates

Missy also recommends actively participating in affiliate marketing forums such as ABestWeb.

Lastly, before starting an affiliate program, make sure you have the time and resources to invest in it. If you don’t, you will be left with an affiliate program that does not perform.

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Universal Search, Changing the Game of SEO

Universal and blended search has had a tremendous impact not only on searchers but also on SEOs. In this video, Amanda Watlington explains how universal/blended search has pushed SEO into a new position. With all the different forms of content that universal/blended search returns, SEOs have to look beyond the site.

Back in the early days of SEO in 1995, Amanda says that SEOs were classified as soloists. They worked closely with IT departments and in some cases, worked more with IT than they did with marketing departments.

Today, the game has changed. The SEO is, as Amanda calls him/her, a “visibility manager” or a “symphony conductor.” SEOs have to look at sites such YouTube, Flickr, and networking sites and work with videographers, public relations, and content providers in order to adapt to the game of universal/blended search.

In her session as PubCon South, Amanda listed the following steps for SEOs to succeed:

- Inventory the available digital assets
- Look for overlooked opportunities
- Audit current optimization success
- Find the gaps and close them
- Plan an attack based on business needs, not on what you think the engines want
- Monitor the results
- Get smart with the metrics

An important point that Amanda stresses is that even though SEO has changed as a results of universal/blended search, the expectations have not changed. If you expect changes and are prepared for them when they come, you will be able to alter your game and continue your work effectively.

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Google Details Latest Analytics Announcements

Because Google Analytics has made several announcements recently, WebProNews caught up with Paul Botto, Head of Analytics Sales at Google, to catch us up on the latest news with GA. In this video from PubCon South, Paul explains Advanced Segmentation, the Google Analytics Individual Qualification Program, and Event Tracking.

First of all, Advanced Segmentation allows users to segment their visitors according to the specific demographics they want to know. Users can compare segments and key performance metrics side-by-side. It gives a better understanding of your traffic and visitors and could let you know areas that need to be improved.

Just two weeks ago, Google Analytics launched their new skills qualification program, Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ). Google offers an online course that includes Web analytics techniques and GA implementation, administration, and analysis tools. The qualification does require a small fee, but it reflects the knowledge of the analytics user and as Paul mentions, serves also as a resume builder.

The announcement that Paul is most excited about and that directly impacts sites such as our WebProNews Videos site is Event Tracking. Although Event Tracking isn’t completely new to GA, Google has made recent updates to it since its initial release.

As the Internet has evolved, Paul says it is more interactive and provides a movie-like experience. Tracking this performance is more challenging than tracking a typical page-by-page experience.

Event Tracking comes into play here since it allows users to track what is actually taking place on the site. It shows what objects (such as a video on our site) visitors are using, what actions (play, stop, rewind, etc.) they are taking on the objects, and what labels (headlines or titles) they are using the most.

For more information on all these announcements, check out the Google Analytics Blog.

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Making Twitter Work for You

Most people dwell too much on the “rules” or accepted expectations for sites like Twitter. In this video, Michael Gray points out that there is no right way or wrong way to use Twitter. He says the only right way is when you are getting out of it what you want and what you’re putting into it.

What works for one person or business may not work for you. Therefore, it is important to determine your goals early and to do whatever you have to do to meet your goals.

Michael does give some basic tips that everyone could adopt and practice to build their reputation in the community. They are:

- Be polite
- Make friends
- Start conversations
- Ask questions
- Answer questions

Most people prefer tweets that are not self-promoting. Michael says bigger brands have more flexibility in this regard, but even they should not take advantage of it. Twitter is about engagement and most self-promotions do not encourage it.

The value you receive from Twitter is ultimately determined when you identify your goals and work to meet them. It’s not about how many followers you acquire. What really matters is how many of those followers actually know who you are and are helping you meet your goals.

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How Twitter Can Help You Do Just About Anything

You never know what to expect from Chris Winfeld. So it was really a no surprise to know that he let Twitter do his entire presentation for PubCon South! What’s even better and also no surprise is that Chris’s presentation was full of valuable information that people can easily apply.

In this video, Chris explains that the best way to learn about Twitter is to use it, which is why he used the tool to do his presentation. He asked 4 questions and received around 165 responses over the course of an hour. His questions were:

1. How does Twitter help you work on a daily basis?
2. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you professionally because of Twitter?
3. How can you use Twitter to increase traffic and ultimately get more business?
4. What’s your favorite part of the community here?

Some people responded with very serious answers, and others were more light-hearted and funny. Businesses that use Twitter can get instant feedback about what their customers and potential customers think about them. People using Twitter as a personal branding tool can interact with other people that they would have never known if it wasn’t for Twitter.

If Chris had conducted his survey the old-fashioned way, AKA email, he would not have received his results in an hour’s time and also, would not have gotten many of the responses he received. As Chris states, his results show how powerful Twitter actually is. He also proved that Twitter could be used successfully in many different ways.

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How To Start A Blog Using Wordpress Blogging Software

By Cory Threlfall in Blogs & Podcasts

I really enjoy blogging now that I have learned the essentials of how to start a blog and keeping it updated regularly. While you can’t learn all there is to know about starting a blog in 15 minutes, that is really all it takes to get one set up on the internet using the steps I’m about to share with you in this article.

If you want to reduce the risks involved with starting a blog then make a plan now to read this powerful information regarding it.

With that said are you ready to get started on setting up your first blog using Wordpress, the most popular blogging software on the web today?

I’m sure you are because that’s why your here right now in the first place.

Enough said already. Lets move on to Step #1.

Step #1: Choose a niche your passionate about.

I was blow away by how powerful choosing the right niche really is. Here’s why? Why start something you have NO interest in. Remember, your going to be producing content about a topic and if you have no interest in it you’re setting yourself up for failure. By choosing a niche your passionate about you’ll love blogging about it every day or every other day.

Believe me, this is the most important step to understand so choose wisely.

Step #2: Register a domain name around your niche.

Now don’t let this next step scare you. It’s very easy to register a Domain Name. Here’s what you do.

Go to - www.domainsbot.com - and enter in one of your main keywords related to your niche. For example - self improvement. From there Domains Bot will search its database of all available domain names around your keyword phrase and present you with the results. It doesn’t get any easier then this.

Once that is done and you have found a domain name you like that is focused around your niche it’s time now to register it with one of the domain registry services Domains Bot has built in to its service. To do this simply click on the ‘Buy Now’ button. From there choose a domain register and set up an account, then proceed to follow the steps it guides you through.

Once you’ve finished that move on to Step #3.

Step #3: Get a web hosting account set up.

Setting up a hosting account is easy as well. Things that are new to us always seen difficult, just be patient and follow the steps each service has in place for you. So with that said it’s time now to set up your web hosting account.

First go to - www.bighosts.com. Here you’ll find web hosting reviews so you can make a sound decision on which web hosting service you want to use. Take your time and read through a few of the reviews.

Once you’ve selected a web hosting service and set up your web hosting account and have followed there emailed instructions for adding your new domain name to your web hosting account, proceed to Step #4.

Step #4: Install wordpress blogging software using Fantastico through your cpanel.

Assuming you are logged into your web hosting account and things are working smoothly with your new domain name it is now time to install Wordpress using Fantastico. What you need to do now is login into your cpanel(Control Panel) using your login information you received from your web host and scroll down the page and locate the Fantastico icon.

Click on the icon and follow the instructions Fantastico guides you through. This only takes about 2 - 5 minutes. It’s very straight forward.

Once you’ve completed that and have everything installed you’ll be given an login admin URL along with your username and password you set up. Simply login into your new wordpress blog using your username and password.

That’s it. Your blog is up and live. Now all you have to do is choose your theme and plugins.

Here’s a few resources for you to get started with. For Wordpress Themes go to - www.wpthemesfree.com - and for Wordpress Plugins go to - www.wp-plugins.net/beta/.

Now this may take you a little more then 15 minutes the first time around but after you do this a few times your timing will increase.

Remember, these are just the basic steps to setting up your Wordpress blog using Fantastico and getting it online, but is the easiest in the long run.

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Cory Threlfall - Looking to become an expert blogger in record time AND are serious about earning BIG money with blogging, then I highly recommend you check out my honest make money blogging product reviews. I’ve checked out all the top blogging products on the Internet and these are the ones that I think will benefit you most ==> How To Start A Blog

Google Introduces Google Friend Connect API

Once again, Matt Cutts broke Google news for us. He introduced Google Friend Connect API at PubCon South in Austin, Texas and WebProNews has exclusive details in the above video.

Matt prefaced the announcement by explaining how we are all publishers now due to YouTube, Facebook, blogs, etc. He went on to say how spam should not be large concern because at this point in time, the focus should be primarily on creating good content. After considering those factors, Google released the Google Friend Connect API to help both publishers and users become more social.

Google Friend Connect API provides more participation, comments, interactions, and also less spam. A couple of people on Matt’s own team produced plugins for WordPress, Drupal, and phpBB.

Matt makes no claim of perfection on this and even strongly encourages others to create better plugins since they are all Open Source.

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What happens to your online presence when you die in real life?

by Nicholas Deleon


So here’s a weird question for y’all: what happens when you die? More specifically, what happens to the “online version” of you? Will your World of Warcraft guild hold a funeral for you, one that’s promptly invaded by a bunch of rival faction jerks? Will there be a Facebook “We miss you, man” group? Does anyone in your life have the password to you Gmail account, should you need to contact your contacts? “Remember Bill? Yeah, he doesn’t live here anymore.”

It’s apparently a big problem in online worlds such as World of Warcraft. Blizzard doesn’t exactly release account information willy nilly, so getting into contact with your former guild members, people who depend[ed] on your heals and buffs and the like, can be a huge pain in the behind. (Pardon my French.) And because people tend to drop dead, for lack of a better term, they often don’t have a Plan B, let alone Plan A, vis-à-vis their online presence.

You can do like one Oklahoma man did last year. He had a USB flash drive filled with all sorts of important contact information. “Break glass in case of emergency” type of thing. So, upon his death, his son fired up the flash drive, and was able to contact all the important folks in his life, virtual or otherwise.

Then there’s those e-mail services that promise to send e-mails after your death—“hey, man, I did cheat in that foot race in high school.”

Adapting to the Growing Mobile Sector

While there was not a specific session dedicated to mobile at SMX West, it still proved to be a hot topic. As Cindy Krum points out in this video, mobile was discussed in many sessions at the show.

Mobile is being integrated into many areas such as analytics and online and offline business. In particular with online and offline business, mobile helps to bridge the gap between the two.

Mobile has become increasingly popular in the entire industry because it plays a large role in what we can expect. As many people have predicted, everyone will have a Web-enabled device in the future. Cindy explains how this prediction not only means mobile phones, but also indicates Web-enabled devices such as a GPS, MP3, and camera.

Another contributing factor to add to the popularity of mobile is the continuing changes of the mobile search algorithm. As it gets smarter, it can recognize the Web-enabled device and then personalize search results based upon what it knows. For example, Cindy describes how the owners of a Sidekick and Blackberry are very different people and that the mobile algorithm can acknowledge that.

Most importantly, websites need to be ready to adapt to these mobile devices. Cindy recommends that webmasters use a “device independent design” which would allow the site to run on any device. People using mobile devices have an immediate need and a website should be prepared to respond to it efficiently.

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I have shocking news for you...

Hi,

I checked my email this morning and there it was...

... a message from the Internet Marketing Center's Derek Gehl,
one of THE smartest Internet marketers I know, telling me he's
retiring.

I'm still in shock!

At first, I was actually a little confused. Now more than EVER,
(think 'recession'), people need some SERIOUS help making
money online...

... and he just up and quits?!

But then I checked out the special web page he posted explaining
in more detail why he's retiring, and it all made sense...

He's NOT leaving everyone high and dry. As a final "farewell,"
he's actually putting together a complete braindump of
everything he *knows* about making money on the Internet!

That's $100 MILLION worth of experience, strategies, and
moneymaking secrets.

And that's why I'm emailing you today...

I know that the website where you can find out about Derek's
entire collection of Internet marketing strategies is only
going to be available for a short time, so you need to check
it out RIGHT AWAY!

Just follow this link:

http://insiderscourse.check-free.info

All the best,

Phil

P.S. If you've been struggling to make money online, this last
"hurrah" from Derek is the EXACT kick in the pants you need to
FINALLY start your own successful website.

Derek's created more success stories than any other "guru" out
there, so you KNOW his strategies will work for you, too.

http://insiderscourse.check-free.info